Yeti

There must be something very satisfying - if not a little odd - in going from playing bass to thousands of US fans, to playing guitar and singing to a few hundred in a North London pub – all within a few days. Tonight this band's vocalist has done just that, and by the time the John Hassall led five-piece have soundchecked, Boogaloo is rammed to the rafters with dedicated pockets of Libs fans, curious bystanders and a few people who realise their quiet night in the local just ain’t gonna happen.

With New York Dolls, Babyshambles, and now Yeti all providing regular outlets for the band, The Libertines only seem to exist in broadsheet fascination and tabloid bold-type. As with all band/media-saturation, the music goes out the window. Thankfully tonight, the music is consistently the main focus, because the songs are simply great. Yeti give us a mix of reggae, ska, blues and an instantly memorable, harmony-laden ballad called ‘Merry-Go-Round’. Hassall’s voice is coloured by a relatively high twang - something he used to great effect at T in the Park earlier this year – and fits these rambling tunes very well indeed. Although the band seem to be thriving on The Coral/Bandits/Hokum Clones trip, their songs feel fresh and in this intimate setting work to perfection - the fizzing atmosphere and rapturous response both playing a part in what turns out to be a brilliant set. The time spent thumping away at the back of Pete n’ Carl’s circus act, has obviously given the stringed half of their rhythm section, the space to create an interesting and playful side-project. Given recent events, I imagine the escape is something of a blessing.

Photography: Maria Tidball Binz