Live: Hard-Fi in Stoke-On-Trent
Hard Fi took the surprising step from Glastonbury Festival to five low-key gigs in small venues
across the UK. The secret gigs are intended as a feedback session for the Stains band,
as they prepare to launch their follow-up to their debut album Stars of CCTV, with Once Upon
A Time In The West. One such venue for the tour was The Sugarmill in my very own Stoke
on Trent.
To obtain tickets for the shows, dubbed 'extra special' by the band, fans were required to
register on a specified website made available by the official site; one such ticket was
passed on to me from friends, much more passionate Hard Fi fans than myself. In fact,
after seeing Hard Fi at Oxegen Festival the previous year, my expectations were low.
But selling out Brixton Academy for five straight nights in 2006 isn't an easy achievement by
any means, so this was sure to make for an interesting occasion.
No support bands, to suit the no frills style of the show, just a DJ set that seemed to drag on
for a long time. Hard Fi hit the stage around 9 o clock, to loud cheers from the Stoke
gathering. Richard Archer's band opened with their new single, challenging for number 1 in
the charts, Suburban Nights, which made for a good live song in a small venue with the
powerful chords and echoing backing on the chorus. More new songs followed as Hard Fi
tested their new material on the guinea pigs, before the more familiar sound of Tied Up Too
Tight brought a relieving response from the crowd.
Two more new songs followed, all being warmly recieved, concluding with the four signature
Hard Fi tracks - Cash Machine, Hard 2 Beat, Stars of CCTV and Living For The Weekend.
This was a fine ending to the gig, with Cash Machine bringing the first genuine sing along from
the 300 or so in the room, Stars of CCTV leading to a continual chanting of "we're the stars of
CCTV!", and Living For The Weekend providing the most appropriate of endings for the warm
Friday night.
Verdict: Gigs displaying a lot of new songs often require alot of patience from the crowd and interaction
from the band; both were present at the Sugarmill. Richard Archer's distinctive cockney accent,
along with his comical pronounciation of the word 'Stoke' kept people in focus and
appreciative, and the familiar ending songs made for a good show. Plus, it is always easy to
get into a gig when surrounded by a dedicated fanbase.