Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Scholars / Chapel Club / The Naked Youth @ The Flapper, Saturday 13th February 2010


Chapel Club...getting a quick prayer in

There’s a real buzz about this gig. Even the Flapper toilets had a heady aroma about them...then again don’t they always? (NB: I Love The Flapper...this is just for comedy purposes...the toilets are spotless and smell only of roses and newly mown grass...). It’s all down to a certain Chapel Club who are currently being touted as one of those ‘next big things’. They’re not headlining though, instead they’re sandwiched between two other groups. First up, The Naked Youth. I was going to look this band up on the net before the gig but aren’t there rules against stuff like that? One mis-click and I’d be right up the Gary Glitter. Try explaining that to PC World “Honest guv, I was just trying to look up a band”. Bit of a QOTSA feel to this lot, shades of Nine Black Alps perhaps too. Bluesy rock with some downright dirty (but not in a 'naked youth' way) guitar. Formed as recently as the Summer of 2009 they’ve made an impressive start and put on a fine show featuring a couple of tracks that you can check on their MySpace page (don’t worry, I made sure I got the address right...eventually) including ‘The Devil Knows Your Dead’. Bonus points for the full on rock out t the end of the show...although I would’ve liked it to go on for a few more minutes. But that’s me all over. Greedy.

Next up, praise and hallelujah, it’s Chapel Club. Their forthcoming single ‘O Maybe I’ is undoubtedly something special. Combining the doomy bass of Joy Division era Peter Hook with the arch lyrics of Morrissey was always going to be a winning formula. “O maybe I should settle down for a quiet life, or maybe I should risk it all for a perfect night?” sings lead Clubber Lewis in his best Morrissey. It’s classy stuff. In truth, despite the Smiths comparisons it’s really only ‘O Maybe’ I that rings those bells that strongly. Whilst there’s still a dark melodramatic light (that never goes out) at the heart of the band it’s those squally walls of guitar that dominated much of the set, a ‘wail’ of sound played by a thrashing threesome that, on tracks like ‘Machine Music’, made the lyrics sound like a last will and testament. Elsewhere there’s a little more dark humour at play, witness ‘Surfacing’s neat use of the Mama’s and Papa’s staple ‘Dream A Little Dream’. I’m always wary of leaping on bands and proclaiming them the second coming (mainly ‘cos I get it wrong so often) but Chapel Club have ‘it’, whatever ‘it’ may be. Expect the disciples to grow by the day.

Finally The Scholars...all the way from the very scholarly Oxfordshire. Like a slightly more upbeat Editors they take the serious school of rock route. Check out the synth strengthened ‘Blood Runs Blue’ “Time is a precious thing. Use it wisely. I hope you learn from past mistakes” intones the lead Scholar. Okay. I’ll do that. On top of dishing out wise words they’re picking up some decent reviews too. New single ‘This Heart’s Built To Break’ was picked as the track of the week by Alex Zane on none other than the ‘MySpace Mars Planets Radio’ show. And you don’t...er...get much bigger than that...right? The lead Scholar has a really strong, clean crisp, radio friendly vocal and the rest of the band thrashed around like good ‘uns. They’ve got plenty of catchy songs too and, despite (or maybe because of) having to follow the majesty of Chapel Club, they pulled off a strong set. Most importantly of all – and if, after 20+ years of going to see gigs, anyone’s interested in what - in my humble opinion - makes a decent set (whether you love the music or not is a different matter) – they put their all into it and seemed to have a whale of a time.

Happy Valentine’s Day dear readers. I love you all. Even the Japanese porn site that keeps sending spam comments (86 and counting) - in Japanese - to one of my reviews...just don’t add any pictures of naked youth... I’m probably in enough trouble as it is.

X

12 comments:

Russ L said...

"I was going to look this band up on the net before the gig but aren’t there rules against stuff like that? One mis-click and I’d be right up the Gary Glitter."

Heh heh heh. I dread the day that this band play on the same bill as Sex Positions. The vice squad will be around in no time.

The Baron said...

It's a minefield this t'interweb business. Don't get me started on my casual search for 'water sports' holidays...

Kurt -BME said...

Morning,

Great review Baron, Good work!
really gutted i missed it, bloody Valentines!!

I was lucky enough to see The Rivers Presley Set on saturday mind. 10/10! Got chatting to them after too, both really nice blokes, good luck to them.

Anyway if your free on the 24th we're playing with Danny Conners (ex on/offs) & the ladders at the Hare & Hounds. would be great if you could make it.

The Baron said...

Cheers Kurt. I've just had a listen to the RPS. Good stuff. You can't beat a bit of dirty blues.

Hopefully we'll make the gig on the 24th...The Ladders are a great band too...if not have a good one!

TJMobbs said...
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TJMobbs said...

Dear Baron,

I am one of the five Scholars! thankyou very much for these kind words and glad you enjoyed the set. I had been keeping up with the Chapel Club hype for a few weeks and I don't think I've seen anything like it. They didn't quite live up to my expectations, but I suppose the real thing can never match the hype. They were a very nice bunch though and I wish them all the best, although I'm sure they don't need it.

Cheers,
Tim

TJMobbs said...
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TJMobbs said...
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TJMobbs said...

P.S,

I have no idea why my last comment decided to post about 7 times? My deepest apologies!

Tim x

JoshYouth said...

Nice review here Mr. Baron. First review we've had and you've already managed to crack out a Gary Glitter joke. We were expecting that to happen at some point but top marks for beating everyone else to it! Thanks very much for your kind words and comparison to QOTSA. If your photogorapher managed to catch any photos of our performance we'd be very grateful if someone could email them to us... tnybookings@live.co.uk

Thanks again!
Josh

The Baron said...

Cheers TJ and Josh. Thanks for dropping by!