Gig Review: The View – Shepherds Bush Empire – April 23rd 2007
Reviewer: Mark Loraine

Supported by the Towers of London

Arrived a little late and missed the first two support acts – and frankly wished I had waited a little longer and missed the third! Having only seen Donny Tourette on Big Brother and subsequently flouncing around on Buzzcocks I thought, “Well how bad can they be?” Take my word for it, they are as bad as you could ever imagine. A cross between The New York Dolls (1%), The Ramones (1%) Backstreet Boys (2%) and 96% Spinal Tap (without the laffs) Whoever put them on the same bill as the View must have been at best slightly mad and at worst an idiot of the first order of idiots.

Still that debacle over with, the View took to the stage and just blew all before them out of the water. My two favourite bands this year are both from North of the border and I have to say that after the performance tonight they might just take over from the Italian sounding guys very quickly. Fast (very fast in places), tight and smooth turn outs of their greatest hits (so far) added to with new tracks – (ska and brass anyone ?) meant a cracking night was had from the very top of the Empire to the mosh pit at the bottom. All the favourites seemed so much better with the added live edge, and the street urchin nature of what The View do is brought to the fore on stage! As the chants of “The View, The View, The View are on Fire” screamed from the bonkers crowd the band seemed to be having the absolute time of their lives.

If you get chance to see them do it – you won’t regret it - unless of course you get the Towers of London as support!

Mark Loraine

http://www.theviewareonfire.com

http://www.myspace.com/dryburgh