Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

I'm not sure if today is the hottest day of the year but it sure feels like it. There's a lively atmosphere around Shepherds Bush on this fine evening and that's not just the eclectic dodginess that emanates from the green. The general feel is that the weather has brought out some meteorological assisted optimism and that people are out to enjoy themselves.

After a splendid meal in a local restaurant I am too. I saunter in to the Shepherd's Bush Empire, well as much as you can when searched and interrogated in case you have a bottle of water or heaven forbid any item of food. Still no worries, you can get crisps and highly priced lager as compensation once in so at least that cynical gene is well supplied with nutrition.

I catch about half the set by The Cribs. It's advertised that it will be a b-sides set and to my ears sounds like it too. The PA mix is a little murky, but I am on level 2 mind so maybe that had something to do with it. Despite that, it's not over-inspiring. I saw them last year supporting the Sex Pistols and then they seemed to rise to the occasion playing a tight and aggressive set. It's hard to judge on this showing and whilst the alternative set is a nice idea it felt like the Cribs told fibs.

Anyway, time for Stephen Malkmus and them Jicks. As with most solo (ish) performers who used to be in famous groups, it's hard not to see the shadow of Pavement here. That's if you can get a shadow from a pavement. For most artists it never quite manages to engender the same excitement as the, usually, new and exciting, first model. You seem to have to work twice as hard in some respects even though you have an established fan base. It's that having to prove yourself all over again with that feeling of 'it's not as good as the early stuff' in the background.

To Malkmus's credit he manages to sidestep this potential banana skin by going for it from the start. The new album 'Real Emotional Trash' gets a hefty workout during the show and the tunes from it are all you would expect from the man. There's a Pavement influence, understandably, but with added sidewalk too. I'm not sure what that exactly means but anything added to anything else gives you more and that's what the Jicks do tonight. None more so than drummer, Janet Weiss from Sleater Kinney, who thumps her kit like it's got the faces of Celine Dion and Mariah Carey framed on the skins. If they sold these then there may be a tidy little market in the CD/MC bashing department.

'Dragonfly Pie' from the new album hits a good groove and songs veer towards a kind of psychedelic overkill but in a good way. No one seems to do a key change quite like Malkmus and it unlocks a sensational sound that the audience lap up. Just when it seems that the gig is going to really take off though it then starts to get a wee bit rambling. The songs tended to lose their focus which I appreciate isn't really the point of the band but it felt like the crowd were looking for a hook to hold on to but only got a greasy pole and no one cares too much for those do they?

Now, I'm nearly 600 words in and I haven't even mentioned The Fall, which is almost against the trades description act when discussing Malkmus/ Pavement type issues. It's a bit unfair too as the Fall have now produced about 250 albums which have all been played on the Peel show to within an inch of their respective life. For me the difference is that The Fall are quintessentially English whilst Stephen and the boys have that American college rock sound nailed down with an extra helping of superglue. I don't think The Jicks are too bothered by it by now and they play with a certain abandon, which allows for an engaging if not totally overwhelming experience.

I did read that previous band member, Gary Young, used to give out cabbage and mashed potatoes to fans at the door of the venue and also do handstands as well, presumably without holding the afore-mentioned vegetables though that would be a fine sight to behold. I don't wish to digress from the music in front of me but I feel it needed that extra added something. Maybe an ending of 'Cut My Hair' would have got the crowd dancing like wild giraffes, which incidentally are the only animals that can lick their own ears, so if you can add that to the dancing then you would have something special.

Still, that's how it panned out for me, a mixed bag but still in credit with regard to a good gig. Apparently, there are rumours of a Pavement reunion next year to possibly celebrate 20 years since their formation. All they need do is invite Mr. Young along and there'll be a guaranteed good night out and no one will go hungry.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.