What used to be the Brighton Gloucester (when I was living in Brighton) is now The Fly, like other places that change name/hands owners it looks very similar, they have repainted it, taken out a few tables and put up hundreds of twinkling fairy lights under clouds of blood red material; it’s like some kind of demonic night sky.
In all it is still the same dingy place that I used to come to and tonight it’s to playing host to THE XCERTS (amongst others).
The Xcerts are one of those bands that I have read about, heard the name and thought I should give them a listen, then I was given a CD of theirs – the new single ‘Just Go Home’- it was really rather good. And so here I am watching them.
3 youths in skinny jeans walk on stage and immediately dive straight in with the first song. The military drumming and loud guitars are instantly likeable. The loud theme is one that continues to crash its way through each song. Second song ‘Ghost’ has that inaugural climatic build and single ‘Just Go Home’ ooooh ooohs its way on with pop punk sensibilities set to a heavier background. The set is completed with ‘I See Things Differently’ and sees front man Murray MacLeod march into the sudience hollering into a loud speaker, after his walk he returns to stage to end the cacophony of noise by banging a drum.
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For a band who said they were tired this was still an energetic, high octane performance. The band take rock and pop punk and mix the two together with ease, like a Scottish Hundred Reasons. There is nothing ground breaking to the sound, but whether it’s from screaming vocals or a thunderous bass it’s clear that these kids know how to make noise – and a great noise at that! And I thought they looked so demure.
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