Sunday 13/02/06 The Cinematics, Happy F**king Birthday @ Night and Day Café, Manchester

Launching straight into a hazy swirl of noise Happy Fucking Birthday are keen to get started. They are a relatively new band though the members are no strangers to the Manchester circuit. Bass player Judith is formerly of Manchester outfit Fi Lo Radio,  singer/ guitarist Martin lending vocals to Tsuji Giri, while drummer Ben also drums for Bonebox. Describing themselves as making ‘dark fuzzy rock music’, there’s a hint of tension as they move from ‘Born Again’ that seems lost in the fairly bland ‘Sleep Walking’. Citing some of their numerous influences as My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division and The Fall, some of this edginess shows though on ‘Vast Expanse’, while ‘Where The Fucks The Library Gone’ hides a darker, sluttier side. The catchy pop hooks of ‘Dam The Light’ have definite single potential that sees the lack lustre crowd perk up and take a proper interest. The nervous energy could practically light up the room and the resulting Joy Divisionesque interlude manages to lift ‘Super- 8’ out of obscurity. Catchy foot-stomper ‘There’s Been An Accident’ falls slightly shy of their aspiration for ‘endless uncorrupted joy’. This birthday cake is just a few candles short of a party.

The highly anticipated show from The Cinematics follows a seemingly endless bout of touring. Singer Scott Rinning faces the crowd with all the confrontation swagger of James Dean. Sounding like Gang of Four with slinkier bass lines ‘Race’ has a catchy hook that blends into the tales of dancefloor seduction of ‘Fall’. It’s line ‘this casual arrangement leaves a bitter taste’ wouldn’t sound out of place in a Smiths era Morrissey song. The tone becomes more melancholy on ‘Be In The World’, hiding an intensity that would sound equally at home on the festival stage. ‘Human’ seems to demand Interpol comparisons, with a lonely, almost desperate edge. The swirling noise lifts up and for a brief moment everything else is forgotten. Last single ‘Chase’ has a classic hook laden riff that sends a slight nod to former touring buddies We Are Scientists. It mixes school dance innocence with sly fumbles in the car park, at once seducing you, then buggering off before you realise what’s happened.

‘Keep Forgetting’ prompts some serious shape throwing from bass player Adam Goemans and lead guitar Ramsay Miller and various drunken Mick Jagger impersonations from the crowd. This is a real hip-shaker, but disappointingly the crowd still choose to hang back and watch from a distance. The insistent battle cry of ‘Wake Up’ mixes the sly cynicism of Modest Mouse with the shameless pop sensibilities of 80’s luminaries Adam and The Ants. New single ‘Break’ rounds things off nicely, a fizzing ball of pure energy, Ross Bonning’s drumming building up to a squalling chorus that’s waiting to escape. And that’s what this act represents - pure escapism, for the band and for those watching. With publicity looking set to snowball in the build up to festival season it seems like they are almost there.