Imagine being anointed as “the band that will usher in a new era of guitar rock” after playing only a handful of live shows. Then imagine making your late night TV debut before putting out a proper single, or being featured on the cover of a major music publication before signing a record deal. Then imagine being tabbed to open for the likes of the Rolling Stones, Arcade Fire, Muse, and Arctic Monkeys in arenas and stadiums all around the world.
No pressure, right?
From day one, West London four-piece The Vaccines have been destined for greatness. They didn’t toil away in a local scene or press their own 7-inches. They didn’t book their own tours or play in near-empty rooms in hopes of winning over a few new fans.
Instead, they benefited from tremendous internet hype and a star-studded list of supporters, from hyper-influential British TV and radio host Jools Holland to Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry. BBC’s Zane Lowe even called their first demo “the hottest record in the world” when it appeared on Youtube in 2010.
Three albums later, it would be hard to say the band has completely lived up to the hype that surrounded their early material. Sure, they’ve headlined large venues in the UK and even had a #1 record in 2012’s excellent Come Of Age, but a band that is “ushering in a new era” probably shouldn’t be playing small venues like The Sinclair, as they were on Sunday night.
The fact that the band hasn’t hit it big in the US was probably the last thing on the minds of the 500 or so fans at the sold out show. As the quartet, led by front man Justin Young, made their way on stage, it quickly became apparent that they would treat this show as if they were in fact the biggest band in the world.
Young’s seemingly limitless charisma gave every song on the set list, even the more subdued numbers from the recently released English Graffiti, an undeniable energy that pulsed from the stage, through the crowd, and up into the balcony, where even the more reserved concert- goers couldn’t help but bob their heads and sing along.
While the Vaccines may never come close to approaching the notoriety of the bands they’ve opened for, Young has certainly learned to emulate the slick on-stage theatrics employed by those much larger acts. On multiple occasions, Young stopped to stare intensely into the crowd, daring them to sing louder and show more enthusiasm, which they were almost always happy to do.
While Young tended to garner most of the audience’s attention, guitarist Freddie Cowan was more than willing to strike his own “one foot on the monitor” rock star poses, at one moment staring off into space as if searching for a far off soul in the last row, and at other times pointing and singling out the more enthusiastic fans in the first few rows.
The band would close with a rather stirring encore that first featured Young on stage with just an acoustic guitar for a stripped down version of “No Hope”. The band then re-appeared to finish with “Bikini Radio” and “Nørgaard”, tha latter being one of the best songs the band has written and the perfect way to end the night.
Maybe it’s the lack of expectations that follow them here in the states, or maybe it’s the fact that they relish the opportunity to play smaller venues, but either way, the Vaccines looked and sounded like a band completely comfortable with their place in the music world. They might not be household names, but they sure do seem at home catering to those who are in on what is still one of rock’s best kept secrets, at least on this side of the Atlantic.
Opening act Dirty Bangs
