Los Campesinos!

As the eight members of Los Campesinos! stroll onstage, lead singer Gareth Campesinos!—all eight have adopted the eponymous surname—looks strikingly familiar. Ricky from Eastenders could hire a doppleganger if business gets good again. And perhaps Ricky could have given Gareth a run for his money.

A few erratic and badly-timed numbers into their set, the revellers in the Bongo Club are stoically motionless, clearly unimpressed with the amateur opening. Frontman Gareth jerks and twitches on stage, repeatedly grasping at his neck, slapping it as though being bitten by a particularly persistent mosquito.

Thus far, the only redeeming feature of a fairly barren opening fifteen minutes are the two females flanking the vocalist. Violinist Harriet Campesinos! is enchanting; she smiles and sways demurely, casting a spell over the audience. Keyboard player Kim Campesinos! supports on vocals, but is often eclipsed by the sheer volume of Gareth. An all-girl harmony would certainly bring more depth and subtlety to this overcharged, hyperactive grouping.

New single, 'Romance is Boring' is a crashy, noisy, shouty mess and does not illicit a more articulate debunking. A lone voice yells from the back "You killed that one!" and is met by a murmur of agreement from both audience and performers. All is not lost however, as 'You! Me! Dancing!' offers a brief glimpse into the band's true potential; a punkish vibe that had everyone thinking back to being 15 and dancing like a crazy. ‘The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future’ shows what poignancy and stirring rhythms Los Campesinos! can achieve with less mania and more soul-searching.

Los Campesinos! look like a fun band; young, attractive-in-a-geeky-way boys and girls playing a plethora of instruments, including a large and brightly coloured glockenspiel. Yet at times, it just all seems a tad too much. Eight people on stage, an orchestral array of instruments and a hyperactive front man motioning actions to his lyrics detracts from the perceived fun and spontaneity that is clearly buried there. Los Campesinos! have potential: they encompass the catchy, indie-pop vibe well. But they need to seriously rethink the structuring of their jittery live performances.