Club NME

Towards the end of the year, things tend to slow down a bit and music's no different. Take Sheffield, for instance: the last twelve months have seen the airwaves positively teeming with the sounds our boys (and girls) have been making - some great, some not so great - but as we approach the festive period the pile of next-big-things under the tree isn't as tall as I, for one, would like or expect.

Sure, there's still good stuff to be heard - The Guild, Patricians, Pollinates and Reverend are all making ripples locally but there's something missing, that one special band who deserve success and deserve it instantly. This time last year, I was raving like a lunatic to anyone who would listen about Arctic Monkeys... that kind of talent, sadly, is somewhat lacking in the Steel City as we venture into 2007.

Tonight's support at a distinctly underpopulated Club NME are ones to watch, though, make no mistake about it. Situationists might take their name from an avant-garde Marxist collective, but there's not a musical pretension in sight. At their best, they're a classic noughties indie-pop band: tunes you can hum, interlocking guitars and harmonies a go go.

But you can hear all those qualities on on their MySpace-only demo; what you can't get from those scratchy recordings is the effortless effervescence with which they deliver those songs live. Admittedly, there are bands who sound similar, but the likes of Hot Club de Paris, and even The Futureheads these days, leave me feeling cold in comparison to the warm glow that envelopes Plug tonight when the opening notes of 'Under The Pavement' ring out.

In truth, this isn't even the best gig I've seen them play. This summer's Giant Drag support slot, with a bigger audience and slightly more pressure, seemed to suit the quartet better. Of course, there are umpteen reasons why things do or don't spark on the night, but the sign of true potential is a band who can remain focussed regardless. Situationists more than manage that on this chilly winter evening, and I'd venture that you won't find a tighter new band in all of Sheffield. I've heard a lot of melodic, urgent guitar bands this year but few make me smile like this :)

Photo by Gary Wolstenholme