The Wave Pictures
Live at Brudenell Social Club on Saturday, 11th April 2009
"There's a lot of you here tonight but we feel like we're playing to no one at all," remarks The Wave Pictures singer and guitarist David Tattersall somewhat wistfully, motioning to the empty space in front of the stage.
Watching as the bodies make their way up to the dance floor, it's almost like being in a school disco watching the gawky house-band. Because the thing is, it's nothing short of criminal that a band as painfully ace as this are still playing venues with just a 300-person capacity.
Tonight the Brudenell is pretty full but for a band who have been playing consistently brilliant music since 1997, you'd expect them to be pulling much larger crowds by now
The question is, why haven't the Loughborough three-some made it yet? Why aren't they selling truck-loads of records and playing to thousands of adoring fans? They should be. Last year's 'Instant Coffee Baby' was a blatant modern classic, yet it was omitted from pretty much every 'best of the year' list going. Their geeky-surf rhythms splashed with tropical charm, Chuck Berry-esque solos and sprigs of melancholy deserve so much more. Take Love You Like A Madman, with its jaunty sing-along-chorus, or the bitter-sweet "Now Your Pregnant" for which drummer Jonny Helm takes centre stage for a truly dazzling vocal performance.
But the jewel the band's crown of course is Tattersall who has a knack for penning wry vignettes full of tender lament, doomed romance and witty social commentary. "I'll buy you bras instead of pickled eggs, chocolate instead of chutney," he sighs mournfully completely unaware of his own random genius.
"Does anyone know what time we're supposed to stop?"
"Never!" someone shouts from the back.
At least those gathered here are aware that they are witnessing a truly special band. Now if only the rest of the world would wake up to it too.
