måndag 22 Maj 2006, 15:11

Last Saturday was a quadruple-header at Manchester's bijou Academy 3 - quite the least school-hall/warehouse-like of the Academy family. In order of appearance, my impressions were as follows:

Stazi - Timed it exactly right to miss them. Saw them about three years ago at Club Suicide, and they were awful. Obviously you have it in the back of your mind that maybe they've got a lot better since you saw them last . . so imagine my relief when the first words I heard upon entering the venue were one bloke saying to his mate "Stazi were fucking shit weren't they?".

Shmoo - Hmm. Well, I'd checked them out on myspace before (thanks to prompting from the encyclopaedically-knowledgeable Mr Fran), and they were kind of ambient-ish electronica: certainly not unpleasant. Live, they both impressed and disappointed. The (rather distractingly attractive) lead singer has a lovely voice that I think she should do a little less with . . nobody in their right mind likes Joss Stone, if you get what I mean. When they rocked out a bit more they were very good, but they did have a tendency to do something that you don't hear very often now: teeter on the edge of acid jazz. Step away from that edge.

The Whip - Right, admittedly, The Whip were who I'd come to see. But they were fantastic. I mean, you hear other people bang on about how good they are, yadda yadda yadda, but now it's official. I say so. They're brilliant. Absolutely excellent. Although they played Trash first, I know not why, they had a really solid group of songs (contrast The KBC) a great sound, a really together band - brilliant. I'd recommend you buy something, but I don't think you can at the moment. So just go to http://www.myspace.com/thewhipmanchester, enjoy, then buy their stuff when it comes out and/or go and see them live if they come within 50 miles of your house. 100 miles if you're American.

Performance - Well, well, well. Can't say they're not entertaining - I want to get hold of the same suppliers as the lead singer . . absolute nut-case. Lots of jumping around, lots of dousing himself in water, lots of 80s clothes and hairdos (from the girls - it's so 2003 darlings) - and lots and lots of noise. Not really good, and not really bad either, but very entertaining regardless. If they're playing at something you've already paid to go and see, they're worth dropping by.

All in all, an excellent night out . . ruined only by being persuaded to go to Tiger Lounge afterwards . . urgh.