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Pluto, Live in London Show Review.
Pluto are good. In fact, Pluto are better than they know. It's hard to
tell when carrerism and luck stop and talent begins these days- anyone
can put out a seven inch, or handshake their way onto a few
compilations, or survive long enough to wind up on or start a
microlabel. Pluto came from BC with a few 7's, a full length on Mint,
and then got a deal with Virgin Canada/Virgin US. This is a band you
will hear more from.
As they play, it's as a cohesive unit, which is rare these days, and
they believe in putting on a show, which is rarer. Justin drums with a
steady hand, holding up the backbeat. Rolf stand stocks still, but his
guitar moves like hell. John lays down killer bass singing in imperfect
(but better than perfect) harmonies with Ian, who rocks a guitar and
sings with charisma to spare.
Pluto Rock, and they Pop, and they do both with talent to spare. last
night, Ian looked out off of the stage at a crowd of thick-necked
Moshing testosteronesponges who were there to see Cracker and repeated ,
over and over again in mock-Oasisspeak "Hello..LONDON
!.....Hello...London !!!" as if they were playing Wembley Stadium and
not a sheet-metal walled dance bar.
Songs like the Blondiean "Black Lipstick", the Undertonish
"ColaRockStar" and the phenomenal "When she was Happy" (Which sounds
like Joe Jackson back from the dead and very, very angry.) Pluto are a
band who never quit believing in New Wave, and while they listened to
enough Pointed Sticks and Blondie and Nick Lowe to get the popcraft,
they listened to the Young Canadians and The Ramones to get the rock
down, too. (In fact their second song was a cover...The Cars..Just what
I needed...which was not good. The cover shouldn't be the second song
up. This was possibly Pluto's only misstep.) They're the band suited for
Studio 54 and the garage out back, CBGB's and the Penthouse. If Elastica
can sell Millions plagarizing that era and sound, Pluto should sell
twice that for re-vitalizing it, re-interpreting it, and re-inventing it
for this brave new world. Soda Pop, Pop Culture, Hollywood, Border
Crossings, Significant Others; these are the concerns of a band with a
grasp of ethereal philosophy and mucky reality.
They're touring Canada right now with Cracker. Go see them. The album
comes out at the End of the July. It'll probably be good. Vancouver
hasn't given us a great Power- Pop band for a while, but if anyone can
live up to the mantle of the Modernettes, it's Pluto. Oh,and I heard
Cracker were good, but I don't really know...I saw all I had to see and
left into a rainy night humming songs that are still in my head 24 hours
later.