Oceansize - Kingston Peel - 30th October 2009

Kingston Peel is a lovely little venue. I certainly think it is and it appears so do Oceansize who tonight (30th October 2009) play here for the third year in a row. This is the first headline show for the band of 2009 and arrives in support of recent EP 'Home & Minor'. The set does not just contain new songs from this release however coming as it does also with new songs never played by the band before from their forthcoming 4th album, set to be released in 2010.

Before Oceansize take to the stage however come two local acts in mistakes.in.animation and Shield Your Eyes. mistakes.in.animation feature massive Oceansize fan, and gig promoter, Del Noble on guitar and vocals and their set of reverb heavy songs ends in Noble flinging his guitar around like a mad man on the venue's floor, much to the surprise of several early doors pint swilling punters. Three piece Shield Your Eyes seem to have a very simple formula to their songs. They all begin with a jagged riff and some yelpy vocals before progressing to having the same riff, maybe with the odd variation, played over and over again with no vocals until the song comes to a conclusion just after falling asleep. Some onlookers clearly think this band are the bees knees. Let's just leave things as saying that I think they're average at best.

Oceansize arrive with a new song ('Ransoms') and depart with one also (the furious 'It's My Tale'). In between come fan favourites such as the rarely played 'Paper Champion' and the behemoth that is 'Massive Bereavement'. Also included is the complex monster of a new song currently known as 'Steven's Head' as well as 'Legal Teens' and 'Home & Minor' off the new EP. One of the things that Oceansize are total masters of in the live domain is the way their set flows. Songs don't merely start and then finish they progress naturally into one another with only the occasional bit of Mike Vennart stage banter providing lengthy pauses between songs. The absolute star of Oceansize's live show is drummer Mark Heron however...a truly incredible musician who deserves far more recognition than he is ever likely to get. Just to watch his drumming during songs like 'You Can't Keep A Bad Man Down' or 'A Homage To A Shame' is a treat on its own. The crowd also play their part, with one guy at the front holding up Mike's lyric sheet for him to read from during new songs! The ones actually into the music get great reward out of the show and persuade the band to come back for an encore of 'The Charm Offensive' which is as excellent live as ever. A thoroughly entertaining evening of 'Size.

mistakes.in.animation (6/10)

Shield Your Eyes (5/10)

Oceansize (10/10)