Hot Club de Paris, Rainbow, Birmingham, Feb 8th.
After bursting through in 2006, Hot Club De Paris have never, despite maintaining stoic support, matched the breakthrough impact of sonically similar bands such as the Futureheads. Their hooky agit-pop saw them support the Wearsiders, where this writer first became aware of them and you sense their material and live output this year will determine how much they can continue to propel themselves back into musical consciousness.
Local boys Tantrums shown again in a short set just why the buzz around them is un-ignorable. They seem to provide uplifting, vitalic britpop choruses and the traits of a band displaying the best of modern influences; the darker moments of Arctic Monkeys and the percussive impact and yelpy choruses of Foals to name two. Before the A&R man’s wet dream those references would inevitably cause though, it’s important to note they are more than the sum of their parts. Their dubstep influence is proof of their ability to weave the music they like into the music they make. It is unsurprising their star continues to rise.
Hot Club de Paris
Hot Club de Paris are from the off a feelgood band. The modest following here enjoying the story-telling lyrics orientated around Teenage Fanclub- esque melodies. The simplicity at times is very much pop-punk, not in the saccharin-tinged American sense but in their way with a tune; Liverpop-punk if you will. Crowd interaction is key tonight, piss- taking about their scouse roots and even a Paul Simon ‘Boxer’ reference, what more could you want? The charm offensive is completed with their acapella and beatbox showpiece, a live staple that they have well and truly honed to sit alongside the rest of their set, including gems such as Hey Housebrick!’ from 2008’s ‘Live At Deadlake’. With their kooky-titled new EP ‘With Days Like This As Cheap As Chewing Gum, Why Would Anyone Want To Work’, (easy for me to say) they mix old with new, the lead single off it, ‘Fuck You! The Truth’, the perfect exponent of the HCDP brand.
Want ballsy, off- kilter pop? Crashing cymbal intro flying into ‘lolloping’ riff territory?
Then you’ve come to the right place. Give them enough of a chance and you might stick around.
Words: Liam Flowers
Photos: Jay Somerville