Frankie And The Heartstrings
The Lock Tavern, London
24/01/2010

That Huw Stephens is pretty charitable. First of all the Radio 1 DJ throws some free shindigs as part of his BBC Introducing show, now he’s giving us “Happy Huw Year” (nice) and another interesting line-up in the form of sweaty noiseniks Swanton Bombs and sing-a-long-tastic Frankie And The Heartstrings.  Problem is, no entrance fee equals no space.  Apparently this room has no capacity.

Now the venue may be pretty small, but Swanton Bombs don’t really do quiet. A twosome on drums and guitar, they have raw power and thunderous drums and their performance is fabulously exhilarating. They’re more bombast than Black Keys, with a suitably ragged lead vocal from guitarist Dominic McGuinness, and if they occasionally come across a bit ramshackle and reminiscent of Marty McFly in gone-too-far mode then presumably that’s the point.

Sunderland’s Frankie And The Heartstrings manage somehow to squeeze to the front, even though there are five of them. An old school rock and roll outfit with tunes that are crafted to be embedded into your brain and hollered back at full volume, they add some tight rhythmic moves to give their fun a more charasmatic edge. Is it too simple to suggest that we can hear some of fellow Sunderlanders The Futureheads in more than Frankie Francis’ singing accent alone?  Of course, it’s unlikely that ‘heads drummer Dave Hyde would end the set by leaping on top of an audience in a venue he could cross in three steps, as Dave Heartstring Harper does tonight.

They may be full of zest and vintage charm live, but on this occasion, The Fly might need a little more from them in future before we fall completely head over heels.

Martin Cordiner