Fresh-faced and brimming with boyish charm, Tapes ‘n’ Tapes bounded onto the stage like they were intent on proving their worth to the Tripod crowd.
Unfortunately that proof only arrived about three quarters of the way through the gig, when the multi-talented Matt Kretzman picked up the trumpet on rocking sea shanty ‘The Illiad’. Previously hidden behind the keys, Kretzman’s brass-blowing antics added a much-needed extra dimension, which visibly got the crowd on the American’s side. Although other tracks from Tapes ‘N’ Tapes’ fantastic debut album, The Loon, received an airing (including the impressive ‘Cowbell’), the main focus was on the band’s recent release, Walk It Off. The experimental foursome unleashed a succession of tracks from the album, with ‘Conquest’ and ‘Hang Them All’ generating the most excitement.
In the end, Tapes ‘n’ Tapes just about managed to avoid playing second fiddle to the opening act, Sons And Daughters. The Scots really impressed, their raging guitars and sharp lyrics proving a potent combination (the “click click click” refrain of ‘Rama Lama’ was especially entrancing). With vocalists Adele Bethel and Scott Patterson in sparkling form and the band producing a wall of noise sound, Sons And Daughters definitely made the most of their short set.
They certainly exited in style with Scott jetting the contents of his water bottle into the air, Adele hurling her tambourine into the crowd and drummer David clambering onto the bass drum to smite the cymbal.