Maximo Park
8 out of 10 - Great. Good show.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Troubadour , Los Angeles, CA
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Maximo Park hopped the pond for a sting of shows in the US which found them headlining small venues in big cities like this one at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. The band played in support of their Warp release A Certain Trigger that contains all the British finery we have come to love. Elements of The Smiths, Killing Joke and Roxy Music, all fine Brit bands culminate here in Maximo Park. This Newcastle quintet, fronted by Paul Smith dresses and swaggers in confidence like a young Brian Ferry. The drummer is Tom English who plays a simple four piece in the vein of Charlie Watts. The drums weren’t in your face with attack but soulful and solid with the right chops at the right time accentuated by old washy cymbals and clean beats.
The true showman of this act is keyboardist Lukas Wooler who singlehandedly could have entertained the whole crowd with his dance moves, wicked stares into the audience and unparalleled enthusiasm, you could sense his joy and happiness onstage performing for the sold out Los Angeles crowd which also included the beautiful Chloe Sevigny.
My favourite song of the night would have to be 'Graffiti', which is odd, because 'Graffiti' isn't my favourite song. I'm not sure if I have one. 'Coast' was also great, but it was at the very beginning, so there were loads of others following it. 'The Night I Lost My Head' was fantastic - it reminded me of the Pixies (you know, finger counting during Monkey Gone To Heaven - "if man is five, then the devil is six, and if the devil is six, then god is seven", etc. etc.).
The setlist was as follows (in this order):
Signal & Signs
The Coast Is Always Changing
Fear Of Falling
Postcard Of A Painting
All Over The Shop
I Want You To Stay
Limassol
The Night I Lost My Head
A19 ("our new song")
Apply Some Pressure
Once, A Glimpse
Graffiti
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Kiss You Better
Going Missing
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