Firstly, hats off to the Monto Water Rats for another brilliant show. This place has got to be one of, if not, the best small venue in London. The sound is always perfect, the atmosphere spot on and, minus one slightly dazzling spotlight that shone directly in to my eyes rendering me half blind for most of the night, this tiny backroom delivers the finest that any could ever hope to and that my friends, is pretty damn near perfection.

So you'd think, with cold beer in hand as you natter away amongst friends, sharing a buzz of excitement that ripples across the bar, the audience penned in between closed doors eagerly, and indeed incredibly patiently (which says a lot about the general feel of this place, very rarely are so many in such a small space so happy to hang around) waiting to be...well shuffled into an even smaller space to stand for a bit more of a while, that things just couldn’t get any better. I'll admit to being so comfortable to sit around in this place, lost in the atmosphere of chat, that I’ve missed many a previous opening song, but not tonight, no siree. Tonight, Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts waltz onto the stage with so much energy, chemistry and enthusiasm that I, and my fellow viewees cannot help but burst into the most uncontrollable fit of smile. Quie frankly, this is one of the best nights of live music that I have had the pleasure of attending in quite a while.

Skipping between Dylanesque deliveries of rattling folk songs and the psychedelic licks and stomping bass lines of pure, old fashioned rock and roll, Mr Arthur and his band of spacemen and women create… something, so full to the brim with sound that its as if they’re sat, feet swinging, in your ears strumming away for your own sonic pleasures. 

The band sweep from track to track without a moments hesitation, at moments reminiscing sounds of early Smashing Pumpkins recordings followed by, seconds later, delicate acoustics and harmonies that could belong to Iron and Wine.

I cant remember the last time I saw a band that had such genuine enthusiasm for what they were doing and such a natural chemistry with each other that the music just flowed from the stage. The highlights? For me, a simmering rendition of Devils Broom and an absolutely pounding performance of Cocaine Feet.

Great. Grand. Brilliant. Someone tell the kids; this is how its meant to be done.

 

oh and one final point: there were some shit hot solo's from the astronauts lead guitarist. that girl cant half play nice.

Posted In Live Reviews, Oct 12 2008. Words - Rebecca