Zuton Fever

The Zutons- Hammersmith Apollo, Friday 17th June 2006 with support from two random bands.


I remember my excitement when I finally managed to track down a copy of the Zutons debut album, Who Killed the Zutons? in Real Groovy whilst I was in town for a Auckland Pest Management Committee meeting at the ARC- ha how random. After listening to the album I definately agreed with all the hype I had heard about them and vowed they would be one of THE bands I would have to see live when I get to the UK.

So one could assume I was rather excited when I hauled my weary bottom all by my lonesome self down to the Hammersmith Apollo to see them play! Yayayayayay! Thanks to Matty for getting me the ticket for my bday pressie!

Apart from being wedged between some smoking, perfume spraying teenyboppers, and a couple that wouldn't stop snogging behind me the crowd were pretty standard to most gigs Ive been to thus far in London and the support acts weren't too bad.

One thing that is very apparent is that saxophone playerAbi Harding is only there as a novelty factor (and eye-candy for the boys going by the tiny hot pants she was wearing), as she certainly can't sing (see proof on their latest album Tired of Hanging Around), furthermore bits of the songs that I thought she was playing the saxophone, she actually isn't shes a bit pointless really.

But enough about her.... its official- lead singer of the Zutons, David McCabe has taken over from the very lovely Steven Gerrard as Carly Pannell's favourite scouser! He has the coolest accent, the most amazing voice and is really cool and funny! Yay for him.

So anyway they opened with their first single off their latest album- why won't you give me your love which was really cool (and by that stage I had pushed my way to the front so that was really cool too!) second song was a single that they released that isn't actually on any of the albums and I was very happy when the thrid song was this really cool song Remember Me. Their perforance was basically a mix of their two albums and they played all their cool songs- I was singing at the top of my lungs to- You will you won't and the standout track I thought was Zuton Fever which was the first song in the encore. They finished off with their latest single Valerie which is probably the best track off the latest album but then proceeded sing just the chorus to Railroad which is a shame because its a really cool song and then unleashed a 10 minute instrumental to finish- at one point David was playing that instrument that you blow into that has piano keys on it. Very odd, and a mildly disappointing way to end the gig, but they sort of made up for it by doing a big bow at the end and skipping off stage to some wierd music that you would probably hear in a 1960's add for icecream. Very random.

Thats a rather bad review and all I can really be arsed writing as I am nursing one hell of a hangover from a party I went to in Fullham last night..... Im supposed to be going to the pub to watch the Australia vs Brazil game but just don't think I can be arsed!!! And now its too hot outside so I think Im just going to have a bit of a lie-down.