at the Old Blue Last, not as above.
The “next big thing” is a tag that gets banded around far too often for my liking. You’ll hear over hyped bands smacked with that label as soon as someone on an internet forum takes half an interest and the majority of the time the band will fade out before too long, soon to be replaced by the next band with half a decent tune. With that in mind, Data Select Party are not the next big thing. I say that as I’m sat browsing forums on the release day of their new CD, Hanging Out With Humans, and barely see a mention given to the band. Yet tonight at a packed out Old Blue Last the band display exactly why they should be considered as genuine contenders for the poisoned “next big thing” tag.
After wandering down Old Street, and phoning as many people for directions as possible on the way, I finally find the venue and its packed to the rafters. Colour are on stage and the three songs I catch of theirs seem ace and I’ll definitely pay more attention to those guys in future. Before long Data Select Party hit the stage with a new track but its punchy and you can feel the rest of the crowd tapping their foot along with me. The band have this great ability to make me want to move and dance but being too afraid to really let myself loose sees me stick to the standard head nodding and foot tapping for the opening tracks. The set list is varied and the inclusion of EP tracks “wicked conductors” and “white bear” shows off just how much better this band are in a live environment than on record. Their energy is contagious and I’m desperate for other people to join me in wooping and clapping along to old tracks “wake up the town” and the current single “the woot the hot the hotness”. While these tracks are a blast it seemed those around me really wake up with the first chords of “no girls allowed” and before long we’re singing about pen knifes, slingshots and tree houses.
DSP are best enjoyed when you cast aside any hang ups you have about your image and let yourself have fun. Tonight the four piece remind me of why I get so excited about live music and it’s a breath of fresh air. They might well go onto be the next big thing, but I’ll bounce along regardless of how many people they’re playing to.
Tom