West 14, West Kensington 29-11-2002
Below are comments left by people who went to this gig.
Superb!
UDR lived up to every expectation - they were superb. Compared to the slightly awkward looking band prior to them (Kush?), UDR seemed natural and easy on stage - as though they were born for performance... and perform they did. The band posses a wealth of songs that cross all genres (well O.k. not country and very little hip-hop) from the driven "Nature's Game" to the equally well crafted yet more sombre... actually I didn't catch the name... but you will recognise it when you hear it, a touching and obviously very personal song.
If you haven't seen them, you have left it too late for this year. Don't make the same mistake next year - they are unutterably good.
by Mat 29-11-2002
You have officially been warned...
The flippant tag of ‘indie’ has become something of a burden for those forced to wear it in recent years; far removed from the independence that it once embodied, it has been twisted into a signifier for adherence to either toe-gazing introspection, or Gallagheresque aggression. Far from giving a burgeoning genre a framework in which to work, lazy labelling by the media has, perhaps inevitably, resulted in a hazy and ultimately self-contradictory set of values for anyone hoping to express themselves with guitars and drum-kits. Cue onanistic articles from the desks of many a lazy music hack about failing aesthetics, uncertain direction, irrelevant ideologies and the death of Britpop.
Fortunately for them, Uncle Dick’s Records don’t give a toss about any of this and look set to lead a new wave of musical confidence that’s been achingly absent for far too long. Eschewing the traditional pitfall of limited, monorhythmic expression, they showed startling diversity in their West 14 gig as they took an enthralled crowd firmly by the hand and led them through a new musical order. Never succumbing to loss of direction (not easy to do when you’re giving this wide a range) UDR delivered impeccable tunesmithery with a dynamic stage presence. Success has rarely looked so assured.
by Ed 29-11-2002
Bring it the on!
Given Dick's performance at W14 last Friday, 2003 is going to be a fantastic year for the band.
Hearing one punter comment that he had "definitely heard this song on one of the Cure albums", I casually informed him that all their music was original except of course for Elvis and U2. "Bollocks" was his frank reply. Given the difference between UDR and whoever was on before, it's not surprising he was easily mistaken.
Not only were the punters taken aback by how good the band were, so were the hardenend groupies. This has to be undoubtedly their most enjoyable performance, with the crowd clearly loving all the band does. Ed will no doubt have a long good look at the video, and decide that Uncle Dick's aren't all they could be, and this would be true if W14 was a recording studio. But it isn't. The crowd frankly couldn't give a monkey's if the occasionaly note was off. The tunes the band plays, the energy of Jamie, James in his own little world, Ed's magic fingers and the grin across Chris's face were more than enough to make this one of the better gig's this year.
Bring on 2003, the year that Dick's are going to hit the big time!
by Julian 29-11-2002
Vic's Review
bloody brilliant. I am 15 and i loved it!
by Vic 29-11-2002
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