Django Django, Miles Kayne, Palma Violets and Peace!

Some nights go better than others. Sometimes everything just comes together. Saturday night went very well indeed.

I went to the NME tour show at Brixton Academy. Now, while I do go to some gigs on my own, its much nicer to have a companion so I usually work quite hard to persuade someone from my ever expanding roster. And Saturday night it was my mate's oldest son, who of course I do recall as a baby in my arms, but is now a strapping 22 year old. Hadn't seen him since my party, and that was a bit hectic, so this was a chance to catch up properly. And reminding myself of what a nice young man he has turned into.

I had in mind a particular Thai restaurant and bar to meet up in, and that was just perfect for what we wanted  Taking advantage of the Happy Hour we had a couple of reasonably priced beers and a swiftly produced Thai meal to fortify us for the gig ahead. But we were still out quick enough to catch the first of 4 acts on the bill.

Now normally you haven't heard of any of the supports and they are rarely too memorable  But tonight they were all really good.

First off were Peace, a Brummie indie band. Now I won't go overboard in praise, but we both thought they were really good as an opener.

 

Then appeared a London band on home territory,  the Palma Violets. Now, I hadn't heard anything by them, but I had heard of them as they had been in the music press a bit as next big thing. They made a great noise. Quite punky, without the attitude crap. They went down a storm with the good-natured  audience. The two leads had a bit of the Carl Barat and Pete Docherty about them, hopefully without the same consequences  I have to say I enjoyed their driving rock rather more than the Libertines too.

Then Miles Kayne. Now I knew him only as one half of the Last Shadow Puppets with Alec Turner of the Arctic Monkeys. I knew nothing of his solo work, and hadn't any idea how loud and impressive he would be. His set was truly awesome. Have bought his album on the strength of it, but fear the cd will be tame beside his live performance.

And finally Django Django. Mercury Music Prize nominees they were clearly the "name" act and I had art least listened to, and loved, their debut eponymous album. This 4-piece band have trodden a not too unusual path of meeting at college and turning into an interesting sounding indie outfit. Somewhat in the "tradition" of Two Door Cinema Club or Foster the People, they are just a great sounding indie outfit. Only downer of the evening was they didn't play a longer set, and the quality of what went before didn't make them sound quite as outstanding as I would expect. But all in all a great evening. And a very loud one. My ears were certainly ringing after being down the front all night.