The Shakes @ Southampton Stags Head 30/10/06
The Shakes @ Southampton Stags Head 30/10/06
Having not stepped foot in a Student Union since my departure from formal education 17 months ago, tonight's visit should be an enjoyable one. Student Unions are places of wonder and beer, cute girls and music and fruit machines etc etc. However you have never experienced the true feeling of being a proper billy no-mates until you have visited a packed SU all on your lonesome.
Imagine walking into your SU with your mates for a few drinks and spotting the only person in there on his tod. You've noticed him because he's nursing the same pint he was 15 minutes ago and he keeps walking around to try and avoid being labelled as a lone barfly. He leans against the bar in cool pose after cool pose, adjusts his jacket, stares at the TV screen that has the same adverts for Uni events over and over, and then takes his seventh toilet trip in the last half hour.
Well that person is me ladies and gents, because there happens to be an irritating 40 minute wait between the solo artist I caught the end of (but missed the name of), and the band I came to see. The worst thing is that I can't even get smashed and sleaze some people I've never met because I have to drive, and no matter how long I leave my drink unattended nobody has the decency to spike it and make my evening more interesting. The way I figure it, if I don't intentionally take anything then I'm not being irresponsible. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Finally finally finally The Shakes take to the stage. The singer is shorter with smaller hair than I thought he would be, but surprisingly this doesn't bother me too much, despite my slightly irritable mood. They start playing and immediately I realise they're ruddy bloody good, combining Strokes style riffs with structures that make you want to dance that robot dance that everyone seems to like so much at the moment.
If there must be one highlight to pick out then it has to be previous single 'Liberty Jones', a song about some girl who works in a shop and listens to music at work. Although I like the song I'm not sure if I can condone this sort of blatant disregard of workplace etiquette. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure it's Kevin's turn to make the tea. Can anyone taste the irony of this situation? If not unlucky, 'cos I'm not spelling it out any more than I already have. So there.
Back to the case in point. Having played this place with my own band before I know how difficult it can be. It's a bar, and people are there to drink and talk, not stand in the far corner and watch a band go through their motions of varying quality. However the cheeky-chappyness of front man Ed and some catchy vocal lines afford them more attention than I ever got, and deservedly so.
On a final note, I saw more ginger beards tonight than every other time in my life combined. So if you like that, check out Southampton Union. Peace out.
3 Nov 2006 by Matt S.
Having not stepped foot in a Student Union since my departure from formal education 17 months ago, tonight's visit should be an enjoyable one. Student Unions are places of wonder and beer, cute girls and music and fruit machines etc etc. However you have never experienced the true feeling of being a proper billy no-mates until you have visited a packed SU all on your lonesome.
Imagine walking into your SU with your mates for a few drinks and spotting the only person in there on his tod. You've noticed him because he's nursing the same pint he was 15 minutes ago and he keeps walking around to try and avoid being labelled as a lone barfly. He leans against the bar in cool pose after cool pose, adjusts his jacket, stares at the TV screen that has the same adverts for Uni events over and over, and then takes his seventh toilet trip in the last half hour.
Well that person is me ladies and gents, because there happens to be an irritating 40 minute wait between the solo artist I caught the end of (but missed the name of), and the band I came to see. The worst thing is that I can't even get smashed and sleaze some people I've never met because I have to drive, and no matter how long I leave my drink unattended nobody has the decency to spike it and make my evening more interesting. The way I figure it, if I don't intentionally take anything then I'm not being irresponsible. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Finally finally finally The Shakes take to the stage. The singer is shorter with smaller hair than I thought he would be, but surprisingly this doesn't bother me too much, despite my slightly irritable mood. They start playing and immediately I realise they're ruddy bloody good, combining Strokes style riffs with structures that make you want to dance that robot dance that everyone seems to like so much at the moment.
If there must be one highlight to pick out then it has to be previous single 'Liberty Jones', a song about some girl who works in a shop and listens to music at work. Although I like the song I'm not sure if I can condone this sort of blatant disregard of workplace etiquette. Speaking of which, I'm pretty sure it's Kevin's turn to make the tea. Can anyone taste the irony of this situation? If not unlucky, 'cos I'm not spelling it out any more than I already have. So there.
Back to the case in point. Having played this place with my own band before I know how difficult it can be. It's a bar, and people are there to drink and talk, not stand in the far corner and watch a band go through their motions of varying quality. However the cheeky-chappyness of front man Ed and some catchy vocal lines afford them more attention than I ever got, and deservedly so.
On a final note, I saw more ginger beards tonight than every other time in my life combined. So if you like that, check out Southampton Union. Peace out.
3 Nov 2006 by Matt S.
posted by Matthew Simpson | 5:41 PM
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