| Clubhorn review | Post War Years
The Black Alley Screens
Bromheads Jacket The Horn, St Albans
Thursday 24 August 2006 |
St Albans: commuter city, briefcases, business suits, twenty minutes by train from London and not a lot to do for the discerning pop picker. Meanwhile, back in The Horn… Promoter, Adam, has pulled another certifiable feat for the suburbs. Three bands, two of which I’ve heard of, and one, The Black Alley Screens, which I have not. Post War YearsFirst up were Post War Years. Four men, three mics, guitars, keyboards, drums, pedals and a lot of hair.  | | Post War Years |
They immediately reminded me of the fantastic The Futureheads: in looks and sound. Their beats were staccato, short and immediate. A jerky sound with stage moves to match. New song, Formula Spectacular, was experimental expressionist alt-pop that is just waiting to be plucked for a slot on a much bigger stage. These talented young lovelies enjoyed every minute of their set and it showed. Gone are the days of emo eye-linered souls and now are the days of indie optimism. Post War Years kicked this night off in a mighty fine styley and got me in the mood for more shandy.s The Black Alley ScreensNext up were The Black Alley Screens, a three piece band from Northern Ireland. This next onslaught left my ears ringing 12 hours after I heard them.  | | The Black Alley Screens |
Like a dedicated pop minstrel I like to stand at the front, possibly too near to the speakers for my own good, but a dame’s gotta do what a dame’s gotta do, so I prevailed. The first song was so loud I couldn’t actually hear anything. I told the sound man later that I thought I’d been buried alive and was listening through my coffin wood and four feet of mud and worm entrails. The sound got better though, or maybe my ears adapted to this attack of noise, and I started hearing some tunes like, ‘Monotony’ and ‘The Art of Fitting In’ that really got my bobby socks rocking. Bromheads Jacket | | Bromheads Jacket |
Bromheads Jacket, the final band and expectant masterpiece of the evening were on late, well past my usual Thursday night bedtime. Lead singer, Tim, struck me as a modern day Frank Spencer, minus the beret. Certain facial expressions and manners conjured up memories of Frank’s endless capers. A comparison to Frank Spencer is not a bad thing.  | | Bromheads Jacket |
It will have been said before, but there’s more than a little of The Arctic Monkeys about them: voyeuristic lyrics, sharp anecdotes and observations coming on strong through adept lyrical business. Tonight was a night where The Horn really surpassed itself. It’s been taken up, not just a notch, but several, and local gig goers’ faith has been restored.  | | Colin |
Colin, from St Albans, was a punk at the front who went one step further and made it on stage with Bromheads Jacket. He jumped around a bit then feigned the start of a stage dive and bombed off into the crowd. I doubt Colin will be able to do this for much longer: Bromheads Jacket are moving towards bigger stages and better crowd control. SpecialThis was by far and away the best night at The Horn since my teenage infatuation with old local band, Sherbert. Nothing can replace the adrenaline and belief a teenage girl feels when she hangs on every line of every song hoping it is written for her.!  | | All friends: Post War Years & Black Alley Screens |
Tonight had a feeling all of its own and it was just as exhilarating. It felt like we were witnessing something special, a secret before anyone else has found out about it, and only you know what can happen. It’s only a matter of time before these bands are carried upwards, over our heads, onto bigger stages: out of the depths and into the blue. | 
