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Live Review
by SaschaS
2-7-2002
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| Craig Nicolls does The Vines way |
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Live: The Vines
Ocean, London
Monday, July 1, 2002
The Vines live are more like desert sun than an autumnal shade
Our editor’s report doubted The Vines’ quality but the buzz ain’t letting up. Now, armed with extensive consumption of the band’s album ‘Highly Evolved’, we decide to re-check them at an exclusive show for the London’s alternative radio station, Xfm. The result was, predictably, an emo-‘riot’ for fans.
Craig Nicholls, the singer/guitarist, is allegedly petrified of performing and is known to hide in cupboards just before getting on stage, which might explain his demeanour at the gig’s opening. He is edgy, nervous but once he settles in, it is a core of the hard. Their gig is a display of force, energy, mayhem while the debut album ‘Highly Evolved’ display much wider sonic range.
Their kind of vigorous grunge with pop and psychedelic flavourings has earned them a lot of praise that has name-checked Kurt Cobain, Bono, The Strokes, which were all dismissed by Nicholls. This is all hype and the band doesn’t need it, they can hold their own stage. Whether they are the new-Strokes, The Hives or whoever, is irrelevant because they do it their own way. The Vines of Australia can rock, baby!
The title track burns through brightly, ‘Sunshinin’’ hits with maximum volume but minimum enthusiasm from a singer who looks like a Rockstar-in-waiting and is the undisputed centre of the proceedings. Unfortunately, his magnetism prevents us from even noticing other members who are all watching him for cues. Their cover of Outkast’s ‘Ms Jackson’ is a sombre and strange affair but it is not until ‘Outtathaway!’ that we hit the hyperactive.
The rapid-fire ‘Country Yard’ drives the moshpit to destruction, the rest of us are floored, ‘Mary Jane’ unfurls like a flight in a dream, ‘1969’ (not the Stooges’ cover) feels like it is literally levitating the room, ‘Get Free’ crashes us with its urgency, frenzy and a riff-hood to make any nu-metallers proud! The Vines’ influences are primarily Nirvana and The Beatles, but they knit them into surprising shapes, like ‘Factory’ toying with reggae-phraseology.
The show is short, sharp and s**t-kicking and no one, apparently, leaves disappointed. A splendiferous performance by Nicholls who displays mercurial tendencies and weird personality – or is that obstinacy and arrogance of youth? – that leaves us wanting more, virtually howling for encores… The fact is that there’s nothing particularly challenging or revolutionary about The Vines’ inspired take on rock history, but the breadth of their talent and passion is incredibly gripping. Highly evolved, indeed.
The Vines’ tonight are vital, fleeting, cathartic and emo-intense, just what the music-medic ought to prescribe. Powerful with ease.
(On the way home I spin the disc again and fantasise about my own ‘Mary Jane’.)
SaschaS
2-7-2002
The Vines’ debut album ‘Highly Evolved’ is released 08 July 2002 on Heavenly/EMI
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