 | | Black Wire |
They have been around for a while starting off as a three piece with a drum machine – very Echo and the Bunnymen – but with recruitment of ace drummer Danny Prescott they have added an edge to their already lively sound. This gig was part of the splendid High Voltage club nights and they should be applauded for giving electro nutters Colonopenbracket a slot which actually blew the headliners away. Fronted by a mad Andy Warhol look-alike from Aberdeen, this four piece produce a heady mix of pre-recorded electronic beats on laptops, vocal yelps and a live drummer. The best thing about Black Wire is a relentless energy in their songs and the hyperactive delivery of a pretty decent array of sub-new wave anthems proved very popular with their achingly cool indie worshippers. Frontman Daniel Wilson can certainly belt a tune out, but his thousand yard stare was a little disturbing, especially when he ventured out into the audience. Early single Hard To Love, Easy To Lay is a pop gem that benefits from the live drummer, as does another early nugget Attack, Attack, Attack. But robust versions of recent singles Hung Up and Smoke And Mirrors hint at far more than mere Leeds bandwagon-jumping and there is no faulting their sheer intensity live. Kaiser Chiefs are tedious beyond belief, but if their lasting legacy is encouraging bands like Black Wire then maybe they will have had some purpose after all. Black Wire may not push boundaries but they are value for money, no bad thing in an age where lazy wasters like Pete Doherty are lauded as visionaries. | 
