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Libertine: A morally dissolute person, a free thinker. So is it once a Libertine always a libertine for John Hassel? Well the short answer is no, and the long is he's probably achieved more liberty now than ever before. John's current venture Yeti have been relatively quiet (commercially at least) since the Libertines split. Saying that, with comparisons from Carl's commercial success Dirty Pretty Things to Pete's forever at large Babyshambles, Yeti were destined to be the shy retiring type.
Tonight they play the Liverpool Barfly, while across town Pete's band entertain a voyeuristic crowd waiting to see if tonight's the night he dies or more likely gets arrested. Just one band supported the London four, a local group called Stealer. The only thing which stood out from their set was a take on the American anthem. A frantic, angry band, it was fitting they preceded Yeti's mature stance; perhaps a faint shadow of the excitement and energy characteristic of The Libertines when the first started playing in people's front rooms.
And so Yeti appear on the stage, on time, instruments soud checked and every band member well prepped. This may sound boring and safe compared to the shambolic mess that was no doubt going on at the Carling Academy. But no, we were impressed, Yeti gave a musician's performance, not a drug hazed attempt at headline grabbing. The crowd John and his merry men should have had were watching peter so those left were small in numbers and ushered to the front by the gracious frontman.
John's hidden voice is soft, high and works well with the melodious harmonies contained in almost every song. Guitarist Harmony's name reflects his voice, with the strongest out of the four. The others, bassist Brendan Kersey, guitarist and funnyman Andrew Deian and Graham Blacow on drums, are professionals with an ear for a crowd pleasing tune.
New songs kicked off the set, so new in fact Harmony admitted he'd only just written one of them and the others didn't really know the chords yet! Another was introduced by John as being about his girlfriend's mum, but a bit of banter got him sidetracked. With a new EP released, 'One Eye on the Banquet', Yeti were working their personal style of promotion; not flagging up songs, but allowing the music to speak for itself. They introduced us to the perfect 'Magtime Blues', a LAs sound a like and since we're in liverpool, comparisons jump out from early sounding Beatles. All of their songs are written with one ear in the past, as familiar tune 'Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder' combines raw rock with soft, swinging melodies, decent guitars and a beautiful all you need is love and freedom mentality. A true libertine is revealed, no?
Again top tune 'In Like With You' and 'Midnight Flight' (super sleuth bass kicks in on this one) confirmed what everyone in the crowd was thinking: how much nicer in was to be in an intimate gig with a credible band than trying to avoid the bumb notes at a his former band member's set. We're left feeling the true Libertine was standing on the stage thanking us for turning up.
