Ting Tings

It feels like forever since synth/punk duo The Ting Tings first graced our airwaves with knockout single ‘That’s Not My Name’, and it’s been over two years since the multi-instrumentalists hit UK stages with their effervescent mix of chatty lyrics and punchy drums. So it was pleasantly surprising when they announced their ‘Show Us Yours’ Tour, which kicked off on the 21st of November in Leeds.

The event caught the attention of undergrads everywhere; as the band announced a competition that involved students designing stage outfits for the duo in order to win tickets to the shows. That and the buzz of an impending album meant that, come rain or shine (literally), students flocked to see 2009’s band of the moment.

Needless to say, it was not only the entire student body of London (and of course me) that were suffering from ‘The Tings’ withdrawal symptoms. It’s 7PM and a crowd is swiftly gathering outside Kings College’s Student Union in The Strand, and one die-hard decides that he has waited long enough, and tells the vivid story of how he had been camped outside the venue since 4PM and might very well be starting to get hypothermia. Luckily for us, several laborious flights of stairs, four floors, two hours, and one delicious pop/rock boyband later, The Ting Tings arrive on stage - dressed completely appropriately – in what looks like the traditional P.E kit gone punk.

With reasonable use of repeat pedals, a backing track and a handful of sound techs that repeatedly risked decapitation by flying mic stands to retrieve guitars and untangle cables, The Ting Tings performed a lively set of predominantly tracks from their debut album ‘We Started Nothing’. The energy was there (if only to dramatically pelt guitars to the floor at the end of songs), but musically, I felt like there could have been more.

There were only very slight changes in musical arrangement, which, for someone that knows the album back to front (99% of the audience I gather) is verging on boring, and only twice did the audience threaten to feign enjoyment – yes you guessed it – during hit singles ‘That’s Not My Name’ and ‘Shut Up and Let Me Go’. Having said that, one person seemed completely oblivious to the very average showcase, and danced with glee throughout the whole set. Good for him, bad for us.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who was subtly amused when Katie (girl Ting) bashed a large bass drum to within an inch of its musical existence, and handed an unsuspecting audience member her beloved cowbell to tap away at. It was impressive. She kept in time and everything.

For all intensive purposes, it was a reasonably entertaining show, but big names do not a good show make. For a band that had not played in the UK for over two years, they came back with whimper as oppose to a bang. However, with a group whose songs are as infectious as the Ting Tings, perhaps you don’t need big bangs, but it would have been nice if whatever they were spreading around had defiled more than just the front row.