Razorlight, Everyone Says Hi and Guest List at the Roundhouse

I had actually got a ticket for tonight to see Ocean Colour Scene, but when my friend Pippa said she had one to join her for Razorlight, I plumped for the latter. I wasn't disappointed with my choice.

It was a warm day, which might have accounted for the slow start in the crowd building up. I got there early expecting more competition for a place at the front, but I could have waited a while later. I overheard a tall thin chap slightly to my right warn the bloke next to me to expect him to get very excited later. My God he did. And his excitement did not await Razorlight. He was whooping at the supports! 

Talking of which, first up was a Manchester band called Guest List. Pippa and I were at one about this band. Their style was very much to our taste, but they were just a little disappointing in practice. I like bands where the lead vocalist isn't permanently encumbered by a guitar, allowing him to concentrate on entertaining the audience. Guest List's singer played only acoustic guitar sporadically, but unfortunately that did not leave him to entertain us. He was rather flat, and deadpan. The whole band, with three guitarists, sounded fine but looked nervous, as if they were concentrating on getting through their set without any errors rather than playing to an audience. Quite possibly this was their biggest gig. Hopefully they will go on to better things.

The second act was Everyone Says Hi. They looked much more assured than the openers - clearly they had been around longer. And the lead vocalist supplied some personality that the first band lacked. But Pippa and I still preferred the youngsters who had opened. This lot just lacked any form of dynamism.

Finally Razorlight. This is a band that has taken some stick in the past, rather like Coldplay have. But they also have their admirers. While a lot of middle aged audience members, this was a surprisingly young crowd  for a band who are in their mid forties.

But one thing you cannot criticize lead singer Johnny Borrell for is lack of effort. He had all the dynamism that the preceding outfit lacked. This was the Planet Nowhere tour and he did his best to promote the new album, their first in years, but to be honest, the old ones were the best.

You may notice better picture quality than in my last few gig reviews. I have been reunited with my camera and its prodigious zoom.

By this stage my over excited friend to the left was going ballistic. All very good natured. It was not an overly boisterous crowd. Most amusing bit of banter was when the guy shouted "I love you Johnny!" only for a fellow audience member to respond "I love you more!"

As I say, Johnny truly gives it his all. And the sound is much punkier live than on record. So always worth seeing them in the flesh. I am sure there will be a next time.