The Maccabees at Matter

The Maccabees at Matter

27 February, 2009
by: Laurenevett

Two buses, half the circumference of the 02 Arena, one metal detector and a search that stops just short of your various cavities and you're ready to see The Maccabees at Matter, their first UK date in nine months. And that's if you happen live near the venue.

Fans who followed the band on their numerous support tours and toilet cubicle venue gigs of 2006/7 most likely won't be accustomed to the over-crowded airport terminal that is hosting them tonight, the drinks that'll see you little change from a fiver and the beefed-up security force forever dashing around screaming into their walky-talkies. In other words, this all seems a bit too 'club land' for the kitsch and quintessentially British darlings we're here for tonight. 

The Brighton five-piece show confidence in the material from their forthcoming album by opening the set with three new songs, starting with the first new track to see the light of day, 'No Kind Words'. As many will have said before me, this track is darker than anything the band have given us before and has the air of a more intense take on bands like Interpol and The National. Such intensity makes this track an odd choice of opener, but an immediately gripping one. As the song builds to its final crashing chorus so does the atmosphere in the room. The two new, and currently nameless, tracks in the intro show more of an allegiance to the band's already established indie-pop sound and hint at a progression on the classic Maccabees sound for the new album. The vocals during this opening threesome are questionable but that is due to sound quality more than anything and by the end Orlando's beautifully unique voice is done justice.

While there is some serious love shown for the new songs, it is of course their 2007 debut 'Colour It In' which causes both the band and the painfully out of place security to rescue some of the front row fans from the crowd as it goes suitably wild. Songs such as 'About Your Dress', 'First Love' and 'X-Ray' all provoke mass sing-a-longs. It reminds us that not only are The Maccabees one of the most exciting live bands our cold, dirty shores have to offer but also one of the most technically brilliant, lyrically creative and yet widely adored bands of this decade.

While complaining about the venue can, will and has most certainly been done, we all know not to judge a book by its cover, (even if it has a drunk girly weeing on the floor outside of it), we can at least be thankful that this was a mere short story compared to the journeys facing anyone looking to see the band in April. If all this is just a road test, expect glorious things come festival season.

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Laurenevett