Vaccines at the Roundhouse

I got to the Roundhouse early, so managed to catch both the supports. My friend Pippa only made it for the end of the second support. She missed out, especially for the opening act, Alan Power. Now normally I would turn my nose up at Country & Western, but he was rather good. Attractive songs, good voice, and most important he had a sense of humour. And the band featured a Hawaiian Steel Guitar, and instrument a mate of mine plays.

Main support came from an Australian act called Hatchie (which when I looked her up later is a singer songwriter whose name was actually Harriette Pilbeam. The world isn't yet ready for a rock star called Harritte Pilbeam.) Nice enough.

 And so to the Vaccines. But let me first describe an incident of the sort that can occur at a rock concert. I was at the front as I mentioned. The Vaccines came on and a woman complained to teh security guy in front of us about a bloke behind pushing, which I thought a little much as one has to accept a bit of rough and tumble as it were. However, the burly bouncer called the young man forward, his interest in the young man piqued because in one hand he had a pint of beer in a plastic cup, fine, and in the other he had a can - utterly forbidden. So the somewhat inebriated young man having come into range was duly grabbed by security. The young chap wasn't going to come quietly and wanted to protect his alcohol collection. However, the outcome of the ensuing scuffle was that I was the unwitting receiver of most of his beer, all down me. Luckily I was wearing an anorak. Hot but sometimes protective clothing is worthwhile. I was less fazed by the incident than Pippa on my behalf, although it did mean I went home afterwards smelling like a small craft brewery.

Anyway, back to the Vaccines. Seen them several times but this was the best.

 Justin Young is excellent as a front man - frenetic action, strong live vocals.

 Guitarist Freddie Cowan is even more frenetic. they put more into a performance than seems strictly necessary. Freddie has his own fan on stage. You could see from the sweat on him that he deserved it.