Channel 5 TeleText / Indierama.com
2000
The Frank and Walters @ LA2, London, 20 October 2000
1992 eh? I'm just about old enough to remember the `indie' scene back in those days & what a jolly caper it all was. What with big shorts for the boys and stripy, multi-coloured tights for the girls things like style or dress sense were miles away! And what about the bands? Time hasn't been kind to Neds Atomic Dustbin, the Senseless Things, Pop Will Eat Itself etc. Put them on your stereo now and roll around on the floor in fits of laughter at its utter crapness.
The Frank and Walters were always seen as the court jesters of the indie scene at this time. What with their happy, quirky pop and bright orange dungarees surely they would prove to be a mere `flash in a pan'. Well here we are, almost ten years on, four albums down the line and the Franks (as they are affectionately known!) are still going. Their contemporaries are fast becoming a distant memory while here we are, watching them play in front of a 1000 capacity crowd. Bonkers eh?
Well, not really! Believe it or not the album `Glass' is something of an electro pop masterpiece (seriously!). The new single `Underground' had the kids shaking like an old Granny in winter (when she can't afford to pay for the heating!). We were also treated to some oldies along the way like `After All', `Michael' and `Daisy Chain'. They still sounded fresh as a daisy.
The gig was bolstered with the addition of a new member. I think the Franks have realised they're not much to look at so enter Sarah, the foxy keyboard player. Without being too sexist (I hope) this sexy brunette jigged about all night in a very sultry fashion. It was most enjoyable indeed and certainly added to the entertainment lesson.
I never thought I would say this (goodbye street cred!) but check out The Frank and Walters in the near future. For a start they piss all over Travis and Coldplay with regards to song craftsmanship. They're also fun, which is something I've found missing in the post-apocalyptic maze that is the year Y2K. I couldn't see any stripy tights though!
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[Thanks to Google]