The Ordinary Boys, Mower, The Applewhites, The Hideaways at Adelphi, Hull 10th March 2004 By Dick Spring

Well this is the second Under the Influence night I've experienced and it has left me impressed. It would appear there is another visionary Promoter in the city (alongside Nigel, of the legendary Smash it Up Punk Nights) that quite frankly leaves all the other rank amateurs standing. Speaking to Dean Shakespeare (for that is he) it was clear that here is a man driven by passion and love of bands, rather than the money.

This was probably his most ambitious show to date, scoring a coup by booking recent signings (and current hot ticket) to the East West label, The Ordinary Boys. Opening act The Hideaways were a very easy on the ear, keyboard driven, guitar pop sound, with a glance in the direction of the Monkees and the Beach Boys.

I enjoyed them and they were deserving of higher billing, especially as second band The Applewhites, were Rubbish. Current darlings of the so-called indie scene, and gigaholics (judging by the number of times you see them playing around) there was no evidence of songs (and even less tightness, considering the amount of gigs they do). They were pale imitators of The Paddingtons, who at least have some charisma and The Libertines who, along with NME, have made this Faux Punk fashionable.

Things took a noticeable turn for the better with Mower (a new name on me) with a more impressive new wave sound that seemed to get the Mod/New Wave revivalists warmed up nicely. The venue was, by now hot, sweaty and full and the anticipation for the headliners was palpable, as the opportunity to see a happening band doesn't come to Hull too often (more's the pity).

Brighton's Ordinary Boys (from whose backdrop you couldn't fail to know them) kicked off, and a surging crowd was surprisingly indifferent, as if they weren't sure whether they were supposed to like the band. They started off brightly, hitting their new single (which is a cracker, by the way) about three songs in. They had a sound reminiscent of The Jam, with a vocal style that swung between Paul Weller and The Specials.

Indeed they did a cover of said band, namely Little Bitch (one of the finer songs from the first Specials album). I did feel that towards the end of their set that it was getting a tad samey, and I suspect that there are not really enough good songs there yet to keep an ambivalent audience attentive, though there are the signs of ability there and I would go and see them again, for sure.

Chris Allon and Lewis Lelsey

Band Links The Ordinary Boys Mower Photographs courtsey and Copyright © Mo thisisull.com

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