Gig Review - Not Advised
Five piece Southampton lads Not Advised played Islington's Bar Academy like pros, dealing with crazy nuts, too much of a base and broken down instruments, to give an impressive and very talented set.
Throughout the 35minute set, the band as well as the audience came to realise the base of their music was louder than anyone anticipated. But, rather than get it turned down, they continued to drive the crowd literally into another world. Three particular young lads seemed to be marching to the beat of another drummer. They didn't give a hoot about how idiotic they looked jumping and bouncing around, but enjoyed the music. The band seemed to find this moving, but also hilarious at times.
Some of the tracks would sound familiar if you ever looked onto their myspace, like the catchy 'Here's An Idea', others not so like '5.47'. They got the crowd in with their upcoming New Year release 'You're The Designers, We're The Deciders'. The set may have been short, the stage small, but the guys gave it all they had. Their stage performance was terrific; their enthusiasm packed the room and their musical ability of high standards to the extent that bassist Greg Day blew his bass on the last track. The guitars were also awesome.
Vocals wise, lead singer James Thomas sure knows how to hold a note. Above the loud music, his poppy yet edgy and very ambitious vocals were able to show off much talent. What also stood out was the bassist's participation on singing within the tracks; it was great to see...and hear.
It must be scary going upon a stage and signing in a small venue like the Bar Academy. You don't know how many people are going to be there, how the show is going to go and how the crowd are going to react to your music. What I found reassuring was James's comfort in keeping his hood on during the entire performance. He was able to perform like a professional and keep the show rolling when Greg had to swap his bass...if confidence lies in this, then so be it continue.
The set was full of ambition on this occasion and I can't wait to see what comes next.