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100 Club, London, September 11th 2003
The 100 Club is the third stop on a quick trip round the UK's smaller venues for the brothers White and the rest of their ESP cohorts, as they gear up for the release of second album 'The American Adventure'. It's a chance to iron out the rougher edges of the new material as they look to translate the critical acclaim that followed their 'Holes In The Wall' debut into money in the till.
And creases definitely still need ironing, particularly in the sound department. The band's dissatisfaction with the mix continues way past the third song, by which time at most gigs the right levels have usually been found. The instructions to the sound desk continue between each song, giving the show at times the air of a public rehearsal.
The new songs, as the title of the album indicates, deal with familiar second album territory following extended periods on the road - namely boredom, broken relationships and memories of times past. The presence of a steel guitar and the hushed, semi-gospel tones of the likes of 'The Wrongest Thing In Town' and 'Headache-ville' shows that musical influences from the other side of the pond have also been absorbed.
The softer edge of the new tracks, particularly when Tom takes over the guitar and vocal duties, are in danger of being drowned out by the background hum of the audience's conversations. But they suggest that with more familiarity their fragility will counterbalance the bittersweet exuberance of the songs from 'Holes In The Wall'.
It's those tracks that most have come to hear and it's clear they're still the ones the band feels most comfortable tackling. Witness a pumped-up version of 'Start Again' that ends with Alex nearly falling off the stage into the audience.
As this is the second anniversary of one of the most earth-shattering events in recent history, the closing 'Silent To The Dark' is dedicated to the "people of Iraq", imbuing the delicate lyrics with added poignancy. It's a touch that, for a moment, gives the show the added edge it needs. As they walk off onstage, Alex slams a beer bottle to the ground. Whether he's frustrated at the sound quality or most of the crowd's indifference to the new tracks is not clear. What is clear is that his obvious passion needs to be more channelled into their live show.
While it could be argued that their youth inhibits them, self-confidence and stagecraft are two things ESP still don't possess in abundance. Which is a shame, as most of their material escapes the clich?and derivative nature of so much British guitar music. The onus is now on them to fully deliver on that potential.
Written by Simon P Ward
Source: Dot Music
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