Tonight:
9°c
Some fares could fall by more than a third when Oyster is extended to every national rail station in London, it has emerged
More...
New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
André Paine's rating
Reader rating
Description: The Mancunian electro-bounce popsters headline.
Phone: 0207613 0709
Website: www.hoxtonsquarebar.com
Email: info@hoxtonsquarebar.com
Trains: Tube: Old Street 
Extra info: Food, Pub
Gung ho: Katie White of The Ting Tings attacked the songs with the sassy appeal of Debbie Harry
They have been strongly tipped for success without even releasing a proper single. But at their first headline gig in London, The Ting Tings took just half an hour to live up to the hype.
Singer Katie White and drummer Jules De Martino have also overcome the stigma of music industry failure. They were previously in a Scissor Sisters-inspired group called Dear Eskiimo whose record label didn't even let them release an album.
Despite an apparent fondness for dodgy band names, the Manchester duo are grabbing their second chance with total conviction. As they exploded into their new single Great DJ, it was obvious their sensational indie-pop will be equally at home at the festivals and blaring out on Hollyoaks.
Their past does raise suspicions that they have cynically alighted on a commercially viable sound. White's excitable dancing was an unfortunate reminder of her teenage years in a failed girl group, while De Martino also has a shady past in a few hopeless bands.
But they have a winning partnership with The Ting Tings. They didn't quite have the White Stripes' rawness but the rudimentary guitar on Fruit Machine ensured this was still pop with a few rough edges.
White only recently learned guitar but she was gung-ho, attacking the songs. On the tremendous Shut Up and Let Me Go, she had the sassy appeal of Debbie Harry and ended by whacking a bass drum and cowbell amid a punk-funk jam.
Other tunes were more pop, with echoes of Toni Basil's Eighties hit Mickey and even Avril Lavigne on the mid-paced Be The One.
"We're going to do our version of a slow song," White said of Traffic Light, which had traffic management metaphors for a broken relationship and proved they can write ballads.
The brief set ended with That's Not My Name, during which White ended up in the crowd a few feet away from me, screaming indignantly. A fearless finale from an exciting new band.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
