THIRTEEN SENSES + LUKE TOMS

Scala, 26 March 2007

There are a few essential rules a girl needs for survival: look both ways before crossing the road, always use protection, and never ever trust a man with a moustache. Especially not a man with a moustache and eyes that scream “I’m deranged”. With that in mind, I watched Luke Toms’ set with a sense of apprehension. I couldn’t shake the feeling that his bouncy blues and heartfelt love songs were all just a ruse to lull us into a false sense of security before doing something inherently evil. But whatever my insecurities, Mr Toms and his band definitely pleased the crowd, with songs ranging from happy making, Mika-esque Hold This Thought, the first pop song I can remember containing the phrase ‘Holy cow’, to the darker, more introspective Hangover Blues. Luke definitely won himself some new fans tonight.

Tonight’s gig was advertised as “Thirteen Senses promote their forthcoming album”, and that’s undoubtedly the best way to describe their set, with more songs played from the as-yet-unreleased Contact than anything else. As a casual observer, this didn’t bother me at all, but it left a bitter taste in the mouth of many loyal fans, who have grown remarkably attached to debut album The Invitation in the years since it’s release. Except for one man – rewarded for his jumping efforts with a copy of the new album a week before anyone else can get their hands on it – fans found it hard to feel involved with the completely unknown new tracks. Never have I seen a band so desperate to plug their album, which will work against Thirteen Senses. Their insistence on shoving the album into our faces and urging us to buy it at every opportunity actually turned off many fans who were previously looking forward to buying Contact.

Despite this, tonight’s set wasn’t short of attractions. A criticism frequently levelled at Thirteen Senses, often without any really consideration, is that they’re ‘bland’. Yes, they may be mellower than your average band, but their beautiful songs, hypnotising and powerful live, pack a strong emotional punch. Without my judgement clouded by obsession with The Invitation, I can assure you that the new album is very impressive, especially the epic Under The Sun. In fact, if there weren’t any die-hard fans around to hit me, I’d say this album’s better. Thirteen Senses have rocked up a bit, and it suits them. However, the obvious highlights of the set were still their biggest singles. During Thru The Glass, with the impressive light show going, gorgeous and multitalented frontman Will South thrashing around and the crowd chanting along, the atmosphere was unbeatable. If only Thirteen Senses had played more of their classics, fans would have left enchanted rather than disappointed.