Django Django - O2 Academy, Liverpool, 13/2/2013

  by Harry Sherriff

published: 23 / 2 / 2013

intro

Harry Sherriff attends an uneven NME Awards Tour gig at the Liverpool O2 Academy which saw sets from Django Django, Miles Kane, the Palma Violets and Peace

The NME Awards Tour line-up is always a good topic of conversation. As soon as I saw the line-up, I had my doubts. I felt the bands were of too different styles and what’s the point of going to an NME awards tour if you only like one of two bands? I thought to myself: Does a fan of both Miles Kane and Django Django even exist? I loved the look of Peace, the first band on the bill, from the get go. They looked relaxed and most importantly happy to be doing the thing they love for a living. “This is the biggest gig we’ve played in Liverpool,” Harrison Koisser said with a big grin before kicking off one tune. The scouse audience seemed to click with this opening band from Birmingham. Up next were Palma Violets, a hyped-up band I caught last August but felt the praise that was getting thrown their way wasn’t justified. My opinion of the band was further marred that night due to three of the lads in the band getting into an altercation post-gig with the police because of illegally trespassing on a helter skelter ride in Liverpool city centre. Not exactly rock and roll behaviour. But I like to give a band more chances than they probably deserve. I just feel their good onstage performances are trying to make up for average songs. And they are songs that sound like other band’s songs. Their songs fluctuate between sounding like bad Ramones or really bad Who, and the music critics lazily comparing them to the Libertines because the two front men occasionally share a mic should be docked a week’s wage. Palma Violets are named after a sweet, a sweet that if you have too many, you feel sickly, a sweet that is preferred by a much younger unknowing consumer. They have a very apt name. Miles Kane was third on and for most, including me, took the night. Mid-set the squirrel from the Wirral announced “it’s nice to be home”. and it was clear from the crowd reaction that the majority were there to see him. I am impressed every time I see Miles because he’s a natural; a true performer and I believe he’s only just getting started. His best albums are going to come in five to ten years time. He is a solid songwriter and he is working on his craft. The Miles Kane fans lapped up the songs from his eponymous album and even cheered on new material, of which there was two, excluding single 'Give Up'. For me, the two new ones didn’t sound great but I will reserve judgement until they are on record. They felt too similar in style and structure to every other song off his album, and for a talented musician that has been working with the likes of Paul Weller that simply should not be happening. My review of Django Django has to be kept to a minimum because I just don’t get this band. I have seen them twice. I have listened to the album and nothing is sticking. Not a chorus or even a smart lyric. It doesn’t help that their live performance consists of wacky lighting, matching patterned shirts which no self-respecting band should wear and the lead singer acting like a children’s TV presenter. Leaving the O2 I got the impression they are destined to be a marmite band. There were a lot of Django Django T-shirts on parade but so were foul-mouthed negative opinions of the London based three-piece. An act that sound like that are always going to be an acquired taste. I walked home through Lime Street station with Peace’s 'Bloodshake' firmly stuck in my head. It felt like an uneven NME Awards Tour but Peace and Miles made it bearable. Two out of four is bad. These photographs originally appeared on Get Into This at www.peterguy.merseyblogs.co.uk. Thank you to Get Into This for allowing us to run with them.

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