Live Review

Vast – Islington Academy

• 7th Apr 2008

When siting in the photography pit it is always nice to turn around and check out the crowd that awaits the arrival of a band that haven’t taken to the stage in the UK for 4 years. Speaking to a couple behind me it becomes evident that some people have taken on quite a trek to see one of their favourite bands. The appreciation shown by the crowd becomes all the more evident just after the 9 O’Clock mark when the band arrive on stage.

And now it is down to business. The next 90 minutes sees Jon Crosby and his band take the crowd on a journey through his back catalogue hitting most if not all of the more popular rock tunes as well as a few of the quieter moments. A decent mix of old and new. 1998 marks 10 years since his debut album and the sheer variety of work he has completed shows in a live scenario. Crosby has opted this night to be more accoustically flavoured which is weapon of choice this evening. The last time, when they were in London and played the Camden Underworld it was all rock. Tonight this band want to present themselves differently; which is a novelty compared to a lot of bands who will just trundle through the same old in the same ways.
The rock tracks are ably supported by the rest of the band; and although Crosby’s voice itself is occasionally drowned out by the noise around him (The Bassist might have been turned up a bit too high) he certainley isn’t shy about raising his voice to the required levels for songs such as ‘I’m Dying.’

With an encore complete, the band bid farwell and then after a short break re-appears upstairs in the gallery for a meet and greet with some lucky pass holders. There is a lot of appreciation thrown around to the whole of the band, occasionally a fellow artist tries to pawn off their work (Shame they don’t know that Crosby doesn’t produce anymore), but the general feeling of the night is one of satisfaction. There is a need for the electric to come back, but judging by what Jon Crosby has in store for his next album there are going to be a lot of happy faces!