It’s perfectly feasible that any of the three acts this evening could occupy the headline slot, their collective popularity evidenced by the size of the crowd.
The Deaf Institute is already more full for tonight’s first support act than it has been for some previous headliner acts.
Standard Fare are relaxed as they work through a nine song set split between their two albums, there’s little interaction with the audience but they’re engaging enough for this not to matter. Working through their tracks relentlessly, the highlight still being ‘Philadelphia’, their soaring vocals become more aggressive as they reach the end of sublime set of perfect pop songs.
Following Standard Fare is This Many Boyfriends. The Leeds four-piece open with ‘I Don’t Like You (‘Cos You Don’t Like The Pastels)’. This is the bands first gig of 2012 and it’s been less than six months since the tragic death of band mate Peter Sykes. The set remains positive and up-tempo despite this and includes tracks that span their career so far; songs like ‘Diaries’ from early EPs as well as current singles such as ‘Tina Weymouth’. This Many Boyfriends, with their powerful energy and wonderfully stoic drumming, show how they’re at their best live.
Headliners Allo Darlin’ take to the stage and their joy to be there is palpable. Unknown tracks from forthcoming album ‘Europe’ (released in May) are received as enthusiastically as their hits such as ‘Polaroid’ and ‘Kiss Your Lips’, and a forlorn cover of a Go Betweens song ‘Dive For Your Memory’ showcases the spectrum of the band to be a little more than just indie-pop.
Tonight’s set by Allo Darlin’ is less joyous overall than I’ve seen from them before but the breadth and quality is most definitely of the highest order .
The trio of acts worked perfectly together and this evening has been something more like an indie-pop mini-festival than it has been a regular gig. Pop at its finest and most fun.
