The Spark - BBC at The Piper - Tom Jackman, Thief, Le Shed, Turismo - 21st September 2004 By Andy Dykes

Photograph Gallery   Le Shed Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3   Gallery 4   Turismo Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3

When I arrive at The Piper tonight, I'm greeted by my friend Charlotte. She's here as a photographer, but has also been roped into being compere for the evening. Apparently, preparations for tonight's show aren't running smoothly. Absent sound guys and faulty monitors aside, there are cameras everywhere. The BBC are involved!

The show gets underway via an impromptu announcement by dear Charlotte, this evening's unwilling and technically ungifted compere who fumbles with a mic which doesn't work before trying, to no avail, to shout her announcement to the steadily growing crowd. After half a minute's worth of onstage blunders, she's at the helm of a working mic and has introduced Tom Jackman; one man and his guitar.

The husk of his voice and the emotion it conveys, coupled with some textbook melodies suggests that Tom Jackman's style owes more than just a trace to The Goo Goo Dolls. The main riff of his second song hints at a Gary Jules influence. However, Tom has a little trouble with the guitar part, and the song doesn't flow like it might.

Probably due to the outstanding quality of the sound at The Piper tonight, it's easy to make out exactly what Tom is singing and saying. Lyrically, I'm afraid it's a little contrived. He sings a string of beautifully poetic lyrics, that don't seem to mean anything and come across a little..soulless. It taints the performance.

There're a couple of covers in the set too. Damien Rice's 'Canonball' is expertly performed, if a little predictable, and 'Come Together' by The Beatles is very entertaining, demonstrating a high level of ability both vocally and on guitar. All in all, a solid set. Thief's set begins with the announcement that Thief are the biggest band to come out of Driffield..ever!

Maybe I've led a sheltered life, but up until now I've never heard anything that's come out of Driffield. Except my friend Ben. The introduction to their first song sounds like 'Tequila!' and immediately I'm a little wary. But it's okay because the whole band burst into the remainder of what emerges to be a pretty exciting song.

I can't quite pinpoint Thief's sound. There's a hint of Manic Street Preachers in there, but with a lot more going on in terms of sound. And really, they sound big. Maybe it's just the effect of a five-piece following a one man act, but Thief have hordes of rocking riffs, but pack their music full of subtleties as well; the songs have a real fluidity about them.

Highlight of the set is a number called This Sound, a dark, brooding number that pulses with intense energy. Thief are a very interesting band. I look forward to hearing more. Le Shed take the stage, as a large contingent of the audience take to the dancefloor in front of them. It seems that Le Shed are a band whose incendiary reputation precedes them. As they tear into their funk metal opener, the fans go as close to wild as anyone gets this evening. But perhaps not as wild as the band. Le Shed are a band who love performing and dance and throw themselves about the stage like maniacs.

The standout track of the set, and perhaps the evening is a pretty little ditty they call 'Speak Up'. It has all the trademarks of a quality metal number, but with Le Shed's trademark funk. The impact of this track owes a lot to this band's sense of dynamics. It gets loud and heavy at the perfect points, and showcases the awesome power of the singer's incredible voice. If there's any criticism of Le Shed, it's that after a while the songs blend in to one another a bit as the set goes on. They do funk metal ridiculously well, but there's not a great deal of variation within their repertoire. All the same, they perform the most explosive set of the night.

While I'm aware that Turismo are stalwarts of the Hull scene, I must confess that I've neither seen them, nor heard anything by them. So I'm here tonight not knowing quite what to expect. The set starts with some weird keyboard stuff straight off an 80s Casio. But they look comfortable. Then the real music kicks in. It's tight and frantic with a crazy infectious bass line.

I like them. Then they burst into something that sounds disappointingly like the nauseating bandwagon guitar pop crap of Franz Ferdinand. But thankfully, Turismo steer clear of such influences for most of their set.

Turismo do strange things with music. They sound like they're messing around, but their sound and their tightness are obviously things that they've worked hard on. Everything about them is kind of quirky. They've nailed a sound that owes as much to The Cure as it does to the newest wave of guitar music. In short, they're keeping things interesting, but giving them a bit of character. At best it's brilliant - Spit in a Barrel (?) is a gem: a feel good, fast paced, punk tinged hit of a tune. At worst, it's just not particularly interesting.

There's an element of real professionalism about Turismo. Before you know it, they've almost clinically reeled off an entire set. The last song owes a bit to Madness and perhaps The Jam and sees the guitarist and bassist skanking along enthusiastically. And then Turismo are done.

There are a few thankyous, followed by a photo of all of the bands, and then that's it. Congratulations to The Piper - it's been a superb evening.

Check the thisisUll.com Gallery

Photograph Gallery   Le Shed Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3   Gallery 4   Turismo Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3

Photographs courtsey and Copyright © Darren Rogers 2004

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