Institute of Contemporary Arts

DAY EIGHTEEN: The Pigeon Detectives and The Rakes

Date: 25 July 2007

With the queues being formed down the Mall by youngsters eager to get into the ICA and watch their favourite bands, day 18 of the iTunes festival had arrived, delivering to us the Pigeon Detectives and The Rakes.

The Pigeon Detectives leapt on stage to a tune that has been bugging me so much since I heard it that, in a bid to find out what it was, I have now phoned about 5 people and sung it to them like a fool, with no result. Aside from this, they put on an amazing show, one of the most energetic I have seen for some time. Beginning the evening's festivities brandishing bananas that were then launched into the crowd, this generosity seemed to be a theme for the evening as they moved on to throwing water over the front few rows, after concern for the audience's temperature - caring group of lads it would seem.  They quickly got on with their first number Romantic Type - instantly recognisable and instantly getting the crowd bopping away like madmen. Frontman Matt, whose energy seemed boundless throughout the whole of the set, imitated this. There was much banter with the crowd, beginning with the main man asking if we were enjoying the free gig. Apparently he was too, as he was getting a free iPod from iTunes for the performance. The small crowd that had gathered eagerly in the ICA Theatre obviously excited him too; he compared the occasion to the painful series ‘an audience with'. Telling us to ‘feel free to ask questions', one wise soul in the audience asked ‘can I have your iPod?' Carrying on with the music, the ICA crowd lovingly complied with the band's demand to ‘put your hands in the air' and sing along to favourite I Found Out. My height restriction, lovingly bestowed by my parents, meant that I saw little of The Pigeon Detectives, and more a sea of clapping hands. Tracks Take Her Back and I'm Not Sorry whipped the crowd up even more, if it at all seemed possible. They are one of those bands you think you don't really know, then it turns out you apparently know about 80% of their set.

After many jean-ripping jumps from the band and cries for more, The Pigeons finally came to a close, after a set that seemed to lift the whole place and create a room of beaming smiles. Amazingly endearing, they seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the crowd and when they told us that, despite the fact we were freeloaders, they were still giving us their ‘A game' I didn't doubt it for a moment.

With the Pigeon Detectives departed, while filing out of the theatre, folk were still singing along to the lounge version of I Found Out bestowed by the ICA. Others decided to forgo refreshment and the toilet to stay up the front, for the best view of the Rakes.

The Rakes are apparently the most downloaded band of 2007, quite a feat. Knowing only little about them, I found the title of their latest single The World Was a Mess But His Hair Was Perfect encouraging. Kicking off with We Danced Together, dancing resumed and the room prepared itself for another set of lively antics. The projections in the background were reminiscent of something from Tron and brought a new element to the evening, something to compliment the fashionistas on stage.  Although the chat didn't flow from Donohoe's lips with quite the same effect as the The Pigeon Detectives, he interacted with the crowd with his occasional talk and they seemed to relish the performance and his more comprehensible words.

There were moments when singer Alan Donohoe was either being insightful or sarcastic, I am inclined to think the latter, naming the ICA "non-judgemental" and "non-pompous". Oh the irony of it all. I am guessing from the reaction, the audience didn't really go along with this line of thought. This was preceded by "Everything Tickety Boo, at the ICA without a care in the world", not quite sure what he meant by that, maybe he was having a bad day?

Donohoe's dancing style, that of a robotic/Travolta was much copied with one fellow climbing on his pal'[s shoulders to mirror his every move, quite Simon Says. This grand idea seemed to spread through the crowd with everyone following suit. With the dancing and cheering continuing, the hits continued to flow, and 22 Grand and Retreat encouraged the crowd to exhaust themselves for the rest of the week. The final song from this lot had Donohoe passionately striking the mike stand with a drumstick in time to the music, and I think I even spotted a crowd surf amidst it all: not enough of those these days to my mind. With the calls for more when The Rakes swaggered off stage seemingly falling on deaf ears, the crowd accepted that this was their lot after a few jeers. They surely would be an ungrateful bunch if they felt undone by this evening's music. It was, in the words of Donohoe, ‘Tickety Boo'.

 

Flossie Ravenscroft

 

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