The Larkins: Albert Hall, Manchester

Reviewed March 2^nd

Reviewer:

The Rise of the Larkins has been nothing short of extraordinary, as lead singer Josh Noble states midway through tonight’s set. On the way to their gig tonight they passed both The Castle and The Soup Kitchen on route to Albert Hall, which is the band’s biggest headline show to date and it has to be said, it’s well earned.

The four local lads from Glossop, Noble (vocals and guitar) Dom Want (guitar and vocals) Henry Beach( bass and vocals) and Joe Scott (drums and vocals) arrive on stage to a hero’s welcome and work their way through a high octane set that includes the recently rebooted single Something Beautiful, and crowd favourites Velvet and Hit & Run.

There are two things that instantly strike you about tonight’s gig: first and foremost the lack of edge to the band. That may come as a back handed compliment, but it’s meant with full sincerity, their friendly, easy-going nature fits perfectly with their inoffensive indie/ pop tracks. This is bright, breezy guitar music with a hefty dose of funk.

The second was the crowd. I’ve never seen such a young audience at an indie/rock concert; at times it felt like a Smash Hits show (one for the younger readers out there) with all the hysterical, screaming and cheering going on. The band are clearly cultivating a young, loyal fan-base and they are on the rise, evident in the larger capacity venues the band are playing.

Whilst offering nothing particularly ground breaking, The Larkins put on an enjoyable gig that will go down well at their numerous summer festival shows. They are clearly talented musicians and a nice bunch of lads who are loving playing live, whilst still remaining humble, as demonstrated by Noble’s constant thanks throughout the night.

This is a talented young band flying the flag for the Manchester music scene and whilst I won’t be holding my breath for any Joy Division or Morrissey covers any time soon, I do think they’re going to do just fine.