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RAIN BAND/ MEDIUM 21, London Cargo, 25.02.03

MEDIUM 21 LIVE

James Berry just can't stop worrying it seems. Not content with worrying about Plain Joe wannabees, he's started to worry about the pieces of a jigsaw, and the contents of a Madchester flat pack. Curious? Then read on or fook off....

06/03/2003

When it gets to the stage of literally bribing fans to come to gigs, you need to start worrying about a couple of things. But we’re not quite there, not yet, relax child. This is just a smart little arrangement, potentially beneficial to all sides. Veteran indie label Fierce Panda dangles a big fat (well, more a skinny-fit t-shirt clad waif of a) record deal in front of your face in return for you turning up and taking in the first two bands on their newly launched Temptation Records. Judging from the tapes and CDRs spilling from a box marked ‘demos’, a substantial number of the plain-Joe stereotypes around us fancy themselves as the next Will Champion from Coldplay. But who are we to speculate on the capital’s unsigned b(l)and tastes. All it takes is one good demo anyway.

If Temptation’s main aim is to instil a benchmark of worthiness into proceedings, they could have done a hell of a lot worse than John Clough of Medium 21. A towering bundle of freshly uncorked adrenaline and targeted twitching, in a way that only a very tall English indie gentleman can really pull off, he and by association they are as bold and a special a thing as this tour could have hoped for. Special as in the opposite of crudely arranged, one dimensional, unnecessary or weak, Medium 21 feel like a band that should be, rather than a band that just are. Even though they just are in their own way, because there’s no excess of effort from where we’re standing, you know what we mean. And for that they seem like a rare breed, despite being one of the most mongrel bands we’ve seen this year.

They put their heads down, thrash and groan and are The Pixies. They splash around in cascading keyboards melodies and are Mercury Rev. They tighten their posture and are latter-day career-peak Pulp. They’re a bit Pavement, a bit Dinosaur Jr, a bit Flaming Lips. And all in all quite a bit Six By Seven. But with the goth extracted. And the lights on. And they come with a basket full of rough-diamond anthems from their excellent debut album ‘Killings from the Dial’, no better displayed tonight than with the stormy sunset epic ‘Albert Ross’ and choppy anguished single ‘Daybreak Vs Pride’. And what an Ugly Duckling transformation since this corespondent last saw them on a stage.

And so, from beauty back to runt of the litter, reverse artistic evolution in the time it takes to change the drum kit. We could have understood this over a decade ago when Madchester’s unregulated extended family went way beyond blood. And then they could have just been swept under the carpet. Problem is, doing this now The Rain Band are seen as part of a revival of sorts rather than some scene joyrider that rarely hits 30mph. They are crudely arranged, one dimensional, unnecessary and weak in most senses. And they have the most pointless drummer.

They’re Manchester In A Box, a flat-pack region-specific band devoid of genuine interactivity but made from all the right fabrics, and with a right nice finish. The lead Ian Brown clone repeatedly says “fank yooou Lundun” in a treacle thick accent, whenever the button on his spine is depressed probably. Does he mean it? Possibly. He seems sincere as he could be, even if you doubt the credibility of his adopted demeanour. Doesn’t change anything. All the pieces of the jigsaw are there, in place, in order, but there’s no picture. At least The Music try to draw their own on top. But here, in spite of the bright colours and the dark expressions, there’s nothing more than a void.

James Berry for Crud Magazine 2003©

Relevant sites:
www.therainband.com/
www.cargo-london.com/
www.fiercepanda.co.uk/
www.temptationrecords.co.uk/



01/03 Audio Bullys - We Don't Care
01/03 Badly Drawn Boy Interview - Have You Fed The Fish?
01/03 Electric 6 - Live Brighton Concorde
01/03 Lemon Jelly - Nive Weather For Ducks Video
01/03 Mull Historical Society - Live - Bush Hall, London
01/03 New Order - Retro Boxed Set Collection
01/03 Polyphonic Spree - Light and Day
01/03 The Bandits - Once Upon A Time
01/03 The Bndits Interview
01/03 Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
01/03 The Mendoza Line - Interview - Coordinates
01/03 The Raveonettes - Whip It On
01/03 The Raveonettes - Live - Northampton Soundhaus
01/03 Zwan - Mary Star of the Sea
02/03 Erlend Oye Interview - Coordinates
02/03 The Sleepy Jackson - Live - Camden Barfly, London
03/03 Brendan Benson - Live - Northampton Soundhaus
03/03 D4 Interview
03/03 Depswa Interview
03/03 Faint -LIve - ULU London
03/03 Goldfrapp - Live Roadmender, Northampton

03/03 Hot Hot Heat Interview - Coordinates
03/03 Hot Hot Heat - Live - Camden Barfly, London
03/03 Ian McCulloch Interview
03/03 Jetplane Landing Interview
03/03 Medium 21 - Live - London Cargo
03/03 NME Tour - Dats suns - Polyphonic Spree - Interpol - London Astoria
03/03 Non-Point Interview
03/03 White Light Motorcade - Interview
03/03 White Stripes Live - Brixton Academy, London

January 2001

July - August 2001
September - October 2001
November - December 2001
January - March 2002
April - July 2002
August - December 2002
January - March 2003


 
 
 

 

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