JAWS
Piazza Vari, Benevento, Italy
April 20 2013
Words: Maya Fiorillo
Last Saturday (April 20) something really weird and unusual happened: a small town placed in the south of Italy, hosted one of the most promising bands curerntly being talked about on the English music scene. Who are we talking here? We’re talking JAWS.
In case you didn't lnow, JAWS are made up of four young twentysomethings (though one we hear is still only 17) from Birmingham in the West Midlands, and who are touring the world for the first time. They haven’t even released their debut album, yet they have a bunch of songs that really catch the ears abd why they have caught the attention of - certainly the UK's - notable tastemakers.
Today, however, we’re in a square in the middle of the old town centre of Benevento (Campania) - and the band, far from being the self-assured bunch of 'lads' that we have heard so much about, look confused and somewhat ill at ease, like they are wondering if this city is really ready for this kind of music? No-one is really pauing them much attention, but with true British determination, they start to play anyway.
The first track out of the bag is 'Breeze': nobody moves, everything remains calm, but when 'Donut' chords start playing out across the square, things start to look up. Vocalist/guitarist Connor says “grazie” (Italian for 'thank you') and people seem to start warming to it, well they move in a little closer to the stage area anyway, if that's anuything to go by. 'Friend Like You' follows, and by the fifth song, JAWS have completely conquered the crowd. While Jacoby (bass) smiles at some fan singing along at the front (which could possibly have been me!), Connor keeps his focus downwards, his shoes appearing either of sudden great interest - or that he’s afraid to look upwards to what is happening in front of him.
JAWS’ sound is still a bit rough and Connor’s voice sometimes is a little too out of tune to be either edgy or cool, but that could also be because of the usual vagaries artists are open to when playing open-air gigs. They sounds great anyway, and they give a show that doesn't do them any discredit.
'Toucan Surf' and 'Surround You' close the set. With which it has to be said that this small Italian town is now in love with these English boys. From the nonchalant disinterest at the start, by the time they are heading off stage, everyone is ringing out their appreciation and applause settles over the stage like a warming cloud. Despite calls for an encore, it doesn’t come. But before they get rid of their instruments, the boys find themselves surrounded by people asking for the inevitable phone photo shot and autograph.
For their first visit here, three words: well done JAWS.
No comments:
Post a Comment