This was supposed to be a three-band bill completed by Kiwi band The Checks. However, a throat infection took them out of the show's equation so the opening honours went to Wakefield's finest, The Cribs. The Cribs Hitting the stage, co-vocalist Ryan takes it upon himself to start the gig with a bang, smashing his mouth open on the mic. It leaves a stream of blood falling from his mouth for the next 40 minutes. The Cribs are far from being a new band with a second album under their belt. It means unlike most new band tours, a lot of the crowd know the older songs and sing along to the glee of slightly manic Ryan who never stands still. Sounding a little like The Libertines' much harder older brother, they rattle through songs at a machine gun pace. By the end of the set, Ryan has crowd-surfed twice and has come close to losing his shoes. Who need The Checks anyway? Maximo Park  | | Ouch! says Ryan from The Cribs |
Newcastle's Maximo Park have only been together for two years, but during that time they have built a reputation for being quality song-smiths and a cracking live act. Tonight they don't disappoint. Sounding distinctly English, front man Paul Smith is the mutant child of Jarvis Cocker, Gene's Martin Rossiter and Ian Curtis. He is a blur of a sharp suit and angular dance moves while staring out the front row. The Park play through their debut album, A Certain Trigger, with a nervy sense of urgency which turns each song from a snapshot of British life into an angry sonic tank ploughing through the crowd with ease. Having notched up a UK top 15 album and a slot on Top Of The Pops, there is no reason why Maximo Park shouldn't go on to be as big as Pulp and probably as angry as the Hulk. The NME New Music Inspired By Rizla Tour pulled into The Waterfront, Norwich, on Wednesday 18 May 2005. | 
