White Lies have achieved that impressively tough task of actually living up to the overwhelming hype surrounding them.
Whether or not this is actually on the back of sheer talent or merely perpetuated by so-called critical acclaim is a moot point, as the band have already scored a number one debut album, are selling out shows nationwide and beyond, and will soon be on their way to play slots at some of the year’s biggest festivals.
But first, the band’s relentless schedule has brought them to Glasgow. Though also sold out, The Barrowlands – perhaps the city’s most famous lightless cavern – isn’t rife with the usual scuffles and ungentlemanly jostling for position. That, instead, is replaced tonight with rowdy yet sombre sing-alongs and appreciative stillness, save for large clusters of pint-waving dancers heaving their plastic cups skyward from every angle, also in supposed appreciation.
The band delivers the goods in the form of an aurally flawless performance despite remaining, for the most part, fairly lifeless. That being said, every note of their set – from opener ‘A Place To Hide’ right the way through firm favourites like ‘Farewell To The Fairground’ and ‘To Lose My Life’ – is huge and obviously felt deeply by everyone in attendance.
What’s baffling, though, is that this overwhelming popularity and critical praise seems to ignore the fact that, especially live, this band so clearly channels the sound and style of everyone from The Cure and Depeche Mode, to the obvious and frequent comparisons to Joy Division and, at times, even Tears For Fears.
Once you realise this, you’ll realise that there is nothing particularly outstanding or original about this band or, in fact, this performance; but this just proves that these days, if you’re tight enough and loud enough (and sing in a self-deprecating English accent), you just might make it huge.
Words: Ryan Drever
