Liverpudlian three-piece The Wombats took myself and about 250 other people on a trip down memory lane, with a few quick glances to the future, at an exclusive secret show put on by Jack Daniel Future Legends: an initiative where the whiskey manufacturer uses its wealth to give competition winners and industry folk an intimate experience with a band who’ve moved well beyond small club shows.
Being a bit of a lefty, I ostensibly have a bit of a problem suckling at the teat of capitalism, but when it involves being able to see a pretty massive international act in an cozy environment, I’m happy to subscribe to the concept.
Although this was billed as a preview show for The Wombats’ forthcoming third album Glitterbug (due April 10) I didn’t want to have to listen to a bunch of new songs I didn’t know yet. And despite opening with new song Your Body Is A Weapon, the rest of the set was pretty much a best-of.
The band’s set up for the new songs saw main vocalist Matthew Murphy mainly with a guitar, the awesomely named Norwegian expat Tord Øverland Knudsen on bass and Daniel Haggis on drums. This garage rock set-up and the sound of the new songs implied the band has ‘gone back to basics’ with Glitterbug.
While this visceral approach was lapped up by the fans when Murphy turned to his synth and started creating those warm, absorbing tones of the opening to 1996,the vibe in the small, low ceiling basement band room of Shebeen was heightened. The sixth single from 2011’s This Modern Glitch is one of those introspective bangers where one can either dance like a mad person or show-gaze wistfully.
Another crowd favourite that had the all hands in the air was the first single from the aforementioned 2011 release, Tokyo. Murphy’s ability to write such specific narratives yet create access points for fans to personally relate to equates to a true mastery of the zeitgeist, as well as writing damn catchy melodies.
The final song of the night was where it all began for The Wombats: the 2007 indie hit Let’s Dance To Joy Division – I still don’t get the irony but it’s still a lot of fun to dance to.
BY DENVER MAXX
Photo by Emily Day
Loved: The unpretentiousness of the band.
Hated: The Instagram competition to meet the band after the show… Guess what? A hot chick won #sleazy.
Drank: JD and dry.
