Published: Friday, 28th November, 2008 08:00
Pete and the Pirates Plug in and Play
By Sarah Tull
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Pic by: Sarah Tull
Arriving at Plug ‘n’ Play, a box-like venue situated on an industrial estate in Caversham, on a cold week night to find the place heaving with pirates was, to say the least, a bit strange.
The explanation? It could only be local legends, Pete and The Pirates. Fitting us into their manically hectic tour, the five-piece band from Earley returned triumphantly after a string of successes, including headlining the BBC Introducing Electric Proms.
Pete and the Pirates
Pic by: Sarah Tull
To start the evening was a band with no name, and a similar amount of talent. Although the drumming was decent and the bass riffs solid, everything was eclipsed by the woeful – in fact, painful – vocals.
Next was Tripwire, a four-piece originally from Theale, dressed in a uniform of black skinny jeans and sweeping side fringes.
Technical difficulties meant that the snare drum dominated the first few songs, drowning out what would have been very impressive vocals.
However, once fixed, we were immersed in the full glory of their emotive rock sound. With backing from a passionate guitar and bass, the vocals were taken from impressive to outstanding, hinting at Glassjaw’s melodic anguish-fuelled tones.
By the time Pete and Pirates came on for this rare but much-welcome gig, the pirates in the crowd were ready to lead a mutiny.
The band opened the sold-out gig with an air of familiarity, showing the unpretentious pop sound that made their name.
Lead singer Tommy Saunders, as always, wowed the audience straight away with his beautiful voice, and equally attractive features. Their time away touring has matured their sound and confirmed their identity, creating an air of confidence about them that didn’t exist when I last saw them five years ago.
This new maturity, combined with their trademark youthful spring and happy-go-lucky riffs, is the propulsive force pushing Pete and the Pirates on to bigger and vaster oceans.
And if the reaction to songs like Jennifer and Bright Lights, where the whole audience tapped, danced or sang, is anything to go by, these scallywags will be sailing the highest of seas in no time.
* Glasswerk Promotions presented Pete and the Pirates at Plug n Play on Thursday, November 20.
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