Great new Manchester band The Delaplains release new single with hint of 1988 Stone Roses- Louder Than War
A short time later I got a tweet from my mate Liam asking if i was around tonight to go and see The Delaplains at the Buff Club in Glasgow as he thought they would be right up my street.
I checked them out online and liked what I heard; chiming guitar pop with strong melodies and and a bit of swagger.
As I was in town anyway (see previous blog) I decided to meet up with Liam and go and check The Delaplains out.
I hadn't been to the Buff Club for about 4 or 5 years. It had changed. The bar downstairs had the weirdest Friday night atmosphere I have experienced in Glasgow - it was absolutely dead; showing an old Real Madrid v Valencia match on a big screen with the sound down and with a pub quiz on with only 3 teams!
Liam was on his way so I went upstairs where the weirdness continued. The Buff Club has a balcony around the dance floor, another level. For some reason this is where the bands were set up, so you had to watch from down below and crane your neck to see them.
A band came on called something like Shark Attack and said something like 'Most people hate cover bands but I hope you like us'. I went downstairs to watch Real Madrid wondering what on earth The Delaplains would think of the set up. They had originally been scheduled to play Bloc.
Liam arrived and after a beer we headed up.
The Delaplains looked good with sharp shirts and haircuts, the bassist was playing left handed, looking like a young Gary Mountfield. They started with 3 guitarists, ensuring some gorgeous riffs and rhythm's before one of them went on to keyboards.
I found The Delaplains to sound more like The Smiths and The La's than the Roses, with a couple of tunes even sounding a little like the Bunnymen. They certainly like their reverb.
'Sleeping With The Lights On' was a standout, pounding drums, raw guitar and a crooning northern romantic vocal.
All my blue skies, floating away from me, when I'm looking for you
'Eleanor' was full of potential, with Phidel McCabe stretching the vocal melodies. The band had the confidence to play an instrumental and to introduce songs from their second EP that has just been released; 'The Other You' is a cracker, there is a bit of urgency about it.
'Gypsy Bones' closed an excellent show. It was notable that a crowd of Mancs (male and female) had come up to see them and the fact that they were all going on to the Sixties psych night Double Sight tells you a little about their influences and will help them to gain new friends in Glasgow, so I expect we'll see them again soon.
