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Venue: Night and Day Cafe, Manchester
Genre: Indie rock
Rating: 8/10
80's alternative gets a sunny revamp in the form of this Northern quintet.
On Saturday evening, whilst struggling through referencing a 2000 word essay on very little sleep and even less motivation, I received a Facebook message from one of my friends saying that she had a spare ticket going for a gig and would I fancy joining her? Naturally the answer was yes. I'm always a sucker for live music and when it's this good it's really worth getting out of your evening Netflix routine for.
"Frankie and The Heartstrings" are a five piece indie rock group hailing from Sunderland. Their music, with it's punchy guitar riffs and melodic harmonies is a cross between classic 80s indie and and the clean cut fresh faced pop of the 60s, with as much energy as a double vodka and red bull. If you're one of those people who doesn't like to move their body at all at concerts, then please exit on the left now.
Although their gig at Manchester's hip Northern Quarter Venue, "The Night and Day Cafe", was a relatively small affair, there is nothing small minded about this band. With their gorgeous northern accents and cheery banter, the band soon had the audience eating out of the palm of their hand, and that was before they even started their set. Their mix of sunshiney indie rock and friendly chat with the audience was the perfect remedy for a Monday evening, with the beats so infectious that it was hard not to dance like a loon. Or a least tap your foot in time. Their set was as professional and slick as concerts I've seen in huge arenas, with lead singer Frankie Francis performing with more passion and vigour than some of Rock's biggest front men. *coughs* Alex Turner at Reading 2015. There is nothing egotistical about this band, no aura of superiority or creative snobbery, just a clear love of music and wanting to entertain a crowd, which in a day and age where the blandest music from the biggest egos dominates the charts, is refreshing to see.
Regarding the venue, "The Night and Day Cafe" was perfect for this group in terms of atmosphere and set up, though arguably they deserve to be playing much bigger shows. A mix between a dive bar, a gig venue and a trendy cafe, this is the perfect place to sit (or stand) and listen to good music, whether your poison be coffee or beer. The place is trendy and edgy but not pretentious, making it a mecca for young hipsters, which perfectly suited last night's gig, as the band themselves look like they've all just walked out the Samuel Alexander building at The University of Manchester.
Backed up by strong performances from both support acts "Dear leaders" and "Affairs", the evening was a strong showcase of what Britain's indie scene has to offer. Hoping to see them on the NME stage at Reading festival very soon. And if not, why not!
