 points to a bright future […] "'Pin It")
REVIEW: ATHLETE + MY FIRST TOOTH AT BRISTOL THEKLA (23/07/11)
My First Tooth certainly have an ear for a hook. Their thumping rodeo like pop songs have made their debut ‘Territories’ a folk record with a lot more balls than their peers. This record, along with a fairly prestigious support slot with Athlete (who championed the group throughout their set) points to a bright future for the group. Their lead single ‘Orchards’ could quite easily provide the ideal soundtrack for a summer of hype. It’s a simple band format; boy plays guitar, girl plays allsorts and everyone sings but they do it with a hoedown charm that means Athlete might just signify the beginning for My First Tooth.
It’s 2005. Athlete’s second LP, hit a UK number 1 and went platinum. They were on the verge of great things; some say they’d even made it. They were on the brink of arena status and Keane were quaking in their Clarks shoes. Now it’s 2011 and there are fairy lights up in a boat in Bristol. Where did Athlete go? After 2007’s ‘Black Swan’ didn’t chart as well as its predecessors and all Athlete had to show for was a greatest hits compilation that singer, Joel Pott claims was more Sony’s idea- this ‘Hits Stripped Back Tour’ could have become a plea for a revitalised fan base but Athlete need not plea. This fairy lit boat was filled to capacity and Joel was not the only singing by any means.
From the very start of this show, it felt like a Saturday night in with Athlete. Opener, ‘Half Light’ was responded to like an old friend. City boys and hipsters alike threw their arms in the air for the charmingly romantic hooks. Athlete seemed to revel in the atmosphere with lead singer Pott successfully performing the rarity that is genuinely funny onstage banter. The stripping down of some of their hits was more noticeable on some songs than others. The soaring ‘Hurricane’ became more of a lo-fi boat shaker than a headline worthy anthem and as for ‘You Got The Style’, (the sexiest serenade of all Athlete tracks), the chorus “Oh, it’s getting hot in here” was a weighty understatement as Thekla was hotter than any photographed indie club night ever could be. ‘Superhuman Touch’ and the pre-encore ‘Wires’ were all sung along to impeccably and the band looked fully satisfied to be at a point where they could play these songs to such a responsive crowd. New material took a back seat for this show and it was a confident celebration of the songs Athlete have been touring for the best part of 10 years. This decade long life span was acknowledged by Pott who thanked the fan base for keeping their songs alive.
Whilst tonight was upbeat, Athlete needs to be careful not to rest on their laurels. This stripped back hit list was a quirky pleasant novelty but a greatest hits tour should be avoided. All their back catalogue could provide is the montage music for ITV reality shows for the next 10 years, but if they can recapture some of the anthems that made 2005’s Tourist such a success, then they’ll need longer fairy lights for far bigger venues.
Words: Duncan Harris
