THE ELECTRIC SOFT PARADE.
AT BRIGHTON CONCORDE 2. 25/07/04.
The boys make a welcome return to their home turf of Brighton, walking on stage looking somewhat worse for ware after three hectic days of playing shows in London and at Truckfest in Oxford.
The boys start the set with an energetic rendition of "Things I've done before", but it's clear the boys are tired and a less than adequate sound system doesn't seem to help matters. This aside, the band's overall sound has become bigger and better with help from new guitarist Joe "Knuckles" Harling.
The White Brothers are back to flitting between drums and guitar, which works extremely well, on the new songs aired tonight. For some tracks we even see young Tom sing from behind the drumkit which, with hugely improved vocals, proved to be somewhat of a treat.
The band treated the crowd to several new tracks including the gorgeous "Cold World", the catchy "Misunderstanding" and the politically minded "Captain". It's fair to say that if these excellent tracks are anything to go by then the third installment from the ESP will be a must have for every music collection.
The boys belt out a few more tracks form their hugely overlooked second album 'The American Adventure", and serve the crowd with a blast from the past with "Empty at the End" from their award winning debut album 'Holes in the Wall'.
The older tracks really allow the audience to follow just how much the boys have matured over the last few years. The new songs portray a fuller, more accessible sound. It's reassuring that the recent troubles with the bands former record company do not deflect from what is apparent to everyone at this show: The ESP have been good in the past, are better in the present and will be amazing in the future.
With an improved live show, thrilling songs from all three albums and both the white brothers under the age of 25 we can expect great things from one of Britain's most exciting bands! Watch this space!!
BY HOLLY J JOHNSTON. JULY 2004. |