Turin Brakes - London Shepherd's Bush Empire -30/9/02
4/5
By: Andy Willson
What a way to start an acoustic session; the ambience of moody blue lighting floats amidst the backdrop of a laser-conjured Turin Brakes logo hovering in the distance. Additionally, not only has the area usually reserved for a fervent mosh-pit been converted to a respectful, low-key space, with chairs laid out all around, but it even seems as if the venue's staff have given the old place a premature spring-clean especially for this evening. Rock 'n' roll has never seemed so restrained.
Yet, stools have been strategically placed on the performance-platform, too and the background changes to a brightened plethora of gleaming stars as tonight's headliners open with a mellowed version of 'Future Boy', an album-track from first release, 'The Optimist LP'. Somewhat expectantly, a well-mannered round of applause proves the ensuing order of the day, and the notion of crowd-surfing seems as likely as the band performing a mundane, uninspiring set.
Familiar moments are best served within the following slumber of 'The Door', the song which effectively kick-started the duo's careers. Its end prompts Olly to then announce the arrival of their new(ish) keyboardist Dave to us all with the accompanying mysterious line, 'They call him Jesus, so sinners beware,' before ironically switching into a new track reminiscent of Clapton's 'Knocking on Heavens Door', featuring one of the finest guitar-solos of the night. By the time the crowd-response hits in, clearly, gone are the previous night's nerves, where it appeared almost as if Olly had suffered a minor panic attack, such is the nature of this imposing, sell-out venue.
Favourites 'Feeling Oblivion', 'Mind Over Money' and 'The Optimist' itself then intermingle sublimely with new material from imminent release 'Ether Song', with new single 'Long Distance' building the audience towards a deafening eruption at the track's finale. Yet, better still, the real winner tonight is 'Underdog (Save Me)' with its wispy, emotional vocals, evoking the finer shades of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, the product striding us through an entrancing, albeit, understated journey.
To lighten the intense nature of such an affair just a little, the uncomfortable chairs that have housed the group's forms during the past ten live-dates are given an on-stage dismissal of being 'crap', and it's back to the arena for a few more subdued tracks, where proceedings are finished with 'Emergency 72' - the peak of perfection, rounding off tonight's entertainment with a standing-ovation from everyone present... And, geez, who on Earth said that the British public is reserved..?
On the basis of this night's performance, undoubtedly as before, the future looks ever-promising for The 'Brakes; and, despite their name, it doesn't seem that anything's gonna be halting their trip to the top of their profession for some time yet.
Artists in this article: Turin Brakes
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