SUPPORT: Tiger Please, Hope & State
So The Crave may not be the most PT-friendly of bands for us to cover in a live review, but we restrict ourselves not by genre classification or appearance! It?s 2011, we do what we fucking want, yo.
First however, HOPE & STATE [3.5/5] are up for our critical ears? inspection and make light work of setting the evening?s standards. The London-based quartet have a warm and inviting sound, characterised by frontman Imran Siddiqi?s internationally-bred vocal tones that make the likes of ?At The Sight Of You? a darn sight more exciting than your average radio-friendly rockers. It also never does any harm to have a real-life raptor behind the drum kit ticking things over. Not bad for a first impression, not bad at all.
TIGER PLEASE [4.5/5] are on an ever-increasing climb at the minute, and a support slot on this tour is going to help them no end. The average age of the crowd present may be the uglier side of 25, but it?s a crowd that welcomes them with open arms. As they burst into life without nonsense or pretence, ?There?s No Hero In Heroin? captures the hearts and minds of those in attendance and it becomes abundantly obvious within minutes how much confidence this lot have gained in the last year on the road. The stadium-rockers-in-waiting are yet to disappoint PT and tonight?s performance is no different.
Brighton rockers THE CRAVE [4/5] may polarise PT readers with their extremely unfashionable looks and sound, but there is no denying this lot are masters of their particular craft. Gosh it?s old-fashioned and those guitar solos really can make one wince but give them a break ? The Crave really do get things going in a live setting. They are an incredibly slick outfit and while they may sound dated; ?High? and ?Cooking In The Kitchen? are as punchy and boisterous as they are unashamedly mass-marketed tonight. They might not be your cup of tea, but they?re a tasty cup nonetheless.
ANDY RITCHIE
All photos by Maryam Hassan, To see more photos from the evening, head over to our galleries section.