Science do Llandudno

Crud World Domination Enterprises give you

SCIENCE
SEVEN ACRE SMILE
INGO STAR CRUISER

Bandstand, Llandudno
13.07.04

(reviewed by mwj)

Everywhere they go, they always take the weather with them. Now that doesn’t mean it’s going to be nice but for Science’s second annual long day-trip trek from their adopted home-base of London to appear on the prom in Llandudno as part of the town’s “music and arts festival” they have again been blessed with a fine “traditional summer evening.

My own cross-country trekking was a bit slack and so I missed all but the very end of the first support, fellow Londoners Ingo Star Cruiser. The little I grasped was unconventional indie rock, 2 members of Science guesting with them, and a guitar noise ending that sounded good but my experience was far too short for me to draw much of a conclusion.

Seven Acre Smile had trekked all the way from Penmaenmawr (which can be a feat in itself) and apparently were standing in for fellow Pen residents Blacklisted, who I knew something of once upon a time. Anyway, they played a set that was largely covers, The Cure, Snow Patrol, Blink 182, pretty strong versions with enthusiasm. If there were some of their own thrown in they fitted with a lively, good natured pub rock vibe and the front man had a lot of energy and rapport with the crowd. Don’t know if the guitarist was having sound problems or if his playing was a bit ropey this evening but didn’t detract overly from a crowd-pleasing set.

The brief set-up interval gave Science’s confident and engaging Rebecca the chance to keep unruly but friendly kids up past their bedtime under control before they launched into their epic new single, “something in the shadows”. From the off their well-developed class in skills and song writing was evident, achieving music that could be both gentle and stirring. They had attracted a knowing crowd of locals but they also subtly ensnared a few passers by, accessible tunes to lull before sweeping off into more emotionally charged territory, having 2 or 3 guitars really assisting the layering of the tunes and building dynamic these changes. The vocals could be warm but also have a plaintive, jagged edge, fitting well with the heat draining out of the evening, torch songs illuminated by the setting sun. An almost psychedelic edge to the keyboards at times added to the diversity and depth of their tunes and by the time they came to their probably rockiest closer “Sonic Boom” they had completed an excellent set. The pilgrimage up north may be a long and arduous one but the shared warmth of the experience for band and fans alike makes it a very welcome effort, especially with music that’s spiritually uplifting for the soul.

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