The Maccabees
Live Review: The Maccabees
Thekla, Bristol
Tuesday 29th April, 2008
by Meg Rowell
Thinking that The Maccabees were just another run-of-the-mill indie band, all tight trousers and tiresome tunes, I'm surprised to be leaving their sold-out show at Bristol's Thekla with the humble opinion that there's a lot more to the Brighton five-piece than first meets the eye.
Having been awarded Album Of The Year by the influential Artrocker magazine (for their debut album, Colour It In) and named 'the best new band in Britain' by the NME, there's no doubting The Maccabees' credentials. Tonight, however, proves that whatever praise their records might be getting, they certainly live up to it live.
Rarely have I seen such a tightly packed crowd condense itself so swiftly as when The Maccabees launch into their second track of the night, the nostalgic yet upbeat Lego. Huge gaps appear at the edges of the room as bodies fling themselves into the centre and The Maccabees let loose another rip-roaring track, their debut single from 2005, the darker, Arcade Fire-esque X-Ray.
'You know what, right? You lot kick the sh*t out of Manchester!' yells guitarist Felix White, encouraging the crowd to surge forward with joyous yelps before the band launch into another undeniable hit, the elastic-voiced Tissue Shoulders.
As the moshing and crowd surfing continues, White politely asks the crowd to be careful; 'I'm just looking after you...' he grins.
The hits keep coming with their most famous track to date, the tender yet electric Toothpaste Kisses, and as the crowd continue their wild dancing and relentless onslaught, The Maccabees do something I've never seen; they actually stop mid-song to ask people to stop pushing, genuinely concerned about those in the front row. You can't help but ask the question; Are The Maccabees the nicest band in rock'n'roll?
Nice they may be, but The Maccabees still know how to rock, and they finish the set with Precious Time, followed by an unquestionable encore of the endearing yet raucous First Love.
It's surprising, really, that The Maccabees haven't been more commercially successful - after all, they have that rare combination of talent, originality and radio-friendly songs. On the other hand, it's the quiet ones you've got to watch, and watching The Maccabees is certainly something I'll be doing more of.
For more details about The Maccabees, including any forthcoming UK tour dates, see their page here on Ents24.
