Presumably The Revellions chose the 100 Club for the launch of their new single ‘Sigh’s’ because of its legendary status as a space for live music. But while the famous Oxford Street venue has a rich history that spans jazz and punk, and a lengthy list of illustrious names who have plugged their gear into its sound system, it wasn’t really rocking at this show.
I’m prepared to hold the venue itself, or rather the myth that surrounds the club, at least partly responsible for this. It’s a pretty basic space consisting of a broad stage, a wide, shallow dancefloor area and a bunch of orange plastic chairs that look like they’ve been lifted from a greasy spoon. In short, it doesn’t look like the best prospect for a great time, and that means that if a great time is to be had then a fair deal of effort has to be put in.
This is not intended as a panning of The Revellions, who certainly seem to know how to put on a good show. The brass section that was supposed to be playing with them had failed to make it to the gig, but ‘Sigh’s’, which relies on the brass parts on record, nonetheless sounded full and confident. Each of the musicians seems to bring something different onto the stage, from the psychedelic freakouts of the organist to the garage rock grooves of the guitarist, and these moods gel terrifically well. But if there was a weak link at this show then it was the vocalist: his vibe is clearly punk and he plays this role very well, but he was a bit too detached and laconic for this environment.
Which brings me back to the club. In any other venue this punk aloofness would have been fine. At the 100 Club, though, the audience seemed to expect something that grabbed them by the throat and wouldn’t let go, and they weren’t prepared to unbutton their collars. Half of them didn’t even get out of their orange plastic chairs. The Revellions deserve a better reception than that, but perhaps they’re not yet ready to play a venue of this stature.
Dublin’s The Revellions offer up a raw slice of acid-tinged garage rock with current single ‘Sigh’s', an effortlessly authentic trip into the darker but no less tuneful side of the 60′s and 70′s. Psychedelia and garage band reference points are plentiful, but it’s all sewn together with enthusiasm and skill. Hammond-led hooks and brass coalesce into a strange, instantly familiar gumbo containing elements of The Zutons and The 13th Floor Elevators. B-Side ‘Ain’t No Fool’ comes on like the Doors covering ‘Secret Agent Man’, and just might turn out to be the soundtrack to the best Russ Meyer film never made. It’s a dark stomp which remains hugely danceable, while the chorus is restrained from becoming too saccharine by liberal nods to The Lizard King himself in the lead vocals. Such a retro style is a tricky one to pull off, but the band thankfully steer clear of any nudge-wink trappings by way of a down and dirty production where the instrumentation is as raw and raspy as the vocals. It’s a refreshingly one-take, gritty and genuine sound which ensures The Revellions manage to come out sounding more like originators than time-capsule imitators.
