Review by Alexander Smith
Netsounds Unsigned
23 Nov 2010 in Highland, Music, Showcase
Madhatters, Inverness, 20 November 2010
THE EXCELLENT Highland based weekly podcast show, Netsounds Unsigned, has grown from humble beginnings into a genuine DIY success story which now generates a regular download audience of over 600 and rising. This growth has resulted in the show becoming an important audience development platform for fresh talent from the Highlands and beyond; and as part of their development; they have teamed up with talented Inverness based promoter Steve Robertson to curate and stage regular live nights. Their most recent event was an exciting triple-bill of up and coming Scottish acts which proved a real triumph.
Capitals
Bathgate rockers The Fire And I opened proceedings with a blistering set which was set alight by some explosive musicianship, especially from suitably named drummer, Hooligan Sadikson. The duo boasted enough inventiveness to keep things interesting, but their lack of dynamic awareness diluted the potency of some of their sharper musical ideas on occasion, and they arguably lack the bite and stylistic individuality of similar acts, such as Bronto Skylift for example; however, they really connected and their sustained sonic barrage set an impressive standard for the rest of the evening.
Next came the eagerly anticipated debut Highland outing of Capitals, featuring former Inverness residents Kier MacCulloch and Angus Carbarns, perhaps better known in these parts as former members of Theatre Fall and The Cinematics respectively. The Edinburgh based electro-pop duo have received some seriously impressive reviews across a host of respected media recently, air time on BBC Radio 1 and XFM, and are strongly tipped by industry insiders to make a significant impact in 2011.
At this stage in their development, they arguably still lack explicit artistic identity when judged across the entirety of the set, but when they find coherence, they promise something very special indeed. Capitals are an engaging blizzard of smart electronic textures, strong hooks and inventive musical ideas; and at their most accomplished, they boast some outstanding tracks which are highly creative, vibrant, stylish and genuinely well crafted. They also impressively manage to sound utterly organic whilst firmly operating within fairly rigid electronic parameters. Also, despite having only played a handful of shows, they are remarkably assured in the live environment and their delivery at times was simply impeccable, bolstered on this occasion by Rob Howell from the excellent Come On Gang on guitar.
In terms of a particular stand out,’ A Spectre is Haunting Europe’ is the pay-off; it’s a darkly intriguing piece of electro- pop which swerves and pulses with a sharp immediacy and a bold freshness. With this band, all the hype may well prove to be justified.
Having played GoNorth, RockNess and Belladrum this year, Glasgow’s GoGoBot are no strangers to Highland audiences, and appear to be a real favourite in these parts as they closed proceedings to a crammed and appreciative MadHatters.
The trio delivered a thumping set of sharp indie-rock, packed with sparklingly contagious pop undercurrents and moments of full-throttle, whacked-out glam, exemplified by fantastically direct opener ‘We Are Here’.
