Northern Rock ... | livemusic.fm

Unlike the tabloid furore surrounding current governmental financial mismanagement, the Jones's brand of northern rock is something to get excited about. Despite the acoustic short-comings of Turnmills as a live music venue, the mid-week London audience was treated to a display of impassioned, potent and gutsy, classic rock. The line up at Turnmills had included the Buddha Pests, who'd opened with a set of jangly country-indie rock, and Sub-Pop Sunday, a standard indie-pop outfit that raised themselves above mediocre with some inventive inclusions of Samba and Brazilian drumming-rhythms. The Jones however set the standard of what the other bands should aim for, with an assured performance of cleverly constructed anthemic rock. Kris Jones, front-man of the eponymous Jones, has all the qualities you need to front a rock band. Tall, charismatic, engaging, with a good vocal range and a cheeky rogue-ish charm that he uses to good effect between numbers. Unlike the rest of the band, who hail from their native Leeds, Kris Jones is a Welshmen ... and as such has a good deal of the rock-star qualities you'd associate with either Kelly Jones or James Bradfield. The rest of the band fill their roles with a great deal of verve and vigour and are all accomplished musicians in their own right. Kev Jones weaves rock harmonies and melodies around Adam Jones more spiky, grungy guitar riffs; while Jono Jones on his 5-string bass, and Mike Jones on drums, keep things as tight as a vice. Stand out songs such as Shotgun and Wide Awake really throw down the glove to the London Rock scene, and mark the Jones' ascent and coming of age, from adolescent nascent indie rockers, to a fully mature classic rock outfit. As I'd pointed out the last time I reviewed a gig at Turnmills, the sound isn't great. And the presence of a cameraman shooting some footage for an upcoming "rockumentary" meant that there were occasionally some distractions. However the Jones rose above these and thumped out some great numbers and a real performance: something that is sometimes lacking in these smaller venues. Following the Jones, in the "graveyard slot" the Last Details closed the evening with a good humoured set made up of rough-shod indy numbers reminiscent of the Walkmen or Kings of Leon. However, in my mind (and a few other punters) they were pulled out of the ordinary by a quite exceptional drummer who would have given Dave Grohl in his heyday a good run for his money! They showed an inventiveness, passion and appetite for song-writing and playing live that will hopefully propel them onwards and upwards... For my money though (which is luckily not anyway near any ailing northern financial institutions!) the high point of the gig had been the Jones brand of potent, emotionally-charged northern rock. Nice one lads ... I'll see you next time you venture to the South!