CTRL.ALT.THE BEAT: Bombay Bicycle Club rule Macbeth

The first gig of the week is done and dusted. Bombay Bicycle Club headlined the first of five nights for the 'Levi's ones to watch' gigs in Macbeth, Hoxton Street, London. So it all began with a large slice of smelly, ear bleeding from a band called Snish, led by Josh the model for the new 501 unbuttoned adverts that you will have seen or will now see all over Londonium. Mixed reactions to the heavy hitting boys just as it always is for the opening band of any gig. This ranged from the dedicated followers with the "Fuck you" T-shirts to the girls at the back casually reading the paper sitting on the leather comfys! Bizarre. Not my bag to be honest but having listen to their myspace again in the early morning..... its growing on me. Full of energy and even parading down the bar like a show girl... pictures to follow they know how to have a ball and undoubtedly a smash up! www.myspace.com/snishband

As the sweat box heated up the people seemed to grow larger and taller. My vertically challenged friend, not JP but Justin, struggling to see above anyones knee caps from then on in! Much to his rage and my amusement.

So onto Sky Larkin - out of nowhere, they arrived and calmly began. An interesting sound and fresh out of Leeds... always a cosy combination! Molten being my personal favourite track, currently on their myspace page www.myspace.com/skylarkinskylarkin. Worth a listen. As the crowd pounded the bar and getting to the toilet became more of a chore on bowled BBC.
Now, as they are my favourite band of the past three years, this review is probably going to sound a tad gooey and biased! I will try not write this through rose tinted glasses.
As they took to the stage in smokey, almost moon lit surroundings I began to feel like a child waiting to see if Father Christmas had eaten the mince pie and sherry that I had left out. I was not disappointed. They not only swallowed the mince pie but downed the sherry and asked for more. Enough of that talk... The boys played the usual suspects that are common sounds in my ipod headphones, nailing the likes of Cancel on Me, Evening/Morning and a new track called Dust on the Ground and hitting a rip roaring high with Sixteen. All very pleasing to the ear and had me joistling for position with my camera in one hand, beer in the other and my monster bag of lifes essentials between my legs. I must have looked rather special! The boys are really coming good and of age and growing into the enormous boots that they have made for themselves. I am ready for the album and you should be too.... Check their page www.myspace.com/bombaybicycleclub Trust me your ears will love it! 'To be or not to be - that is the question' and the choice is yours!