TQS StaffBounding onstage like a be-lacquered Rick Astley in ubiquitous Roy Orbison shades, vocalist Ryan Dooley appears fairly sure of himself and with a Warner Bros deal secured, some positive recent press and favourable recent testimonials from the likes of Morrissey, why wouldn’t he be?
To be fair, the fact these 4 young dudes from Stoke (Port Vale fans, if anyone’s bothered) feature a pair of brothers with an Irish surname and a cocksure swagger aren’t the only feeble Oasis comparisons you could make.
For a hotly-tipped new band, ATY’s audience seemed a slightly older, bullish lot and as the band bashed their way through their set list, it seemed clear what we were being presented with, particularly when a scattering of die-hards began chanting ‘We are All The Young’ (to the terrace-friendly tune of ‘Oops Upside Your Head’).
They’re this year’s latest Jam-influenced model of the kind of Kooksabian Detectives indie-rock that keeps working class lads happy during those long waits for new albums by Hard-Fi, Kaiser Chiefs & The Enemy. Nothing wrong with all that of course, you just wish the British indie scene could throw up something more novel.
I did almost feel left out when everyone else in the room punched the air and barked along to their recent rabble-rousing singles; ‘The First Time’, ‘Quiet Night In’ and the more warmly impassioned ‘Welcome Home’ and they cleverly concluded with a quick run-through of The Cult’s ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ (without attempting the tricky vocals) for maximum indie-disco mayhem potential.
Maybe I’ll be glad I saw them in a small venue before they’re inevitably fast-tracked onto every other festival bill but I exhaled a heavy ‘time to go’ sigh when the formulaic power-balladry of their obligatory lighter-waving singalong lumbered into earshot.
More engaging were the support act, Huddersfield’s Tokyo Corner. Again, they were nothing especially new but had reasonable stage presence (their ‘Ronnie Wood/Rod Stewart hybrid’ vocalist in particular), while their thrusting road-tested riffs were just the right side of groovesome stoner-rock to prevent them from being too hoary & derivative and any band that can find room for a killer bass solo is alright wi’ me.
All the Young are touring the UK & their album, Welcome Home, is out now
Words by Matty Hebditch, catch him on twitter
