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Maybeshewill - Camden Barfly - March 3rd 2011
Support: Long Distance and Scholars

The Barfly is a neat little venue for anyone wanting to kick-start their career, as well as for the likes of Leicester post-rock act Maybeshewill, who already have a solid fan base that is growing all the time.

But first up were Scholars, the Hemel Hempstead four piece who on this occasion had roped in a second guitarist to give added power to their set. Judging by the amount of touring they have done of late, they are certainly putting it out there at the moment. Featuring the only vocalist of the evening, their alt-rock sound was reminiscent of the likes of Billy Talent and Hundred Reasons and in time could well have more mainstream appeal. It can be difficult to get the crowd going when you're first on, though, and perhaps their act didn't sit that well with the rest of the bill. But personally I thought the band deserved more reaction than was forthcoming on the night.

Next up were German instrumental act Long Distance Calling. These guys were new to me and their take on post-rock was definitely an interesting one, with sludgy, groove-ridden riffs that clearly won over the fans. Combining the sound of Karma To Burn and Isis, the result was an exquisite high that reminds you that so often vocals are redundant. According to them, this was their second visit to these isles, and they seemed more than chuffed that Maybeshewill had them on board. They'd certainly get a great welcome back - a very worthy listen indeed.

And so to the main attraction. Maybeshewill seem to me the type of band that would appeal to the last.fm generation who want to push the boundaries of music. With echoes of Deftones and Funeral For A Friend, this was an exciting performance, topped off with some excellent use of sampling. A new record is set to drop this year, and so they took the time to showcase their single “Critical Distance”. Here a pealing keyboard overlayed the persistent guitar, building to a pulsating crescendo that was never too heavy, before falling away to repeat another hypnotic cycle. “To The Skies From A Hillside” showed a a greater variety of pace and tone , at times urgent and forceful, at others slow and reflective . Despite running behind schedule, they still returned for a surprise encore. A quick glance showed they have an extremely dedicated fanbase, and bassist Jamie Ward was keen to interact with the crowd. The band will be returning in May to support Earthtone9 at The Relentless Garage so make a date -it's advisable you catch these guys at least once in your lifetime!

Review by Tom Willmott

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