Oh dear. I don't think I've ever been so nervous about going to a gig in my whole entire life. Ever. As I enter Scala, a sense of impending doom creeps over me and I get that sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach that one experiences on entering an exam hall. So what's with all the anxiety? Does my entire life depend on the outcome of this gig? Well, no, not really. The truth is that this is my first ever live music review, and given the stellar quality of Spoonfed reviews, I have a lot to live up to.
Headlining tonight are The Noisettes (pronounced as in people who make noise and not, as my friend so endearingly suggested, as in the French for hazelnuts). They're previewing their second album which is due to be released at the end of the month. We enter the main room and are immediately plunged into darkness. What's going on? Are we in the right place? Have we missed the band? Who's that brushing up against my arm? This does not help with the anxiety. In the darkness I can make out the soulful tones of what sounds like a gospel singer. Then, all of a sudden, the lights come on and support band The Heavy burst into action. I like it. It's a combination of rock, soul, blues and funk. They throw in a Kinks cover, followed by a tribute to Salt-N-Pepa's 'Push It' and, as I happily sing along, my fears momentarily subside.
During the long wait between The Heavy and The Noisettes my anxiety kicks in again. What if I forget what happens? What if I have nothing to say? So, in a desperate attempt to feel as though I have some kind of control over the situation, I decide to jot down some notes. The Noisettes finally come on stage and with a burst of la-la-las and enthusiastic handclapping from the audience, they launch into 'Wild Young Hearts', the utterly joyful title track from their forthcoming album. Yes, good, I know this one. I scrawl the name of the song in my notebook.
The Noisettes continue to wow the audience with an energetic and captivating set, and when they play 'Don't Upset The Rhythm' (yes, the one from the car advert) the audience goes wild. Go baby go baby go! Vocalist Shingai gives a breathtaking performance, throwing herself all over the stage, jumping up onto the drums and at one point disappearing off the stage and reappearing on a balcony, much to the delight of the audience members around her. The crowd loves her, and she loves them too - just before they round off their set with 'Sister Rosetta' she declares, 'You guys are amazing. Thank you' and genuinely seems to mean it.
After the gig I get talking to one of the backing singers, who very kindly gives me a set list. I compare it to the notes I've made - it's almost identical. I'm pleased that my notes are so accurate, but not so pleased that possession of the set list has now made them completely redundant. Ah well.
Photo credit Dominick Brady
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