Klaxons
Southampton Joiner’s Arms
30th January, 2007

This was something of a homecoming for the Klaxons, as profusely sweating frontman Jamie Reynolds (victim of friendly “you fat bastard” taunts from the glowstick brandishing masses) grew up hereabouts. His prior band, Thermal, supported the likes of Heavy Stereo and Mansun in this very venue. The Klaxons’ ‘new rave’ tag is simply daft. Just because their audience jumps up and down a lot and hurls luminous objects at them, it doesn’t mean they’re remotely like Happy Mondays or any dance acts. This is nothing more or less than a top quality, hugely entertaining pop group. With every cleverly catchy tune knowingly disintegrating into controlled feedback, plus a spectacularly well-managed stage invasion, this is an accessible band of the people, with the good taste to name-check both The Silver Apples and Fugazi. Almost every song on Myths Of The Near Future has an irresistible falsetto singalong chorus, making the Klaxons a thundering and highly original live entertainment.