ARTIST: The All New Adventures Of Us.
VENUE: Royal Park Cellars, Leeds
REVIEW BY: Tom Bailey.
FOR all the numerous venues Leeds has, you can’t get anymore basic than the Royal Park Cellars. Literally the cellar of the Royal Park pub.
On the positive side despite it’s humble appearance, the tiny room would at least guarantee an intimate show, as by the time opening act Marie-Flore graced the stage there were no more than a dozen people present.
Thankfully, Flore produced a simply wonderfully set. The Parisian’s singer’s blend of gentle arpeggios and alternative folk worked perfectly, proving to be quite touching.
Maybe I’m a sucker for Flore’s French accent, but you can’t overlook her genuine talent. Fellow French trio Le Prince Miiaou followed, with what felt like a bloated 45-minute set.
That’s not to say it wasn’t good; in contrast to Flore’s simplicity, Miiaou were innovatively complex, looping and sampling numerous guitar, cello and vocal parts to create a sound most bands can only dream of achieving in the studio.
However, given that half of the band’s songs were in their native tongue, it did make them a little inaccessible.
They were entertaining regardless, with an impressive display of musicianship, as well as their wonderfully layered and sexually charged sound.
As the night’s headliners took the stage, there was a real danger of them being upstaged, whether by Flore’s delicate melodies or by Miaaou’s technical wizardry.
Within a few minutes any doubts had be silenced. They may not have made it big just yet but The All New Adventures Of Us, or TANAOU as they’re often abbreviated to, clearly have huge potential.
Of course, having seven members always helps create possibilities for adding texture, as was evident here.
TANAOU not only have the standard vocals, guitar, bass and drums but also experiment with saxophones, synthesisers and even the odd handclap here and there. It’s this texture, performed as effectively live as on record that really brings the band to life, most notably on the choruses of Firetruck Doki Doki and The Art of High Five, both swelling up before gloriously exploding.
In addition they are such an uplifting band to watch; their upbeat melodies work well, juxtaposed perfectly with their more sombre lyrics, making them enjoyable whether you want to hang off every line or just have a good dance.
If there’s one criticism it’s that their set seems to reach its end far too soon, perhaps due to the 11pm curfew. That aside, I cannot wait to hear more from this band, after tonight there is no question that TANAOU are destined for much bigger things.
