R O M A N C E
Underbelly, London
Thursday October 14 2010
A slightly random selection of bands tonight, from indie-schmindie chancers to alterno-dance-pop whatevers. It's one of those gigs which - I suspect - was put together by the venue's booking-bloke scrabbling though his pile of demo CDs and pulling out a few bands which might work together reasonably well. It's all a bit academic on this occasion, however, because we're here for just one band: tonight's headliners, R O M A N C E.
I've been a fan of R O M A N C E since before this line-up got together; since before they had gaps in their name. I mention this because the word on the street tonight is that R O M A N C E are about to sign to Fiction Records - home of The Cure, Crystal Castles, White Lies, and, erm, Snow Patrol. Ah, well, you can't win 'em all.
More to the point, Fiction is owned by Polydor, which is owned by the Universal Music Group, which is owned by the media 'n' telecoms conglomerate Vivendi. That's a pretty hefty corporate weight for the slender shoulders of R O M A N C E to bear. But if the band don't make some serious headway from here on in, it won't be for lack of industry partners.
Maybe tonight's gig will be the last time we see R O M A N C E playing in an East End basement with a bunch of randomly-selected indie-schmindie chancers, hauled hopefully from the demo pile. Tonight the Underbelly, tomorrow the universe. That's probably the plan. They've certainly got all the necessary music biz clout to make the big stuff happen now. Just remember where you read about 'em first. (Issue 7 of this very webzine - Dice Club review, Februrary 8 2009. Cheers.)
So, here they come, bathed in purple light, surrounded by gilt and velvet. The Underbelly thinks of itself as occupying the nexus of kitsch and posh, and the stage area is tricked out like a baroque bordello. That strikes just the right note of rock 'n' roll decadence for R O M A N C E - they can flam up their noise in suitably louche surroundings. Kicking out the jams with equal parts drama and noise, the band make a towering rock racket that roars and burns like the sudden eruption of a forest fire. Frontman Jamie Lovatt slashes away at his guitar, yelling his high-drama vocal - he even indulges in some guitar-on-guitar rock 'n' roll frotting with Samantha Valentine, on bass. Now that's a a gambit that could easily backfire: it's fine line between rock-god grandstanding and Status Quo-ish matey showboating, but in the heat of the moment and the heady rush of the music, R O M A N C E get away with it.
That's the thing about R O M A N C E. Without waiting for a by-your-leave from anyone, they've taken back rock music from the old guard and brought its moves and flourishes and shameless swaggering bravado into the supercool East End post-punk scene - and they've got away with it. Paradoxically, that makes R O M A N C E a radical band. Playing alongside cerebral, angular new wave noiseniks such as Electricity In Our Homes, R O M A N C E couldn't help but look like a bold tangent to the norm. Whether they'll be able to retain that edge in the future, as they mix it in the real rock scene, is another thing, of course, but Fiction Records obviously has faith. And you know what? So do I. Tonight R O M A N C E rock it up with a conviction that can't help but sweep any doubts aside.
 |
R O M A N C E: Website | MySpace | Facebook
For more photos from this gig, |
