The Electric Circus on Market Street is a venue that station-goers have no doubt passed many a time over the years, but have probably given very little thought to. I myself confess to being guilty of this particular crime, having raced past the shuttered shop front countless times as I desperately strove to catch my train. Last month however, this venue paid witness to a new coming in British music, as it was rocked to its very foundations by a phenomenal Edinburgh-based band named ‘Tremors’. Having been amongst the privileged few who bore witness to this rapture of indie rock, I can honestly say that this band is destined for great things.
The evening began tranquilly enough, as small knots of people made their way into the modest-sized main performance area of the Electric Circus. As these followers of the underground scene arrived, they were greeted by friendly and welcoming staff members, who were on hand throughout the night with cordial smiles and affordable drinks. The atmosphere was incredibly laid-back, partly due to the great staff and partly due to the relaxing décor, which included images of what appeared to be fried bacon on the wall.
By the time the supporting band, a trio called The Shakedown Project, had clambered onto the small stage that stood next to the bar, a crowd of around 30 people had gathered. The band proved to be aptly named, as their set consisted of a number of songs that had the audience jigging to-and-fro in no time. The four members of Tremors mingled with the hoi polloi throughout the set, getting into the thick of the jiving and generally being very supportive of their fellow musicians, a trait that can but be admired.
Just as The Shakedown Project finished up, the venue was flooded with gig-goers, resulting in a packed room for the main event of the night. Frontman Luke Dinsdale bantered with the assembly as his colleagues prepared their equipment, thanking everyone for coming and reassuring them that his band would not disappoint. If nothing else, one can at least be sure that Dinsdale is an honest man.
The first few tracks played by the band reminded one of some of the better-known songs by the Fratellis, though considerably less frantic and more instrumentally-focused. Lyrically, these initial songs were witty and tongue-in-cheek, a refreshing change from the voice-straining I’m-so-in-love-with-you lyrics that are so prevalent in current popular music. After two or three tracks the band had clearly warmed up thoroughly, as this was the point when their own unique take on music hurtled forth like a chest-bursting alien. The song British Life was especially memorable, with its relentlessly upbeat rhythm and lyrics lauding the quainter aspects of living in our green and pleasant land. In addition to this, two songs (named Bluebird and I Don’t Think) featuring bassist Aonghas Maxwell converting to a mandolin were particularly crowd-pleasing, no doubt due to the harmonious combination of Maxwell’s joy-inducing chords and bittersweet vocals. Equally multi-talented was band-mate David Callander, who was able to provide accompaniment on both guitar and synth, whilst drummer Michael Dodsworth’s infallible rhythm kept the crowd dancing the night away.
By the time the four gentlemen of Tremors had played their final note, the audience were positively drowning them with plaudits, clamouring towards the edge of the stage to high-five the band members and screaming “one more tune!” Regrettably, the band were not permitted to continue, but were quick to raise spirits once more by handing out signed merchandise. It is surely an indicator of the impression left by the foursome that, even once all the memorabilia had been snapped up, not one member of the assembly left without first thanking each and every band member for his contribution that night. From this, as well as from the quality of the music that they produced, I can only conclude that Tremors are well on the way to becoming the next ‘Big Thing’ in music.
Helpful and well written review.