The relatively small Lexington stage is not one conducive to bands with more than probably three members, or where you have two acts whose frontman are fairly big and expressive creatures. Tonight, both opener The Violet May and headliner Exit Calms frontmen looked like caged animals at times, confined to the limited personal space offered.
The Violet Mays vocalist Chris McClure (face of the Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am album cover, and brother of Jon) proving a good example by knocking the drum mic askew on more than one occasion thus keeping the sound tech on his feet with quick on-stage fixings. That aside, this was a more subdued set from the Sheffield crew, who have built up a reputation for their somewhat wild live outings. As McClure has stated, theyre certainly no twee indie band. Distorted basslines, fast attacking drums, searing guitar riffs and vocals that range from the softer pitch of TV to the raw grittiness of What You Say - think Black Rebel Motorcycle Club/Queens Of The Stone Age here. All four tracks of their June released (and favourably received) debut EP, TV came out tonight, with Queen Teen, full of nervy energy, and the catchy, memorable Jennifer Lies showing that on a bigger stage and on a good night, The Violet May could - and probably do - really set a room alight.
Exit Calm, both live and on record, are without doubt one of Yorkshires finest exports, yet remain a band that while displaying both technical nous and quality in showmanship, have not yet taken off into the wider realms as one might have expected. Why, is a mystery. Last years self-titled debut album clearly demonstrated their ability to create psychedelic indie/rock sonic landscapes of masterful guitar sounds via Rob Marshall and Simon Lindleys melodic bass, against the intense and raw edged vocals of frontman and lyricist Nicky Smith.
Smith, more usually appearing as a brooding, Heathcliff-ian figure full of Gallagher swagger and menacing looks, tonight adopts a more cheeky-chappy mien, with smiles and banter with the front-row punters. There are, however, still the familiar crouching poses and stage pacing throughout as the band roar through crowd pleasers like Were On Our Own with its epically panoramic finale, and Youve Got It All Wrong - both of which explode like fire from a cannon with Scott Pembertons incessant drums raging alongside reverb-drenched guitars, over which vocals burn like red hot pokers into the ears.
While Exit Calm have frequently been labelled in the shoegaze category, they allow little time for anyone to spend on downcast eye-pondering with the vice-like grip that is imprinted on the listener. Even the more down tempo Reference (which contains probably some of Smiths finest lyrics so far: even though youre standing next to me, you seem so far away) hurtles forth insistently. Of the four new songs included in the set - Rapture, Fiction, When They Rise, Albion - it is Albion on a closing build-up to the lines theyre taking it away, piece by piece that stands apart. Though having heard this previously as an acoustic demo, for this reviewer personally, it works better on that level. With the powerhouse of sound that Exit Calms rhythm section spew out, there is a tendency for the vocals to become a little lost at times; pared down you are left with the bare bones of Smiths outstanding vocals to latch onto. Not so much a criticism, more proof that this is a band that can cut it equally well unplugged as they do with all engines firing.
Leaving the stage on the bold power chord blast that is Recovery, there is no encore, much to the dismay of the pumped-up crowd. If Exit Calm subscribe to the adage of always leave them wanting more, they succeeded in doing that tonight.