The Boxer Rebellion/ Nic Armstrong/Future of Junior/Atlantic Dash
Water Rats, Tuesday February 24th

by Kate Etteridge



To be honest, if a band has not just one, but two Telecasters involved in the scheme of things, then it’s a fair bet that I’m likely to be partial to them. Atlantic Dash had a head start in my books. Looking every inch the archetypal indie rock band, this Northampton quartet delivered perfectly synchronised guitar lines and a well structured backing to the slightly unpredictable and off-kilter singer. Songs like About a Boy half way into the set showed off their knack for taking the tempo down then cranking it back all the way up to create a massive wall of sound, using keyboard to fill in the gaps. The quiet/loud dynamic particularly evident in the single What Is New, mixing the screech of feedback in with a steady waltz rhythm to add variety to this enjoyable set.

Future of Junior, up next, carried on the dynamics left ringing in the ears by Atlantic Dash. Swapping between playful summertime licks reminiscent of the erstwhile Spacehog or the roundness of Starsailor (A&E, Waster) and the stuttery kinetic guitar of Supergrass’ Caught By The Fuzz (Holiday). Succeeding in melting together each band member’s own little riffs and rhythms from unique meanderings into a cohesive and scorching mix of sound made Future of Junior a band to watch out for.

If these two bands were flirting with old style, original rock n roll, then next act Nic Armstrong was undeniably up close and personal and probably making it breakfast. Based on style alone, he represented an era when the perfect 4/4 rhythm wasn’t messed with and the blues reigned in its purest raw form. Brought up on the 50s greats of Cochran and Berry, Armstrong ranged from simple ‘It’s Alright Mama’ type songs to the more grungey and dirty blues licks of Looking to You, singing in the tune of the rough imperfections and nasal Americanism of early Lennon. Comically introducing his fellow stage members as ‘the Fred West tribute band’ before launching into his final celebration of the blues (Mrs the Moraliser), Armstrong flicked the appreciative crowd a brief smile and a polite dip of the cap before disappearing.

Light and dark will always end up hand in hand so it seemed fitting that the headlining band tonight arrived on stage with a certain air of benevolence (and that wasn’t just due to the unfortunate technical hitches during the set). The Boxer Rebellion opened with, fittingly, The Opening, with its unnerving off-beat rhythm and brooding guitar work setting the scene. Nathan Nicholson’s singing voice has been compared before to a pastiche of classic Liam Gallagher and the defiant growl of the Cooper Temple Clause – a tad reductive but nevertheless particularly heard in The New Heavy but with a less arrogant, more ‘bashful’ side. New single In Pursuit perfectly encapsulated TBR’s love of building up tension until completely crashing and spiralling near out of control, unexpectedly snapping neatly back in line with Piers Hewitt’s drums keeping the rock steady, at the same time pushing the rhythm hard into the skin. The stormy turbulence continued throughout the set – We Have This Place Surrounded opening the heavens on the crowd, beginning with gentle chords and light drum taps to keep it moving, then out of nowhere massively increasing in thrust and volume reflecting the emotion in Nicholson’s voice. Just as soon as it had started it was over and everything went back to normality, leaving the crowd a little windswept and blustered. This trademark sound of TBR is not always guaranteed and the crescendo you end up expecting during most songs, delightfully, doesn’t always come, leaving you high and dry and your mouth open for more. It’s the unpredictability of sound that is prevalent and is the band’s strength. The final songs of the set confirmed this, with a glorious battle between the blistering heat and swagger of Watermelon (with more than a nod to the spikiness of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), and the hypnotic downward turn of Lay Me Down which finished morphing into a magnificent final song with its raw resigned vocals breaking into something beautiful. The set closed down with Nicholson slammingthe mic stand down and stalking offstage, leaving the rest of the band to wind down with control and dignity – the perfect comedown.

Photos by Dan Bozinovsky

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