04 March 2006

Five O Clock Heroes - International Hi Fi, Garage, London - Saturday 4th March 2006

The current law seems to dictate that every indie disco in London must have a band playing as well - and so it was at the Garage's Saturday night club night. Five O Clock Heroes came across town after headlining the Barfly in Camden earlier in the evening, to play a late gig.

Bands at indie discos are all well and good, but when the club effectively runs from 11:30 until about 2:30, it kind of blows a big hole in the middle of the night if the band isn't on until 12:30. By that time, the DJ, had built the music up, the place was packed, and the indie club was in full swing. So, a band coming on at 12:30 was always going to be fighting an uphill battle to keep people interested.

Five O Clock Heroes were good, they played a half hour set, which had 2 or 3 really strong-sounding songs. As a band, they were good. But at a club, coming on slap bang in the middle of the night, they weren't what the majority of people wanted to hear at that moment in time. The energy level dropped, and then the band were always struggling to keep the crowd with them.

Indie clubs with bands - no problem. Just get the bands on early, before the club has got going too strongly - otherwise even a good band can take the wind out of a good club night.

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