The Chap – The Fly, London 09/04/08

17 April 2008, 16:32 | Written by Ama Chana

(Live)

Tonight’s gig was ever so slightly bizarre. Well firstly the venue seems like it was created with no intention nor purpose of even hosting a live musical event. It doesn’t help that any persons at least 4-rows back would struggle to get a decent view and it was laid out in such a way that if you’re on stage, you’re facing directly towards the door to the gents. And that’s not even mentioning the PA sound system.

“Thanks to The Kooks for joining our bill this evening” Johannes says with a wry smile. Oh did I mention that NME darlings and current Fly magazine cover stars hijacked the evening, and The Chap’s gig, because their own Apple in store gig down the road fell through. This meant that the scheduled supports for the evening have been shafted and told either to go home or to not turn up and all the people who came to see either of them are left disappointed. But it’s OK though I guess. I mean, after all, it’s The Kooks.

I digress.

The band carries on despite these setbacks and treated a patient crowd (who had to wait in the bar area upstairs for The Kooks set to finish. (It was one of those “special wristband” affairs) and rocked out material mostly making up their new album Mega Breakfast. Opening with the deliciously slow starting ‘Caution Me’, the band invite you to “come in to our bathroom showroom” before a tribal thumping drumbeat really ignites the evening and the band treat us to a specially chorography dance-move (Up. Up. Leg to side and repeat). ‘Carlos Walter Wendy Stanley’ infuses a blend of skipping twee beats and frantic punk ska. ‘Proper Rock’ sounds infectiously catchy with it’s soaring chorus of euphoric guitar riffs. If there was any justice in this world, it would be a worldwide chart topping smash hit. Sadly there is no justice. But even the handful of Kooks fans who stayed behind seemed impressed, although the instrumental ‘BITTS!!’ (from debut album The Horse) left them looking somewhat bewildered and confused it must be said.

So could 2008 be the time they breakthrough to the masses? “Now or never?” It’s more like “Never or never!” Guitarist/Bassist/Violinist/Vocalist Panos Ghikas told me. “We continuously fail to predict what will have mainstream appeal because ..Well we have no idea what people think…”

Keep your eyes peeled for the full interview and a review of the delicious Mega Breakfast coming soon.