Afternoon:
10°c
Critic rating
Softer touch for serious Pornos
Steve Nimmo, London Lite 5 Oct 2007
Canadian collective The New Pornographers broke a two-year long habit last night by choosing not to kick off their show with the two storming opening tracks from their acclaimed Twin Cinema album. Instead they peppered their set with songs from current release, Challengers, and, for fans of the Porno's frantic power pop, that meant listening to quieter, more mature moments.
But the new material is not weak - and this slight departure from the norm seemed to go down well with the crowd.
Singer Carl occasionally gets chatty between songs, and can be droll, but last night the whole band looked spooked - like they were sitting an exam. Even sweet-voiced Kathryn Calder (who usually comes to life when she sings some of the more lyrically complex tunes like Mass Romantic), seemed subdued.
Crowd-pleasers like The Laws Have Changed and The Bleeding Heart Show, with its thrilling harmonies, ensured the night rocked. But with only the briefest of encores before the lights came on, you had to wonder what exactly was up with the mood of the band.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
