Artrocker Annual Festival 2009

The Vibe Bar, East London, 14 January

United Kingdom | by Shelley Jones | 16 January 2009

Hip indie glossy Artrocker swaps pages for stages as its Annual Festival takes over London's East End for another four days. But was it a page-turner or a toilet read?

As Official Secrets Act's frontman Tom Charge Burke climbs to the top of a speaker-stack losing his guitar lead and tearing down the mic stand, the band's dandy, foppish image doesn't seem to do them justice.

The four-piece are headlining a triple bill at tonight's festival show which features fellow Londoners Micron63 and Barringtone. The stony space of Vibe Bar is quiet at first, but spirits are flying high with sponsors Buffalo Trace Bourbon offering a selection of free cocktails.

Micron63 have a high-brow, high-art, experimental image that is slightly alienating. Their bee-hived bassist thumps her guitar like it's a drum creating low, crashing distortion while front man Russell sings as stiff as a board and keyboardist Matt writhes on the floor with his synth. They describe themselves as industrial, post-punk and concrete, which may explain the brashness of their song titles, 'Death is Colder than Love' just one bleak example.

As Barringtone walk on stage the sparse audience has padded out. The band are a far cry from Micron63, looking like a crew of dysfunctional uncles, but they play with such infectious energy that people start looking up and leaving their chairs. Their pop songs may be a bit 70s throwback but its their catchy and retro melodic hooks that get a pleasant if forgettable reaction.

Official Secrets Act are out to prove they can have both style and substance. They swan on stage in front of a now robust audience in heels, frilly shirts and Adam Ant face-painted stripes. It's all a bit metrosexual which seems to jar well with the slack-jawed arrogance of lead singer, Tom. There's no messing around, however, as they lunge straight into a new song with bassist Lawrence Diamond - you couldn't make up better name for him - sways, ducks and stretches through synchronised moves that make him look so 1700s, that you want to give him a wig and beauty spot.

Their showmanship is powerful. The crowd is mesmerised by every twist, turn and flamboyant gesture that flutters from the stage and as they launch into debut single 'So Tomorrow' a sea of entranced faces are singing along with them.

It's during 'The Girl from the BBC' that the band starts to cause anarchy. The track is anthemic with the striking bridge "And when summer comes we'll go to Paris and Rome..." which is shouted a capella before the infectious chorus "I love her, she loves me." It is the type of song you can imagine the crowd roaring along to at Glastonbury's Other Stage and is characteristic of their faultless pop-song making skills.

As Tom climbs up the speaker-stack and his mic stand crashes to the floor his passionate eyes survey the crowd. Their foppish image is made credible by the fact they are rocking out like skinheads. Artists should only mix things up when they have mastered the original and Official Secrets Act are earning their eccentric look by making perfectly crafted tracks and conquering raw performances.

They soar through several more songs including the slower-paced and less shiny 'Victoria', showcasing a slightly more reflective side to the band's song writing.

The Artrocker Annual Festival, like it magazine, prides itself on hosting and breaking new exciting bands and this latest edition of the event is far more than a toilet read.