The Postelles and Cage The Elephant Live

Thursday 24th April
Proud Gallery
Camden Town, London

There are about six bands on tonight, but the ones worth mentioning are inconveniently placed at either end of the bill. Both are very young, very American, and very good in very different ways.

The Postelles are a stylish four-piece from New York that dress, sound and act like The Strokes. They have even got Albert Hammond Jr. to produce their new single. Their debut EP hasn’t quite garnered the same acclaim as ‘The Modern Age’, but is promising nonetheless. ‘White Night’ is an uncomplicated jig filled with Kooks-borrowed wails and catchy couplets, jerky enough to tease a few people away from their stables.

Oh, I forgot to mention: Proud has moved to a former horse hospital, so all the seating stalls are actually stalls and the concept of grazing by the bar has taken on a whole new meaning. The sheer novelty of this perhaps contributes to the thinness of numbers for The Postelles sharp set. They continue with the afore-mentioned single, ‘123 Stop’, a tighter, teenage romp about hating goodbyes that snaps past with a chart-friendly fizz.

Their five-song set ends with another toe-tapping burst of duelling guitars, likeably loose lyrics and grinning gusto from the group. There is a thrilling abandon to their appearance, looking unwaveringly unconcerned about the sparse crowd. After their show they proceed to get merry, confident that their songs – or if not then their outrageously drunk bassist - are exciting enough to eventually gain exposure.
Cage The Elephant have already captured that elusive buzz thanks to first single ‘In One Ear.’ They stomp onstage with a purposeful swagger, making their set seem an event rather than another interlude between beers. Singer Matt Shultz has an unruly manner on the mic, spitting aggressive lyrics with attractive arrogance. They sound ready for the adulation likely to come their way.

It sounds chaotic but tight, especially on the stop-start signatures of ‘Lotus’, a bright cut of pop punk that is brimming with oomph. Soon Shultz is in the audience, spreading the vigour that typifies the performance. This is essential, as the songs aren’t particularly inspiring and the vocal delivery, more a brash half-rap than singing, soon begins to grate.

Deciding not to play the only song most people know last is a daring move, but intelligent. ‘In One Ear’ sounds gimmicky and bland after being overplayed everywhere for the past few weeks, its repeated refrain sounding juvenile rather than anarchic. However, not relying on their hit suggests there may be more to the band than a cheesy chorus.

This proves true as they rip through ‘Tiny Little Robots’, a frenetic rush of Hives riffs building to a crushing climax of rolling drums and verbal ferocity. They have the attitude and energy to be successful, if not the effortlessness of The Postelles. Still, there’s enough space for both of them in a stable tonight, so your record collection should have plenty of room.