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Peluché,
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The Windmill, Brixton
Good Friday, 14th April 2017
3pm till late

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Gig Review

The Draytones / The Hussy's / People in Planes
London, The Purple Turtle

Article written by Paul M - Apr 29, 2007

Despite the draw of two of Britain�s brightest aural hopes for 2007, the Turtle is far from sold out tonight. The local hostelries filled with anxious faces transfixed by the flat screens propelling the visions of twenty two men chasing a spherical object around a small field may partially explain this but, heck, this is not right. Their loss is our gain as they say though. The extra space means we can make even more elaborate shapes and cut some mighty rug in time to the groovy rhythms� but we don�t of course despite the worth of Glasgow�s marvellous chirpy popsters The Hussy�s.

Fili, their visually arresting front woman, detects this and gently chastises us for being so quiet. The look of mock horror on guitarist James McColl�s face is followed by a whispered reminder to the effect that the customer is always right and Fili is soon telling us we�re a great audience after all. McColl, of course, has been there and done that all before, having fronted 90s one hit wonders the Supernaturals and is clearly leaving nothing to chance. He�s a canny musical alchemist and all the ingredients are there for his new band to create a stir. The musicianship is as tight as a puffin�s chuff but it�s the combination of Fili�s image and voice with a corking set of tunes that keep us all transfixed, er, in silence, tonight.

From their opener, new single We Expected which is out soon on Weekender, there�s no need to hunt hard for the kick in of a melody. Everything�s instant, every song the potential soundtrack to a happy TV ad and every chorus a poptastic singalong classic. McColl has certainly bounced back with a Smile.

The Hussy�s aren�t the headliners tonight. That honour befalls London�s The Draytones. These three lads are doing more for post-Falklands/Malvinas War reconciliation than any politician, with their bass drum donning a logo that is half Union Jack and half Argentina�s sky blue and white triband reflecting the band�s origins. There�s a split in the derivation of the band�s musical influences too with a mix of Beatles-esq harmonised beat pop, 60s psych and Libertines style skiffle punk. It�s the retro stuff that goes down best though with quirky catchy riffs and twangy rhythms a-plenty and The Draytones are definitely an act a I look forward to catching again.

Unlike tonight�s openers People in Planes. What the world most certainly needs right now is for world leaders to sit around a table and discuss global warming without the baggage of being restrained by the conflicting cash generation pressures of the fuel industry and big business. What it most definitely does not need is yet another emo outfit. Sadly nobody has told these self indulgent angst rockers from Swansea. Without any hint of irony the wailing front man has a Flying V guitar with skull motifed strap, a fact that is far more memorable than any of their tunes. Their set culminates in a woeful extended bluesy wigout and suddenly twenty two men chasing a pig�s bladder seems a very tempting alternative. Avoid. Obviously.

Links:
http://www.thehussys.com