Live Review Dinosaur Pile Up and Wonderswan

Leeds' grunge influenced rockers play a secret gig at Oporto

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Live Review: Dinosaur Pile Up and Wonderswan

Leeds nearlymen Wonderswan are on form tonight, with a friendly crowd nodding along to their hook-laden grunge pop. With singer Mike Watts’ slack-jawed vocals and shuffling drums on ‘Maple Syrup’ they combine the slacker rock of Weezer with insolent smashing drums and fuzz laden guitars.

Standing below, bass player Sam Shipstone jerks around like electric shocks are being applied to his nether regions. The energy in the crowd builds, exploding out with the blistering squall of ‘Super Star Destroyer’. How this band remain stoically unsigned is a mystery.

About to embark on their first round of touring in two years Dinosaur Pile Up‘s ‘secret gig’ is marked with friendly rounds of backslapping at this local homecoming. Administering a hefty shot of adrenaline with the chugging guitars of ‘Opposites Attract’ heads are already bobbing. New song ‘Birds and Planes’ is greeted with whoops and hollers – already a Zane Lowe favourite it’s like hitching a Delorean ride back to the 90s.

Their love of grunge is obvious and this hyperactive swoosh of energy bursts out like early Foo Fighters pumped on rocket fuel. Something of a practice run for the band the unplanned feel allows for easy banter with the crowd. As a final flourish the balls out, hair swirling rock of ‘Traynor’ pulls like the clarion call of summer festival fields. Get the beers in and get ready to rock out, Dinosaur Pile Up are back with a bang.

Wonderswan and Dinosaur Pile Up played Oporto and 23 June

Posted on Thursday 1st July 2010
Kate Parkin

Oporto

31-33 Call Lane, Leeds, LS1 7BT

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