Gigs

Gig Review: Lightspeed Champion + Pete And The Pirates

[Venue: Camden Koko, London]
[Date: 8 July 2008]

The eighth night of the iTunes London Festival 2008 has brought together two of this years’ oddest, but brightest, new bands in Lightspeed Champion, with support from Reading-based five-piece Pete & The Pirates.

Pete & The Pirates include a set-up of bassist and backing vocalist Pete Cattermoul, drummer Jonny Sanders, guitar and backing vocalist Pete Hefferan, lone guitarist David Thorpe and frontman Tom Sanders. Their sound has been described by NME as “perfect pop without the pretence”… whatever that means!

Engaging into a furious set of hits from their debut album, ‘Little Death’, they’re an odd bunch of southerners to grasp a hold of to begin with. Frontman Tom can easily be compared to GoodBooks vocalist Max Cooke, but with about half as much song-writing talent.

Although their set definitely improved as time went on, there were short periods of time when I just didn’t feel like taking my hands out of my pockets to clap and applaud between songs; maybe I’m just a miserable cunt. There were a few gems to be had however, ‘She Doesn’t Belong To Me’ and set closer ‘Come On Feet’ were given a much harsher bass-driven sound, than on the record, which drove some fans insane and made me tap my feet to the beat, odd that.

After a quick half-hour changeover and ten minutes staring at a stupidly large projector screen advertising last years’ iTunes Festival (with many middle fingers in the air at the sight of an Apple logo), the stage curtain was drawn to the sight of Dev Hynes introducing Lightspeed Champion’s new set with a lone acoustic version of ‘Everyone I Know Is Listening To Crunk’.

Greeted to a sumptuous applause, his band comprising of female drummer (o’errr) Anna Prior, violinist Mike Siddell and guitarist Martin aka The Train Chronicles Of Florence & The Machine took to the stage as Dev asked the crowd as to whether they enjoyed Pete & The Pirates - to which he then replied back “sick band, sick… sick band”. After much laughter had ensued from band and audience alike at this point, silence fell upon the Koko, before Hynes belted out the opening verse of his band’s debut single ‘Galaxy of the Lost’.

“I feel better now I’ve seen you, but deep inside my bones feel like timber” - Hynes has the ability to throw you off into your own little world with every song; the little kid still burns strongly within him. To Hynes, music can be fun and serious at the same time; especially with lyrics like “my neck burns when we kiss and I’m sick in your mouth”. Influences of his most recent work could venture as far as the controversial Stephen Lynch, but with touches of recent Battles. However, on a serious note, it cannot be ignored that Hynes is a truly serious and extremely talented musician. During the hour-long (and then some) set, he sung, played acoustic and electric guitar, performed on keyboards (for which he is most famous for from the days of Test Icicles), and during an extended version of ‘All To Shit’, swapped instruments with Anna Prior and performed on drums with vocals.

Included in the set were three new songs ‘Birthday’, ‘Marlene’ and the seamlessly depressive ‘Dead Head Blues’ that has never been heard before. I was lucky enough to hear ‘Marlene’ during his Glastonbury performance that included a guest appearance from Emmy the Great.

The highlight for me was, without question, third single ‘Tell Me What It’s Worth’, to which Emmy The Great performs vocals for on the record. It’s lyrical perfection and easy-going persona were captured in a nutshell by Dev and, during an extended ending to the song, the crowd were full of admiration for the Texas born, Essex-boy.

Bringing the set to a conclusion, Lightspeed Champion dared where no live band at the Koko has gone before and stormed through a cover of the Star Wars “Imperial March” theme, into the main Star Wars theme and then into Dev’s ten-minute track ‘Midnight Surprise’ which would have been (if it had been that time of night) the perfect midnight snack. Hynes interchanged between guitars and a short keyboard solo before powering through to the close of the song as his band put their heart and soul into a well-digested set.

And the best thing about this damn gig was that, because I’d signed up to a competition on the iTunes website, it was absolutely stonking free. Apple even gave away lanyards to every member of the audience, that included a download code, entitling each person who attended ten free music downloads from the iTunes store… SWEEEET is all I have to say about that Mr Steve Jobs.

For fans of: Frank Turner, Los Campesinos!, Larrikin Love
Band links = Lightspeed Champion | Pete & The Pirates

Photos courtesy of Gregory Nolan.

Bookmark to:

Previous & Next