The long awaited return of “The Futureheads” came to the Garage in Highbury and Islington. A couple of the band members are now back teaching it appears so I guess this was civilised bunking off in the half term break.
They were ably supported by “Novacub “who have an indie/alternative sound . I noticed hints of Bloc Party in the mix despite having a female vocalist and there is an association i.e. the drummer has played with aforementioned band and his drumming style defined the overall sound on the night I felt.
They didn’t outstay there welcome playing only about 25 minutes to keep the running time of the evening on track. They are a new band and showcased the two r singles they have released to date urging the crowd to purchase from the merch stall.
Spot on 9 and “The Futureheads” emerged. Its quite a small venue and stage and they just about managed to get there backing banner unfurled. They seemed genuinely pleased to be there and I think there have been some tough times for some members over the last few years reading up on the back story . This outing seemed to be just about enjoying themselves without the commercial pressures and searching for success which were no doubt dogged them in the past.
For followers of the band the experimentation of the band has been a hall mark of their development the period of delving into acapella which I can only assume must have divided opinion amongst the fan base. They did revisit this period on the night ,briefly ,but the set was mainly the staple high energy numbers that bring a smile to the face. They played a couple of new tracks which on first listening I would say were heavier than the old angular quirky tunes and darker lyrically. Need to do a bit more research there.
The bands stage presence is being comfortable In their own skins these days with plenty of interaction with the crowd between songs. As hinted at earlier it seems to be a cathartic experience for them and exercising a few past demons along the way possibly. Delivery of the songs was polished and the sound quality was great (might have been because I was standing by the sound desk).
An hour flew by and then they encored finishing with possibly one of the best cover versions ever undertaken i.e. their rendition of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love” . With plenty of audience participation it was a fitting finale to the evening.
I guess the only downside for the band , as my wife commented, is that it’s a bit sad that there most anticipated song is someone else’s.
In conclusion a slightly more mature band but an evening of banging tunes. Does what it says on the tin.
fatwhiteoldblokes 