Snappy beats and biting lyrics are being discarded by the opening band of his FNF event, JOEY VALENTINE.    The 4 piece are as tight of the keks of the lead singer and as lyrically prickly as a bunch of thorns

”If you weren’t always so pissed/I’d say you’d be quire hard to resist” they casually throw out. So with Valentines Day 4 posting days away, welcome to the art of romance noughties style.

They draw heavily on the Latin Spanish flamenco style, slow, slow quick quick slow, they dispense short, sharp pellets of aural joy.  It’s a style that’s been adopted many a time before, but this lot have an attitude, one of fun and enjoyment

By the time the Vivian’s are onto their second song, “Heroes of our time”, the nervousness in the vocals has dispersed and they’re more confident.   Seemingly built around the proficient fretwork of their guitarist, they form a more typical indie” band with guitar-vocal-guitar arrangement.  Every now and then it call comes together with a slick blend of guitar bass and drums

Catching only a few snippets of the TORRENTS and it’s hard not to be impressed with their efforts and enthusiasm.  They impress even during the sound check, and from the opening chords the tiny venue is filled with their efforts.   Front man Neal Barton will inevitably be compared to Paul Weller, especially in the manner in which he delivers lyrics.   He’s got a lot to shout about and he’s going to do it now, while he has your attention, before you go.  The crowd have left their seats for the first time tonight and crowd around the tiny space that forms the stage to hear a band that have catchy, easily thrown back choruses.   Having been around for a while –they were a Steve Lamacq band of the week back in 07- they have honed their stage act, and this might be the start of a build up reminiscent of the Courteeners

Words: Pics Ged Camera