Baptiste - London Metro, 4/5/2002

  by Olga Sladeckova

published: 11 / 5 / 2002

intro

Baptiste are back after an enforced two month break in which their drummer, Marc Gooderham, recovered from breaking his wrist. Olga Sladeckova finds the London indie guitar rockers on impressive form at the Metro

It's been more than two months since Baptiste, the London based indie-rock group, last appeared on stage. Marc Gooderham, the group's drummer, broke his wrist and that forced the group into taking an extended break, whether they wanted it or not. The night of the 4th May, however, found his wrist all healed up, and the band back on full strength and ready to perform again. So, come down to the Metro, a club venue based on Oxford Street, and renew or discover the character of their music. Walking down the stairs calms down all the energy from the busy London roads outside. Then you find yourself in a dark hall about half-full of people with a stage at the front, which is at that moment occupied by the second supporting band, Tears In X Ray Eyes. The group is just closing their set with a gentle song 'Don't Cry With Me'. The audience seems to like them and award the band with shameless applause. While the stage is being prepared for Baptiste, who are headlining tonight, the fans, mostly dressed in smart clothes, start chatting and catching up on drinking. 'Okay, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.' I count the musicians. The band is all on the stage and we impatiently wait for them to finish setting up their instruments and to get the gig underway. Two more minutes and Baptiste, with no warning, go straight into their music. The first two songs, 'A Worthy Grudge is a Beautiful Thing' and 'Tired Bodies' are instrumental which gives you the chance to connect to the band's sound but also escalates your impatience and desire to hear lead singer Wayne Gooderham's heartfelt voice. That finally comes with the next song 'Some Would Call It Drowning' which finds Wayne slipping confidently inside the music and starting to sing. What really got me was the slow to fast turn on 'You Know Everything' which found Wayne and bass guitarist, Scott Brodie, all of a sudden begin speedily stroking their guitars, leaving us all to drown deep down in their sound. In fact, the band seemed to be getting lost in the music as well. 'Thank you all for coming!' says Wayne as the last song, 'Love in a Southern City', starts up. A bunch of fans dancing in the front use this as the last change to go mad, spinning and jumping to fast rhythm of the song, but unfortunately this is really it. 'Thank you!' enthuses Wayne again across the fans' applause, many of whom are screaming for more. Baptiste have quite a modest fan base, for reasons that after tonight's show I can't understand. Not many stars, are, however, born over night. For my own selfish reasons I will enjoy them playing smaller venues as long as I can get, so that I can get as close to their music as possible. Don't you waste your chance either ! The photographs that accompaby this article were taken by Olga Sladeckoca, Sr.

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