Too much Shychild? Hush hush, they were great.
18:45.
Is it ever too early to dance? Logically the answer is no but it can be hard to muster a bluster on the dance floor at a time when your dinner is normally digesting. Shychild, a 2 piece from New York made a mockery of their set-time by quickly raising the bar to the standard that bands should be aiming for at the Crawl.
With a support slot on Klaxons forthcoming tour, it was easy to forecast what type of set Shychild would perform, the quality just couldn't be predicted.
Right from the off, the use of samples and layers worked well, making for a danceable sound. There was also quite an edge to the music with the impression that these two were looking for a fight. The vocals were clipped and yelped and the minimal effects only added to the sense of menace. The threat was reduced by the presence of a keytar, which still struggles for respectability but in the right hands can work wonders. With more than a few air drummers in the crowd, it made for a surreal sight.
Talking of the crowd, I can't fail to mention the girl in the Dark Side of the Moon tshirt who bopped and pogoed vigorously to every song. It can only be hoped that the young lady's evening maintained the vibe from its energetic start.
It was easy to see why she was swept away though, if Shakira had an electro soul to match her rhythmic hips, Shychild would be the band to back her up. This really came through with one of the more tribal sounding songs, which fizzed with a Latin energy.
The final song had a lot of surges, peaking and then starting again and the end came too soon but Shychild laid an impressive marker, for the weekend and for themselves.