OFF THEIR NEDS
NED'S ATOMIC DUSTBIN/MEGA CITY 4
Malet Street ULU
THE SECOND of two sold out nights and there should have been a gigantic
two fingered V-sign outside to celebrate the fact. At last people are
starting to see through the dancefloor zombies being peddled as the
new alternative.
It's so full you can hardly move and when Mega City 4 hit the stage
you daren't venture too close for fear of first degree burns from the
sheer white hot intensity of it all. The success of an MC4 gig depends
very much on Wiz's ever changing moods, so when he laughs to himself
after the opening "Who Cares?' and the band roar into the pneumatic
'Distant Relatives' there's only going to be one result.
The Megas aren't just musically vital at the moment, they're visually
compelling too. Wiz whirls like a spinning top, Danny shakes like a
psychotic jack in the box and Gerry wanders all over the place, even
climbing on top of the PA stack for a couple of numbers before taking
daring leaps back down again. Anyone who doubts the strength of the
new album needs a hearing aid. Pick of the new pack on the night is
'Open', closely followed by the lightning bolt of 'Revolution'. A rousing
'No Such Place As Home' finishes the set and when Wiz half-jokingly
remarks "There really is no substitute for talent", you can
only nod your head in agreement.
Ned's Atomic Dustbin begin well with a fine rendition of new single
'Until You Find Out' but disappointingly fail to sustain the early promise,
rapidly plunging downhill in a melee of secondhand Lurkers riffs, with
the two basses constantly drowning out any traces of inventiveness.
To be brutal, the Neds have got two songs: the slow dirgy one and the
fast thrashy one, which makes it all the more puzzling why the girl
next to me is screaming everytime singer Jonn approaches the mic and
why they're being treated as all-conquering heroes.
Admittedly their youthful exuberance can be infectious, especially when
'Bite' overcomes the claustrophobic arrangements and an excellent version
of 'Kill Your Television' quite rightly sends the place wild, but they're
on a joyride that's been propelled out of control and you can't help
but wonder where they'd be without the funny haircuts and hip T-shirts.
Encores inevitably come and Mega City 4 reappear for a joint cover of
the Senseless Things' classic Too Much Kissing', which is awful, and
the Poppies' 'Sweet Sweet Pie' which is hilarious and culminates with
both bands hurling themselves into the crowd.
Without a doubt, Ned's Atomic Dustbin are going to be enormous. Mega
City 4 already are, but it's got nothing to do with popularity.
Andy Peart