PETER AND THE WOLF (HOXTON BAR AND KITCHEN, 25/04/07)

Welcome to the strange and unsettling land of Hoxton, where the girls are pretty, the jeans are skinny and the hair is absurdly coiffeured. Betwixt the chain-smoking fashionistas and crack-peddling rastas lies the oh-so-trendy Hoxton Square Bar and Grill, a grim concrete edifice adorned with leather sofas, paintings of alarmingly sinister clowns and a stifling atmosphere of hipster superiority. But in the midst of all this suffocating “coolness” lies a gem of a venue, where some of indie’s more exciting acts may be found before they hit the big time; Emmy The Great has graced it with her presence, I’m From Barcelona had their first UK show there (and how I regret not going to that!) and it’s where I checked out up-and-coming Liverpudlian three-piece Peter and the Wolf last night. Unashamed to deliver instantly loveable pop classics infused with a infectious Merseybeat vibe, the band’s unusual line-up of guitarist, double bassist and a vivacious barefoot percussionist gives them a quaintly bohemian edge that allows them to deftly avoid the pitfalls of MOR drudgery. In contrast to the wussy emasculated vocals so in vogue at the moment, frontman Mark Sunderland actually seems to have some passion in his voice, backed to great effect by the charming harmonies of quirky drummer Donna Dosanjh. This in itself would make them a band to recommend, but the real draw is the energy of their live shows- these bouncily joyous affairs make it clear they genuinely love performing and glancing at the faces (and crazed dancing actions) of my fellow patrons, it’s clear their enthusiasm is infectious. Like Camera Obscura, they don’t do anything desperately new, but their songwriting is so accomplished that it honestly doesn’t matter. One of the most talented new bands I’ve seen this year, Peter and the Wolf have the crossover appeal to enter the public consciousness; methinks they won’t be playing in venues as small as the Hoxton B&G for very much longer…