21st July 2004, Liverpool Academy

Nick Andrews (Vox) Matt Jones (Drums) Calum Murphy (Bass) Josh Hill (Guitar) Mark Taylor (Guitar)

Under normal circumstances, if somebody asked me to listen to anything other than metal, chances are they’d get my middle finger and a damaged jaw. However, out of sheer curiosity I struck out for Liverpool to check out the up-and-coming Brit emo-punks Agent Blue, on tour promoting their imminent debut album.

Between you and me, I was kind of looking forward to it. I’d been informed by their PR guy that I had the last two pair of tickets, so I thought that even if the band was rubbish, at least the atmosphere of a packed venue would be great.

The Academy is impressive, with great staff and open access to the latest X-Box titles - for free! So, pint-in-hand and with no-one in the place, I sat and played away at V-Rally. About thirty-minutes later I turned to see that venue was still virtually empty, with the only person I could find for company (not that I’m complaining) was the rather fine bassist Nadine from unsigned support act Evil Genius.

After a brief chat she left to join the local five-piece on the stage as the opening act for the night. It turned out to be classic Beatles style pop mixed with furious rock-driven rhythms in an old-meets-new style set. I felt that although the Hammond organ is a classic piece of kit, perhaps a different sound may have been needed to replace the same old piercing shrill that dominated every song they played. Regardless, it was a musically sound set, perhaps not my style, but nobody could deny the musicianship.

After a very brief set they left the stage, and as they did so, it occured to me just how much of the rather small audience was due to them alone - family and friends perhaps hoping to witness the band’s first big break. After a short stint of relative silence the room began screaming with the familiar sound of rawkus feedback, as headliners Agent Blue took to the stage. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for a band who where obliterating the place with the ferocity of your average herd of stampeding buffalo, only to be met with an unmoving, and definitely un-interested finite audience.

As the first song finished and vocalist Nick addressed the crowd there was minimal cheering and a few claps. Un-phased the band drove into their next track, with Nick trying to get the crowd to respond; even jumping over the security barrier at one point and screaming his lyrics into the face of bewildered onlookers. I feel Liverpool may be a city so stuck in its tradition and it is deemed a criminal offence for a band to take to the stage and not sound like the Beatles…

Bravely, the boys continued with barrage after barrage of melodic and rhythm-drenched rock diffused from the PA, but to a crowd that seemed to be growing smaller. No-one with a brain could fault these guys on their enthusiasm and talent, but it just didn’t seem to fit. Despite Nick’s chants and heroic efforts to get the rather diminished crowd into it, it just didn’t work. I hope the rest of their UK tour goes better, and I reckon that given a stage like Reading or Leeds, they could tear the crowd to shreds, but not here and not tonight. Then I remembered that the uni students (Liverpool Academy is a University venue) were all on holiday, and it all started to make some sense.

The set was blistering, and lacked for absolutely nothing but audience feedback. This turned out to be a challenging test for a band that passed with flying colours. I would advise you all to check these boys out. Just make sure when you do, it isn’t in Beatlespool, and especially during the holidays…

The bands new single Something Else is out on August 9th through Universal Records. The single is available on CD and one-sided limited coloured vinyl.

Catch Agent Blue at:

JULY

30 Cardiff, Barfly.

31 Stratford, Cox’s Yard.

AUGUST

2 Stoke-on-Trent, The Sugarmill.

28 Reading Festival

29 Leeds Festival

Ade