hecklergigs: The Concretes, Newcastle Academy 2 - 6/4

Music and Sweden. Not really a combination that works well together typically. But wait! Something has emerged that finally gives the country some musical credibility. Step forward The Concretes - an 8[!] piece who deliver the sounds of summer with their joyous and uplifting songs.

Their latest jaunt across the UK was in aid of promoting 2005’s brilliant, undiscovered gem of an album In Colour. But before The Concretes got to entertain the capacity crowd, it was the challenge of Adem to entertain the crowd.

Adem was also out to try and gain himself a bit of publicity for his forthcoming album Love And Other Planets. Unfortunately, he was not joined by his full band which just left Adem on his own. Due to the rise of people like James Blunt, there’s something of a stigma for people who stand there and whine along whilst strumming a guitar, so most people weren’t to bothered by him. This is until Adem pulled out his secret weapon. For the first, at least for this reviewer, Adem started to play a coconut. Anyone who can do that is amazing in our book and we wish him all the luck in the world.

On to our main attraction, The Concretes. If you’ve never seen them - or in fact heard of them - it is a different experience in terms of live music. Yes there are the normal of array of guitars, but the factor that makes The Concretes so special to other bands out there at the minute is the use of blaring trumpets, saxophones, glockenspiels and other contraptions to create beautiful swirling music that just puts smile on your face.

Tearing through a fifteen song set including old favourites such as You Can’t Hurry Love, Warm Nights and the latest single Chosen One it was clear that The Concretes were enjoying themselves as much as the audience, with front women Victoria stopping between most songs to have a little natter with punters at the front, and to anyone shouting from the back.

[review by Matthew Laidlow]