PHOTOS BY SAKURA: http://www.rockphotographer.netLet’s set the scene a little. It’s approximately 28 hours until the clocks go forward to officially fly the fine beginnings of British Summer Time - whatever that entails, probably one day of absolute sun, followed by dozens of desperate attempts to spark a BBQ under a succession of light showers - and the past ten day forecast has been grey skies on grey bloody skies.
Yuck.
There’s ways to replicate the hot, delicious atmospherics of the Summer though, amongst all the remanding coat-still-on gloom. If you like the idea of waking up with skin more orange and leathery than a St Johns market knock-off handbag, you can always wile your hours away on the sunbeds. Alternatively, a bass heavy, electro pop, thunder raucous of a band night can also do the trick. Sweat drenched, dance related humidity and all.
Luckily the couple of hundred of finely dressed, radiant young men and women cramped into Liverpool’s Korova have opted for the latter tonight. And they’re in for an absolute, ridiculously high-charged treat that half makes you wish you’d worn some kind of beach wear instead of the usual Korova uniformed cardigan and / or leather.
Second support act Teeth - with apologies to first support act, the amazing Hallo...I Love You! who Purple Revolver sadly, sadly missed to grab some rat-nasty dinner - help to kick things off with amazing fucking aplomb. Front woman Veronica, a hoody-caped storm of she-howling irrepressible energy, conducts the set with a Bikini Kill style gusto of charisma, snarls and at times sweetly near-monotonous vocals. Drum skins get pounded to oblivion and a laptop bearing third member bobs around beside her, arse shimmying, grinning deliriously and button pushing rhythmic, pulsating electro melodies at the audience.
Veronica even bravely attempts a circle pit in the middle of the set but only manages to peruade the members of third support act Is Tropical, stood at the side of the stage, to bravely step in and run wildly about with her. The song ends and a terrified looking audience stare jaws agape at this bombastic youth who surveys the edge of the crowd, ‘Remember dong Geometry in school?’ she laughs, ‘this is just like - look!’ - she drags her hand around the edge of the semi-circular gaping void she’s just created - ‘a perfect fucking circle!’
Circle pit fear-defiers Is Tropical take to the stage next. Managing to accomplish some outstanding on stage visuals thanks to some very dark mood lighting, back projection of tropical scenes and faces hidden by fantastic looking bandit scarfs, their set is a pep dominant, synth-infested, lyrical slacker-pop fest.
Particular set highlights Seasick Mutiny and When O’ When are prime examples of the smile inducing casanova indie charms Is Tropical have to offer. Seasick Mutiny - a synth-convulsed, cheerful swagger of a tune belts on menacing and bass-jovially divine, whereas When O’ When provides mind defacing catchy hooks, and doss Parisian waltzing which bursts into a fervent, hustling pulsation of anthemic addictiveness.
It’s no surprise that following a rare succession of such awesome support acts as this, that the audience are riled up and crowd crushingly anticipative for New Young Pony Club.
Christ alive, they’ve barely played even half a song and the audience are bustling wildly amongst each other, it’s packed so deep and so eager for the trip in here that you literally can’t move without grinding up against some absolute total stranger.
Front woman Tabitha is dominant, stunning, raw - a one woman chemistry set of fiery, snaking movements, intent on making sultry, humble eye contact with every appreciative person in the audience.
Their set tonight is perfect. Songs off Fantastic Playroom sound re-worked and fresh - their sound at times even resembles the bass bleating, more tropical sounding of Bow Wow Wow’s back catalogue (not least of all because of Tabitha’s new hair stylings closely resembling that of Bow Wow Wow’s front woman Annabella Lwin). This is most evident on Hiding On The Staircase, in which the more exotic elements of the songs original structure are drawn out and exaggerated into a dance-o-matic, bass heavy dream. The chorus and hooks are given a bigger role and embellished into infectious, repetitious statements.
New single Chaos, too, is another prime example of NYPC prowess for performance. Loud and powerful - melody and chorus sound brighter and bigger, and with an intimate pronouncement of personality blasting proudly and uncontrollably through.
The crowd is a sweaty, make up smeared mass dance off by this point. Tabitha pauses breathlessly between songs to thank the audience again and again, and to taunt them into a further fevered excitable glory.
‘I just want to say how amazing it is that so many girls have come to the gig tonight...’ she says at one point, looking genuinely delighted by the fact - and rightfully so, it’s still incredibly rare to attend a gig in which more than half the audience are bloody female.
A cover of PJ Harvey’s deconstructive gender role classic Dress is a nice addition to the set, and non-surprisingly one which the audience laps up. Impassioned and with NYPC’s style still imprinted all over it - the songs delivery is forceful and defiant, but never loses touch with the bands five man mission of dance induing excellence.
The set finishes in a pit of sweaty, over-exerted exhaustion. The crowd are red faced and wilting and Tabitha is panting away on the floor of the stage with a towel over her face. Heres hoping that this Summer is even half as hot or as spring-heeled as tonights unintentional replication of it has been. We might have to all quit our day jobs and resign ourselves to sun soaked, dance ridden leisure for a couple of months if it is. Perfect.
New Young Pony Club official: http://newyoungponyclub.com/
Download NYPC's new album The Optimist here: http://bit.ly/crA70B
Teeth Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/teethdance
Is Tropical Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/istropical
Evol on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8926329069&ref=ts
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