Francesqa Birmingham Academy 3 20th June 2010
Local (ish) boys From The Get Go opened the show and whilst I have to give them credit for being full of energy their set wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, just your average pop punk-esqu sound. I understand that they haven’t been playing together for very long and again to their credit did bring along a fair amount of fans who were of the young female variety. Unfortunately nothing really stood out about From The Get Go for me. I’ve heard it before and didn’t particularly feel overwhelmed to pay much attention but they do get points for enthusiasm.
2/5
Hill Valley High were up next and they’re sound was a little bit more mature and at times teetered on the edge of McFly. Vocals lacked depth but overall the band played well together. Again another band who aren’t bad but aren’t really breaking any boundaries. They definitely showed skill and determination to succeed so I won’t write them off just yet!
2.5/5
PT favourites Tiger Please were third on and I was pleased to hear some music with a hint of individuality. The mix was excellent with Leon’s gruff lead vocals at the front with (unusually for the Academy) well balanced guitars and drums. Guitars were skilled and atmospheric, contrasting with slower soulful vocals and although Leon apparently had a sore throat you couldn’t tell. Band members seem glued to their own individual spots of the stage they still manage to connect visually and Tiger Please demonstrate raw talent without looking like try hards. A lot of the crowd moved away and were disinterested, and didn’t seem to ‘get it’ which is a massive shame but the band weren’t phased and clearly enjoyed playing to the few rows who had stuck around. There was playful chatting between songs and some requests were taken. Tiger Please seemed really laid back, alluding to professionalism which was reflected in the quality of their performance.
4/5
Francesqa, another favourite of us PTers just seem to keep getting better and better. This was my third time seeing them and although they don’t have a hoard of material they don’t seem to get boring. Ashley bounded around the stage like there was no tomorrow and it was clear these guys thrive on live performances. The set opened with A Little Closer and immediately there were camera phones in the air and girls going crazy, and so for some reason there was a distinct lack of men in the audience which means there are a whole load of guys somewhere missing out. If you don’t already know, songs are ridiculously addictive with catchy guitars backed by finger tapping inducing drums and emotional melodies. Ashley’s voice is distinct, with an impressive vocal range which definitely enriches the top quality performance, and I was particularly pleased that the mix didn’t swallow up the top notes which is all too common at the Academy. Francesqa sounded well balanced and I can’t fault the sound for this show. Although they only played 8 songs, each one received a warm reaction from the crowd who spent the 35ish minute set singing and dancing along and whilst the crowd wasn’t that big it’s clear that Francesqa are beginning to attract the following they deserve. New song Ghosts closed the set and was really well received, and provided a welcomed hint at what we can expect from their impending EP, due for release in July. I’ve said it before, Francesqa are definitely a band to watch, and teamed with Tiger Please this is a tour not to miss.
4/5
Libby