hecklergigs: Test Icicles, The Cluny, Newcastle – 16/1/06

In life, there are always certain rules and conventions that you should always follow. Doing so usually means that things will run smoother and for the better. You know, like wearing a seatbelt in a car…

However, the Test Icicles seemed to have broken a few golden rules when they recently visited The Cluny in Newcastle, one of the city’s premier gig venues. Its dark and dingy setting was the perfect place for about five hundred sweaty kids to rock away to the band performing songs from their debut album For Screening Purposes Only. Following a support slot with Death From Above 1979, there was a definite buzz around, with the audience looking forward to what these three young guns from London could do.

So, venue sorted? Check. Though it gets a little more complicated now.
For a three piece indie disco band, it seemed obvious to me that Test Icicle’s (CDs)
live setup would probably include guitars, some weird keyboard that
produces various squeaks and bleeps and a drummer. Er… no, scrap that
last one. One feature that makes Test Icicles different to other live
acts out there is the lack of live drumming action, instantly making
the whole live factor to the night seemingly disappear.

It didn’t really do them any favours either, with lengthy gaps between
songs as the band cluelessly tried to work out which drum sequence came
next. Often songs were started and then quickly stopped as they
realised it was the wrong one. “We do have a setlist you know” Dev,
the ringleader of the band, told the increasingly frustrated crowd.
As the band’s name suggests, maybe they should have ‘test’ed out what
they were doing beforehand. Shouting abuse at your own crowd didn’t
really help them get over the wait, either. But never mind, once
problems with the drum machine were sorted, it was worth the wait.

Fast-paced songs such as recent singles Boa Vs Python and Circle Square Triangle got the sell out crowd at The Cluny moving throughout the
whole night. The band’s fast paced vocals and screeching guitar work
added more fuel for the crowd to respond to.

Test Icicles weren’t just the only band on the bill to provide everyone
with a good time. Support act Help! She Can’t Swim bagged themselves
a good sized crowd to entertain. Fast, rapid vocals under edgy guitars
and electronics kept everyone interested. They had the privilege of
supporting Test Icicles, but based on both acts it was actually Help! She Can’t Swim
who came across the better of the two. Help! She Can’t Swim played the tighter set of
the two, and actually looked like they were enjoying themselves - instead
of the Test Icicles who seemed like they’d just turned up to earn a few
quid. 

It was surprising that The Cluny had sold out for the band who haven’t
really gotten any mainstream press or radio attention. Their label
Domino probably hasn’t had them as a priority at the moment, as their labelmates The Arctic Monkeys have been taking over the world.

A good night overall, but hopefully the Test Icicles will follow the
golden rules of live music and get a drummer to make it seem a bit more
real and add more professionalism to their shows.

[story by Matthew Laidlow]