Last night's show at the Commodore started a bit late, but maybe that was just my been-out-late-for-the-last-three-nights-and-I'm-so-tired brain talking. I was anticipating three bands (I'm sure it said three bands in the paper when I checked show times!) so that probably influenced how I was feeling, too. As it tuned out, there was just one band, Mad Action (formerly known as Ty Cobb), opening for Leicestershire's Kasabian.
The crowd was probably a 60:40 (or maybe even 65:35) male: female ratio, and many of the guys appeared to be big rugby fans - you know the type. One interesting young man was dressed in a kilt, and in talking to him we learned he was authentic - Scottish through and through. And have you ever wondered what a Scotsman wears under his kilt? Turns out - they wear nothing!
But enough, already. Back to the music. The opening act was Philadelphia's 'Mad Action', who have established a fairly good following in the UK but apparently have not yet had the same success here on home ground. They are a fairly straight-forward rock and roll band; tight, polished, professional. The bassist, Jay Mehlen, had had to get bailed out of jail in order to make the show, and sadly, that was probably the most exciting thing we heard from these guys all night. Solid music, but beyond that...
And then there was Kasabian. These guys are stars - or at least, they act like it. Lead singer Tom Meighan prances and swaggers, his loose-limbed gyrations reminiscent of long dead rock gods a la Michael Hutchence. He makes the most of his slimly sexy boyish physique, leaning back and exposing his taut belly at times, and then throwing in hip-hop posturing at other times.
Musically, this band fuses '90s electronica with '80s guitar sounds - think Simple Minds meet the Beta Band. Spiritualized, Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses also come to mind.
One peculiar thing during their set started after the third song: Meighan yells out, "Thank you, Vancouv-aaah!" and the lights went down. Short concert, what? (You've got to imagine that last bit being said with a British accent). But then, the lights came back up, the next song started - and then the same thing happened again. And then again with the next song. Peculiar. And then he started yelling out the odd, "Motherf***ers!" at the crowd, but it seemed to be said in a more - I don't know, loving manner? If that makes sense. Which it doesn't to me. But hey, what else is new?
LSF was the highlight of the night for me, and their edgy sound made for a head-bobbing good time. Overall, a good night. And with that, I say to you: Good night!
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