Thee Unstrung

The meandering river of bands that seems to snaking its way through London at the moment is casting aside some real treasures and some utter abominations - a healthy mixture to say the least. Of course, the fact that the majority of these bands sight The Libertines as a source of unending inspiration, is causing a similar split between reactions of joyous praise and sneering disgust.

Tonight Thee Unstrung epitomise this divide. Playing to a sparsely populated ICA - yet still complete with the gaggle of girls who attach themselves to the band’s monitors at every gig – the London four piece initially seem to struggle. A few three- chord punk non-songs fall unnoticed by both the audience and the band, and it seems their female fans' attention is turning from the stage to each others shoes. Yet as soon as Steve Holbrook’s jabbered rasping signals the start of ‘You’ things begin to shift from the bog-standard to the unyielding and at times, downright exciting. With Holbrook’s vocals scratching alongside the yelp of guitarist Ben Bailey, these two begin to sound - and look - like a strange mix of a Gallagher and a Doherty. Speedy, noisy and full of fury, by the end of ‘Contrary Mary’ the band have recaptured the air of unpredictability that pushes their live show beyond monotony and into very watchable turmoil.

Photo: Andrew Kendall