The supports of the night came from newcomer Joe Dolman, his excellent debut EP Learning to Fly has garnered media attention after an appearance at The Great Escape Festival in 2015 and BBC Radio 2’s Live in Hyde Park, and James Walsh of Starsailor fame. Topped off with a DJ set from Kate Frost, Shepherd’s Bush was in full party mode by 9pm. The choral chanting of ‘This Song’ started well before the night began and carried on into the street afterwards. Mob mentality for the indie masses.
Tom Clarke took to the stage and the crowd went wild, from the moment the lights went down it was like being transported back to 2007. Opening on ‘Aggro’ the acoustic arrangement never once held back the power of the original song. Sharp, loud, and angry. Beers (or at least what I hope was beer) went flying and crowd surfers a plenty, it was hard not to sing along to words that I have loved for the last 10 years. It might be ‘no time for tears’… but it’s hard not to be moved by the exquisite ‘Happy Birthday Jane’.