PEG & THE BOUFFANTS + THE TREND + THE BROGUES - Doghouse, Dundee 02-05-08
I'll be honest - as always - when Peg & The Bouffants first started up - and not that long ago - I thought of them as a fun band doing some good stuff but did wonder whether or not it would turn into anything more. Same with The Trend - first gig loved, then for me, their egos exploded and things went down the wrong spiral. The Brogues, I actually didn't get on with at all the first time, but their rise has been rocket-fuelled and consistent. All three bands are, in the bigger scheme of things, new bands, and so you wouldn't maybe expect anything else.
But now, the gloves are off............ it's time to get serious!!
This was the finest Peg & THe Bouffants set I've seen to date! Why? Well, for a start, both musically and visually, it's something that you just lap up from start to finish. The band still have that throughly eye-catching impact when you see them - Callum like some clockwork toy that you can't actually stop, the man mountain on bass, pounding out some wicked foundations, guitarist "Peg" looking for all the world like he's about to lead an expedition up the Andes, right after the gig, the mighty atom on drums, driving it all along and holding it all in tow, topped off by our two lead singers, the striking presence of Janine and the hypnotic Kirsty - an a&r man's dream come true in terms of image, but even here I could make suggestions, but maybe that's for another day. Musically, though, this was a revealtion that this band really has got what it takews to be taken seriously and get noticed, and, indeed, go far. Tonight they opened with what now seems to be the standard idea of having the band play an instrumental to kick things off, showing what they can do and making sure that the mixing desk has got it right, with Callum in particular blowing up some heat on the sax. This then segues into the first number, as the two girls stride on stage and the visualisation is complete. Tonight they opened with "Scenester". Now this started life as something that was more raucous punky than anything, but, wow, how they've developed this into a song that is now a superb set opener. They've essentially turned it into a slice of ska, but way more solid than that would imply, and as a seriously commercial and commercially serious track, it'a now working a treat. The two girls take command with some soaring dual vocals, while the track does what it promises and has the audience leaping about and on their side right from the off.The girls are more animated than before, now interacting and dancing around, next to, opposite and alongside each other, with bassist Jamie out front - lol - whipping up a storm of bass thunder that really takes hold and adds so much strength to the rhythmic attack, all so necessary to get spot on if you're gonna be taken seriously as a dance styled band. A track featuring Peg on lead vocal now has the girls' harmony vocals sounding like essential additions to the song rather than just afterthoughts, while the song itself has more of a spirited punky approach - and there lies something of the secret as to why this band is now sparking so well. You get the feeling that someone in there wants to dance, while someone else wants has the spirit of punk burning in their soul, and the rest of them tie it all together, so that they end up doing both, and doing both well. The result is a set that's as on fire as it is danceable, as ska as it is punk, yet fresher and more alive and vibrant than such a description might imply, this being down to the whole band becoming such a tight unit - this ain't no case of "females fronting faceless band" - no, sirreee Bob - this is a highly motivated, powerhouse of an organic unit growing faster and sharper thasn you'd have given credit. For the first three tracks, the girls stage movements were superb and you felt like they'd really concentrated on getting this right - either that or they're just really starting to feel comfortable on stage. That you could hear the band's individual contributions under all the vocal was a testament to a great Doghouse sound system, and Calum's sax playing is a treat. That it all flew, far too soon for me as I was loving every minute of it, to the irresistible addiction that is "Deceiter", was a sign of what the band has achieved and how cool they're getting, so it was thoroughly gratifying to see a pretty full Doghouse crowd leaping about like dervishes as Kirsty took the lead vocal and the place took off on a song which, particularly when you listen to the myspace recording, is something that not only Lily Allen and Madness would have killed to have recorded (and if you listen to the myspace recording, it's not hard to envisage), but that either would have had a huge hit with, if they had.
As an overview, Janine has always been the powerhouse vocal prsence of the band - still is - but Kirsty is clearly growing in confidence and her leads aand harmonies are stronger than ever, while the band are cooking on gas throughout. I never thought I'd say it, but this band might just surprise us all and be absolutely immense - on this showing, I seriously hope so!!
The last time I caught The Trend, I thought they'd turned a corner and played a strong set/ Then someone saw them a gig or two later and told me that it wasn't so hot. Whether that was the case or not, what I can reprot is that the band are indeed, on a musical level, definitely going upwards, and at quite a rate based on what we heard tonight. With a lead singer who's now developing a quite commanding frontman status up there on stage, they fairly flew into the opening track, a fast paced, huge sounding punky number that lets us know they're here and ready to hammer home the message that you have to take notice of this band. Which, indeed, you do as the second track is even faster with the vocal sounding ever more confident and stronger while the arrangement sounds tighter and more structured a speed of light turns into choppy bursts surrounded by a huge wall of guitars, via an almost latino sounding punk break which then gathers steam and charges into the final flurry of guitars and rhythm section. It's fast and punky yet commercial and tight, rock solid instrumentally and almost something you'd be taking with you after it's gone. But the third track is the one - a fantastic composition. Essentially ska-punk but way more powerhouse, there's a rhythm of hugely addictive choppy beats, a solid guitar density while the song itself has an infectious hook. It's not too fast to be commercial, and tight enough with a wickedly strong vocal and a meaty performance from the band. Mid-way it fires up even more but doesn't lose sight of what makes it work so well and a thoroughly mature sounding slice of action. The fourth track wass taken at a fast pace in a sort of Fratellis-on-fire fotball anthem kind of mode only harder and more expansive with some amazingly tight and structured playing for such a fast track. The vocal is right upfront as the intesnity catches fire and the band power along threatening to explode. Tearaway drumming and beefy bass and guitars, allied to a dynamic sensibility that gives the track more depth as it twists and turns its way like a 100 mph snake. The band ended the set with what I thought were a couple of chart-band indie covers, but I must admit that I thought the standard of their originals has now got so good that they really don;t need to do covers anymore and, if anything, they only serve as a distraction from what are some red hot originals. That said, the band are clearly getting it right and if they keep their heads and achieve this level of writing and playing, despite the fact that the whole set blew by in about 20 minutes, they're definitely going to get noticed.
Ah yes, The Brogues - ya gotta love this band!! Actually, once you've seen them in concert, it's pretty hard not to!! Like Peg, but in a wholly different way, it's the differences between the individuals that make the whole such a forece to be recognised. In guitarist Ronnie, you have a lead guy capable of producing some of the most memorably sizzling leads and riffs in the Dundee Scene, and it's very often that his work is what makes a song every bit as infactious as the actual song and vocals themselves. The rhythm section of Boon, also on harmony vocal, and Sean provide the consistent foundations of the band's engine room, almost so focused that nothing could divert them from their task. Then there's Marc(o) on vocals and rhythm guitar, his unique voice ever the factor that makes each and every song something you'll carry away with you after the event, but also someone who, on stage, you feel is capable of anything depending on his mood that night - whimsical to deadly serious!! But put this lot together and add the amazing songs that they've come up with to date, and you have one of the most enjoyable live bands in Scotland, let alone Dundee. After a weirdly false start with the opening number - and I haven't a clue why they never finished it - it was straight into the rousing "opener" as they whiped up a storm and had the audience on theor side, also from the word go. But it was when they hit the heights of "Mr Valentine" that something occurred to me - they were playing faster than normal - not just slightly, but this was on a par with The Getdowns and every bit as red hot. The track absolutely flew along, that searing riff dominating what is still one stone cold stunner of a track, the lead guitar what swirls around your head as the band fire up and the infectious song takes hold. But if that was taken fast, then the already breakneck pace of "Money Brings You Happiness" became sppeed of light as the band just powered through it and positively explosive, the joy being that the searing lead that makes the most noticeable part of the cyclical arrangement alllied to the monstrously driving rhythm section and Marco's equally flying vocals and some sublime harmonies, all made this performance red hot and smoking. A new track was unveiled called "Calm Down" (I think - I've not checked the myspace site out in a while) and this is one glorious stomp of a track with a hook that you'll be singing for hours after, and surprisingly a song that stays flowing rather than breaks out and explodes, showing that this band can be adictive in a much more "radio friendly" commercial setting, which this track undoubtedly shows. So it went that we got a thorughly spirited "Carry On" among a clutch of tracks that went by like express trains and had the crowd going with them, leaping madly and loving it all. Ending with a guest-laden chorus that brought "Fights, Laughs and Arguments" to its rousing close, this was one wild set from the band but one that lit the touch paper and exploded, still showing that this is one band that's still on fire and ready to take on the world. Fantastic!!
So, overall, one absolute belter of an evening's concerts that brought a constant smile to the face and a warm glow to the heart as you, mentally or physically, leapt about and had one heck of a great time.