At first listen, glance and overall impression it would be easy to write this lot off, cast them aside as just another modern day collection of mundane self servicing fakers trying desperately to re-record and revamp their favourite 80s tunes. However the deserved further effort required for Chapel Club comes with persuading rewards as their debut album ‘Palace’ will testify.
Tonight’s sober themes of Chapel Club’s sold out show start from the moment the band slink onstage to be received by an appreciative yet controlled crowd. Most of which, like me no doubt, are here to make their minds up and once and for all pass judgement on a band which are showing serious signs of ‘having it’ (see Clash album review).
As would be custom for this evening, teenage Marc Almond-lookalike lead singer Lewis Bowman clings almost hopelessly to the mic throughout tonight’s first tune. The slow building ‘Surfacing’ pays a obvious double homage – firstly in verse to Smiths’ belter ‘Shoplifters of the World Unite’, and then in the rousing chorus where Bowman gives us a frighteningly moving, gentle and almost indifferent new take on The Mamas and Papas classic ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’.
The bleak, at times simplistic yet well thought out pop music of Chapel Club transfers effortlessly from CD to live performance. The deliverance of album highlights ‘All The Eastern Girls’ and ‘Blind’ may look unmoved in the bands appearance, however the sound is as precise and rousing as on record. The shows undoubted climax came (arf arf) in the form of ‘O Maybe I’. A slow building well articulated unusual anthem candidate, it conjures the most obvious images yet of the quiff we shall not mention, and in truth, it sums this band up. Chapel Club posses a sound so much like other things yet putting ones finger on what exactly isn’t as easy as all the comparisons may claim.
These thoughts come racing to the forefront again as the band bid us farewell. Night-ender ‘The Shore’ combines signature band themes of shoegaze and immense lyrical potency. The startling bitterness of lines ‘You liar, you coward, you snake’ are verbal attacks a former Smiths frontman would be proud of while the drums and overall tone recall moments from Joy Divisons ‘Closer’, leaving us all suitably impressed with what was a notable if familiar show. In short, I’m glad I went out tonight.
Words by Ray Jackson
