01 April 2007 (gig)
13 April 2007
Tonight’s lesson is "teaching hipsters to not take themselves so seriously and telling emo kids to stop being pussies". The students are an academy full of rabid Fall Out Boy fans champing at the bit and the mentors are support band Cobra Starship whose animated, loud entrance alone commands immediate attention.
School is in session. And heading up the class is former Midtown frontman Gabe Saporta who is clearly the daddy now thanks to his new project. From the second he arrives on stage, scarcely pausing for breath or a physical break, his goal of being the "punk rock Justin Timberlake" is realised as he brings sexy back personifying every single beat. Fearlessly hip-hopping round the stage, dancing with keytarist Victoria and bothering guitarist Ryland, he exudes a party-starting energy that’ll fire his band right up the bill next time round.
Kicking off with 'Send My Love To The Dancefloor, I’ll See You In Hell' Gabe sings "Hey Mr DJ you gotta put a record on" the objective then being to ensure that record is Cobra's debut album poised for imminent release. As myriad plugs ensue the fact there’s such a streetwise candour on show allows acceptance of this blatant publicity and you do end up believing "the only record you’ll need for a party" is theirs.
Of course the known examples accentuate that, too. Single 'Church Of Hot Addiction' and launch track 'Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)' roll out to emphatic participation, the latter requiring someone hand-picked from the audience to perform the rap - a rather prolonged process it has to be said but fortunately not a deterrent.
As by this grand finale everyone’s on the same team. Granted the band are signed to Fall Out Boy's bassist Pete Wentz’s vanity label and hang out in his emo clique, so a warm welcome from the diehards was kind of expected here. However Cobra’s set still smacked of unassuming, barefaced determination to recruit new fans. And their efforts were clearly not in vain.
On demand the crowd salute them by making the notorious gang sign of "throwing their fangs up" and, in this case, actions speak louder than the usual cheers. Class dismissed.
