Halloween may have been the previous night but there where still a few people prepared to don daft costumes and venture out into the cold. Chances are they wouldn’t have liked to run into Hard-Fi in a dark alley on their way home. Hard-Fi sold out Norwich's Waterfront venue soon after the date was announced. They kicked off with Middle Eastern Holiday and the energy they exuded as they took to the stage blew away any cobwebs left over from the previous night. Original sound Hard-Fi are a tricky band to define – think Mike Skinner with a smattering of early Blur. Just when you think you've got them pinned by their growling guitars, dubbing and shouty lyrics - they roll out… for want of a better description… their Fisher Price mouth keyboard! Surprisingly, it adds an extra dimension that works. Set highlights Their music is more accessible than it should be considering their image. Tracks like Better Do Better and Feltham Is Singing Out pull the listener in with catchy choruses but retain an originality and edge. Cash Machine, complete with submarine-like beeps, and Tied Up Too Tight were just two of the standout tracks. The mix of traditional instruments with dubbing and synth sounds is always tricky to do. Hard-Fi pulled it off with ease. Their version of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army showed they are equally at home using both mediums. Staying close to the original at first - all throaty guitar riffs and chunky bass - the song then slipped into a whirl of feedback and dub, to stamp it with the Hard-Fi trademark. Charged performance  | | Richard Archer: Hot stuff |
This group thrives on the charge of a live performance. Front man Richard Archer spent the entire evening goading the fans. It might have worked for some people, but being compared to the audience from Aberdeen and asked, "Are you f****** up for it" after every other song became tedious - quickly. Their home town unfortunately conjures up memories of the yellow clad Ali-G and Hard-Fi seem determined to define their own version of the 'Staines Massive'. While you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of them, the excessive use of bravado was laboured. They redeemed themselves with a high-octane performance of their hit single Hard To Beat, which brimmed with fervour and united the crowd who shouted the words back at the band as if they were the ones who wanted to be in charge of the mics. But saving the best for last, Hard-Fi closed the gig with a message for Generation-X. A heart-stopping rendition of Living For The Weekend ensured that everyone left on a high, even if it was only Tuesday! Hard-Fi played at The Waterfront, Norwich, on Tuesday 1 November 2005. Photo credits: Anthony Reed. | 
