EMMY THE GREAT/ GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY @ KOKO 15/02/08

EMMY THE GREAT

First things first, I must get a huge gripe off of my chest. One thing that I hate is when people talk loud enough to drown out bands playing, especially when bands play the kind of soft, emotional and emphatically melancholic acoustic music that Emmy The Great plays. These people that jabber on throughout should fuck off to the bar and talk there, not stand at front-centre and chat the whole way through the set, laughing through songs about abortions and car crashes. It made me want to smash their skulls across the barrier as she played, to manipulate one of Emmy's lyrics.

Emmy, as a whole, failed to take my attention from the three bacteria next to me. Her songs didn't suit the size of the venue and few people had bothered to arrive early enough to see her, despite her being the main support. The sound was also far too quiet. The fact that I could hear these people next to me was bad enough, but that Emmy seemed to be able to hear them too implies that the sound was way too low. The band didn't really seem comfortable with the songs either which meant that the best moments came when it was just Emmy and her guitar.

I think that Emmy, unlike Sam Duckworth, will always suit the smaller, more intimate venues. Perhaps she will grow to become one of those artists that play Bush Hall or the Scala and charge £25 a ticket rather than play venues like Koko, but currently this tour and her impending visit to SXSW are both aimed at getting her the exposure that she deserves. My only problem is that, after this performance, she doesn't seem ready. There was no sheen on the set and not only was I left wishing that she'd performed Hypnotist's Daughter but that her set had been a little more rehearsed and a lot more confident.

http://www.myspace.com/emmythegreat

GET CAPE. WEAR CAPE. FLY.

I have never seen Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly in a big venue before. My last time seeing him was in a friend's living room and the time before that was at the Brixton Windmill in 2006 only a month or so after he had been signed. I had wanted to see him in a proper venue for a while though, to see someone who I had seen a few times when still travelling on the National Express all over the country and with just a guitar and a laptop for accompaniment, on a big stage, the kind of stage that I'd seen big acts in my past. I missed the Astoria and Forum shows and so was determined to see this one.

As soon as Sam took to the stage it was amazing. Instead of the jeans and t-shirt of old, he and his band - the last time I saw him he had no bassist and there was just one person in the brass section - were all donning suits, and then Sam picked up an electric guitar and I thought that this was his Bob Dylan moment. He thrashed his way through a new song and I didn't really enjoy it. The charm of the guy with the acoustic guitar had been lost, now he was a normal band and Get Cape sound normal in that field. The older songs still sound brilliant though and the crowd really get behind them. Towards the end I find that I'm moving further towards the back due to the amount of people pogoing and showing complete disregard for others as they show their passion for the music, and, despite the personal inconvenience, I am overcome with pride for Sam and what he has achieved. The final song of the set was a further step away from the original Get Cape sound, as they attempt an epic end to the set with some almost post-rock sound pouring from the speakers.

I'm not currently very convinced by what I've heard of the new album and this gig did nothing to build some anticipation within me, but it was nice to see a guy who has succeeded in his goals and is enjoying the life that these achievements allow him. However, on this occasion, I'm left longing for a shorter set and a little something to keep my attention.

http://www.myspace.com/getcapewearcapefly