Being quite a big fan of Nada Surf, but a much bigger one of Rogue Wave I was very excited by this double-header but surprised that it was the former at the top of the bill. Still, it was my first gig of the year and my first at the Club Academy in Manchester.

 

After asking a young man in the hall where the gig was and being told “in the basement”, Mrs Dusty insisted that the basement must be upstairs for some reason. Once I had pointed out her folly and dragged her downstairs (where let’s face it most basements are actually located) we got in just as Rogue Wave were walking on stage. They started with ‘Like I needed’ - which is the new single from ‘Asleep at Heaven’s Gate’ and it was a great start.

 

They went on to play a belting but very short set, the highlights of which were ‘Chicago x12’ (which Matthew Caws of Nada Surf popped up to add guest vocals on) and a marvellous rendition of ‘Lake Michigan’ which started with the whole band hammering on various drums.

 

Sadly though, they only played for 40 minutes. Short but very sweet. I hope that the album ‘Asleep at Heaven’s Gate’ does well over here because I’d love to see them again and I thought straight away they’d be much better at a bigger venue.

 

A basement however was the perfect setting for Nada Surf who really tore it up and gave it their all. I was surprised, I thought they’d be more poppy and laid back, like they are on record but Caws really goes for it. If Rogue Wave’s set was too short however, the ‘Surf went on a bit too long. But that is a minor criticism, after all if it was a band I knew better, I’d have been delighted.

 

As well as being surprised at their big sound I was also pleasantly surprised to see how many young fans they had. There were a few old heads like me but mostly it was students, who were really into it. To be fair to Nada Surf they put on a great show, playing new stuff, old stuff, the obligatory Manchester-related encore song (‘Love will tear us apart’), had us all dancing a side to side two-step and had all the kids on stage rocking out to ‘Blankest Year’ at the very end. I was just disappointed they didn’t play ‘Concrete Bed’.

 

 

Overall, a 7/10 gig and very good start to my gig season.