Natives / A.J. Ellis / Distal Keys / Faux [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 31/5/14]
Regular readers will know how much I love the Boileroom. TMMP’s list of live reviews offers many, many examples of how gigs should be – and most of the standout shows in there took place at the Boileroom. So this review is very rare, because I’ll say this upfront: This gig was ok.
Faux / Distal Keys
I’m going to be fair here. Both of these bands were clearly young, inexperienced, and obviously nervous about performing. Going through a full dissection of either performance just wouldn’t be reasonable. Both Faux and Distal Keys have decent lead vocalists and promising songwriting chops; but beyond that, they need a lot of extra time, practice, and gigging experience. A lot of hard work lies ahead of these kids – but when you’re pursuing a passion, it doesn’t seem like work, so there is a bright side here.
Also, a note on stage fright: It’s normal, and nothing to be embarrassed about. Rock gods and pop stars get it too – see this Huffington Post article for proof.
A.J. Ellis
As far as role models go, Faux and Distal Keys would do well to look very closely at what A.J. Ellis is doing. This set, for me, was the best of the night. You can spot a well-drilled band from note one, because that note will be nailed perfectly. Dead-on. That is the mark of a real professional, and A.J. Ellis clearly is that. A.J. and his band have great stage presence, solid songs, and an airtight sense of rhythm. I’m guessing that a click track was employed here (not that it matters; live clicks are standard pop-gig practice), but if this set was click-free then A.J. Ellis & co.’s level of tightness is a very impressive achievement indeed.
As for the music itself, think meaty folk on the rocks with a funky twist and plenty of country spice. Add in some banter with the audience and quality songs, and you have a winner.
Natives
Like A.J. Ellis, Natives also make great role models for Faux and Distal Keys, especially in terms of their image. Faux and Distal Keys’ members suffer from a lack of differentiation between members; they all look and dress in very similar ways, meaning that each member’s individual personality isn’t given a chance to shine through. Natives address this issue really well: You have a drummer who looks a bit like Skrillex; a bearded bassist; a geeky guitarist in a pair of those cheap plastic sunglasses you see handed out at festivals; a guy-next-door guitarist; and a frontman with impressively gravity-defying hair. There’s something for everyone – or, at least, something for every teenage girl – in Native’s target market.
Musically, think modern pop-rock à la One Direction and co., and you more or less have it. While it may be popular to put bands like this down for being less in-your-face than the heavier and less pop-oriented rock acts out there, it is worth bearing in mind that bands like Natives do serve, for many, as a gateway into rockier, punkier, and more compositionally advanced genres. This point is the reason why, although I’m not in Natives’ target market, I can still appreciate what they do.
Also, the first “rock” single I ever bought was written by Savage Garden, for God’s sake. That’s definitely something you should never admit publicly on the internet, but there you have it.
Overall, this was a decent set played with plenty of energy, by a tired-looking band who still put the work in, to a very appreciative crowd. A Saturday night well-spent for existing and newly converted Natives fans alike. For TMMP, however, this night still wasn’t up to the usual high standards we’ve come to expect from the Boileroom.
But then, there’s always tonight…
Links
We weren’t able to find a website or social media / networking page for Faux; if you can point us in the right direction, let us know in the comments.
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