Jet - Manchester Roadhouse - 10.6.03

Despite the fact that Jet are Aussie's born and bred, they're going to have the Britpop fans salivating at the thought of some real rock & roll music. You can just imagine the conversations their fans have about how "the Vines are good but they need to tone down the screaming" or that "having just 2 people in a band ala The White Stripes is just not right". Saying that the band have done nothing to eleviate the problem by recording a song called "Rollover DJ" which comes out with the usually lame accusations thrown towards DJ Culture where delivering a pastiche of a band is seen as a higher art form than actually playing a record and cutting it up to make something new.

Tonight is their first gig in Manchester and already the ageing Rolling Stones fans are packing out the venue on the basis that Mick & Keef personally chose the band to support them on the Australian leg of their Licks Tour. As soon as they hit the stage all the cynicism fades away and standing still is like not dancing at someone's 21st just to prove a point. Undeniably influenced by the Stones, it almost seems unnecessary to mention the point, they somehow manage to avoid the same accusations that The Datsuns have by being a total revelation. Like The Basement and The Stands (the latter also supporting tonight) over here in the UK the love and passion for the music they're playing shows through and regardless of what music has passed since the 60s they are simply stuck in a place or time of which they can't or have no desire to escape.

Whether Jet are destined to fill stadiums or play "Cold Hard Bitch" and "Take It Or Leave It" to sweaty dingy basements for the rest of their time remains to be seen, but you get the feeling that regardless of the outcome the band will be doing exactly as they please. You could never imagine a member of Jet packing it all in to guest on Chemical Brothers records or take a new direction to fit in with the latest fad. They're just not that type of band. And regardless of whether you like it there's no denying these guys have passion.

Alex McCann

Photo by Karen McBride - www.karenmcbride.com

**********
Post your Jet reviews / comments on the Message Board
**********