The Monochrome Set

Often overlooked in British music history, the three core members: frontman Bid and early Ants – bassist Andy Warren and the punktastically-named guitarist Lester Square, proved their continued relevance with a storming set that mixed post-punk classics with selections from self-released new album ‘Platinum Coils’. After a violin-enhanced ‘Alphaville’ the band Bid described as “Charles Hawtrey sings The Velvet Underground” played a trio of new songs – all with trademark catchy hooks and knowingly witty lyrics. ‘Cowboy Country’ and ‘Goodbye Joe’ sounded as fresh as they did 30 years ago and ‘Jacobs Ladder’ was the indie anthem of the night.

Green Door Store, 12 April 2012
Rating:
Steve Clements