Live Review

Everything Everything – Plug N Play, Reading

• 2nd Nov 2009

THE Everything Everything gig at Reading’s Plug N Play on Friday was everything (everything) I’d hoped for and more.

It was great to meet Johnny Arrow – of Johnny Arrow And The Cheap Day Returns – in person (we’ve tweeted). The band are somewhat like The Inbetweeners in musical form and, although none of the members actually are broken hearted sixth formers, they do a good impression and were good fun to watch.

The second Reading act of the night was curly haired, leather jacket-clad sixpiece VICES. As always, they overwhelmed me with their energy and great, foot-stomping tracks.

The band are almost musical sex – it’s all sweat, hips and funny faces. And, despite the band’s in your face bloke-ishness, the people rocking out at the front were all long-haired beauties in vest tops.

Next up were the incredibly fun Glaswegian act Findo Gask. Chorister-style vocal harmonies mingled with shimmering synth blips, fizzing percussion and hip wiggling bass – and extensive looping. The crowd loved it and even helped out when there was a lighting rig problem, shining mobile phone lights at the stage.

Between bands I drank warm beer in the DJ booth with new best friend Marcus of MidiMidis ([link]). But after Findo Gask finished I managed to grab a minute with Everything Everything bassist Jeremy Pritchard who I interviewed over the phone a few weeks ago ([link]).

He said: “I think Findo Gask have stolen it! They’re probably better than we’re gonna be.

“It’s been a great night so far, though, and a really mixed crowd. VICES brought the girls, we brought the old men.”

But Jeremy’s trepidation was unnecessary: Everything Everything absolutely killed it.

This band are nothing short of fantastic. It was the third time I’ve seen them this year and probably the best.

All four members are just so talented and the songs lost none of their intricacies or layers live.

With just a nod to an en core, the band finished on one of their finest tracks, Photoshop Handsome.

Spine tinglingly good.

Sarah Stead