By: Andy Little
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The 100 Club, London | March 5, 2016
80’s indie-pop trailblazers The June Brides and The Wolfhounds re-unite to perform at the legendary 100 Club with its still reassuringly unchanged décor across many decades (although the beer tasted like it was from a long lost barrel found from the opening night in the 1960’s). For The Wolfhounds this is a pre-cursor to their participation to comedian Stewart Lee’s forthcoming (in attendance tonight) curated All Tomorrow’s Parties bash.
In support are whippersnappers Clipper, not just here to strike home crushingly just how long in the tooth everybody else is, deliver a fine set of C86 indie, shoegaze inspired tunes. They grow in confidence showing a maturity, which betrays their youthful looks and deservedly receive a warm applause.
There are two camps involved with bands from a previous era who reform – one is to try and turn back the clock to former glories, a nostalgia trip – then there are bands whose main priority is to be a living, breathing creative force. C86 indie-pop pioneers The Wolfhounds undoubtedly exist in the latter category. While only Dave Callahan and Andy Golding are the constant mainstay and enduring writing partnership in the band, they maintain the band’s agit-pop noise explorations. So it is never a surprise when they cram their set with new songs especially as they are in the process of recording a new album due for release later in the year.
This approach can sometimes affect the balance of a set, but when the new material is as good as in evidence tonight then there is no need to worry. The only two oldies are the glorious intricate jingle jangle of ‘Me’ from their debut and now re-released debut Unseen Ripples from a Pebble, and their indie classic ‘The Anti-Midas Touch’. It possesses a guitar refrain, which pre-dates Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, so one wonders if Kurt Cobain had heard this gem of a song. While these two songs give the crowd well loved Wolfies favourites, plus the now expected set feature of the indie-pop delight of 2013 single ‘Cheer Up’, the newies given an airing also seem to please.
The band is tight and lean in all areas with the rhythm section of Pete Wilkins (drums) and Richard Golding (bass) exemplary in their roles. The Wolfhounds have never been as twee as some accuse them – listen to every album after their debut for proof, and live they always crank up the volume and give everything. Opening song ‘Across The River Of Death’ is a sonic display that shouts they can rock with the best around.
The intricate guitar interweaving between Dave and Andy has always been one of their specialities, with no sign of letting up, the closing track ‘The Stupid Poor’ is a tour de force of guitar interplay catchiness. Although Andy’s flop over his guitar trademark stance is in sparse display these days his guitar prowess – use of the tremolo to wring every warble noise effect possible -is still burning brightly. It rounds off a fine set remaining remarkably cohesive despite the bountiful inclusion of new songs to showcase a band still with plenty to offer.
Headlining tonight are The June Brides, but due to the on going modern day weekend routine of rail engineering works, and the consequent bus replacement service, this writer unfortunately had to depart (unlike my trains). But the trip was worth it as The Wolfhounds tonight prove there is still plenty of life in the ‘middle-aged freaks’, so nicely brews up anticipation for the as yet un-named forthcoming album.
