Thee More Shallows and The Chap gig review
On Sunday 19th April at The Hope, Brighton Guilded Palace of Sin presented the American expansive indie band Thee More Shallows supported by Beck and Bloc Party remixers and electro punk band The Chap.
At first I was not sure about The Chap, having heard the album I wasn’t too sure, they sounded a bit like Hot Chip, and weren’t especially memorable. Live however they were something else! The band consists of two guitarists and singers and a crazed wild eyed drummer who also seemed to control the electronics. Together they were the tightest band I have seen since Rilo Kiley at Glastonbury 2005. These songs are fast, frentic and full of stops, starts and changing drum rhythms and nobody missed a beat. The songs were funny and wry takes on the electro scene and modern culture, and there wasn’t a dull moment in any of them. The band also performed a series of perfectly choreographed stuttering Kraftwerk dance moves during a number of the tracks. Freezing mid song was a popular one, as the electronic backing track played on, and then bursting back into it. The Chap – CSS, Hot Chip, Oasis, Brian Eno, with so many different influences coming to mind I have to say they were just highly original with their own sound, and one to be seen live.
The final track The Chap played saw the introduction of Thee More Shallows to the audience, also 3 guys of a similar slightly geeky look to The Chap. The three bands jammed together to create a wall of sound. These bands obviously like each other, wearing each others band t-shirts throughout the gig.
Thee More Shallows recently signed to the trendy Anticon record label, a good outlet for their alternative electronic sound. An intriguing prospect live their main instrument is a large red suitcase containing some mystery item which members of the band would touch to produce sounds (a keyboard then). They were good throughout their set, their big sounding Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev/Grandaddy etc music plays well live and on record is far superior to The Chap’s, but after that live set from The Chap they couldn’t really compare. The support was too good for them, they don’t have the sound or tightness as a group to really follow that up. Playing alone they would have been great, and indeed they were, but the lasting memory of the evening will not be of them.
Two examples of bands, one fantastic live, one sublime on record, neither able to capture both markets – but few bands can. Listen to any Thee More Shallows album, More Deep Cuts is my favourite, and go and see The Chap’s live show for 2 unforgettable experiences.
The Chap – Woop Woop, live in France
[youtube ldPYrM3kuCM]
Thee More Shallows – Fly Paper video
[youtube dM3aS9LGpJY]
Thee More Shallows – 2AM (great track) Live
[youtube VDnpKtmbQ5k]