We got there just in time to get a beer and watch the Subways' set. A very promising band, whose single Oh Yeah sounds like a real potential classic. The question for me was whether the rest of their material is anywhere near as good. And, I was happy to find that a lot of it is. Live, the band reminded me a lot of seeing Ash and Supergrass early in their career (and not just because there are 3 of them). Very youthful and energetic, playing 3-chord punk songs that sound much bigger and more elaborate than they really have any right to. They played a quite short set that left me wanting much more.
Embrace are a band that I loved back in 1998, but that kind of lost it soon after that. However, for their new album, the donation of a song from Coldplay gave them the shot in the arm their career maybe needed (and the decent song they needed too). Their new album sounded very similar to the successful formula from 7-8 years ago, all big indie rock ballads. The Coldplay song was immense, and reminded me that as well as making a good debut album, they were also a very impressive live band. Finishing the set with an encore of singles from the debut did the trick for me, and completed winning me over again.
Not expecting to go this gig, it was a surprise, and a pleasant revelation to see 2 excellent bands. Outside afterwards, I was offered more guestlist tickets for the following gig, The Zutons at Brixton. Errr, no thanks, especially not after the number of drinks I've had by now.
I still have 2 unused tickets for the final gig, 2 Many DJs in a bar in Brixton, given to me by somebody at the Shepherds Bush gig. A shame to miss that, but I'd already had a great day and done more than I'd expected to do.
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