The Expensive Habits can play really well - even the tambourine player is good at what he does. The singing was strong, if a little contrived. In fact it is difficult to fault the Expensive Habits for anything except for a lack of originality. The older end of the crowd were clearly enjoying the music, and by the end of the set they had pretty much won over even the most hardened eyeliner heavy teenagers. Ok, so they aren’t pushing any boundaries, but they know how to write a tune.
The second band to take to the stage, Bedhed, had quite a following in the crowd, although a quick scan revealed most of the fans to be their parents. Even their enthusiasm didn’t really serve to help the performance much. Most of the band had less stage presence than I thought it was possible to have. While the lead singer attempted to make up for this by staring meaningfully into the distance and dedicating yet another badly written badly sung love song to his girlfriend I felt like shooting myself. The entire performance was a painful experience, and not one I want to repeat.
The final band of the evening was hotly anticipated by the now packed crowd. Taking to the stage with enthusiasm, Mann Friday played a strong set of solid rock/pop tunes. They all had a tonnes of energy, and I can see why they have gained such a following. They sounded somewhat Matchbox 20 for my liking, but the lead singer's quirky style gives them an edge. Add to this the fact that they are easily hot enough to give most boy bands a run for their money they make a persuasive combination.
