THE FUTUREHEADS - Live @ Nottingham Rescue Rooms. Tuesday 3rd June.
Posted by AlMachine on Wednesday, June 18, 2008

What a difference two years make. The last time I saw The Futureheads at the same venue they were showcasing what was to be their second album, ‘News And Tributes’. The band looked unenthusiastic, the audience even more so, and most people present must have left thinking they’d just witnessed a band whose best days were already behind them after just one record. Of course, history has since proved that the band’s relationship with previous suitors 679 Recordings had reached an all-time low around the time of ‘News And Tributes’, culminating in a less than amicable parting of ways last year. Yet, from a scenario whereby many other bands would have struggled to continue and probably imploded under their own confidence crises, The Futureheads re-grouped, formed their own label (Nul Records), and set about doing what they do best; writing short, catchy boisterous punk-pop songs in the style that initially brought them into the public eye in the first place.

Having reversed that old adage of “one step forward = two steps back”, The Futureheads have quite clearly got the bit between their teeth again if tonight’s frantically energised performance is anything to go by. The high chart-placing of recent comeback single ‘The Beginning Of The Twist’ seems to have revitalised the band’s appetite for making the music they actually enjoy without being pressurised by industry movers and shakers, and more importantly, when compared to the lacklustre sales of their previous long-player and its subsequent 45s, the same feeling is predominately shared by their fan base too.

Now, with no one to please other than themselves, tonight’s set is a breathtaking ride through their best moments – and when I say “best”, I really am not kidding – to date. Again, it’s no surprise that tonight’s set list leans heavily on both their first eponymous long player and most recent album ‘This Is Not The World’, with only ‘Skip To The End’ included – and sounding uneasily out of place mid-set - from the ‘News And Tributes’ era.

What you get instead is a never-ending white knuckle ride of adrenalin-fuelled sweat and bluster that marries superlative blasts from the past like ‘Man Ray’, ‘Decent Days And Nights’ and ‘Stupid And Shallow’ with exquisite cuts from their new record such as single-in-waiting ‘Think Tonight’ and perky sing along moment ‘Everything’s Changing Today’. Unsurprisingly, the biggest cheer of the night is reserved for their cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds Of Love’ but even early single ‘Carnival Kids’ and long-lost b-side ‘Piece Of Crap’ during the encore are both greeted like old friends at a comprehensive school re-union bash.

Back on form and enjoying every second of it, there really is no better place to be right now than witnessing The Futureheads in the flesh. Long may this invigorating rebirth continue.

9/10

Dom Gourlay





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