Live Review

theCOLOURS – Bumper, Liverpool

• 5th May 2010

The name itself is an undeniable irritant, the band-name equivalent of a school girl spelling her name with a smiley face above any ‘i’s’. Musically though, there is a certain purity to the cultivated sound of Reading’s theCOLOURS. From the beginning of this relatively short set at Liverpool’s Bumper, the Berkshire three-piece seemed keen to show-off an immediately memorable set of songs.

There is nothing particularly pioneering about their sound and theirs is a musical path well-trodden in recent years. Indeed, this is electro-pop in a similar vein to the FrYars (more infuriating use of the caps lock), CSS or even Hot Chip but whilst not consciously taking to this band at first, I quickly found myself engaged in some pretty catchy choruses. Forthcoming single ‘Tonight I Let You Go’ was an obvious highlight, showcasing a high calibre of songcraft. Overall, the group do convey enthusiasm in abundance pointing, perhaps, to a real passion for what they do.

The difficulty for a band like theCOLOURS may well be finding their own identity. In a musical world where originality is equally as hard to find as it is prized, finding either substantial success or longevity may prove hard. On the basis of this night alone though, there is fun to be had at their live shows and the strong vocals of frontman Tom Pickford are a real asset. Add to this the radio-friendly infectiousness of the songs and this could easily be a band you’ll hear more of.

Ground-breaking they might not be but worthy of your attention they are.