INTERPOL - The Social (live) Posted by claire on Friday, August 23, 2002 If there’s one thing that links most artists at the moment it must be the meticulous care the majority of these kindred spirits take in ensuring their appearance is as suave as their tidily arranged hairpieces. Double breasted suits, shirts and ties now replace the previous attire of greasy leather jackets, rival/favourite (delete as appropriate) band’s t-shirts and puke stained jeans. Coincidence or fashion conspiracy? You decide. Whilst opening band THE TYDE quite blatantly pilfer their look from The Byrds (mushroom haircuts, polo necks and suede jackets), musically they offer something entirely different. There is something in their sound which immediately recalls those days in the mid-eighties when Creation Records was just a little backstreet shop in Soho that put out records by people like Felt, The Weather Prophets and The Jasmine Minks just to make ends meet. See, in the year 1985 B.O. (before Oasis), there were several like minded people armed with a handful of Pebbles compilations and a copy of Jon Savage’s ‘England’s Dreaming’ who had an idea that punk rock’s philosophies could be applied to any kind of music, yes even that involving TUNES. Sound familiar? It should do, because when The Tyde play ‘Sullen Eyes’ you could almost close your eyes and imagine Lawrence from Denim’s (nee Felt) inane coo, while new single ‘Blood Brothers’ is eerily reminiscent of the Weather Prophets’ ‘Why Does The Rain’. In fact, guitarist Brent Rademaker even looks like a young Peter Astor come to think of it. Their set is brought to an end by the 10 minute epic trawl through dense tremelo and feedback called ‘Silver’s Okay Michelle’, which seems to take inspiration from everything from the Chocolate Watch Band to the Mary Chain and beyond. Anyone for C2002? Tonight’s headliners INTERPOL are starting to gain a reputation for their specific attention to detail in everything from dress sense to chord changes, while their debut album ‘Turn ON The Bright Lights’ has just received a glowing review in the NME. But don’t let that put you off… Because Interpol are a truly mesmerising experience, both sonically and visually. The chiming guitar sound is reminiscent of The Chameleons whilst singer/guitarist Paul Banks’ poignantly apologetic lyrics and stoic mannerisms draw obvious comparisons with the late Ian Curtis. All five members of the band are dressed immaculately in solemn evening wear of white shirt and black tie, looking almost like a more animated version of Kraftwerk squeezed tightly together on the tiny Social stage. Indeed bass player Carlos H., flailing the most exquisite fringe since Phil Oakey championed the “wedge” in 1981, almost looks like he’s just stepped out of a Hitler youth convention with Ron Mael as his personal stylist. At the end of the day though, the tunes are why everyone is here, and Interpol have so many they don’t even play early b-side ‘Precipitate’ tonight. Nevertheless, when they do ‘Stella Was A Diver…’ and ‘NYC’ the venue seems to be split 50/50, between those who quite simply revel in their intensity and those who stand around looking bewildered and scratching the armpits of their Strokes t-shirts. When the diminutive Banks asks for silence during ‘Hands Away’, several of the audience respond by reaching for their lighters, which causes great amusement among the rest of us as the song changes pace and direction at least four times before Banks and fellow guitarist Daniel Kessler thrash away at their instruments ‘til the strings snap. ‘Say Hello To The Angels’ is possibly the most well received number of the set, possibly due to the fact it shares a guitar riff with the Smiths’ ‘This Charming Man’, and by the time Interpol close the set with ‘PDA’, it’s clear they’ve managed to convert a good few people tonight. Just don’t mention Joy D…..OOPS!!! Dom Gourlay