And so to the Bruddy for an interesting looking 3-headerPhantogram, from the New York suburbs, open with a mesmerising set, all Maps with early Def-Jam beats or a shoegaze massive attack. There are only two of them but some well used electronic trickery fills up a half full room. The girl, Sarah Barthel, seriously multi tasks, playing a synth or two, singing/heavy breathing, epileptic dancing and foot peddle stomping with great style while Joshua Carter sings and guitars to equal effect. Although some animals may be slightly less equal than others.
The epileptic dancing could have been brought about by the continuous strobe that pulsed throughout although the crowd were doing their fair share of head nodding.
Buying a CD from Sarah later on was a pleasant retail experience. The album's called 'Eyelid Movies' and it sent me back to last year's 'We Can Create' which is an entirely good thing.
James Owen Fender came on as a three piece but was rapidly reduced to a solo act due to a dodgy bass amp (they didn't try kicking it for some reason) It could have been a disaster but Fender coped really well, giving the impression that he's well used to solo gigs anyway. An easy charm, a cool trilby and a great voice won the punters over as well as a terrific version of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual Healing', a Leeds accented revelation! Get oop, get oop, get oop!
Charlotte Hatherley comes on like a Chrissy Hinde rock chick, sporting white tux with red hair and black leggings and launches into tunes from latest album 'New Worlds'. It's a 3 piece again with drummer and a bassist whose looks and moves are so 'power pop' 80's that The Knack should sue (The Knack? anyone? no? My Sharona? no? Well I can't think of a better example at the moment, just think Bruce Foxton in a piano key necktie).
The songs are strong, bright, catchy and cool, a real standout is single 'Alexander' with 'Behave' shining from the previous 2 albums.
'Kim Wilde' was the justly demanded encore, with the 'Kids In America' intro confusing a few people, actually, that would be a great cover version and it's a risky business opening a rock/pop song with the intro from an all time great rock/pop song, a risk she just about gets away with.
And then, weirdly, it was straight onto manning the merchandise stall. Why isn't this woman all over Radio 1? Why is the Brudenell only half full for someone who, since leaving Ash, has had every release very well received and was, only this summer, touring as 'Bat For Lashes' guitar for hire. She's supported Blondie and even played as guitarist for fellow 'tux-botherer' Brian Ferry. Is it management? Press? Lack of a penis? Is it reluctance on Hatherley's part? Who knows? I do know the music's got balls of its own.
