1,292 COACH PARTY, Bristol Rough Trade Records, Tuesday 12th September 2023

 

An uncharacteristic 7-week gigging hiatus finally ends, and we go pretty much straight away from famine to feast, as, kicking off a hectic Autumn Dance Card (16 gigs currently booked for the next 3 months, for starters…!) are Isle of Wight’s Finest, the buoyant and irrepressible indie-pop rush that is Coach Party! After honing their craft over the Summer with stadium gigs (yikes!) with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and veteran French New Wavers Indochine, they’d announced an Autumn tour in support of long-awaited debut album “Killjoy”, and I’d already secured tix for the early October Thekla date. However, they then scheduled a smattering of “instore” stripped-back gigs and signing sessions, including one for Bristol’s splendid Rough Trade. So, a couple of Coach Party trips in the space of a month? You bet’cha!

 Beef was up for it too and picked me up early doors for a catch-up during a swift trundle down the M4, hitting the venue just after 6 for some shopping (myself picking up a signed copy of Bunnyman Will Sergeant’s new book “Echoes”) and a quick drink in the back bar. CP vocalist Jess wandered through and stopped for a quick chat; apparently the Thekla gig is close to selling out – they’ll rock the “Dirty Boat”, no messin’! Eventually the back-room venue doors opened and we snagged a spot at the front next to Louise, the We Are Scientists fan with whom I’d had my set list kerfuffle at their recent Thekla gig (gig 1,265). Happily, all was forgiven, and some fun rock chat passed the time until Coach Party took the stage at 7.30. A drum-free stage set up with a bank of keyboards in situ instead, but otherwise no further concessions seemed to be made for the “stripped back” approach for this one (no big fat acoustic guitars in evidence, f’rinstance), so we were anticipating some “interesting” interpretations of what, on initial snatched youtube listens, appeared to be somewhat harder-edged new material from “Killjoy”. Let’s see…

 

“We’ve been looking forward to this one… Bristol is where we have the most fun!” exclaimed Jess by way of introduction, before a few complaints about an, erm, productive cold she’d been suffering with. However, said bug seemed in no way to affect her singing, as once again she demonstrated a fair set of pipes, overlaying the Summery, pastoral vibe of opener “Be That Girl” with a fine, delicate vocal performance and dovetailing neatly in with Guy’s one-note keyboard embellishments. “Born Leader” was yearning and melancholy in this less riff-heavy environment, Jess again the highlight with an undulating and lilting off-mic choral hook, and “July” saw the voluble singer elicit some audience participation in the absorbing and building repetitive “everything has changed” hook, exclaiming at its conclusion, “fuck it, you’re all on the Thekla guestlist!” I think we’re gonna need a bigger boat…!

 A rockier “All I Wanna Do Is Hate” saw Jess deliver the deadpan, dismissive vocal via her hand-held echo mic, over a metronomic drum machine beat and some fine sleazy riffs from Steph; then closer “What’s The Point In Life” (preceded by Jess lamenting, “my mum’s trying to cancel us online!”) was easily my set highlight, and a shoo-in for inclusion on my “Best Of 2023” CD comp, a gloriously upbeat indie anthem with an irresistibly happy singalong hook of, “we’re all gonna die, what’s the point in life??” An entertaining juxtaposition to round off a fine “stripped back” vignette, where the new material overall shone brightly in this naked light.

 

Louise bagsied Jess’ set-list (fair enough really) and I secured the keyboard copy, before we headed out into the shop, queuing up for the meet and greet. Brief chats, pics and signed CDs with this increasingly familiar bunch (well, 5^th time tonight and 6^th next month!), then we bade farewell to the band, Louise and a passing Big Jeff, before heading off for an early home arrival, just after 9.30. As I mentioned to the band, the true hallmark of great material is that it sounds right even when subjected to different “live” interpretations, and in that regard Coach Party deliver big time. However, this was really just an appetiser for the full-on amped-up band set next month; the “Dirty Boat” is gonna rock to the sounds of Coach Party, and no mistake!