Cribs - Roundhouse, London, 28/10/2015

by Gillian Fish

published: 25 / 11 / 2015

Gillian Fish sees Yorkshire brothers The Cribs play a triumphant set at the Roundhouse in Camden in London, with a set packed full of career spanning material

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The Cribs have a dedicated following of adoring fans, the kind that will regularly travel up and down the country for them so it's no surprise the audience at the Roundhouse contains familiar faces to both the band and fellow long-standing fans. It is this kind of worshipping of Wakefield brothers, Gary, Ryan and Ross Jarman, which has contributed to their cult-like status and helped them to survive the graveyard of early-mid 2000 indie bands. The Roundhouse gig on Thursday night saw the Cribs return to London to end their current run of touring to promote sixth album ‘For All My Sisters’. The record is perhaps the closest the band will ever get to sounding ‘polished’ but in a live setting they are still very much purveyors of a chaotic, rough-around-the-edges style that their followers know and love. Scuzzy guitars and lo-fi sounds dominate on songs like ‘Come On, Be a No One’ and even newer material like recent single ‘Different Angle’ sounds rougher around the edges than on record. That being said they play with precision and seem on better form than ever in Camden. The Cribs are never going to be a band that recreates the album recordings when you see them live but the carnage is all part of their charm. The set opener ‘Ancient History’ from the 2007 album ‘Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever’ is followed by ‘I’m a Realist’ from the same album. The crowd erupts from the opening chords as beer cups fly across the room and onto the stage. The Cribs have such a huge back catalogue of cult indie-hits now that choosing a set list must become increasingly difficult, but it seems as if they decided to use this tour as an opportunity to not only showcase the latest album but to treat us to a greatest hits celebration too. The set is littered with fans favourites including ‘Hey Scenesters!’ and ‘Be Safe’, the latter of which sees arms aloft as sweat-drenched faces sing to each other on the barrier. Before playing ‘Another Number’ they tell the crowd the song is the reason they were signed back in 2002 after playing it across the road at the Barfly, while the inclusion of 10-year old non-album track ‘You’re Gonna Lose Us’ is welcomed by the die-hard Cribs fans always eager to hear a rarity. One of the highlights from ‘All My Sisters’ is the single ‘Burning for No One’ and at The Roundhouse it is a standout track. The mixture of new album songs and ones that are over a decade old gel together effortlessly. There’s time for a rare quieter moment and for everybody to catch their breath when Ryan Jarman picks up the acoustic guitar for ‘Shoot the Poet’ after tearing through ‘Mirror Kisses’ and ‘Our Bovine Public’. Rarely ones for indulging in an encore they finish true to riotous form with the infectious riffs of ‘Men’s Needs’ before 'For All My Sisters' track, the rousing ‘Pink Snow’, the song now instantly recognisable from its epic intro is now their chosen set-closing anthem. The pink confetti that falls from the Roundhouse ceiling as feedback from the final chords rings out is probably the least Cribs–like occurrence of the evening but no-one could deny them at least a little bit of celebration.