The Thermals, Underground Railroad, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Monto Water Rats, Kings Cross
10th June 2007
Sunday evening, what a better way to see out the week and ring in the new with a barrage of new music. My venue tracker is doing well, this week was the turn of Monto Water Rats, another on the small venue circuit. This place seems to sit somewhere in between Borderline’s rustic charms and Luminaire’s savvy chic coolness. The bar area was more alike to a old rockers hangout bar with a few sofas while band merchendise was being sold buy drunk fools on coffee tables. The main arena was intimate and slightly tiered, so good views all round.
The band playing on arrival sounded pretty average, not knowing this was Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin I kinda missed their performance. Being honest I didn’t miss much! Randomly amusing name, but nothing to warrant leaving the bar.
Underground Railroad
Second up were the Parisian Punk Trio Underground Railroad who moved to London because they liked to sing in english. French Punk? is there such a thing? Lets hope for the common good there isn’t. Still these played a firecracker set of short sharp numbers with a couple of great standout riffs. The female lead singles wail, the handlebar moustache bassist who was insistent on humping the mic stand’s growl, and the drummers yelp made for an interesting vocal combination which worked well when all gathered in harmony. Their track Hollywood Whore was the clear highlight of their performance. The mood was hence set…
The Thermals were so eager to start they beat us to the punch, and started while we were still in the Bar, damn them! leading off with Here’s Your Future they kickstarted the crowd into motion and ignited this small venue. The unrelenting frenzied daceable punk freakouts were delivered thick and fast leaving no time for breath.
The Thermals
They must have played pretty much 80% of their 3 released albums in an hour and 15 mins. Even the little known tracks still carried the Thermals trademark frenetic vocals, boisterous chorus’s and bold basslines. This was the kind of music destined to stay in the small clubs, which is great for all of us in on their secret, for this evenings show was fantastic.
It was hot and sweaty but no-one cared, too much fun and enjoyment was being had at the hands of this US threepiece rocking our proverbial socks off. Simply great unadultered fun!
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