This is the third time that Scottish obsessed Italians Angus McOg have played at Biddle Brothers in Clapton, this time around the show was opened by J. Nicholas a hirsute and rather taciturn gentleman, who played a set of maudlin songs, that from the opener about Angels Waiting For Wings was downbeat reflections on life, so that as he sang If I Could it was not inspirational more a sigh, that he would never be able to accomplish the things he sang about.
Love Is On The Run was slow and reflective, his relationship was falling apart. This continued on Veronica where he repeated a few times that she'd just left, perhaps to find a happier gent. I'm Coming Home was somewhere between a promise and a threat, would she be happy to welcome him in, or worried his down at heart tone meant he was going to sit sipping whisky and moaning all night.
He closed his set by getting his friend Jack to play drums on Over The Hill that because of the back beat, felt like there was a glimmer of hope for better times to come.
This was the second show on Angus McOg's current UK tour with a slightly altered line-up, the bands usual bassist Luca Di Mira was unavailable, they opened with the slow slightly down at heel Beginners that left singer Antonio Tavoni feeling lonely, while Enrico Pasini's trumpet wafted across the room.
Between The Lines was one of the standout tracks on the bands debut album Beginners and was again with some delicate playing enhanced by Fulvia Gasparini's backing vocals.
Before they played Siddharta Antonio told us about his lifelong friendship with tonight's bassist Emanuele Bacchelli and how he had influenced Antonio before they got deep into the revelations that moved his baby.
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Sushi Boy Blues was the first new song of the set that seemed a bit on the sparse side with some delicate harmonium from Enrico along with a very floaty trumpet line. Sirens were once again dancing together slow as the delicate guitar lines wove around Luca Torregianni's laid back drums.
The second new song was Too Love Somebody that was played as a 4 piece without any backing vocals, a central trumpet line that was seductive drawing you towards that special one.
They then upped the energy levels on the bands biggest tune Communist Party Party a great stonking anthem for the joys of partying at the local Communist Party HQ in Bologna who are a lot more fun than the Russian style commies. This tune got most of the audience singing along to the chorus and went down a treat with some barrelling piano driving it on.
They closed with Anorak that was a perfect slice of Anorak indie in the moment, ideal for wallflowers everywhere to stare at their feet, while slowly swaying along.
Almost no one stayed in the gig room for the final act Wicked Splinters a trio of non-descript gents who were quickly emptying the room, by the time I left two and a half songs in there were 5 people left.
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