Mainline
Review of their gig in Whelan's, Dublin, 10th February 2005
Review Snapshot:
A fine Thursday night jaunt from the latest Irish act to perfect the
surly rock sound.
The
CLUAS Verdict?
7 out of 10
Full review:
It is the start of Spring, even if the weather defies Mother Nature, and
at this stage of every year bands sprout up like flowers amongst the weeds. From
February onwards, new bands are plugged throughout the media for weeks on end
and more established acts release new material & start out on touring duties. So
expect to be swamped with interviews/reviews/articles on the hottest new bands
(Bloc Party are currently leading the way) and some who might grab your
attention (like Mainline) over the next while.
As the venue slowly filled up, it was obvious by some neutral comments muttered
that many people were here just on the hype that currently surrounds Mainline.
Vague expressions masked the faces of the few who were subjected to the dreadful
background music and the non-appearance of a support act. The clock was ticking
close to ten when the main act arrived through a hiss of smoke. All of the band
members were attired in similar leather jackets and new-age style mullet
haircuts. They looked like a gang of biker's kids making a pit stop to refuel
and maybe rock out for a little while. Rock quickly became the definitive word
though. Amps were cranked to the right and pedals were programmed to a grungy
level before a wall of guitars started everything off.
Crammed onto the stage were six twenty somethings ready for battle with four
guitars, keyboards and drums as their weapons of choice. A blue tint flickered
just as the band opened with a soundtrack of Joy Division-styled cravings. The
crowd started to warm to their sound straight away and the band fed off that
energy. Rolling straight into the next track, more smoke fizzed out of the
shadows thus creating a gloomy atmosphere. That atmosphere was further
heightened on songs like 'Bounty' and 'Where The Ghosts Meet' where their sound
came across as a large dosage of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with some added
punch.
One of the best things about Mainline is that their sound is very compact and
all of the instruments gel well together. The keyboards stutter with a cloudy
eeriness, the drums tap like a marcher's signature tune while the guitars dig
deep and unveil a rugged intimacy. The lead vocals differ between a morbid Tim
Burgess and a Velvet Underground-era Lou Reed, which suit the despondent lyrics.
'Mary Jane' and 'Re-birth' stand out as two of the stronger songs in their set
due to a zip of enthusiasm in the vocals compared to previous mumblings on
sections of earlier songs. All around the venue, the once expressionless faces
now had a satisfied smirk in place.
Despite the lack of crowd interaction, Mainline are really good live performers.
Taming a surly rock sound isn't an easy feat. This band do it really well, using
the uneasy tone that Hope Of The States exploit so well and the downtrodden rock
resolute of Jesus And The Mary Chain. This gig was a good introduction to the
band's sound but their rock n' roll style exit (each member leaving the stage
one by one dropping their instruments without any acknowledgement to the crowd)
didn't do much to impress, and maybe even spoiled their final instrumental
piece, which was really good.
Gareth Maher
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Indie Music Discussion board.
