Live Reviews


  Uncle Jeff, Married to the Sea and How’s My Pop live at The Park in Lancaster



Lancaster Music Festival (part five…)

Ok, this is a bit strange. You leave a place for an hour or so and when you return (via the kebab shop, of course) and there are leaves on the floor. Yet there is no hole in the roof. So, the question is – do you seek a scientific explanation for this phenomenon or do you get another drink? Go for the drink as scientists are all in league with the Devil. Always have been and always will be. Pot Noodles were invented by scientists. What more proof do you need?

There’s a garden gnome held high in the air. Perhaps it is the Uncle Jeff that the onstage band are named after. Or maybe it is just a hostage. Songs sail out across the room. They are a bit left of centre but they are kind of catchy in that very English kind of way. Perhaps Uncle Jeff are a folk band masquerading as an indie pop band to gain success. Whatever the truth might be, your ears will be tickled by them.
Married To The Sea are on next. A band from Liverpool, they seem like nice boys and give the kind of polite and mannered performance that wouldn’t scare anybody. At least they started that way. As they found their feet, they just got stronger and more convincing. I couldn’t quite figure why but they made me think of Echo and the Bunnymen. Ending vastly louder and prouder than they started, Married To The Sea are worthy of further investigation.

Headliners for tonight, How’s My Pop really are something special. They are purveyors of intelligent pop music. Quality purveyors at that. The lyrics to their songs are sharp and perceptive and this band must surely be compared to the likes of Blur and even the Kinks. As musicians they also impress with the star of keyboard player Tom Diffenthal shining brightest. Clearly popular with the crowd, it wasn’t hard to see why as the best was – as is often the case – saved to last. How’s My Pop deserve success.

That’s all for the night but the Devil isn’t finished with me just yet. There’s that whole matter of temptation left. The snake and the apple. Go on take a bite!
 



Reviewer:
Review Date: October 10 2009


Websites