REVIEW – Little Comets @ Cabaret Voltaire

Cabaret Voltaire is the perfect place for an indie gig and with a line-up of Catfish and the Bottlemen alongside headliners Little Comets, the young and inexperienced crowd certainly put a smile on the bands’ faces.

It was the first performance by Little Comets in Edinburgh since October 2012. Their last gig was just after the release of Life Is Elsewhere, and it seemed that the feedback from fans and critics had over-excited them just slightly. There was a form of arrogance on stage that made the experience a disappointment. But this time, things were a lot different.

There is a possibility that the band have matured in the last year and a half which seems the most cogent reason. Their new EP features a more mellow and cultivated sound while their live presence seems a lot more comfortable and less elusive.

Catfish and the Bottlemen certainly warmed up the crowd amply with their melodic and heavy indie sound which just oozed originality. It kept fans patient for the headliners.

As soon as Little Comets opened with the first echoing notes of ‘A Little Opus’, the riotous crowd knew they were in for a treat. The audience bounced emphatically when needed and bopped their heads and bodies at the right time. The band were highly appreciative of the crowd and where they were at, often digging some jokes at them.

Fan favourites such as ‘Joanna’ and ‘Jennifer’ shook the brick walls of Cabaret Voltaire while ‘One Night in October’ had the fans still singing as they left the venue. The only disappointment of the night for the fans was Little Comets saying that they don’t do encores as they would rather do it spontaneously.

Fortunately, Little Comets delivered an epic, coherent and tight 70-minute set ranging from their two albums and new EP.