Gig Review... Little Comets @ Electric Ballroom, London, 20th February 2014

In an industry where artists are continually complicating song structures and rhythms to be unique and stand out from the masses, Little Comets prove that simplicity and a refreshed take on old fashioned genres (in this case, indie) can be just as effective. The Geordie four-piece have been planted duly just outside the big time for a while now, with albums In Search Of Elusive Little Comets and Life Is Elsewhere becoming a staple part of many young music lovers arsenal. The previously described “kitchen-sink indie” band have gained a large and loyal fan base over the years – apparent by the many screeching young teens at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.

Misprinted names (my name is not Mayor) halted entry into the venue; meaning I was unable to catch Bwani Junction open the night – but in true journalistic fashion, I asked a reveller who described their set as “super rad”. Next up were Cattlefish & The Bottlemen, who sped through a nippy setlist including ‘Rango’ and ‘Homesick’, only breaking between songs to comment on a young man’s afro and to chat up some rather ardent girls. Collapsing supporters, incorrect first aid and overpriced Red Stripe (£4.20, seriously?) did not distract as Little Comets walked on stage. They wowed London with their intricate guitar riffs, energetic grooves and anthem-like choruses. The performance itself is your routine Little Comets gig: simple, mostly easy-going, with a hint of blissful audience interaction. The presentation was simple yet effective too, proving that the band’s music is enough to explain the sell-out show and no stunts or gimmicks are required. The overall effect made it feel a lot more intimate than apparently possible in the large venue.

                Opening with ‘A Little Opus’ set the tone of the gig as the Geordie four-piece worked their way through harmonious, sweet sounding indie via the practice of fiddling guitars and cooing backing vocals. Although not as punchy and calypso-esque live as on record, the equalization of the song (and the rest of the gig) was impressive with the vocals being supported gently by the guitars and background percussion without any fight for audio dominance. ‘Violence Out Tonight’ and ‘Waiting In The Shadows In The Dead Of Night’ incidentally explore rape and break-up but perfectly fit in with the popular indie anthems that most of the young crowd have come accustomed to – most likely down to the subtle boost given to the bass and drums helping the drop beats compete with the hard-hitting lyrics. ‘Little Italy’ and ‘Tense/Empty’ showcased the band’s developing maturity (much different to the last time I saw them) by adding a new, smooth dimension to their characteristically pulsating shows. Of course the youthful, notable classic ‘One Night In October’ got the biggest reaction of the night as it moved the crowd from front to back, side to side, and up and down; during which a ‘mosh pit’ (I wouldn’t count it as one) broke out – a sad common occurrence with young crowds.

The band continued the indie disco fodder mid-section by running through the intro of ‘Bridge Burn’ before mixing it straight into ‘W-O-E’ and then ‘Isles’. Lead singer Robert Coles’ voice, being an absorbing tone, reached all methods of high notes and cut through the noise of the beer-sipping audience with unnerved poise. The slower paced ‘The Blur, The Line And The Thickest Of Onions’ showcased the emerging maturity of the quartet as Robert urged the crowd into an eerie silence on the keyboard side of stage. Another piece from their outstanding new EP The Gentle, ‘Coalition Of One’ lead to an acoustic driven calmness – made tenderly personal by the band’s explanation of their new stuff as “the opportunity for us [Little Comets] to explore what we actually feel”.

Photo: Courtesy of Ava Santina (avasantina.tumblr.com)

                The impressive beat to ‘The Western Boy’, and the atmospheric drum and vocal combination in ‘In Blue Music We Trust’ worked exceptionally live; while ‘Joanna’ and ‘Dancing Song’ got the seal of approval from the large crowd - of which, the latter two summoned hysteria from the before-mentioned energetic youngsters. The raucous ending is followed by an obvious encore of two of the band’s most loved tunes from In Search Of Elusive Little Comets. ‘Mathilda’ was as chorale as ever; while ‘Adultery’ demonstrated the reason why we all fell in love with indie in the first place, by playing it simple, rooting the heritages and giving us the perfect excuse to dance without having a care in the world.

If you want proof that simplicity is just as powerful as obscurity, you needn’t look any further than Little Comets. With the band having their fans in the palm of their hands, there is no reason to why they won’t have a bright future.

Little Comets played:

A Little Opus

Bayonne

Violence Out Tonight

Waiting In The Shadows In The Dead Of Night

Little Italy

Worry

Tense/Empty

One Night In October

Bridge Burn

W-O-E

Isles

The Blur, The Line And The Thickest Of Onions

Western Boy

Jennifer

Joanna

Coalition of One

In Blue Music We Trust

Dancing Song

[Encore]

Mathilda

Adultery

Written by Richard Maver

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