So there is a bit of a buzz going around about Brooklyn band Friends at the moment, i'm seeing their tracks all over people's facebook walls, Fearne is playing them on Radio one (well so i'm led to believe by the chicks in the office, i most certainly do not listen to Radio one! haha!) but most importantly, my good friend Helen, who is very in the know with this sort of thing said we had to check them out so that was good enough for me, so off we went to xoyo for more midweek mayhem,
Xoyo was Sergio Ramos, the busiest i've seen it in ages. When the band came onstage lead singer Samantha Urbani stated this was the biggest gig they had played which surprised me but i suppose they are pretty new, She is a very sassy front women, smouldering infact, totally F.A.F (fit as fuck), actually i think i'm in love! i don't know about the rest of the crowd but she had me eating out of the palm of her hands, she has a great voice, very sultry, the rest of the band back her up well with really funky riffs and bass lines, its totally 80's New York chic, you can imagine them at a block party downtown where everyone looks amazing, where fly guys are walking round with boom boxes and the party goes on for three days, they are a bit CSS but less funny and more soulful. A bit New Young Pony Club.
Now i must admit some of the songs were a little samey but it was my first time hearing a few of them and it's never best to hear tunes for the first time actually at the gig, its not really a fair judgement. This didn't take away the fact that every song is impossible not to groove to, Helen and i were shacking out all the way through, this can't be said for the rest of the room though who were very un-responsive, the band were great but the crowd were shit, i actually felt a bit sorry for Friends, the room was obviously made up of chin strokers that were here to check out the latest buzz band so that they could be in the loop when their douchebag mates in Dalston Superstore were talking about who is 'totally hot right now'! (oh what a bitch i am, but it's true! ha!)
Highlights of the night were of course 'friend crush' and 'i'm his girl' but i simply can't get enough of the cover of 'my boo', last time i heard this track i used to rave to the uk garage version at garage nation up Alley Pally when i was about 18 but their's is a slick R n B version that is just perfect.
Check these out for yourself:
I'm his girl http://youtu.be/O5VNumNJyqE
Friend crush http://youtu.be/gOntE4Okywk
My boo http://youtu.be/-B7tRcSO7a4
NITTY GRITTY
Venue: great and small with a good sound system, the upstairs bar is cool too.
Crowd: terrible, didn't move, scenester twats, no one wanted to get involved in the blog, probably too cool to be photographed, wankers.
Drinks: fair prices and good choice, they sell Asahi which i love.
So buzz band or buzz kill??? All in all i think they are pretty decent, debut album will be mint but will be interested to see if they have longevity.
ACE FACE
Helen Sproat from York
So what did you reckon kid?
The band were great, better than i expected, i really enjoyed most tracks especially 'My boo' but there were one or two forgettable songs to be honest.
Any other gigs or fests in the pipeline?
Yep, i'm seeing Nikki and the Dove and Genuflex both at Hoxton bar and grill plus i'm going to Meadow in the Mountains festival and Secret garden party.
Who else you into doll?
Loving Active child and Zola jesus right now.
Finally last tune you played on your ipod???
Hanging on by Active child, beautiful song.
Next up for Dan In The Front Row is a triple whammy of The Drums, Spector and Devin at The Roundhouse, cant wait, also we have just been confirmed to cover Brighton's legendary Great Escape festival!!!!!!! woohoo!!!!!
Contact me on dannywoodlands@yahoo.co.uk
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