Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Chronicity - live @ The Cumberland Arms, 30/01/10/

Still the best band in the North East by a country mile, and still the last to realise their considerable talent, Chronicity were on the brink of splitting earlier last year. After Saturday's headline performance, they can no longer be unaware of the adulation this band carry on their slender set of seven songs.

Quite simply, Pete, Will, Cath and Phil ripped it up, playing with the kind of inspiration that has bands likes Future Loss scurrying back to the drawing board. During Elvis Prison Guard, frontman Pete Dale seemed to be inducing some kind of asthma attack as he double time strummed his Jazz Master, while Cath stood centre stage, Doc Martin boots placed firmly either side of her monitor, hammering at her Rickenbacker going through Big Muff distortion. Phil stood modestly to one side, head tucked into his chest as he worked away intricately, while Will went in opposite directions on the kit during the improvised sections, until he was called home for his dinner upon which he promptly snapped into place with tight, jazz-style beats.

The audience was left baying for more, but they had played all their songs. It was special to see the four of them on a stage again after such a long time apart; and to finally receive the kind of adulation they deserve. Expect Chronicity to play again at a Libris event soon.