Fluid Lines > Monte Carlo
Posted by jamie on Aug 3, 2009
As far as we know, they haven’t gone anywhere. But Fluid Lines are now called Monte Carlo. See their facebook and myspace pages.
Fluid Lines - the Cobden Club
Posted by jamie on Apr 20, 2009
Fluid Lines
Cobden Club, West London
15th April, 2009
The Cobden Club is carefully hidden away in a quiet patch of west London, near Westbourne Park tube. It’s a strange place for such an opulent private member’s club, but then the Cobden Club is a surprise in itself: smart, yes, but not stuffy and full of old men smoking pipes. A three piece, dressed as the Blues Brothers, rattle out some raspy, pop n’ roll rhythm and blues under the watchful gaze of a 60s print of Jimi Hendrix. The place is cool in the same way as an art gallery that’s just been done up, all polished hardwood floors and squishy square things for us all to sit on and watch – there’s no jumping up and down going on here, thank you very much. All the same, it’s a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, and there’s a buzz of anticipation in the air.
Fluid Lines, being from Berkhamsted, have been there and done it when it comes to playing in places like this – the town is famous for its little cafes.
Tonight the lads are on form, and a refreshing change despite the undoubted quality of the bands who have already played. A mesh of sugary sweet guitar riffs rolls across the room like a wave, embellished by gorgeous, shiny little melodies picked out by Calum and Jimmy on guitars.
Fluid Lines, these days, are a polished, confident outfit, holding the stage with ease and, it appears, really enjoying their music. From a more standard emo sound, they’ve become a poppier band, almost reminiscent of some of the catchier indie records doing the rounds at the moment, but with melodies and pop hooks that make the best pop punk bands stand out from the rest. In essence, they are playing the “perfect pop” that pushes the buttons of all sorts of music fans everywhere – songwriting that ignores boundaries between fiddly and unnecessary genre-definitions and jumps straight after the hearts and souls of record lovers. Sleepless and Right Place at the Night Time, in particular, are gems, and, delivered with the swagger that Fluid Lines have brought with them tonight, slap the Cobden Club square in the soul.
Oh, and they’re eagerly gobbled up by a delighted room. The energy in their performance, Calum and Jimmy a pointy, angular blur on guitars and Ben ducking and diving around on drums, only Bruce is relatively unflustered on bass, is a perfect complement to their songs, sincere, yet all too aware of emotional sensibilities and frailties, they’re surprisingly personal given the unblinking, almost cheery way they’re presented on stage. The Bananatown posse have a little chuckle as Calum quips “we’ve got a new EP out, it came out on Monday, called Confetti. So here’s one from the old EP..”
It’s a short, snappy set tonight. Squashed in to half an hour, the boys stomp through five songs, of giddily catchy, sugary sweet pop gems. It’s a balmily warm early summer evening outside, and the circle line is mainly above ground on the way back to Euston Square. One of those nights where everything goes just right. If you haven’t, see Fluid Lines – you’re waiting to fall in love with them.
