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Review by Jack Foley |
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WHEN South confirmed that they would be interested in playing a one-off
gig in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) two months ago, no one
could have dared imagine just how successful the concert would be. On Friday
night (April 19, 2002), we found out and the result was very special.
The gig was the brainchild of Simon Pinion (a lifelong friend of mine and
Indielondon member) and had been put together as a means of further raising
the profile of the charity he had trekked through Jordan on behalf of last
year.
Simon had approached Mowax (South's record label) in February in the hope
of being put in touch with one of his favourite bands, they duly passed on
his details and the rest, as they say, is history.
After weeks of tireless promotional work (trying to establish contact with
the likes of Time Out, NME, XfM, etc), and flyering at every available opportunity
(at venues across London), it all came down to one night and boy was it worth
the effort.
South - comprised of Joel Cadbury, Jamie McDonald and Brett Shaw - were supported
by DJ sets from UNKLE's James Lavelle and Rich File, plus Popscene veterans
Rob Lord and Paul White, and all were in scintillating form.
The evening began at 7.30pm with a few choice cuts from the Popscene boys,
before they handed over to Lavelle for his hour-long set - including Three
Is The Magic Number (by Bob Dorough) and Say No Go (De La Soul) - which really
got the crowd going. By the time South came on at 10pm, the venue was buzzing
and had a really good vibe.
The band opened with a pumped-up version of Broken Head I, the beat-driven
instrumental track which opens their debut album From Here On In, and then
spent the next hour and 15 minutes producing a concert which, in the words
of one of their own entourage, 'was one of the best they have ever played'.
One of South's undisputed strengths is their musical diversity - they can
all play a variety of instruments and aren't afraid to swap throughout the
night. Hence, lead guitarist Jamie could also be found as lead vocalist at
certain points, as well as playing the drums later on, while Joel seldom had
the same guitar in his hands for more than two tracks at a time - his use
of slide on I Know What You're Like, in particular, sent a shiver down the
spine.
But in truth, it was difficult to pick out favourite moments, as every song
sounded special. Tracks such as the Stone Roses-inspired Paint The Silence
or the terrifically moody Recovered Now represented the band at their most
rocky and really got the crowd going, before giving way to quieter, more intimate
numbers such as the sublime Here On In (my favourite to be taken from the
album) and the slow-building, acoustic driven Live Between The Lines (Back
Again). The latter tracks, in particular, drew a terrific response from the
crowd, who contributed to a great atmosphere.
When Joel reminded people of what the night represented - a chance to raise
vital funds for the TCT - he was greeted with another great cheer, while his
thanks to Simon Pinion and the TCT for giving them the chance to return to
the capital for the first time since their successful US tour with Elbow went
down equally well.
South are due to release a new five-track EP in June/July, entitled Nothing
Personal, and the two tracks they played from it, including Estimation, were
equally impressive (both thoughtful and reflective), while their final number,
a cover of UNKLE's remix of Ian Brown's Dolphins Were Monkeys, really raised
the roof.
It was easy to tell that the gig meant a lot to South and they were determined
not to disappoint. As such, their enthusiasm and energy was infectious; while
their talent may just have reached a wider audience. The chief executive of
the TCT, in particular, said he would be rushing out to buy their album the
next day based on the strength of the evening - we suggest you do the same
and make sure to catch them the next time they tour the capital.
SPECIAL NOTE: Indielondon would like to say a special thank you to South
(including John Brice, Jack and Hans), UNKLE (including Jody), Rob Lord and
Paul White, everyone at The Teenage Cancer Trust, Graham Nash (ULU), Mowax,
Marc Ashdown (BBC LDN), Paul Anderson and Jim Benner (XfM), Dan Cox, Tom O'Riordan,
Paul Jennings, Anand Patel, Declan McAndrew, Tim Minor, Richard May and Sarah,
Lucy and Toni (you know who you are!) for the help they provided in making
the evening a success.
RELATED STORIES: An interview with South. Click here...
Simon Pinion's trek through Jordan. Click here
to read his diary...
The Who play in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Click here
to read the review...
South - From Here On In CD review. Click here...