The Tough Alliance
Live @ Tack!Tack!Tack!, The Social, London, 07/02/07
Maracas! Strobe lights! Glow sticks! Noisemakers! A bubble machine! A glowing orb fake microphone! And a dysfunctional smoke machine - these were to be the tools of The Tough Alliance for the night. After a great opening set by The Honeydrips, they took the stage like two madmen, dancing and singing/miming along to "Something special" from their new album "New chance". With all the toys for the group to play with, the objects, along with drinks from the crowd, were all being passed around the stage area while the ecstatic crowd encroaching closer as each moment passed by. When "First class riot" began, the crowd went absolutely nuts, singing as loud as they could and probably making the people at the bar upstairs wishing they were downstairs. The band's engergy far surpassed that exerted by the crowd, obviously driven by the packed venue. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got in return was easily the best show I've been to all year and my brother, who was also in attendance, agreed with me. Other than the few confused audience members standing cross-armed and bewildered, the crowd was dancing and singing along and really having a damn good time. After all, we go to shows to be entertained, and with The Tough Alliance, that's just what you get.
- Matt Giordano