The Feeling @ The Refectory
By Victoria Holdsworth
I didn't have a clue who the support was going to be this evening, so I eagerly awaited the arrival of the support band: Captain. It made a nice change to not have any thoughts about a band before I saw them, keeping an open mind and all that.
After a few tuning and technical problems I really didn't like the first two tunes, they seemed to run into one another with a groaning sense of wonder. However, I did perk up a little on the third and fourth tracks, which had an exceptional female vocal provided by the obligatory quirky female keyboard tapper, Clare. Yet, there was still not enough balance between lead singer Rik and Clare, and it could work so much better. It was all a bit Belle and Sebastian, with Cranberries and Editors overtones, not always bad but nothing that wanted to make me acquire a copy of their album.
The fifth tune of the evening was definitely helping me change my mind though, as it was a real bouncing summer anthem with a fantastic drum pattern weaving through it to add funky conviction to the outstanding bass playing.
'This Heart Keeps Beating' and 'Elation', the last two tunes of the evening, were just a little too little too late, which is a shame as I've since checked out their web pages and they sound and look fantastic so I really don't know what the problem was.
Captain certainly deserve a second chance, even though upon first outing for me they were very forgettable.
Then the stage is black, lights are poised and with an explosion of light, and some amazing tweaky Buck Rogers sounds, The Feeling perform an amazing opening tune of 'Fill My Little World Right Up.' This was coupled with amazing musicianship and lighting to provide a Queen-like start.
I've never heard the sound so good at the Refectory - ever!
There is a quick turnover in tunes with little cheeky one-liners of banter and song introduction, which is fantastic. As I'm sure you'll agree, no-one likes a chatter box onstage so you only get half a gig.
We go straight into 'Anyone' which for me is the best tune on the album, and yet again the mood they set across the entire stage is alluring and yet strangely dark. These guys are real showmen and the voice of lead singer Dan Gillespie Sells is second to none! I was completely mesmerised by not just his stage presence but also his ability to sing pitch perfect live when so many of his contemporaries fall by the wayside. 'Never Be Lonely' follows 'Boxes Of Tens' and the harmony that is used between them all is every bit - if not better than most - of The Beach Boys sounds I love.
The hooks grab you and even the harder indie lovers cannot wriggle away from something as power driven and god damn catchy as this!
There follows a top quality rendition of the Stevie Wonder-inspired 'Miss You', which is an amazingly emotional song, and although many people from national to gutter press have slagged The Feeling off they need to go see them live and just see them perform.
So what if they're super polished? So what if they're not as lyrically challenging as others, but surely it's about the music and how it makes you feel? Catchy and punchy, soothing but attacking, with The Feeling you get them all in the one album - Christ! Don't all Keane songs sound pretty much the same, not to mention a few others?
'Helicopter' is a Supertramp-inspired musical piece of genius pop that they execute perfectly to yet more amazing lightening effects that even put some of Muse's lighting displays to shame. It sees the three front guys standing afoot the stage like The Three Musketeers and in a flash of a bar they end the tune on a really heavy Machine Head like guitar ending that rattles your teeth and shows that they are more than capable of belting out a good metal tune - possibly an avenue to explore hopefully on later albums. This is then frenzied up to a rendition of The Buggles 'Video Killed The Radio Star' which I usually hate the sound of, and it has my ears bleeding and brain chattering at the very thought of it being played in my presence, but they chopped and changed it enough to make it sound audible and has the crowd bouncing all over the place.
The highlight of the evening for me was 'Sewn' which is lyrically not all that strong, but like most of their tunes it sucks you in and it works. The usual sing along ensues and there are lots of Pete Townsend arm windmills going on - not just from the stage, but in the audience as well.
We are then treated to a new song off the next album 'Join With Us' which shows the band in a slightly different musical light, and gives us a promised glimpse of what is to come. It has a great Ian Dury feel to the music and the words, but then half way through turns to a sound not unlike that from a 1970's children's TV show which I thought was amazing!
The last song this evening is the new single 'Love It When You Call' - I had only just heard this a few days before and wasn't all that sure about it, but after giving it one listen I already had the infections chorus in my head swimming round aimlessly all day. Seeing The Feeling perform it live has made me listen to it on a regular daily basis as it's just such a good poptastic gem.
We get an encore of 'Blue Piccadilly' which is a little too much on the power ballad side for me but would not go amiss on any 80's film soundtrack.
The Feeling have so much energy and drive it's unbelievable, and I doubt it will be long before they are massively bigger than they are now - pop's new darlings? I don't think. Award winners? I would bet my last 20p on it. Would I go see them again? Without a doubt - The Feeling are one of the best live acts I've seen in a very, very long time.
Top work! Top show! Top musicians!
