O Fracas
Live at Faversham on Monday, 12th September 2005
There always seems to be something rather good going on at The Faversham at the moment. In tonight's case we're treated to a single launch party in aid of those young new wavers O Fracas, the single in question is "Zeroes and Ones". Let the party commence.
The well lit Fav Stage is a sea of party streamers and balloons as The Fold march through them like a family that's just got back prematurely from a rainy caravan trip to Bognor. The music reflects this also, the lead singer screams his way through the bands set with hair over eyes and hand permanently clasping the side of his head. Seen this somewhere before? Yes I have too and it was when The Vines were still together and just look where they've ended up. Well, rich and famous probably, but still you get my point it's been done before, but better.
Anyway moving on, it's the lovely We Start Fires next who are not only pleasing to look at from a male perspective, but are also incredibly good at sounding like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs covering Kenickie covering Elastica, especially on cracking new single Strut. It's fair to say that the pop/punk bandwagon might need to get its suspension oiled due to the amount of shite jumping on it at the moment, but tonight We Start Fires do it with a small dose of attitude, a degree of cute and a very large helping of tunes which means their riding shotgun tonight.
Bromheads Jacket meanwhile are firmly planted in the driving seat and won't be budging on tonight's performance. Their crunchy guitars mixed with social commentary is a winning combination and they make being in a band seem like fun again and likewise too in listening to their cockney frontman Tim yelp into his mic about the pressing issues of the day. Whether it be taking the piss out of no hoping townies, "I've seen him in the anchor, on most days but every night, in the corner playing darts, I see his game is really tight" or venting his frustration on the roads, "Cos who'd have thought you could have so much fun, staring at two red lights wishing that you had a gun" the stories on show tonight don't just represent his take on gritty northern life but are also evidently funny. Brilliant.
Rolling up to finish the night off is our main attraction, fresh faced and looking like they've just raided their local thrift shop pre gig, yes it's O Fracas. It's hard to put O Fracas into a pigeonhole really, many have tried, and failed. Is it Post punk? Is it angular new wave rock? Is it art rock? Fuck knows, but it's good. 'What Jim hears' is normally the one people seem to get excited about due to hearing it on DTTR02 but they've got better tunes in the bag such as set opener 'Fits and starts', the barrage of percussion that is 'Forfeit' and my personal favourite the outstanding 'Moth to a flame'. Elaborately put together songs with amazing rhythms, basslines you can dance to and a drummer that could arguably be the best in Leeds and all with an average age of about 19, at this rate O Fracas will soon be swapping single parties for single premieres...
