(part of T on the Fringe)
Fake ID at the ready? Then let’s get over to the Liquid Rooms where the latest rock ‘`n’ roll sensations The Subways are strutting their hi-octane grunge-punk to a pious wave of idolising indie kids.
Judging by the numbers left grimacing outside the tour bus those ‘`Universtiy of Life’ student cards aren’t fooling doorstaff like they once did. But in a sold out venue where personal space is a wistful fantasy, those exiled from the cult-like crowd are quickly forgotten as the Essex heroes arrive on stage to rapturous applause.
Tearing into a pulsating ‘`With You’, the indie couple of the year ‘` bassist Charlotte Cooper and guitartis/vocalist Billy Lunn ‘` furiously froth with electrifying energy. Tightly packed and utterly frenetic, it’s an outstanding start that lifts the audience to a higher realm of euphoria.
With the media fawning over the two lovebirds, it’s easy to forget The Subways are in-fact a trio. And without the incessant pummelling of drummer Josh Morgan, the chopping riffs and looping basslines would be an uncoordinated melee of sound. Binding the livewire extravagance of the zesty duo, Morgan’s compact precision is an imperative component in this rampant performance.
Feeding off the crowd’s devout enthusiasm, Lunn writhes and sways as if holding a seismic chainsaw. His gruff vocals are barely heard as the brutal ‘`Oh Yeah’ is kidnapped and buoyantly returned by eight hundred youthful disciples spell bound by its contagious urgency.
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Every song is greeted like a chart-topping mega-hit, allowing the band to incorporate new tracks without fear of audience ambivalence. Although there’s little variation between the set – relying almost entirely on a generic hi-energy punk sound – this is still an immersing performance. Finishing with a scorching ‘`Rock ‘`n’ Roll Queen’, Lunn revels in the ebullience of the occasion by trustingly leaping from a balcony onto the craving masses below.
As the crowd disperses, the same exiled kids are still slumped by the tour bus, unused ticket in hand, holding out for a glimpse of their idols. It seems, for some, just being able to say ‘`I was there when The Subways took off’` is simply enough.
