Hansom Pilot @ The Comedy, London
Date: 23rd March 2005
Support: The Memory Band
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The Comedy is a deep-red, basement venue tucked away from the harsh neon that is Piccadilly. When I arrive, it is practically empty and remained so for most of the opening band. The Memory Band are a folk band with an upbeat disposition. They begin with a charming instrumental. They integrate violins, acoustic guitars and bongos in particularly calming way and I am removed from the venue and floating in a picturesque field somewhere. It is soothing stuff! They remind me off a wonderful northern folk singer named Kate Rusby and I nearly fall off my chair when they perform ‘I wish, I wish’, which is either an insane coincidence or a song heavily inspired by Rusby’s curiously titled song ‘I Wish’…This does not make me happy. They do regain some integrity by covering Carly Simon’s ‘Why’, which could have been written for the singer, Nancy’s, shy yet reassuring tones.
I wonder how on earth Hansom Pilot are going to follow that, as the little knowledge I have of them tells me they are a punk-pop band. By now the venue is full of people clearly here to support Hansom Pilot. The excitement is rising and it is getting pretty rowdy. Fronted by three gorgeous women, Hansom Pilot have one clear agenda, SEX. They ooze it, from their dance moves to their pouting. Bianca Denham, the lead vocalist, has a very good voice and I see why she has been likened to Gwen Steffani. Although all three girls (dressed in brown army chic outfits), lack the style and sophistication of Ms. Steffani. It is a lot like when Atomic Kitten covered ‘The Tide is High’, sort of hypnotic but for all the wrong reasons. The music is, as promised, ska-punk with the emphasis on POP. It is affable but nothing special. The very last song ‘Hanging Around’ does show some promise. It does not try too hard but it is most definitely too little, too late; but then maybe I’m just jealous because they all have nicer hair than me!
For more information you can visit: http://www.hansompilot.com
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