Fields, Zodiac, Oxford | livemusic.fm

Fields, Little Fish at O2 Academy Oxford Review

Fields, Zodiac, Oxford

0/5
Bands: Little Fish, Fields
Venue: O2 Academy Oxford
Gig: Fields @ The Zodiac, Oxford
Gig date: 23rd April 2007
Posted on 5th June 2007 by bigcheese

Tonight's two opening bands were local dynamic rocky duo Little Fish and the evocative folk-rock of Hush For The Many, both provide excellent support entertainment. Highlights include the former's 'Cafe Coco' (about the one and same cafe on Cowley Road, sung partially in Spanish) and the latter's dramatic, sinisterly beautiful 'The Knife', as well as 'Revolve', which happens to be a Fields favourite. Fields' opening two numbers, including single 'If You Fail, We All Fail' really blow the day-at-the-office cobwebs away: five musicians making loud hooky electro pop music with such crispness and bite the room reverberates joyously. Then things feel rather lost, and admittedly more in an irascibly bored way than transcendentally. With lyrics disappearing somewhere in the space between us and them, the singers seeming reluctant to match the epic snare-heavy drums, the aggressive root-note bass playing and the every-note-counts lead guitar, the experience was overwhelming thanks to the furious pace and gargantuan wall of sound. When 'Schoolbooks' arrives in the 45 minute set, with its long acoustic and voice build up, there is suddenly space for the audience to relax a little, wonder and even keenly anticipate the song's blooming into a full band epic. For the first time, the band didn't feel like individuals playing at different intensity levels; the vocals matched the pummelling drums; the guitar soared as the bass was anchored. 'Song For The Fields' follows on perfectly and gloriously, and the three-quarters full downstairs Zodiac crowd exit to embrace, or rue, a cool, dry spring Monday night on Cowley Road. Despite no encore and the eleven o'clock curfew immediately following, there is a tangible feeling in the air of time and money well spent, if not youthful elation and invincibility. Jon Parry

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