I was fortunate enough to nab myself and Amy - best mate and partner in crime on Wired Radio - a couple of press passes to see Good Shoes celebrate the launch of their new album, No Hope No Future in the third of four evenings at local hackney boozer, The Stag's Head.
They've been a bit quiet after having reached #55 in the UK album charts with the wonderfulThink Before You Speak in 2007. They've had a shuffle in management and, no doubt, the recession is partly to blame somewhere along the line (it nearly always is) but this gig certainly proved that they were still as fresh and fiesty as ever.
The Stag's Head is a venue much underrated. Situated at the back of a cosy public house (complete with fireplace) the place was filled with trendy but down-to-earth punters and the ocassional cheeky local. The room was teeny, but wonderfully intimate rather than cramped or uncomfrotable. Whether this was also true of the night-time performance later that evening is another story. The acoustics of the place were also surprisingly good - very refreshing after last night's prog-metal headache.
Post-punk art-schoolers Wild Palms provided the support for the night, and a mighty fine job they made of it too. They made up for any comparable deficiencies in footwear with their Brick Lane-approved jumpers and dashing good looks. Oh, and their music wasn't bad either. The lead singer had a beautiful set of lungs on him, with the reverb effect adding to the hypnotic feel of their sound. He also managed to simultaneously play the synth/drum machine with great skill to form a jam with the rest of the band who were equally skilled and good looking.
Their debut single release, 'Over...time' was exciting, dark and without a whiff of pretntiousness. It's available for free download here and I highly recommend you do!
With refreshingly little kafuffle, Good Shoes then took to the stage. They looked slightly more frayed at the edges than their 2007 selves, but this was more like a new maturity than being 'past it'. The quality of their shoes certainly did not disappoint me, with the lead guitarist clearly ruling the roost with his impressive hi-top sneakers.
Musically, they were absolutely superb. Their new songs were just as great as their old ones, with Under Control already half way to becoming a major indie hit. The sparkling sounds of the lead guitar bounced off Rhys' strums, the bass and the finely-tuned sounds of the drummer to create a fresh bouncing sound not without a certain level of darkness to keep it interesting.
Full of energy even after their fifth performance in three days, these guys only disappointed in that their set didn't last for long enough!
Good Shoes' new album is available here for the princely sum of £8.99 or at the gig itself. Tickets for tonight's show will be available on the door if you get there early enough!
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