Where do all the cool people in South West London hang out on a Friday night? If I told you the answer was Tooting you’d probably laugh. You’d be right. They don’t all hang out in Tooting, but some of them do, especially when XFM’s John Kennedy hosts his Remedy club night there.
The Tooting Tram & Social is a wonderful venue in which to watch rock n roll, although one I had trouble finding on account of it being set slightly away from the road and not having a sign outside. It’s located in a converted tram shed, which has retained its original shell; complete with high ceilings and red brickwork. Inside it has been filled with Chesterfield sofas and is lit by chandeliers. Very un-rock n roll – especially with the sofas reminding me of my grandmother’s house.
Tonight the place is filled with an expectant crowd to hear Tom Williams & The Boat, a 6 piece “anti-folk” band from Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The band have been steadily building a following over the past few years and won many admirers in the media. This show is to promote their second album Teenage Blood, released in April, and the interesting thing to note is the band have done things on an entirely DIY basis, with the album funded entirely by fans via Pledgemusic.
The band bound on the stage shortly after 10pm and begin proceedings with Teenage Blood, a song that sounds a bit like Pavement making sweet love to The Low Anthem in youthful abandonment with its “I’ve got teenage blood with a teenage heart” chorus. Right from the off the band’s unassuming stage presence grabs the audience – no need for showmanship here.
The band’s indie-folk sound can sometimes be a little sedate on record but the likes of “My Bones” and “Concentrate” glistened with anger and power on that small stage in Tooting. Violinist Geri switches to saxophone for the foot stomping catchy-pop of 90mph which sounds a bit like Mumford & Sons on ketamine. A couple of new songs, Neckbrace & Too Young got an airing and sounded a little more mature than efforts from the 1st album and lyrically a step forwards. The band close things out on a dark note See My Evil and Get Older display the all out dark dynamism in them and with that they’re gone – off into the night to convert more souls to their cause.
Tonight on stage Tom Williams & The Boat showed Tooting that they’re ready to make that great leap forwards; their clever lyrics bringing to mind Chris T-T and Billy Bragg, their sound is brimming with all sorts of references, but never anything for too long. Hop on board while you can as The Boat seem destined for a fantastic voyage . . .
Image: Jacqui Sadler
