One Night Only / Clocks - 53 Degrees Preston - 14.2.08

Designer Magazine can really empathize with Clocks. They're giving it everything they've got, but are virtually all but ignored by the crowd. This is a great shame as Clocks are a very good pop rock band. The glam rock stomp of "All I Can" leads us perfectly into the summery vibe of "She Wants Something Else". This young and eager quartet tick along nicely with perfectly times English pop tunes in the great tradition of The Beatles, The Kinks and Blur. While the vocals are not a million miles away from The Kooks Luke Pritchard their easy going nature is very appealing and their harmonizing luscious.

One Night Only are from the little village of Helmsley, North Yorkshire and despite their young ages have been together a good few years. They opened late last year for another New Yorkshire band The Pigeon Detectives and One Night Only's debut album "Started A Fire" has just been released.

Skinny frontman George Craig has the look of a man who's been dressed by Russell Brand's stylist on an off day. Impossibly tight skinny jeans and out of control hair with a vulnerable little boy lost look. His bandmates don't share his sartorial elegance but are tight, slick well rehearsed group of musicians with on occasion a maturity which is at odds with their tender ages. They can do jolly, upbeat indie pop effortlessly like "You And Me" which sees ONO rocking till their hearts content. If Sugababes can cover Arctic Monkeys "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" then ONO can interject a single from the sexy soul sirens in the shape of "About You Now". A much rockier faster version which receives the loudest response of the night from a subdued crowd, which must be worrying for the band who's own material is strong and urgent.

Whole the fans stand watching nonchalantly with all the movement of a sloth, One Night Only finish with their hit single "Just For Tonight". Like the Killers without the pretence with dramatic synths overlapping the guitars, a memorable hook and a bombastic chorus to boot. While the audience didn't fully appreciate the full force of One Night Only, we certainly did

Nicholas Paul Godkin

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