Philadelphia quartet The Districts have been garnering attention for quite some time now with their blend of old school blues and country-tinged American rock, and as they arrive in London off the back of the release of their debut album A Flourish And A Spoil, there is a real element of expectation in the air.
Showcasing tracks old and new, it is frontman Rob Grote who owns the stage in his own unique way right from the off.
With his uncoordinated movements and magnificent vocals he takes full control of tracks like ‘Chlorine’ and ‘Rocking Chair’ and with the support of his bandmates the young Pennsylvania outfit look set to flourish. The main issue of the night is that no momentum is ever allowed to build up.
Between every song, guitars are tuned like harps to a backdrop of boring sound. When you add to this the minimal interaction with the crowd, the foursome don’t really rattle through the set like they should.
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Their brand of music is slow burning, so when it comes to capturing the audience’s attention, they make it harder for themselves than it should be.
When their slow burning sound does materialise it is a real sight and sound to behold. The band thrash around the stage with reckless abandon and when unleashed to flail during a track like ‘Peaches’ and fan favourite ‘Funeral Beds’ the band are at their best. Swinging guitars, stomping feet and unrivalled passion exudes from the band, filling the room with excitement before all that exuberance gets abruptly halted and they start all over again.
All the elements are there for The Districts, they just need to harness them in a better way.
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The Districts played:
Chlorine
Rocking Chair
Lyla
Long Distance
Silver Couplets
Heavy Begs
Peaches
Suburban Smell
Bold
Funeral Beds
4th and Roebling
Encore:
6 AM
Young Blood
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