The stark and affecting raw vocals of Megan Thomas skating over the gentle lull of Dave Miatt’s harmonies and their two simple, beatnik folky guitar lines has made them flavour of the moment in Southampton’s local music scene. Their enigmatically introverted style and effortlessly enchanting sparkle has been a breath of fresh air in an indie scene saturated with electric guitars and synth lines. Having recruited friends on bass and drums, they’ve recently started gigging as a band under the guise Thomas Tantrum.
Where many acts struggle to break down songs written for the muscle of a full band, subsequently playing them acoustically, the reverse is evident in Thomas Tantrum's show this evening. Tonight, the natural intensity in Megan’s voice is sometimes lost behind the wall of bulky sound that comes with playing electric and the songs lose a little of the poignancy and magnitude that makes them so startling when rendered acoustic.
This band are doubtlessly among the most exciting and alluring new acts in the city but, judging on tonight’s performance, to successfully make the change from pretty acoustic folk to a truly gripping live band they need to develop more musical contours, emotive guitars and a tenacious attitude.
From the budding to the aging, then: tonight Chikinki are ominous by their presence as headline act. A year-and-a-half ago they and Kasabian were friendly competition, playing countless gigs together. Then, with the release of 'L.S.F', Kasabian exploded all over our radios, TVs and magazines while Chikinki disappeared. Back then it was unclear which band, in the long run, had truly lost out; tonight, the murky and smoke-stained interior of Lennons is bustling with indie kids vying to find out.
From the offset Rupert Browne makes the answer quite clear, acting like more of a meagre Johnny Borrell wannabe than an established front man whose own style you want to steal. He pouts and spits, writhes and thrusts, gurns and leers with all the faux attitude imaginable, and in the most unconvincing, unsettlingly forced manner. Two songs into the set and the band plod through a sub-standard, emotionally empty and ill-rehearsed rendition of a one-time dancefloor must, ‘Ether Radio’. Two fans, who at the beginning of the set were beside their skinny-jean-and-converse-clad-selves with anticipation, look at each other and scrunch up their noses with distaste. The band plough through an endless set of rehashed and lacklustre songs that they claim to be new, and by the time they close their set with a mind-crunchingly stale rendition of old funk-electro-indie track ‘Scissors, Paper, Stone’, the crowd has halved in size.
In the time Chikinki have been dormant, synth-indie-pop has gone from interesting to tiresome - the overkill of shiny-clean chart acts such as The Killers, The Bravery and Editors have made what was perhaps initially interesting about Chikinki now quite tedious and dated, and the problem is that they haven‘t moved on. At all.
In a rapidly moving live music scene, is there really room for bands who are flagging in ideas and whose idea of remaining current is copying jagged moves and trout-like facial expressions from Razorlight? Judging by the reaction of tonight’s audience, it would seem not. Disappointing to say the least.
Chikinki at the Dublin Castle last night
Were pretty ace actually.
chikinki
i agree with the review, they were pretty awful at lennons on monday. i expected a lot more having not seen them for a long while. Thomas Tantrum were great though.
shit!
that last comment was by me, not by kp... damn cookies...
hehe!
For a moment there...
WHAT ABOUT VOLUME??
Wait a minute?????
Enough little stabs at each other about who likes what bands and how tight bands can play on borrowed gear (even though you are talking shit kate chikinki did rock it!) I want to know why you dedcided to forget about VOLUME! Are you deaf and blind? VOLUME were the middle band so you must have seen them...what ever your reason's for not including them, i presume they must be personal as you had no problem slating chikinki or announcing your undying love for thomas tantrum! I find it highly unprofessional and rude to disclude a third of the set!
An unfair and sloppy review from a very poor writer.
no ears on Kate???
Errrr. Were you at a different gig? The first band on were perhaps the worst thing I have ever heard (apart from crapartniks Test Icicles, who hold that honour!). She couldn't sing, they couldn't play and they had no songs. They will disappear. And did you listen to Chikinki? They had just had all their gear and van nicked - had no rehearsal and were playing on the middle band's (Volume, who were great, but you don't mention!) gear. They were not up to their usual best, but I certainly heard about 6 new songs that have moved them on hugely. Rupert - well, you like him or you don't. Ibviously, their fans do. As for people leaving - it was midnigt and Southampton - nuff said. What you didn't witness was the following night at the Dublin Castle. Sold out, people turned away. Storming set after the day before. People loving it. It felt like a triumphant return after a year touring urope (which is where they have been, with a lot of success apparently). Bring on the new record. And next time, Kate, check and see that your members pretty much love this band, because they are different and progressive, whereas you appear to be shallow and full of pointles invective. Look it up.
well
i personally really enjoyed thomas tantrum. i have my reasons for not reviewing volume, but may well do in the future. i reviewed chikinki exactly as i felt and the majority of people i spoke to after agreed that they were very disappointing.
i used to really like them very much which is why it angered/upset me so much that they played, what i felt, was a pretty poor gig. i did not review the night after at the dublin castle, i reviewed the gig i went to.
all music reviews are subjective. rather than acting like a petulant little child and having a tantrum about it, why don't you try submitting your own user review? that's why that part of the site was introduced.
arghh
oops, that was me, not andy. we'll get the hang of this computer-sharing lark one day hehe.
kx
still deaf?
So, hang on a minute. You want me to stop acting like a petulant little child, but you 'have your reasons for not reviewing volume' - personal I preume. Isn't that a little petulant? Perhaps you should share the reason and your unbiased view. I, like the other people on here, am nothing more than a Chikinki fan. We all, it seems, velt that the Southampton show was weaker than the Dublin Castle one, but what galls me is to see a git like you take a swipe at a band just when they need your support, not an unjustified slating. I truly hope that they can find their feet after all they have been through and get a shot to achieve some kind of recognition. Perhaps if you had stopped and thought a moment you might have given a review not so loaded with anger, but with the same observations.
As for that other band, I am worrried that you are employed by this site as a reviewer. Is poke to Chikinki after the gig, and they, like you thought they were ace. I told them that they were all mad. Truth is Boris has got more talent in a single malted pube lying around in his overstained y fronts than that band will ever have. Not opinion. Fact.
It's not an angry review
and Chikinki are boring, basically.
It's not a swipe for the sake of it, it's a critical opinion. It's what critics do, criticise things.
You're very well welcome to your own opinion of course, and as Kate says, you can now post your own review, if you like.
So do so.
Enough already
When did you last see them? And judging by about whom and what you have written in the past, I'm not sure you desreve your role as a trusted critic.
It just gets my goat when they are uninformed and spreading their own ego rather than a good word, which is what I feel is happening here.
No need to review - it's all covered here.
However, enough - I have trusted this site since it's birth and it is only today that I have felt the need to come and post. I presume you know that Kate posted her review on the Chikinki board and goaded us (people who use that board) to 'come and slay her with our words'. I'm sorry to say that it worked. I'm not proud of slinging filth, but she begged for it - I'm sure she feels it has been worthwhile. I feel like she has betrayed a band I love.
dear lord!
I posted about the review on the messageboard to invoke some constructive discussion on it. I said 'slay me with your words' in a joking manner.
Grow up and stop taking things so bloody seriously.
so bloody seriously?!
oh my goodness, do you not understand?!
this isn't a joke, it IS serious, this band have had all their worldly possessions including an INCREDIBLY important pair of earmuffs stolen, and they come to southampton and play a wicked gig on instruments they havent even TOUCHED before, and you diss them??
and in terms of how serious it is, you slagging them off is like me coming over there and saying you can't do your job, because you are using someone elses equipment and are therefore being less efficient than usual.
bands rely on their fanbases for support; if you didnt like them you could at least put in some constructive criticism rather than randomly slating them for looking vaguely like someone else (which btw is not true. 1), chikinki have been around and making ridiculous faces for far longer than razorlight and 2) he doesnt look like johnny borrell anyway and i have a feeling you might have approached me and told me he did at the gig in southampton which might be where you got the "scrunch up their noses" idea from, but that was just because you were talking nonsense. EITHER WAY, i don't know, because I was drunk)
It's really not that hard to play another man's guitar
you know.
Seriously.
Bands do it all the time.
Having stuff stolen = shit.
But it shouldn't be an excuse. Not really.
WHAT ABOUT VOLUME????
Wait a minute?????
Enough little stabs at each other about who likes what bands and how tight bands can play on borrowed gear (even though you are talking shit kate chikinki did rock it!) I want to know why you dedcided to forget about VOLUME! Are you deaf and blind? VOLUME were the middle band so you must have seen them...what ever your reason's for not including them, i presume they must be personal as you had no problem slating chikinki or announcing your undying love for thomas tantrum! I find it highly unprofessional and rude to disclude a third of the set!
An unfair and sloppy review from a very poor writer.
It's far from unprofessional to discount an act from a review...
...perhaps they were that unremarkable?
Really, what's the point in words if they're boring ones about a boring band?
Write about what excites you, either way, for better or worse. Indifference = bollocks copy.
And Kate's a good writer. Such personal attacks born of differing opinions are pathetic.
not when your review is this bad.....
unremarkable???? i've seen VOLUME many times, THEY ARE ANYTHING BUT UNREMARKABLE...you say volume are boring yet kate is prepared to ramble on about, frankly one of the boring and tedious, whiney bands i've ever had the unfortune of seeing.
it strikes me as contradictory that you would say kate is a good writer...if she thought volume were boring why not say?
surely that would be the work of a good writer. it seems to me you are coming to defence of someone who clearly cannot defend herself thus proving my point further...all i can say to kate is good luck in your future career..
ooooh
I didn't review them because I don't like reviewing bands I don't feel I can be entirely objective about and for one reason or another, I didn't feel I could be (and not because I don't like any of them or anything of that ilk).
In hind sight yes I probably should have done and I'm sure I will review them in the future. I don't really see how it makes me a bad writer though.
It doesn't
Just steer clear of words like 'disclude' and 'unfortune' and you'll be fine ;-D
but .....
....it seems you do know very little about the band, as it is just a little harder to play another man's synthesiser which doesn't have your self made sounds on it, is it not?
also
let's not forget the electric drum kit they lost, which actually pretty much prevents them from playing my favourite song. and the EARMUFFS oh my
I Love This Band!
I think that for a band who had all their gear nicked about a month ago that Monday night was pretty much a success for them! Yeah they may have been ill re-hearsed but they were using gear that they hadn't played with before, and i really enjoyed it. I was fortunate to be at both shows and i will admit that of the two southampton was a bit under par but i have to agree with George,the Dublin Castle show was ace.. no better than ace! It rocked! Bring on the new single!
You said...
I'm with schimdie and Chula. Not the best I've seen them but nowhere near as bad as you made out. Playing synth-based music on borrowed synths can't be easy. The new songs *were* new. There was at least one there that was having its first outing in the UK. And it sounded great. I, too, was at their gig the next night that the Dublin Castle, which was nothing less than blinding. (And the entire crowd seemed to think so too.) Not their best gig. Yes. Ill-rehearsed. Maybe. 3/10. Definitely not.
Who are you people?
Why do you come here?
Hello, I'm George
I suspect everyone else might be members of Chikini or their Mums.
Although I do stand by my (small) comment that they were v good at the Dublin Castle.
freedom of speech
im not a member of Chikinki or their mum, they're just a band i've followed for a long time and i want to see them get the credit they deserve! No harm in that is there?
oh and also...
i thought thomas tantrum were rubbish, but Volume seemed quite good!
Nope, not at all
Hello.
hello
hello
reviews
Just because a review doesn't agree with what you think doesn't make it rubbish. don't slag people off for having an opinion.
As for Volume, they were nearly a very good band, but for me, played things too safe. i really wanted to see some passion and them too really push it, but they rarely went past walking pace, especially in the song dynamics. However, their new tune was by far their best, so hopefully that is the sound they are aiming for.
As for the lead singer of Thomas Tantrum not being able to sing, i have to disagree; her voice is amazing; powerful and unique. they really have a lot of potential.
Volume
There you go! That wasn't hard was it? Those were very apt, interesting comments regarding Volume...so not sure what you mean about not being objective...
look here
i was at this gig and on a very personal level i honestly found chikinki repulisve. i am not saying thay are. i am saying i found them so. i will atack no one for their opinions and do not write this to sway anyone to change their opinions.
my criticism is that i have seen bands play with broken equipment and still enjoyed the gig. how many local bands equipment share every night in the country.
chikinki are a touring band, nay a band alone and therefore are opening themselves open to be evaluate on their performance. i thought that the whole display was tawdry and lacklustre.
a year ago i saw an electornica artist called benni woo play a gig at the joiners. anyone who understands electronica will know that without a laptop you will struggle. his was broken. he proceeded to put on his cd player through the p.a and free style rap and sing over whatever came on and it was fucking brilliant at times he just let songs play and smoked but he was entertaining. equipment failure or loss is no excuse for not being entertaining.
thomas tantrum were very good, she can sing insanely well and quite uniquely which is wholly refreshing in a musical climate which seems solely orientated around pastiche.
volume were good but at times i felt like they were excluding first time listeners with the lack of hooks and awkawrd time signatures. having spoken to a member of said band recently (lovely chap by the way) i have come to known that this is their sound and in their defence they are highly skilled highly practised musicians personally as a listener i am more inclined towards other genres and song writing techniques so i thought that their new song was their best as it allowed ne to lose myself in it and i could feel a better flow to it.
with regards to reviewers not reviewing a band on a night they were at.
they do not have to, like performing in certain venues or watching certaining things is a n option so is reviewing no band is owed a review ever you must either earn it on the back of your perfomance or rely on the reviewer deciding to do so.
the writers on this website are not paid and review on their own time while they work or study.
i can appreciate the frustration of certain members of this thread for the lack of a review however maybe you should realise that as one of you said you had trusted but never commented on this website before.
some might say according to your logic that your lack of involvement was not fair to the writers or the bands as you should have given some sort of feedback because you had been involed.
but maybe i am just being pedantic
Daniel
out of interest....
....how do Editor's qualify as synth-indie-pop? not that I am questioning their being lumbered in the dull camp....
ah
Cos theyre indie pop and made out of enrirely man made crap as opposed to natural crap.
Lennons Gig
Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion upon the type of music they like and listen to. Just because I dont like Bon Jovi it doesnt mean Bon Jovi is shit, well actually, Bon Jovi is shit. However, what I am trying to get at is that I too was at the Lennons gig, and must admitt that I agree with Kates comments. Thomas Tantrum were the most original and refreshing act on the night. I remember watching Chikinki @ the Joiners when they rocked - sorry guys they were bloody aweful at Lennons. Regardless of whose equiptment you use. Volume played a great set but nothing I havent heard before.