
Eagulls + Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam + TV Crime @ Hare and Hounds, 17th May 2016
I’m glad to say that I had been waiting for this my first Eagulls gig, with so much anticipation that it seemed like an absolute age; but also glad in as much as if there is a band that can still get the juices flowing in my jaded and sceptical body then they must be quite special, and really happy in as much as my anticipation was warranted; warranted 110% as the Americans would say.
Eagulls were already on the cusp of entering the select group of groups that I hold dear as defence against the increasingly disposable rubbish that is rammed down the Nation’s throats, and the appalling cynicism of the output of the reality talent show treadmill. After tonight Eagulls were right there with the rest of my beloved bands.
Showcasing their “difficult second album” Ullages, (see what they did there?) they were playing to a full Hare and Hounds; so full that an embryonic mosh developed in response to the well known songs from their eponymous debut. It was good to see and good to be a part of it. But at times tonight it looked as if it may have been somewhat different.
Rumours of an opening DJ set may be unfounded but someone called 99watts was on the advertised billing. It’s possible that the M6 pandemonium had made us miss what was reported to be Eagulls van driver on the old wheels of steel. This may have been a mickey-take on the part of a fellow journalist, but a good story if true.
TV Crime turned up late and presented themselves as competent rockers contending with ropey sound. They were an eclectic bunch with a lead singer/guitarist who looked like the love child (probably the grand-love-child) of Tony McFee. Initially they seemed to be playing for themselves as the venue filled up, but they were entertaining for all that.
Their lateness was a portent of things to come. Support “Unlucky Brummies” and local outfit Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam, set up whilst doing an impression of three puzzled workmen looking down a hole, only they were surveying the back of an amp with some concern. There was a load of crackling and amp grinding through the first couple of punk-pop offerings, sounding as if there was a short somewhere.
This became enjoyable to the point where they had a real Sonic Youth thing going on. Frisbee (or was it Sunshine or Laserbeam) was giving it the whole Thurston Moore until it turned out that his amp was toast. More cracking resulted in a total power cut, a lot of scurrying around and a bit of jiggery-pokery until normal service was resumed. Normal that is, except for their having to play in the dark.
It was at this point (around Paradise Telephone) that they threw away the pop-ish punk and steered into Fawn Spots territory. After an amp swap they started sounding really good but they left me hankering for the unintentional grungy effects of their opening songs.
When George Mitchell strolled onto the stage, unfeasibly thin and Brett Anderson-esque, everything clicked back into place and Eagulls played a faultless, blistering set. I had wondered how they would combine the raw temperament in the early songs with the mature outlook of the new stuff, but it was an effortless and for George a languid performance. He makes terse disinterest an art form and tonight he was on top diffident form. The crowd took to the unfamiliar Lemon Trees and then warmed up on the back of Touch Luck, Yellow Eyes and Nerve Endings before the band settled into the new songs, punctuated by a cover, the Human League’s Seconds; a bit incongruous but well done. I would have preferred Fester-blister or something else of their own, but Seconds has been in their set for ages; each to his own.
They ended a tremendous set with Possessed and left the stage looking forward no doubt to the album release show at Islington Assembly Hall and lots more touring, Considering how much they tour it’s weird that this was my first time of seeing them live. It certainly won’t be the last.
Eagulls Set List
Lemontrees
Tough Luck
Yellow Eyes
Nerve Endings
Heads or Tails
My Life In Rewind
Euphoria
Seconds(The Human League cover)
Skipping
(Velvet – on the list but missed off due to time)
Blume
Possessed
Review: Ian Gelling
Photographs: Stephanie Colledge