Stars - Academy, Manchester, 31/1/2008

by Helen Tipping

published: 16 / 2 / 2008

At the Academy in Manchester, Helen Tipping watches eccentric Montreal-based band Stars play an energetic and fun-filled set

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Stars are from Montreal and have been going for seven years. There are five members, Torquil Campbell, Chris Seligman, Amy Milan, Elan Cromby and Patrick McGee, who between them sing and play a combination of instruments. Their show is very energetic with the band feeding off the energy from the audience, who are clearly enjoying it. Stars even mention that the audience are paying attention. Maybe people are more chatty in Canada, although this crowd do seem more into the band than in my usual experience. Musically it's a fun filled night, with a variety of sounds on offer. We pay a visit to 70's funk complete with George Clinton-style vocals and wah wah flute. Yes, that's right, flute. Also from the school music class instrument collection is the Melodica Wind Piano. I never thought I'd see one of those played on stage! Stars are happy to proclaim their influences dedicating a song to Mark E Smith. Torquil Campbell is clearly a big fan of his and the song in question has some Fall style synth knob twiddling moments! Many of the songs are concerned with relationships, particularly those that are dysfunctional and that have ended, but there are some political themes as well. The set is adorned with living room lamps and flowers. The latter are thrown into the audience every so often throughout the set. Some of the crowd throw them back, but in a good way, whilst others keep them as a memento of their night out. Which was, for me anyway, a good one. The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Neil Bailey