The Needs

Having recently witnessed some disgusting displays of petulance and stupidity amongst London’s current crop of live regulars, tonight Special Needs affirm that all that matters in the end are the songs – the unfounded egos and cheap speed can, and should be, left at the door.

There is something instantly likeable about this band. Even if the frequency of the ‘Doo-wops’ and ‘Sha-la-las’ becomes a little too much at times, The Need’s playful delivery of their rattling melodic punk, simply just works. Forthcoming Poptones single ‘Francesca’ arrives early on in a set of bubbling teenage banter - lead by the cosseted vowel sounds of Zac Stephenson and the harmonic yelps of the band’s two guitarists. Although the vocals may not suit everyone, the tunes themselves manage carry what could be a messy Morrissey pastiche, into a dynamic mix of languid falsetto and jerking swagger. And the assembled squash of onlookers love it. For a five-piece who are just about to release their first proper single, it is great to see each and every song being belted back at the stage by the buoyant mass of singing fans at the front. Surely for a band on the cusp of something bigger than a one off single release - rumours of larger chequebooks being waved around are rife at this time – this must be an extremely satisfying sight to behold.

‘That Maddening Glare’, the delicious ‘Tarts’ and finally ‘The Winter Gardens’ – a track as grand and wandering as its title suggests – all prove that when you line up a group of bands in front of Buckingham Palace, the ones that are missing are sometimes the best.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Kendall.