The Wombats - Guildhall, Southampton - 29th September 2011 (Live Review)
Thursday, 06 October 2011
Written by Daniel Clark
Unbelievably it’s been three-and-a-half years since The Wombats released their debut album, 'The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation'.
The trio, who met at College in Liverpool in 2003, can hardly be accused of being prolific when it comes to producing records. Currently touring to promote their latest and much overdue second studio album, 'The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Clitch'' The Wombats appear to have matured and developed their style. Lead Singer, Matthew Murphy's struggle with anti-depressants reflected in the Modern Glitch's 'Anti-D’ and the sombre thumping beats of 'Techno Fan' and 'Schumacher The Champagne' .
Of the new songs, ‘Jump Into the Fog’ makes most impact, with its tub-thumping drums standing out from the more chiselled , sugary songs that the bands teenage following have come to expect. And there lies the fatal floor. There latest set list is very much one of peaks and troughs, crowd favourites, ‘Kill the Director’, ‘Moving to New York’ and ‘Backfire at the Disco’ provoking a reaction of mass hysteria, the aforementioned newer songs with muted approval and mannered head bobbing.
The Wombats are unlikely to ever be critically acclaimed, despite recording sell out crowds wherever they go and with an arsenal of the of songs that tend to stick in the head like marmite on toast their brand of sugar coated hooks and memorable choruses has never sat well with the musical powers that be. You either love them or you hate them. But if the trio’s brand of high paced, sugary hook laden indie rock-pop isn’t to everyone’s taste, nobody told the band or the crowd at Southampton’s Guildhall on Thursday night.
The Wombats recently admitted to emerging from their last tour physically and mentally shattered, but there are no signs they will be taking this one any easier. After coming out of his quarter-life crisis, which saw him become addicted to anti-depressants and formed the inspiration for the song 'Anti-D', front man Matthew Murphy looks back on form and right at home performing for his fans. With bassist Tord Øverland-Knudsen racing to and through across the stage and drummer Dan Haggis sweating buckets as he kept the frantic pace going, it was clear The Wombats haven’t lost their ability or desire to reflect their fans enthusiasm through dynamic stage play and red hot chemistry.
Although some of The Wombats teenage fan base from back in 2007 may have grown up and moved on to musical pastures new, they have been replaced by an equally adoring and excitable new wave of fans who greeted every song with a sense of fevered excitement.
Admittedly things did threaten to de-rail slightly with a mid-set double bill of 'Techno Fan' and 'Schumacher The Champagne' but this was quickly followed by ‘Backfire at The Disco’ and any sense that the audience where slowly losing interest was quickly dissipated amid a furore of spilt soft drinks and the sound of over excited teens ripping skinny jeans.
The quirky threesome continued to switch between the cheery, upbeat tracks of their debut album and the darker, more serious sound of their latest effort. As if to emphasise the difference between their old and new songs, The Wombats encore (which the crowd screamed, and screamed and screamed for) consisted of the sombre ‘Anti-D’ followed by arguably their biggest hit, and easily their biggest crowd pleaser, ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’.
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The Wombats recently admitted to emerging from their last tour physically and mentally shattered, but there are no signs they will be taking this one any easier. After coming out of his quarter-life crisis, which saw him become addicted to anti-depressants and formed the inspiration for the song 'Anti-D', front man Matthew Murphy looks back on form and right at home performing for his fans. With bassist Tord Øverland-Knudsen racing to and through across the stage and drummer Dan Haggis sweating buckets as he kept the frantic pace going, it was clear The Wombats haven’t lost their ability or desire to reflect their fans enthusiasm through dynamic stage play and red hot chemistry.
