Reviewed on 1st January 2004.

Four Planes In Four Days

Live at Packhorse on Wednesday, 3rd September 2003

We are in the middle of a glorious transition, summer to autumn... the young 'un's are returning to school, and for the first time in my life, I'm free from all that bullshit. That crazy, rock n' roll festival season is behind us, and I'm definitely in the mood for some introspective loveliness..

I'm not sure exactly how much I missed of Science Attacks, having walked in mid-song, but I feel certain that their entire set could not have lasted more than 15 minutes. They are good, but their quirky pop seems to be missing something.. perhaps an extra voice or, keyboards even, or maybe the songs just need a little bit more work. I get the impression that they are just starting out, and the majority of the set does feel like a rehearsal. But, as they say, in the old country, practice does indeed make perfect, or something...

Having said that, by the last song, they really do seem to hit their stride. Coming on like Liars but with swirlier guitars, everything falls together, and good times are had by all.. Pity it was the last song...

Now, I've seen .Laura Audio a couple of times already, and I have to say, they didn't really agree with me. But tonight, it's not bad, actually! There are some genuinely beautiful moments, but I think these are often ruined by the addition of vocals. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with Kev's voice, but as soon as the vocals kick in, it all goes a bit emo.. which is a shame really, because they've definitely got the potential to do something really, quite special.

Similarities abound for the next two bands: they both hail from Manchester; they appear to know each other.. intimately; they both have 'Life' in their names for Chris' sakes...! And, they both play soft-core, emo-metal... (sigh)

Life is the Dream have shouty vocals... errm, they sound like Hundred Reasons.. They really are quite bad .. I awake from said dream and decide to rejoin my friends in the bar, whose main concern tonight is to get royally caned!

Everyday Life on the other hand are much more melodic. Still, the whole Hundred Reasons thing looms over them, but HEY! at least they enjoy themselves.. Most interesting features of their set are:

1. The guitarist looks like Tim Wheeler!
2. It's the singer's 18th birthday.

A poorly organized, yet, I'm sure, very heartfelt, rendition of happy birthday involving members of L.i.t.D, is marred by about 5 false starts, but still, at least the sentiment's there... As the last chord disappears, the birthday boy declares, "I'm quitting this band..." I feel like I should applaud such a wise decision, until I realize that, oops! he was only joking...

Having had the opportunity to see Four Planes in Four Days at the packhorse once before, and foolishly passing it up, I was looking forward to seeing what I had missed...

I look back on that day now, at the puerile shadow of what I used to be, and I wish I could have nailed my ignorant earlobes to the PA. Four Planes.. could quite possibly be the limb that my body has been missing all these years; they make me whole; they make me want to cry in my beer, not through sadness, but through sheer, intense beauty!

"Four Planes in One Day" is absolutely immense - the perfect pop song, poignant yet brutal, whilst "Breaking my Fall" is heart-wrenchingly gorgeous... and, at the end of the day, any band with a bearded cornet player will win my affection.

I leave, full of glee, pitying those fools that chose to go and see Oceansize instead... If hearts in need, do indeed make symphonies, then Four Planes ... are a desperate addiction. These guys makes me fly...