Sunday 30/10/05 Starsailor, David Ford, Pioneers @ Liverpool Carling Academy

Sweat is literally dripping from the ceiling of the Academy tonight as first support band Pioneers plow through their set. Despite sounding tight and all that, sadly towards the end of the set almost every song seems to resemble an Embrace or Coldplay track. The lead singer begins to plead with the audience to clap along with him, which unfortunately makes him look a little desperate. After all what band wants a wet lettuce for a front man?

 

Next up is David Ford who certainly seems to be drawing quite a crowd in. David and his band enter on stage to a seriously dramatic orchestral piece with film projected on to a screen in the background. Even though the entrance seems a bit over-dramatised for the style of music the band play you can’t fault them for effort. These guys are certainly an interesting collection of musicians including a double bassist that gives the band a really off-kilter look.

 

On the surface, it looks like they could produce some really original, interesting material, but that's sadly not the case. Songs soon becomes tiresome as the female singer sings the same harmony all the way through looking bored throughout every song. There are only so many times you can hear the lyric "I don’t care what you call me!" The visual effect of the double bass is tarnished with the fact that the bassist is really unimaginative with his playing. There was definitely an outstanding moment in the set though where funnily enough it was just David playing on his own with the help of a loop pedal. The piece began with a simple guitar riff and was gradually layered with more and more sounds until it climaxed with some fantastic vocal work from David.

 

Finally Starsailor walk on to the stage and the crowd go crazy as they start their first song. This band is so experienced playing together and it shows. Lead singer James lifts the atmosphere in the venue with an expression on his face that looks as though he still can’t quite believe that his band have made it to this point. James tells the Liverpudlian crowd how the band had specifically requested to play the city as the opening date of the tour as they always get the warmest welcome here - surely they say that to everyone? Gullible buggers that they are, it does the trick anyway as the crowd are like putty in his hands singing along word perfectly to songs such as ‘Silence is Easy’, ‘Alcoholic’ and ‘Fever’. Differing to on record, Starsailor have a really big sound tonight with lots of attitude and some bass that is making the crowd go wild. They look like they’re enjoying every minute of it too.

 

Material off the new album, ‘On The Outside’ goes down a treat with the crowd, which is always pleasing for a band with a mixed fan base like Starsailor. New songs like ‘In The Crossfire’ which sees Stel, Barry and Ben really letting loose on their instruments. Well it seems strange to call a band in their mid-twenties veterans. However, it’s clear to see that Starsailor have improved their songwriting and along with it have mastered the art of working a crowd with their cheeky northern charm.