*This gig was actually at the Rescue Rooms*
KIDS in Glass Houses have just started playing by the time we reach Nottingham’s Rescue Rooms on Saturday night. The veune is oppressively hot and bodies are packed solidly in right back to the doors. But the gig has a friendly feel- strangers smile tolerantly when you slop Jack Daniels down them during the Total Wipeout style assult course that is getting to the bar. KIGH are not fantastic. Not bad: but they are a little lack lustre. Forgiveable, when you consider this is their second gig of three within about 24 hours, sandwiched as it is in the middle of Reading/Leeds. The audience get moderately excited when they play ‘Saturday’, but neither band nor audience drum up too much enthusiasm. It’s obvious most people are here for the main event and I feel for Kids, who would probably rather have had some Ovaltine and a sleep instead of playing to 500 mildly disinterested people.
But then NFG come out, to a cry of Let’s Get Ready To Rumble (either a PJ & Duncan or WWF reference, depending on your age and predeliction) and the Pearl and Dean theme. This is obviously what people have been saving their excitement for, becuse the mood is instantly up. A lot. They start with ‘Don’t Let Her Pull You Down’ and everyone goes a bit mad. This could be 10 years ago- in a brilliant way- if it weren’t for all the people who were probably still learning to use crayons 10 years ago. About three songs in the sweat is literally dripping from the roof and it is still a bit like we’ve gone back in time. Jordan Pundik is still attractive, in the way your older brother’s friends were and the Amusingly Chubby bassist is still fulfilling the role every moderately plump band member seemed to occupy in the late 90’s by taking off his shirt and bouncing around a lot.
But the thing which really hasn’t wavered over the past decade is NFG’s obvious and abundant joy at playing live. About half-way throught their set they tell us they wish they could play here three times a week and nobody would doubt them. This is very obviously a band getting a huge buzz from playing this tiny stage, knowing tomorrow their audience tomorrow will be ten times the size. All the hits come out as well as some unepected treats (for which a mysterious lady Tweeter is thanked) and it is indisputably a bloody brilliant gig, roof sweat all inclusive. People crowd surf (badly), girls stand on seats, people climb onto the bar and Pudnik is close enough to the crowd to touch the third row back and get those at the front pregnant. In summary, all credit to NFG for being the most joyous, hard working and exuberant band I have seen in a long time.
Special Guest Reviewer