The whole evening is a bit of a drunken haze, but I'll do my best.
As I'm sure most people who are in regular attendance of gigs at the Manchester Academys, doors are almost always at 7:30pm, and it's a rare occasion when anyone who doesn't resemble a very large, probably balding, roadie wanders onstage. And me, forgetting that the NME's tendancy to host four bands on their tours forces everything to kick off half an hour earlier, had full confidence that tonight would be no different. So although we were there well in advance of 8 o'clock, we were disappointed to find that one of our favourite local bands, The Ting Tings, had already played. In fact by now, our favourite band to wipe the floor with Academy 3 since Klaxons, seemed well into their set.
As per usual, Does It Offend You, Yeah? played one of those sets that leave you weak at the knees as a result of excessive jumping, and fully satisfied that it was well worth it, no longer caring that it looks like you somehow managed to miss Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong as well. I'm sad to say that they haven't submitted to playing Devo's 'Whip It' again, but who really cares when they've got two hundred kids thrashing around to what will surely be one of the massive-est songs of 2008, 'We Are Rockstars'? You simply can't deny that riff.
And then something strange happens; quite possibly the skinniest pair of legs we have ever seen on a man walk onstage. Apparently, Joe Lean and friends are big enough to have DIOYY below them. The velocity at which this band have managed to get places is quite surprising when you think about it. They do a proper indie performance and sure enough everyone gets going to the ones they know - notably 'Lucio Starts Fires' and a bit on new single, 'Lonely Buoy' - but they are quite the contrast to their electronic predecessors.
Following this is a continuence of the guitar band theme, but done on a scale that can't be beaten. This is The Cribs for Christ's sake, and they nail it every time. The set is on fire - Another Number, Mirror Kisses, Bovine Public. This is a back catalogue of hits from start to finish and, at least for tonight, they become Manchester's favourite songs. But nothing can beat your hometown heroes, and next up is one of the best surprises since Jay-Z at Kanye West. The Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr, with whom the Wakefield lads have been writing songs, takes to the stage to join them in an anthemic cover of 'Panic'. That was a cheer-and-a-half if I ever did hear one.
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