Britain’s New Breed

The night was kicked off by LULS who did a great job at gathering everyone around the stage. Firing on all cylinders, they sang “Swing Low” – a dark, demented pop melody that echoed across the walls of the venue. A short but sweet set which left me aching to hearing more from this tight young band.

They were followed by Splashh who summoned the spirits of 90s grunge whilst keeping up their lazybones appearance with “Vacation”. ‘Gritty and low-fi’ is how one could describe them. They did not disappoint.

This was then followed by Birmingham’s own Swim Deep. The songs were well recognized by the crowd, as exemplified by the premature mutterings of approval as the band started playing their acclaimed single – “King City”. Swim Deep seem to have a decent arsenal of catchy tunes that work their way through. “Honey”, in my opinion, is a recent and yummy addition to this stockpile.

After a long wait, Spector made their appearance; all but the lead singer... Where was Macpherson? He was being an obnoxious scoundrel, of course; and we all loved him for it. As the rest of the band launched into the first song, “Twenty Nothing”, the crowd squirmed in anticipation until Macpherson finally strutted on to the stage in his blinding white suit with all the combined arrogance and charm he could muster - “I lost track of time, remind me how it started…” The band moved on to awesome renditions of “Lay Low,” and “Friday Night”. “What You Wanted” was another shimmering standout with the crowd singing along with the handsomely voiced vocalist.

You have to hand it to Macpherson for being such a fantastic entertainer; he engaged the crowd with his usual tricks as he continuously frolicked about the stage, and the one time he did stop to catch a breather, he handed the microphone to an audience member…

All of this was then proceeded with an absolutely lip-smacking version of their well-known “Celestine” to which the venue erupted. Another thumping hit was “Chevy Thunder”, and we didn’t have to wait long for Spector to finish us off with one final thrust – “Never Fade Away”.

Spector were a spectacle; a glowing example of MacPherson’s dedication to succeed. His annoying yet captivating personality enthralled the sold out crowd at Shepard’s Bush. They upturned the entire contents of their album Enjoy It While It Lasts and the crowd absolutely loved the old-school style indie gems they were treated to.

Towards the end of the set, MacPherson took the time show his gratitude to the fans. “This is what sold-out looks like,” he smiled as he whipped out his camera and took a shot of the packed venue. Even after not having followed the tour, you could tell that the band had all the vibes of a triumphant warrior at the end of an epic battle. Taking into account the successful tour they’ve had, one wonders where Macpherson will lead Spector next.