Manchester is a city that is steeped in
musical history; it's birthed a plethora of bands and even it's own
somewhat debatable genre of music. It's no surprise then, that
occasionally you get a gig when the line-up of bands is of such a
calibre that it's impossible not to attend. Tonight, at the Ruby
Lounge, is one such night. Headlining the bill are Cleethorpes-born,
Manchester-bred Orphan Boy
who have just completed their second album, a follow up to YEAR Shop
Local
entitled Passion,
Pain and Loyalty. Supporting
them are Midlands based The
Antics,
and local Manc bands Frazer
King
and Velocets.
First to tonight's stage are Life's A Beech regulars Velocets.
Hailing from Stockport, the band play a kind of post-indie that
occasionally finds itself bordering on shoegaze although never quite
straying . Opening with their first single 'Sophie' is a safe bet to
appease a crowd that's still on the thin side, something we can
attribute to the 7:45 start time. They change it up with the
inclusion of a song so new it's yet to be named, while fan-favourites
such as the rip-roaring 'Tell It To Your Kids' and the candid 'Naked'
fit in to the set-list like the future classics they are. Velocets
are one of the most exciting bands making the rounds at the minute; a
breath of fresh air in an scene that's seen it all before. If you
haven't checked them out already, you should definitely do so this
year.
Second on the bill were The Antics, who blend classic rock style
guitar licks with Happy Monday's type vocals in a fusion of
sleaze, sex and the obligatory colloquial accent. Playing to a venue
that has begun to fill up, the band serves to warm the crowd up
nicely as the anticipation begins to mount. The band round their set
off with 'Party's Over' but for the crowd, it's really only just
beginning.
The third band to take to the stage are Manchester's Frazer King, a
quirky and eclectic six piece. By this point the venue is pretty much
at max capacity, again they serve as a more than fitting appetizer to
tonight's main course. Crowd and band alike by now have sunk
their fair share of ciders, and as the band glide effortlessly
through the likes of 'Rocking the Cradle' and 'Eunoch Growl', it's
clear that the bar has been set particularly high for Orphan Boy.
Finally, as the anticipation in the venue almost reaches breaking
point, tonight's headliners hit the stage, opening with the first
song from their forthcoming album 'Letter for Annie' in which huge
sounding verses are mixed with candid lyrics amidst distinctively
crunchy feedback. The crowd reaction to Orphan Boy is as expected for
a band back on the road after a three month break and is aided by the
size of the venue that only adds to the atmosphere which is palpable.
A mixture of old and new songs punctuate Orphan Boy's set, with the
likes of older tracks such as 'Middle Class Roots' fitting in neatly
next to newer, more recent affairs such as 'Harbour Lights' and
'Popsong'. It's been almost five years since the release of Orphan
Boy's début album, but the older songs still sound just as fresh and
pack just as much of a punch as the newer tracks which, in turn,
exhibits a maturity in their song writing, progressing from 'council
rock' to the newly established 'lad art'. The fact that these guys
can just coin genres is a testament to their sense of humour,
obviously you're not going to find a section in your local record
store devoted to 'post-post-punk' but it's a name that fits their
music, and it exhibits a distinct sense of light-hearted cheekiness
to the band which sets them apart from a their contemporaries.
It's clear tonight that those in the crowd have witnessed three bands
which are definitely on the up and up, and headliners, Orphan Boy,
who have been missing in action until really quite recently. That
said though, it's good to have them back on the scene, and what a way
they've gone about it, cementing their name in to the hearts and
minds of Manchester's music fans, all the while laying the next
stones on the path way to nationwide recognition. Keep on going lads,
it's definitely going to pay off.
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