Starsailor,The Parlotones Live Review @ Leadmill (Sheffield) - 28 Mar 2009

Starsailor

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Live Review

I'd always had the impression that Starsailor were a washed-up indie group. They haven't had a high charting album since 2003, and I assumed the world and their fan base might have moved on since then. That was until I entered the Leadmill that night. The normally vacant venue was absolutely packed, sold out in anticipation for both Starsailor and established South African quartet The Parlotones.

The Parlotones were first up, and impressed me with their surprisingly radio-friendly sound. The band sound like a louder Snow Patrol, with much more of a rockier chorus. The group did their best to interact with the crowd, although as usual, the majority of those in attendance weren't paying attention to the support band. 'Here Comes The Man' stuck out from their set, a song which features an amazing change in pace from slow acoustic to fast paced indie rock.

Starsailor completely changed the perception I had of them. Their performance was a throwback to their heyday, every classic they sung was matched with a roaring reception from the crowd. The whole night was basically a sing-along, with 'Lullaby' and 'Silence Is Easy' evoking the biggest response from a capacity crowd. Starsailor looked genuinely pleased to be performing, which is refreshing to see when you consider how many bands have been complaining recently about long tours. The set list mainly consisted of all the classics you'd expect, with the obvious addition of a few numbers from their newly released 'All The Plans' album. Although the audience didn't take to the new songs so much, they sounded solid numbers and will prove popular once they've been around for longer.

Overall it was a very impressive showing by both bands. The Parlotones really compliment Starsailor well, whilst Starsailor do the perfect job of satisfying the crowd's lust for the old classics. Two bands definitely worth checking out live!

Tom Crowther