Home / Gigs / Review /
Dead! Dead! Dead!
Fleeing New York and Xavier Floyd Firebird
“We’ve been around the country and nowhere has bands as good as Southampton at the moment. Keep supporting the scene.”
So say Xavier Floyd Firebird at a SouthSCENE gig which feels like both a homecoming and a tearful goodbye, with three local bands playing together probably for the last time at such a small venue.
Dead! Dead! Dead! are up first and despite breaking two guitars, they borrow instruments and pull it together to play a charged set. Songs like ‘George Lassoes the Moon’ already sound like standards, while newer compositions such as ‘Colours 123’ hint at promising horizons. Although the band admit the set is more like a night at Jongeleurs because of the banter between songs, it’s seriously good indie rock and the band are looking more confident with each gig.
Xavier Floyd Firebird take to the stage with the cockiness of a band who know their debut single is one of the best of the year so far. ‘Boss Man You Scare Me’ is met with boisterous local pride and the band even promise that “7-inches are available round the back”, although you imagine this isn’t quite as sordid as it sounds... Despite lacking the subtlety of the bands sandwiching their set, they make up for it with fillings of thick riffs and big choruses. ‘Brazillia’ rattles along like a broken washing machine while exhilarating closer ‘Do You Wanna Kick It In?’ is finished off satisfyingly with a guitar launched into the drums.
Admitting after the gig to feeling nervous about the size of the packed venue, Fleeing New York certainly have a lot to live up to after the quality of the previous two bands. Thankfully the best is saved for last and they are able to draw on their brilliant debut mini-album and finish the gig in style. ‘Hollywood Bowl’ is stomping rock n’ roll perfection while newer tracks like ‘Eyeballs’ show that we can expect more adrenaline fuelled songs from the three-piece in the future. The band are obviously enjoying themselves onstage which is mirrored by a lively audience who obviously know a good thing when they hear it. Clearly the scene’s support was never even in doubt.
-
Fleeing New York
ooh, i had sooooo much fun at this.
and it was actually packed.
SouthScene, THANK YOU. Deeply. -
Re: Fleeing New York
haven't been to the joiners for ages, but it always used to be packed, even for lesser known bands like sona fariq. i really can't see much motivation to go anymore since they've put the prices up so much and haven't been booking anyone i'm interested in...
have to say from what i remember Fleeing New York were pretty good, in fact i kissed my first girlfriend for the first time at one of their gigs. i think it was at the time that they were called The Tenterhooks, due to obvious reasons (i.e. it was about september 11th). aaah hazy days!
Jamie -
Fleeing New York
the southampton scene is really good at the moment. dead dead dead are the best of these three bands in my opinion, and could do great things. it was great to see it packed for the second time in three days.
as for the comments on the joiners, it isnt really expensive is it? the prices to get in are usually £6 or under, which means the dearest it'll be is £2 a band. for drinks it is no dearer than your average pub, and they have a good variety of beer, unlike the many venues where you only get fucking carling.
as for not booking anything you are into, it could be it is too small to attract the bands you like, it doesnt mean there arent some great nights down there... -
Re: Fleeing New York
i still think for a fiver it's a bargain...seeing as i would otherwise be looking at Brook/Guildhall prices etc...
but recently the Joiners has been getting busier overall, i think, perhaps it's the time of year. Or that they're putting on some really good bands. However i have seen people like Futureheads and 65dos play to about half a crowd, and i once saw Chris T-T play to about ten people, and about eight of them were the support band. Ah well...
but yeah, FNY and D!D!D! were sooooo good. -
Re: Fleeing New York
agreed. -
Re: Fleeing New York
shame i missed it then. i didn't realise they still did some gigs for a fiver, some of them i wanted to go to were about £8, which seemed a lot for bands i wasn't too sure of. oddest crowd at the joiners was Muse in 1999 before they'd released Uno. there were about 20 of us there and i requested a song (Instant Messenger, which i think later got renamed pink ego box), they looked very shocked that i'd heard it and played it straight away. a few months later they were playing with coldplay at the portsmouth pyramids. talk about good timing...
Jamie -
Fleeing New York
It was a great night, alrite! Sooooo busy! -
Fleeing New York
6th time ive seen the dead, 1st for the other 2 bands, they were both very good, but the dead were always gonna be the best for me.
on the prices debate it cost me afiver for franz ferdinand in late 2003, and there were only about 10 people there i think, altho i could be imagining things -
Fleeing New York
They're playing 'Sun Is Low' by FNY on Radio 1.....RIGHT NOW!
Comments (9)
- Post a new comment on this article