 | | The Darlings |
It must be the first time that Darlings front man Ricky Phillips has played at the Night and Day; he’s wearing a heavy jacket in a venue that even on a cold January night is still a sweat box. When the band he fronts strike up their first song, a fast paced ditty that echoes parts of Editors, he is already perspiring heavily, but that doesn’t stop him moving and jumping along. The surge of energy from the Walsall four piece is refreshing and energetic enough to get the mince pies moving from the waist line.  | | Tim and Sam’s Tim and The Sam Band and Tim and Sam |
So on to the band with a smart arse name. Apparently Sam doesn’t really exist, so for the rest of this article, they shall be referred to as Tim, whichever one he is! There are three blokes with 'Tim' emblazoned on their t-shirts, but there are also three lasses that play a variety of instruments from the clarinet to the cello to the xylophone and everyone seems to move between instruments for different songs. If you include a drummer, then space on the compact stage is very tight.  | | Tim and Sam’s Tim and The Sam Band and Tim and Sam |
There are no vocals as such, merely as series of lightly breathed "ahhs" to complete the musical picture, and the overall effect is of a soundtrack to a glorious summer’s day when pints are warm and England are getting thrashed at some ball game or other. And, while the venue is more frequently associated with the wilder side of the musical spectrum, at the finale, there’s plenty of cheer and applause for Tim and, err, well his mates. | 
