Tellison - Kings College
As soon as the plucky intro of 'Wasps Nest' flows from the amps, the whole place erupts.
Tellison quite literally came from nowhere last year to capture our imaginations and produce some of the finest songs and shows '08 had to offer. They now of course pack out auditoriums country wide spreading their colossal pop-hooked tunes to whoever wants to listen. Tonight marks the start of their new year, which inevitably means new material to dance along to.
First, however, we are given a suitable warm up from excitable five piece Canterbury, who squeeze just about everything into their main support slot tonight. If Tellison are a mature musical take on youth and all its misgivings then Canterbury sound like their younger, if a little more cynical prodigies. Songs such as 'Friends, We're More Like A Gang' and 'Set You Right' scream of a quality is rarely seen in such early stages of a band. There's more than an American influence here; dark, grinding riffs give way to high-tempo pop hooks within the blink of an eye, suggesting more than a Panic! comparison. In fact, these guys could be the British equivalent so watch this space indeed.
But it isn't enough to keep the minds of a brimming Kings College off our headliners tonight, and as soon as the plucky intro of 'Wasps Nest' flows from the amps, the whole place erupts in a monolithic sigh of joy. As mentioned, new material is tentatively sampled this evening as new song follows old song for much of the opening exchanges. That’s not to say it's boring though; 'Collarbone' sees guitarist Stephen Davidson take over vocal duties in a refreshing change in sound, while 'Thebes' trims down on the spiky pop-punk and synthed up keyboards, allowing a more streamlined and reflective rock onslaught to shine through. Needless to say, it's definitely worth looking forward to.
Although this nod to the future impresses, it comes down to the tried and tested to finish this gig in rousing style. First, 'New York New York New York' sounds off Tellison's ability to write a chorus, before 'Gallery' produces the kind of frenzied finish that gets every part of this venue moving from front to back. After a short break and ringing several towels wet with sweat we close on the fantastic 'Reader', a song that's rapidly becoming something of an anthem between band and fans and closes things in fine fashion tonight.
As snow falls over the Thames, it's safe to say this part of London is a little warmer after tonight's electric show and somewhat begs the question while on our tube journey home, who needs the second coming of American pop-punk when we have our very own heroes, right on our doorstep?Sam Tolley
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