| 2 September 2005 |
| The Plugs triumphant return to the Wheatsheaf! |
| Last Wednesday, August 31st, The Plugs played their first show at the Wheatsheaf in Oxford for nearly six months. Being first on for a visiting Poole combo might not have been the ideal slot for some bands, but The Plugs faithful turned out in their droves on a hot and humid night for what was to be a blistering gig. |
| Kicking off with the new improved version of 'I want to Believe', the sonic assault of Spencer's opening guitar chime draws the crowd to attention. "Darkness fills the air", Erik shouts into the gloom, but the fireworks on stage quickly light up the Wheatsheaf's darkened corners. |
| Next up is 'When Does it End' - normally an acoustic ballad that builds slowly, due to 'technical hitches' the band performs a 'plugged' version that builds into an acid-rock coda, drawing cheers from the crowd as the final chords die out. |
| The band are now fully on song as they blaze through 'Better Off Dead' - Steve's piano dexterity leads the band through the swinging melody, reminiscent of Muse in all their pomp. The screaming guitar solo brings the song crashing the end with another roar of approval from the crowd. |
| 'The one that got away' would also normally be a breezy acoustic pop-tastic track, but due to said technical problems, it's full-on again. The quirky '3 is the Magic Number' middle section has the crowd singing along as Erik plays to the gallery. |
| 'Listen' is another reworked tune that now sounds more like Oasis meets Crosby, Still, Nash and Young than the quiet acoustic ballad of yore. The boys' three-part harmonies are spot-on and Tom's Prodigy-style drum beat gets the crowd moving and even the most cautious, tapping their feet in approval! |
| The first of the tunes from the 'Extended Play' EP, 'Terror Generation (Part 1)' is next - a seemingly innocent pop tune with a serious message about the dangerous times we live in. Erik's Blur-esque cockney vocal treatment raises a smile or two, but the second half of the song has the fans hanging on to their hats as the power-chords kick in. Having recently shaken the very foundations of The Port Mahon with this song, The Wheatsheaf crowd is treated to an 'epic' finale with a guitar solo that a windswept Brian May would be proud of. |
| Before the audience can catch their breath, the instrumental 'Alaska 4-9' begins - an early Pink Floyd-style instrumental that starts with a haunting piano and guitar melody before moving into another harmony-laden epic with crashing guitars and rasping organ. Tom lets loose on the drums and the crowd go wild. |
| Moving seamlessly into 'End of the World' (sung by Spencer), the dark, brooding monster that opens their EP is like Radiohead at their best, combining crashing guitars, classical piano and weird noises in a truly apocalyptic soundscape. |
| With the crowd still baying for more, the encore 'Car Crash' erupts with its 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' guitar riff and funky beat. 'I got bad news, 'cos I'm bad news' goes the anthemic chorus - the crowd are loving every minute and as the songs speeds up to the crashing finale, the crowds cheers are ringing all around the packed room. |
| So, are The Plugs Oxford's 'next big thing'? Who knows, but if tonight's show is anything to go by, they are a live act that must be seen. The Plugs live performances tend to be quite rare, but they will be performing more gigs in Oxford and out of town this Autumn, so if you get a chance to see them, don't miss it! |
| Louis Gilmour |
