Like the Welsh music scene of the late 90s, Scottish music is currently enjoying its moment in the sun (or rain) of nation-wide exposure. Following in the footsteps of Franz Ferdinand, the Fratellis, the View and Paolo Nutini are the rather more disparate Drive By Argument.
Formed in a music technology course at the then University of Paisley’s Ayr Campus, the five strong band now find themselves playing at this warm-up gig for their appearance at the T Break stage at T in the Park, and with an forthcoming album to support. While some would no doubt categorise the band fallaciously and synthetically as ‘nu-rave’, due to the presence of keyboards and two electronic rack toms, DBA’s sound is a little more hard-edged and less dance-influenced to be considered in the same breath as, say, the Klaxons. They do however, put me in mind of a less annoying Automatic.
Early on, lead singer Stoke (who looks like he should be building synths rather than playing them) apologises if his performance isn’t great as he’d been ill. However, he’s slightly overshadowed by bassist Ryan who is wearing a dirty white singlet, apparently in tribute to John McClane of Die Hard fame, and not that famous denizen of Glasgow, Rab C. Nesbitt. Stoke’s apparent illness doesn’t hold himself or the rest of the band back; for all the Xfm competition winners in attendance at the small venue, they still put on a richly arch and energetic display, with the bassist seemingly the ring-leader, reminiscent somewhat of Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris.
Their most immediate song is ‘Lower Your Pieces’, which Stoke confessed, perhaps tongue-in-cheek given their still mostly unknown statue, he hoped would be one of T in the Park’s biggest sing-alongs (behind ‘Chelsea Dagger’ by the Fratellis, he adds, when prompted. By Ryan). Unfortunately, the set is seemingly cut short when the drummer suffers cramp in his ‘drumming leg’. The groans of the crowd when Stoke announces that the current song will be the last one lead him to point to the drummer and aver “it’s his fault.” Still new to this game, they already fully understand the maxim “always leave them wanting more”. It’ll be interesting to see how much more of their potential they can realise.
