THE GETDOWNS - Underground, Dundee 27-05-08
Yes, there were more bands on, so I was told by the ever so friendly bar lady person, but I couldn't hang around. Besides, I'd just driven back from Arbroath in the hope of being in time to catch this lot as I knew they were first on. Not the first time I'd been in The Underground - if you actually count two visits of around 45 seconds each as a visit - but the first gig, for sure. In what is a rather smart yet relatively dark inverted dog-leg of a basement room that's actually of a fairly decent size, with a shaped bar to match, over the smallest venue PA system I've seen in ages, thus played The Getdowns. Now I've been shying away from gigs in small venues, sound quality being the chief reason, although there are others. So, whether it's the shape of the place or just the fact that the band knew what they were doing, the result here was a corker of a sound for such a small venue and PA, that allowed a corker of a performance to come shining through.
It won't come as any surprise to any of you who follow my reviews of this band to find me saying that they were feckin' awesome. But what is a surprise, to a degree, is the way their set is still not on ly so fluid and pliable but also so unexpected and mesmersing, even for those who've seen them a number of times. So, tonight, the band started a pretty well unbroken 35 minute or so set, with their trademark wild guitar riffing, thunderous bass, crunching drums and that taut vocal from singer Stuart as song after song rang out with all the force of a minor hurricane. It wasn't until, with barely a pause for breath, we arrived at "Proper Music" (to a chorus of applause from those who immediately recognised the intro - "I'll name that song in 1!!!") that Stuart's flair for taking the band and audience into the unknown, started to kick in. The intro to the song, normally quite jaunty, became quiet slow as first he spoke "tick tock, tick tock" in the yawning gap betwen the first line and the second, then between that line and the next, he got a friend to order his drink from the bar!! Sounds bizarre? Darned right - but this is all part of what makes this band such fun. Then, with the final line of the intro, hearty praise for this guy called Kevin, and with a passion that sent shivers up your spine, the band erupted into the main body of the song as one tight electrifying unit, the unheralded anthem for the modern generation, storming out of the speakers at warp speed, and just superb. Their Ramones-esque take on country music ("We should spend more time together, time, together, time together") was loud, surreal and fast as hell, but soooooooo addictive, all of which was nothing compared with tonight's version of what is now becoming an epic take on The View's "Screamin' And Shoutin' track. About a third into the song, Stuart lays down his guitar as bassist and drummer provide this driving thunder of a backing, Stuart, now with mic in hand, starts vocal improvising over the stirring backing. He saunters stage right and it's only then that you notice the return of the tape deck!! Yes, folks, it's back!! Stuart, hunched down in front of it, still yelling out of the mic, twists dials and stuff, and his voice becomes this station announcer's echo, as he launches into this positive frenzy of a vocal attack, the drummer and bassist still laying out these enormous backdrops to stomach-crunching effect. It's awesome to hear and amazing to watch. Eventually, they follow another path of dramatic drum work and then, with just a second to pause, it's right back into the finale of what is the real song. Then, totally by surprise, and also making a welcome return, the song which begins with the line "You're gonna go out of business pretty soon", and what is one fantastic example of catchy songwriting, superbly humourous lyrics and, tonight, set to what can only be described as this thoroughly addictive hoedown musical backing done in super-fast indie stylee.
Just stunning!! From there it was a short and sharp trip through "My Girl" as shards of lead guitar fired from the speakers and the rhythm section rumbled away to perfection, before finishing off with something by now of which the title completely escapes me, but who cares - it was fantastic, anyway. Then, as dramatically abruptly as they began - they finished.
I'm sorry if I rabbit on about this band, but they are absolutely brilliant. If you want proof positive of just how good they are, and you're willing to support the band's debut single launch (and, no, the band don't pay me for writing this stuff! - lol), then get down to Dexters on June 20th and you're guaranteed a great concert event. Superb!!