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As 2012 enters its final third and we begin to prematurely look into the following year, Birmingham's Peace are the band tipped by many to save indie guitar music, tearing down the velvet rope producers and DJs have draped across the charts.
 
With that kind of pressure weighing down on their shoulders you may expect the band to be apprehensive, nervous even, as they take to the stage at the Barfly tonight. Well, how about this for a statement of intent and a sign of confidence? The band starts with their ten minute long cover of Binary Finery’s ‘1998’. The man stood next to us hoping for ‘something as good as Miles Kane two years ago’ looks on forlornly.
 
However, if Peace are to dislodge Guetta et al (or, more likely, join label mates The Vaccines as the band of choice amongst teens across the UK) then they need a few big tunes amongst the trance covers. This is where Peace come into their own with at least three songs of a seven song set coming on like a clarion call to the dancing feet controlled by Guetta and tempting them onto the indie disco floor. ‘Follow Baby’ is a dreamy blast which casts lead singer Harrison Koisser as a cult leader figure tonight, preaching to his audience that ‘we’re going to live forever baby’. Similarly, ‘California Daze’ a song already in contention for the title of best song of the year, restates the message of immortality as the band ask ‘Were you born to live or die?’ as the Barfly bares witness the early days of a future anthem.
 
All this talk of living forever brings Peace in line with Oasis, though they take the general spirit and gang mentality of the Britpop icons rather than their complete look and songbook like so many before them have done. This is music of the nineties being made by children of the same decade, it‘s nostalgic but never feels stuck in a time gone by. As the closing clatter of ‘Bloodshake’ is heralded by support band Jaws letting off ticker tape cannons around the venue, guitarist Doug Castle crowd surfs toward a fan, the pair embracing as another huge chorus washes over the pair of them. 
 
Peace don’t want to save the world of music. All they ask is that you give them a chance.