Reuben
ABC2 - 21st February 2007
Tonight the ABC2 (one of Glasgows better small venues with a capacity of around 300) is packed out with punters waiting to catch a rare headline show from one of British Rock's
best kept secrets, Reuben. Support is provided by local(ish) boys Sucio Perro.
First to take the stage, however, is the sublime Red Light Company, whose perfect brand of
indie-pop comes across like someone has mashed up the best bits of the Killers with the
Arcade Fire. They seem rather out of place when compared with the other two acts on tonight's bill, but nevertheless they capture the attention of everyone in the room, and extract a deafening applause from the crowd by the the end of their set. Tonight's show is only their third as a band, which is unbelievable considering how many veteran bands aren't even this tight.
It may be a plea for more 'friends' but it transpires during their set that they have less than 100 people added to their myspace. It was up to 112 by the time i got round to checking it out, but I still urge you to do the same (www.myspace.com/redlightcompany).
Up next are Sucioperro, who clearly have more than a few fans in tonight. This could be due in large part to the fact that frontman Dragon collaborated on high profile side project Marmaduke Duke with Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil.
It seems as though Sucioperro can't decide if they want to be radio rock, or something more alternative. Cramming more ideas into one song than most bands do in a whole album, it just doesn't work because half the ideas are crap and it all comes across as pretentious rather than clever, jumping from something your mum could enjoy to full-on metal beatdowns at the drop of a hat. They try to put on a good live show by jumping from the drum riser and lurching forward against the barrier whilst holding their guitars high above the crowd, and give the devil horns at every available opportunity. To me, however, it all seems a bit arrogant, and whilst it works in near enough their home town, you can't help thinking that their heightened stage antics might inspire less enthusiasm elsewhere.
Reuben, on the other hand, are a band that aren't about scenes, genres, pretention or haircuts. Their riff heavy tunes are hard to pigeon hole. Jamie Lenman's gutteral roar is distinctive enough to set the band apart from their peers, and they occupy an odd position which is not quite metal, but not quite screamo, and too heavy to be straight-up rock.
The band are touring to promote their new DVD, 'What Happens in Aldershot, Stays in Aldershot', which is being filmed on tour and also in the studio whilst recording their new album. The band take to the stage wearing foam rubber helmets in homage to the cover of WHIASIA, with Lenman wearing naught but a hospital gown and boxers, the former we later learn he half-inched from a local hospital whilst being treated for an as yet un-cured bout of food poisoning. The show doesn't suffer for it though, and their live performance is just as energetic as any gig they've ever played before. The band seem to be in good spirits, and could definitely be put up for a 'Cheeriest Live Band Ever' award. They crack jokes about shitting between songs, and Lenman replaces screams with falsetto parts, thus surprising bandmates to the extent that bassist Jon can't stop laughing until the end of the song. Reuben hammer out track after track from debut Racecar is Racecar Backwards and 2004's Very Fast Very Dangerous, as well as throwing in a few new tracks for good measure.
Reuben have such energy and onstage charisma that it's impossible to have a bad time at their shows, and they're the sort of band that you could see every night for a year and still enjoy. And you get the feeling that they'd be up for it, too.
> Jono Bolton
Tonight the ABC2 (one of Glasgows better small venues with a capacity of around 300) is packed out with punters waiting to catch a rare headline show from one of British Rock'sbest kept secrets, Reuben. Support is provided by local(ish) boys Sucio Perro.
First to take the stage, however, is the sublime Red Light Company, whose perfect brand of
indie-pop comes across like someone has mashed up the best bits of the Killers with the
Arcade Fire. They seem rather out of place when compared with the other two acts on tonight's bill, but nevertheless they capture the attention of everyone in the room, and extract a deafening applause from the crowd by the the end of their set. Tonight's show is only their third as a band, which is unbelievable considering how many veteran bands aren't even this tight.
It may be a plea for more 'friends' but it transpires during their set that they have less than 100 people added to their myspace. It was up to 112 by the time i got round to checking it out, but I still urge you to do the same (www.myspace.com/redlightcompany).
Up next are Sucioperro, who clearly have more than a few fans in tonight. This could be due in large part to the fact that frontman Dragon collaborated on high profile side project Marmaduke Duke with Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil.
It seems as though Sucioperro can't decide if they want to be radio rock, or something more alternative. Cramming more ideas into one song than most bands do in a whole album, it just doesn't work because half the ideas are crap and it all comes across as pretentious rather than clever, jumping from something your mum could enjoy to full-on metal beatdowns at the drop of a hat. They try to put on a good live show by jumping from the drum riser and lurching forward against the barrier whilst holding their guitars high above the crowd, and give the devil horns at every available opportunity. To me, however, it all seems a bit arrogant, and whilst it works in near enough their home town, you can't help thinking that their heightened stage antics might inspire less enthusiasm elsewhere.
Reuben, on the other hand, are a band that aren't about scenes, genres, pretention or haircuts. Their riff heavy tunes are hard to pigeon hole. Jamie Lenman's gutteral roar is distinctive enough to set the band apart from their peers, and they occupy an odd position which is not quite metal, but not quite screamo, and too heavy to be straight-up rock.
The band are touring to promote their new DVD, 'What Happens in Aldershot, Stays in Aldershot', which is being filmed on tour and also in the studio whilst recording their new album. The band take to the stage wearing foam rubber helmets in homage to the cover of WHIASIA, with Lenman wearing naught but a hospital gown and boxers, the former we later learn he half-inched from a local hospital whilst being treated for an as yet un-cured bout of food poisoning. The show doesn't suffer for it though, and their live performance is just as energetic as any gig they've ever played before. The band seem to be in good spirits, and could definitely be put up for a 'Cheeriest Live Band Ever' award. They crack jokes about shitting between songs, and Lenman replaces screams with falsetto parts, thus surprising bandmates to the extent that bassist Jon can't stop laughing until the end of the song. Reuben hammer out track after track from debut Racecar is Racecar Backwards and 2004's Very Fast Very Dangerous, as well as throwing in a few new tracks for good measure.
Reuben have such energy and onstage charisma that it's impossible to have a bad time at their shows, and they're the sort of band that you could see every night for a year and still enjoy. And you get the feeling that they'd be up for it, too.
> Jono Bolton
