Live Review
Public Access T.V.
The Finsbury, London
June 19 2015
Words/Photos: Linn Branson
There are two things that you soon notice about Public Access T.V. live ...or maybe three: frontman and guitarist John Eatherly turns up some nifty footwork; when he shakes his mop of hair from side to side it's almost like Paul McCartney in his early Beatles heyday all over (minus the female screams); PATV are far more invigorating in the flesh than they may come over on record.
As Little Indie previously reported here, the New York garage pop-punk four-piece are here in London on a short holi-stay until July, fitting in live shows and parties around our English summer. It's not their maiden visit, having cracked that early last year when they played The Great Escape and a subsequent support tour with Circa Waves - and judging by the reception they receive tonight at The Finsbury, it won't be their last.
Fresh from playing Hyde Park with The Strokes (with whom they have drawn continual comparison) and preceding this week's Heaven date with Fidlar (and another headliner of their own at the Old Blue Last on Wednesday), they bring their ebullient party to north London, where, by the time their set ends at approaching midnight, the crowd are a dancing mob in front of the stage. It's Brooklyn punk time, right enough.
In London we're used to having these young American dudes come over here and totally take over and trash everyone else within their domain (Parquet Courts and The Orwells being two names that spring immediately to mind): Public Access T.V. look set in the same mould. And let's not forget that this is the band who drew in a plethora of biz celebs (Lindsay Lohan, Alexa Chung amongst them) to their very first live NYC hometown gig in January last year.
With a barrel-load of shenanigans and anecdotes behind them (read some of hipster, shades-wearing guitarist Xan Aird's quotes, pre-PATV; the tales of Eatherly's over-partying last time they were in the UK; or Max Peebles' alleged accident with his male appendage), the four - Eatherly, former drummer with Be Your Own Pet, touring musician /session player with the likes of Eleanor Friedberger, Smith Westerns, Chairlift, and prior to PATV was with The Virgins; Aird, also a former Virgins member; drummer Pete Star, and Peebles on bass - raise a sizeable enough crowd tonight that you know they can't all be here just for a free gig, or wandered in unsuspecting off the street.
Hell, no. This mix of ages, the hip and the not-so, even seem to be singing along and in command of the lyrics as much as Eatherly himself. Oddly, the set includes only one track - 'Metropolis' - from their new 'Public Access' EP, released just a few days before (via Terrible Records). The band in fact give me a setlist later to confirm this anomaly. Not only that, but of the ten songs they say they performed, either this reviewer was having way too much of a good time (indeed; highly possible) and they all flew by in one all-encompassing good-time spree, but I only counted six - with the glorious 'All We Want' being one notable omission.
Inspired by 70s punk and 90s Britpop, they kick off with the punchy beat dynamic groove and blistering riffs of 'Middle Child' (from their debut 'Rebounder' EP of last year), and when you hear the chorus chant of "Do you believe in rock and roll?", it's hard not to accede and fall into the spirit. 'Monaco' is PATV's most Strokes-like, fleshed out with hooks, while 'Rebounder' takes it down to the nitty gritty in indie pop: "She really wants a boy/who wants to fuck a girl/and make things right" and 'In The Mirror' is another that harnesses an infectious pop melody.
The aforementioned Friedberger was right on the money when she stated that Eatherly, "possesses that embarrassing-to-admit and hard-to-define quality known as 'star power'. He has the best stage presence of anyone I’ve ever played with.” Aside from the skips and hops he performs adroitly throughout, his grins and cheerfulness make a welcome respite from the oft seen mean-and-moody demeanor of many bands. At times the stage looks way too small and there are moments during closer 'Running' when you wonder if he is going to topple head-first into the front row, or crash right into the amp to his right. Thankfully, his agility keeps him upright. But, sadly, this is the end of the show for Public Access T.V. tonight at least.
Looking for a good night, baby? Get to see these guys before they head home to the Big Apple. Check their Twitter and Facebook for updates of new gigs that may be added over the next weeks.
Setlist:
Middle Child
Summertime
In Love And Alone
Monaco
Location
In The Mirror
Ready To Die
Metropolis
Rebounder
Running
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