10 April: Charlatans, supported by the Stereophonics.  9:30 Club, Washington. D.C. 

So the big question on Monday night at the 9:30 was why can't British bands crack the US?  That was the helpful theme of the Washington Post's preview of the Charlatans/Stereophonics gig.  Focus was much on the 'Phonics from little Wales - land of rugby, sheep, closed coal mines, joyriding and Brain's beer.  Over 3 million units shifted, but barely 40,000 of those in the US.  They play to huge crowds back in Blighty, but the current tour sees them in clubs like the 9:30 (capacity 893 according to the helpful fire notice I saw leaving the building).  Add to that, there were tickets available at the door.  Right it was Monday and the club did eventually fill.  

But back to that old question.  Ever since the Beatles conquered America in '64, it's seen by the industry and press as the acid test.  Many have come, many have triumphed - prog rockers, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Peter Frampton (!) and lately Radiohead.  (Not to mention Bush who have made virtually no impact back home.)  But, many have failed particularly since the watershed of punk in '76.  Every now and then it looks like another invasion is imminent.  Oasis and Blur - progenitors of Brit pop - back in the mid 90s were touted and it seemed they had the sound to crack the US market.  Still, I can't help thinking that Brit-pop bands will make a small dent only.  The US - especially FM radio - seems so dominated by Nirvana/Pearl Jam post-grunge, noise meisters not to mention the heavier metal/rap/hi-hop influenced sound (Limp Bizkit etc).  

Also, it's been a rap on UK acts that they are too lazy to put in the effort to achieve stardom here.  Some have been reluctant to play clubs night after night.  Oasis, famously, have had aborted tours here cause they just moved house or are plain not arsed to tour in a bus for two or three months.  That is a tad unfair: I thought both groups on show Monday put in maximum effort.  Okay it was a short tour - a month or so.  But, both seemed pretty fresh, even the 'Phonics Kelly Jones (guitar/vocal) who had suffered so much at the tour beginning that he had to talk through song lyrics.  I suspect there is an element of labels not willing to put too much capital in untried artists.  They would much rather stick with those bands they discovered and nurtured.  Home grown is a proven sell.  That's certainly the case as far as radio play is concerned.  Furthermore, Britain is a pretty tough place for bands with dreadfully fickle music press ready to trash today what they praised yesterday.  Lasting beyond that difficult second album is tough. 

Me I don't care.  I was just curious to see what the fuss was all about.  The Post caught upon the silly quote of drummer Stuart Cable that the 'Phonics were taking the Yanks by storm.  Daft.  Add the slagging off of US radio; Jones did his bit between numbers too.  

I wish I could say I was impressed.  Enthusiasm certainly, but by mid-set we all in our group turned to each other and said "long set, isn't?"  In fact, I was getting bored.  The sound was loud, but the vocals were pretty unintelligible.  All those slow songs detracted from the energy created by the faster, poppy numbers.  There was further silliness from Cable with his incessant stick twirling - once is enough please.  I was also left with the feeling that it was "let's play our entire catalogue".  So it was four minutes of thrash (or slumber for the less speedy songs) through each number: no embellishment or no spontaneity.  There was little playing off each other.  Just three blokes cranking out the tunes.  And, it was pretty standard UK pop chart oriented stuff. 

In short it was a workmanlike performance.  Lots of huff and puff, a thick sound (including some off stage add-ons - I hate that), a Welsh flag, chants of "Wa-els", drunken men in rugby shirts.  The only highlight for me was a song called "A Thousand Trees" which form what I could hear and what I've read is a great little complaint about rumours in a small Welsh town.  On this evidence, the 'Phonics will pull in crowds at clubs, but I cannot see them filling RFK or even the MCI as much more than a low order support band.  

Now here's an interesting thing.  Most of my friends were unimpressed with the Charlatans.  I'm not saying that they are the greatest rock group since, well, since the Rolling Stones whom they emulate.  Rather, compared to the support they were so much more professional and had such a fuller sound thanks to the growling Farfisa organ sound of Tony Rogers.  And, you can't beat the stage presence of Tim Burgess.  Nothing special, but more enjoyable and rock-able.  But, it was the best light show I've seen at the 9:30. 

In the middle of all this, the college punks in front of us kept pumping the air in increasing drunken fashion.  Finally, one of their ilk slipped and gashed his finger.  So we had blood on the tracks - that's a bad musical joke.  

Anyway: Me, I think the British bands of the moment are Gomez (q.v.) Mogwai and Six By Seven.  

Hey G, where was yer Posse?

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