Live Review: Hail To The Tribute

A night dedicated to playing the songs of Radiohead is a place, it is to be hoped, where expectation meets an open mind. First to hit the stage was The Disappointed, a rock four-piece bringing their genre-style to the stage. Definitely punching outside of their comfort zone, they shared the load well, such as when the high vocals certain members couldn't hit others smoothly slid in. This came together as they absolutely nailed 15-Step. The worst thing about the next band, Sugarpuss, was their lack of crowd interaction. However, with larger than life versions fuelled predominately by excellent drum and bass work, they warmed the crowd nicely. A stroke of genius is to be admitted with the addition of brass horns for a rendition of The National Anthem.

If it weren't for the headliner, The Love Junkies would be my favourite of the night. Constantly oscillating between being a three- and four-piece, crazy riffs abounded as their sound became grizzlier as the set unfloded. The vocalist also made his mark by favouring a rougher snap on songs such as Reckoner, wherein the original is particularly high and clean. Next, an abridged set of just three songs by Stillwater Giants led to the acoustic numbers of the night, handling the revered High and Dry by including Spanish-style guitar playing, which worked well against the rhythm.

Tomas Ford, as always, delights and offends as your own sensibilities dictate. Starting out with programmed rhythms, he showed off a great vocal range not often explored in his usual set. After luring you into the palm of his hand in such a way, a stunningly aborted guitar part led to Ford at his finest, a version of Creep oozing sexual prowess and being all the excuse he needed to caress and finesse the audience. Add in crowd surfing and mass hugs, there's no finer way to end any night out, let alone this experiment in a cover story.