The first band I see tonight at Camden’s Proud gallery is Mad Staring Eyes, an all American experience, harking back to the late 60’s revival in country and western, aided by an “All American” brand slide guitar, and bizarrely, a flute. Boy girl vocals recall The Mamas and the Papas with just a touch of The Boss, and they of course bring to mind modern revivalists like The Dan Hutchins Band and other Communion acts like Spring Offensive. The bohemian and fantastic lyrics include “You’ve been travelling by dragonfly since you were 16”. Songs like “Walking in the streets” make fantastic use of all their abilities: well arranged with great vocal harmonies and a catchy chorus.

Spring Offensive are playing a set of entirely new material tonight, but nothing that messes with their winning formula. They open with a pensive, brooding introduction, which builds to a vocal harmony rich and plaintive chorus. Next they move into the Afrobeat “Ridgefield”. There’s lots of tension with this band: they really make you wait for the pay off.

Song number four is called 'Carrier', but it isn’t introduced. Instead, the whole band leaves the stage, gather in the centre of the hall and sing completely a cappella. Looks of confusion from the audience turn gradually into nods of approval, and then wide eyed amazement when the harmony rich chorus begins. After that the audience are smitten, and chatter dies down in anticipation, prompting singer Lucas to say “I love the sound of silence”. Before the last song he says enigmatically “I was told to look out for vulnerable neighbours tonight, I’ve done my job, goodnight.”

I should mention tonight’s headliners, The High Commissioners. They play ponderous dreamy funk in the vein of Stereophonics and their lead singer is in possession of an enviable croon similar to that of Maroon 5. Actually in their composition they are not dissimilar from Spring Offensive- guitar, bass and vocal harmonies, but where the latter grab their audience’s attention with their raw emotion and mad staring eyes (coincidentally), the former rock behind a wall of wanky wailing.

For my friend Tom, the two are indistinguishable: he says music is about escapism; about getting your rocks off and having a good time. When it comes to this emo shit, it just “justifies your angst”. He asks me “Why do you go to gigs?” And it’s a difficult one- if not to dance around, then why not listen to a CD? Well, to be a part (are you?) of the magic I suppose. Any performance is just as reliant on the audience’s reaction to create that magic, so when, in The High Commissioner’s second song my friend Tom yells “not another boring fucking song, why can’t we have something jolly?” I decide it’s time to make a dignified exit.

Photos courtesy of the awesome Grace Mpono