Last night I trekked over to the Norwich Waterfront to see The Cooper Temple Clause play there first real dates since last September. As the purveyors of the best gig I have ever been to the anticipation level was high, something not even pages of Greek homework to do on to the train could dull. Soon after doors opening the venue was half full and wonderful allstars (warning, link redirects to an irritating automatically playing music loaded myspace page) gained an abundance of bonus rock points in my eyes by becoming the first support band I've seen to come on, start playing and have no-one notice. And then be really good. That, noisy keyboard sounds and relatively few pairs of Converse shoes in the bands was a good way to start the night.
The Race were even better, being probably the most joyful band I've seen in a long time. Also, with their use of a xylophone, their female guitarist and their 'everyone clap your hands in the air' song they get a squillion bonus rock points. Result.
Two awesome support bands then, how often does that happen? Unfortunately the immovable laws of rock gigs that exist in the heavens object to these sort of things, and so it was no real surprise that The Cooper Temple Clause were absolutely terrible. No. Wait. I've just realised, there are no immovable laws of rock gigs that exist in the heaven. Hooray then for THE GREATEST LIVE BAND IN ALL THE COUNTRY1 The best thing is that people are dancing at gigs again, everyone dance to Panzer Attack.
In a relevant post-script, as I was scribbling this down on the train home a group of teenagers who were at the gig were sitting over the aisle. This is their actual dialogue:
Boy: "The Race were good"
Girl: "Which one were they?"
Boy: "Err the first?"
Girl: "You don't know?"
Boy: "I only support them because they added me as a friend on myspace"
1 Okay so I've think I've previously been quoted as saying that Idlewild are the best live band in the country and on balance I think that they probably are, but I'm excited so you can excuse the hyperbole. Number two is no bad thing.
(8) Amersham Road - The Race
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