Nation is normally the home of Liverpool superclub Cream but tonight the world famous courtyard is set up for one of the highlights of MTV’s Liverpool Music Week. American indie rockers Black Kids supported by Ladyhawke is a line up that has had Liverpool’s student population and music lovers lacing up their Converse in high anticipation.
Named after a 1985 Rutger Hauer movie, Ladyhawke is arguably the best thing to come out of New Zealand since lamb cutlets and she treats the crowd to a set filled with eighties inspired rock tracks from her self titled debut album. It takes a couple of songs for the crowd to get going but by the time she plays her most successful single 'Dusk Till Dawn’ we are all drawn in and singing along. For some reason and unusually for a Cream managed event, the sound quality is not at its best and some of the more bass heavy tracks are lost in the muffle. However, the superb 'Paris Is Burning’ and new single 'My Delirium’ show off Pip Brown’s ability to write great pop songs and more than compensate for the poor audio. The band play Xfm’s Winter Wonderland before heading off to the Australian festival circuit over Christmas.
Nation’s courtyard is an intimate space but very exposed and amid near Baltic conditions Xfm’s DJ John Kennedy had his work cut out trying to keep everyone warm, while the packed bar could have sold gallons of Gluhwein had they chose to do so!!
So to the headline act Florida’s Black Kids who take to the stage at midnight to a backdrop of coloured neon strip lights with lead singer Reggie Youngblood sporting a rather fetching Christmas jumper. Opening with new single 'Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)’ they got the crowd onside straight away. Their infectious brand of feel-good indie pop ensured that everyone forgot about the cold and danced about like fools.
Picking off tracks from their hugely successful Bernard Butler produced debut album Partie Traumatic, Youngblood’s vocals are reminiscent of the Cure’s Robert Smith but without the melancholy. The whole band gel really well, from Reggie’s sister Ali and fellow keyboard player Dawn Watley, through to Kevin Snow’s discotechy drums all held in place by Owen Holmes funky basslines.
'Hurricane Jane’ was one of the songs of the summer and it really lifted the crowd, but it was 'I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You’ that had the whole room bouncing ensuring many a tight calf would be suffered the following day. After what seemed a lightning quick 45 minute set the band finished with 'I'm Making Eyes At You’ a slow starter that kicks into a rhythm straight out of 1985 and it proved to be a great set finisher.
A superb gig from two of the brightest stars of 2008 and another benchmark set by Liverpool Music Week to surpass next year.
LMW runs until Thursday 6th November, details can be found at
www.liverpoolmusicweek.comwww.pitchinvader.com