Before dotmusic lays down the law on our headliners - that much-hyped post-punk band from Canada - we should first draw your attention to a true star. One of the Har Mar variety that is. After all, it would be downright rude to ignore this little man's very big performance.
Recently diagnosed with a nasty case of shingles, tonight's support slot from the be-mulleted singer was briefly in doubt, but here, with buxom nurses close to hand, Har Mar Superstar is ready to entertain us. As the sexed-up electro-funk of tunes such as 'EZ Pass' and 'You Can Feel Me' echo around the room (and the layers of his clothing slowly peel off), Har Mar provides us with a new definition of the term 'X factor'. "Give it up for me, I'm f**king awesome" he tells us. And he's got a point.
On a different planet in sound, style and rhythm, Hot Hot Heat bound on to the stage to blast out 40 minutes of non-stop, high-octane punk noise. There are obviously breaks between songs, but HHH create a vision so chaotic, it's hard to tell. Frontman Steve Bays is only attached to his keyboard by the tips of his fingers, his body flailing around behind him randomly to the music. The rest of the band are just as highly-strung, each lost in their own hyperactive nu new wave of sound.
But there's a problem with HHH - namely that after the initial excitement has subsided, the band seem to be having a much better time than the crowd. Frankly, most people came to listen to 'Bandages' - a storming debut single that suggested something special. Perhaps predictably, however, that tune is saved until the end of the set. Meanwhile, we're offered only a handful of tracks which are truly worthy follow-ups to their debut.
Most surprisingly of all, around fifty per cent of these are not even lifted from their debut album, 'Make Up The Breakdown'. It smacks of self-indulgence for a band so relatively unknown to perform completely cold to their audience. Perhaps it wouldn't matter if the material was spectacular, but it's not, and proceedings quickly become laboured.
Fortunately, with a quick blast of 'Bandages', HHH have a euphoric crowd back in the palm of their hand. That - swiftly followed by the equally charged 'This Town' - and the boredom of the previous 20 minutes seems like a distant memory. The band walk away triumphant and fans leave with smiles on their faces. But Hot Hot Heat should be warned - they were this close to losing the crowd. Not something you could say about Har Mar Superstar.
