Ooberman
are one of these bands I’ve heard of but never really heard, but a friend told
me that they were something special. So one Tuesday night I escaped from HoBo
towers in the HoBo car while Ross was asleep at his p.c. after a heavy bout of
revamping the site, and sped off down the motorway to Leicester and the
Charlotte. The support band didn’t show, whoever they were, so there was much
waiting around. I used this time to drink lager, which I considered a good usage
of that free time.
There
was only about eighty people present which surprised me as I thought this lot
were pretty popular, however it is out of term time at the moment and Leicester’s
always pretty quiet in the summer when the students are away, being a university
town an all. When they finally do manage to cram themselves on to the tiny
Charlotte stage the first thing that struck me was how fit the keyboard player,
Sophie was. The stuff of a schoolboys dream you might say, if you were a bit
strange or a pervert (I am both). In fact she seems to have her own little fan
club, on the way out a rather drunk young Scotsman tells me that Sophie used to
have straight hair and she looked even more fucking gorgeous than she does now,
and that one day he would shag her, lucky girl! And Dan the singer is pretty
handsome too, so visually something for everyone!
The
first couple of songs didn’t grab me straight away, but by the middle of the
set I began to see what they were about. The small crowd seemed to love it and
all seemed to know every lyric, so I got in with them and had a good old jump
around. The track which stood out for me was called, I believe, Shorley wall.
Other songs about cows and bluebells were played and at times they reminded me
of the 70’s band Caravan (that’s a compliment by the way). The twin vocals
of Dan and Sophie worked really well and by the last song Dan had torn off his
shirt and was leaping around the tiny Charlotte stage like a man who’s
trousers were full of killer bees. It seems that the N.M.E hate this band, not
sure why, perhaps they’re too happy looking. The set didn’t last too long,
but better to leave while your ahead I always say. Apparently this lot have just
lost their record deal. On tonight’s evidence it shouldn’t be too long
before they get another, not if there’s any justice in the world anyway.
(click thumbnails to see bigger image)