Guillemots, The Duchess, York
The most impressive thing about the set is the standard of album tracks.
A new venue (well for the pedantic out there two months old) seems like the perfect setting for a band who seem take pleasure in coming up with fresh ideas. The black furnishings also seem to match the no-nonsense approach to Guillemots' music.
Their set is typical of a band who are still at the starting point of their career (to use a rather specific metaphor, they are like the 400m runner who is still running the first straight and knows there are trickier times ahead... ok, ok, no more athletic references), It starts strong, with two killer tracks. However there is a feeling of inevitability about their mid-set lull, like watching Gazza stretch and miss the ball in the Euro 96 semi final against Germany, you know he misses but you keep watching it just incase it did actually go in, and we went on to win the tournament and then went on to win in France... However as mid-set lulls go, this is acceptable. Thirty minutes of average is do-able as long as it's book ended by quality either side.
A York crowd is always interesting. Bands are always guaranteed a good turn-out and a vocal audience, as there are few acts that come to the Old Capital of England (true fact, look it up if you don't believe me). Tonight is no exception. There is a banner offering one of the band members the opportunity of having a baby with the audience, which was quite sweet, if not a little odd given the fact she was with a partner; that's what you call an open relationship. It's a Sunday night and, as such, people are more focused on the band than the fact that they were offering sambuca at £1. Sunday gigs are the way forward, if you actually want to watch the band and not just a load of intoxicated men singing along with the words (or their words).
When you've got songs like 'Annie, Let's Not Wait' and 'Get Over It', you don't need to worry too much, and Guillemots don't. Latest album 'Red' provides much of the material, with carefully picked selections from 'Through The Window Pane'. The most impressive thing about the set however, is the standard of album tracks. Not being well versed in Guillemots' previous rarities and singles shouldn't be a problem- they're an honest band with a bright future.
One quick note though. The final, final (note this is not a typo, they played two encores) song of the night is a rather weak solo effort. The kind of thing that seems like a great idea after 15 Aftershocks and an evening in with Mr Jack Daniels, but in reality is as badly thought through as wearing plimsoles in snow.
Subscribe to the Clickmusic News Feed
