Hockey

Having formed in 2002, it's taken quite a while for American four piece Hockey to create a name for themselves, something that they've achieved only recently, with this current UK and European tour being the band's first headline tour over the pond.

Despite that, the band clearly doesn't seem fazed by that prospect. Tonight's show is a complete sell out, which in the current climate is becoming something of a rarity unless the band is at the height of their popularity.

Touring in advance of their debut album, 'Mind Chaos', to be released at the end of the month, the band take to the stage shortly after 9pm and treat the expectant Newcastle audience to a lively and chaotic set.

The set, containing all the songs from their forthcoming album, only lasted less than an hour, but in that short space of time the band managed to connect the audience and this resulted in mass dancing and lead singer Benjamin Grubin declaring his love for the audience and the city of Newcastle.

Stand out songs within the set were definitely the band's singles, 'Song Away', 'Learn to Loose' and my personal highlight of the evening, 'Too Fake', which has the perfect pop chorus and definitely shows the band's immediate influences, fellow American's, The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem.

The band have been subject to much press coverage in the past 12 months, and this resulted in the band been given the opportunity to perform in major festivals across the country, including Glastonbury and last month's Reading and Leeds weekenders, at which the band were able to gain a new legion of fans.

For me personally however, the band's album tracks seem too lack something in terms of energy, only to be made up the Grubin's energetic performance as a frontman, with dancing reminiscent of the lead singer of Friendly Fires.

It's the energy that Grubin has that allows the fact that the album filler tracks are still warmly received by the audience, and with this ability it's clear to me that they're certainly going to become a fan's favourite.

However, whether or not we'll be seeing this band in years to come is another matter, as like I said earlier, apart from the band's singles, their tracks seem to lack something that many other bands can offer.

That's not to detract from tonight's show, which I and the majority of the sell-out audience clearly enjoyed. They definitely know how to "get the party going" as Grubin declared several times, and I'm sure 'Too Fake' will become a favourite at the indie-discos across the country for years to come.

The potential is there, it's just how the band will use that potential that is the question, but for now, if you can make it down to one of the band's upcoming dates then I definitely recommend that you do.

FUTURE GIGS

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