London ICA
06.07.07
Free gigs are always a nice surprise, so kudos to the folks at iTunes and the ICA for putting on a whole month’s worth of them. However, the distribution of tickets for these shows via a lottery was always going to result in a mix of genuine fans and the merely curious; so tonight it is a fairly sparse crowd that witnesses Good Shoes‘ jerky, melodic post-punk musings.
A shame: as songs like ‘Never Meant To Hurt You‘ are highly danceable, and ‘Morden‘ is sure to raise a smile on any Greater London/Surrey border dweller. Right band, right place, wrong time.
Still, if anyone’s going to spur a lazy crowd into action, it’s The Go! Team‘s hyperactive MC, Ninja, who rapidly wins the masses over with her quick-fire wit and skilful rapping. On record, this Brighton sextet are the musical equivalent of a pick n’ mix raid, with scratchy guitars, arresting beats and bizarre 70’s action movie samples flying from all angles – but it’s in the live setting where they truly excel, bringing the party like few others can.
Alongside old favourites like ‘Huddle Formation‘ and ‘Lady Flash‘, there are a clutch of highly promising new songs played tonight, as well as a genuinely heartwarming vocal performance from drummer Chi on the piano-led ‘Did You Feel It Too‘. It’s rare to see a band having as much fun (if not more) than their crowd – most of whom by now are quite rightly bouncing around like demons on hot coals.
They may have kept a relatively low profile for the last year or so, but if tonight is anything to go by, then The Go! Team are set for one hell of a return when their new album is released in September. Until then, performances in such intimate venues are to be treasured.
Alex Gosman