From Brooklyn and in the midst of a lengthy world tour, The Drums must feel very much at home in the North of England such is the well documented inspiration behind their sound; a potent cocktail of influences from Joy Division to The Smiths, Orange Juice to The Wake.
Taking elements of all of these acts, they have made a sound all their own and produce effortlessly classic catchy pop tunes that would excite the most jaded of earworms and casually throwaway lines about the death of a friend that might cause Morrissey to blush.
Opening act Cloud Control, from the Blue Mountains of Australia, might be just about done with support slots.
They’ve been announced as a headliner for the prestigious NME Awards shows early next year, and on tonight’s showing, it’s easy to see why. Earlier this year they won the Australian Music Prize for their hypnotic, psychedelic-tinged album ‘Bliss Release’, and it’s tracks from this that make up tonight’s show. On this evidence we can also expect a nomination for ‘Services to Christmas jumpers’ in the 2012 awards lists…
The Drums arrive to an expectant and eager crowd. The recent hit ‘money’ inspires a heaving mosh-pit and arms stretch out to touch Jonny Pierce as he dances like Ian Curtis had he lived.
Highlight of the set is ‘Book Of Revelation’, the opener from new album ‘Portmento’, where Pierce sings of the rejection of his deeply religious upbringing and sings of there being ‘No Heaven and no Hell’ and there is jubilation in his realisation that ‘When we die, we die.’
You can visit The Drums’ website here, and Cloud Control’s website here.
