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*The Ting Tings - Well yes Ladies and Gentlemen. Your faithful R*E*P*E*A*T reviewer has finally gone global. Well, that is to say that I am in New York for a week and noticed that those seemingly ever present Ting Tings are playing here (they are stalking me, I am sure) so I thought, what the hell. See, I never forget where I'm from. Didn't Gary Barlow say something like that once? The Bowery Ballroom is located at the very arse end of Manhattan. From the outside it looks like every other two bit shithole indie / punk club around but once you are inside it is like stepping into the TARDIS. And the lovely people here have even had the decency to install air conditioning thank God. It's a really nice place. Kind of like an old theatre but with bars. Jolly Good. In a way, The Ting Tings are very much a New York Band. Well, as much as a band from Manchester can be. New York has a bit of a history of dancey disco type bands (Blondie, Scissor Sisters etc) so it is fitting that when the Ting Tings arrive onstage they are greeted by the sold out crowd as if they are returning homecoming heroes. The stage is decked out with simply the drum kit, a mic stand, a small keyboard and, as a centrepiece, the gigantic "Ting Tings" bass drum from the videos.
Opening with slow burner "We Walk", it is clear that these two have New York in the palm of their hands. You can tell by the looks on their faces that they still can't quite believe that only two years ago this band didn't even exist and how, in the last few months, they have suddenly become indie pop stars proper. Number one albums and singles? Jesus, who do they think they are? Girls Aloud? Leona Lewis? Predictably the biggest cheers go up for "Great DJ", "Shut Up and Let me Go" (after being used in heavy rotation on an I-Pod advert) and closer of the main set "That's Not My Name". As an encore we get an extended romp through album title track "We Started Nothing" before setting off on the perilous and potentially life threatening subway trip back to the hostel. It's really refreshing to be able to go and see a band and enjoy a
good old dance. I can't by any stretch of the imagination see much longevity
to them unfortunately but right now, for this summer at least, The Ting
Tings are the most shit hot fun live band around. I am greatly looking
forward to Shut Up and Let Me Go, Hey! Richard Bull Watch a short video taken at the gig here
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