The Music

Only those missing some senses can proclaim ignorance to the very evident rise of The Music. This quartet of young Leeds lads have been backed to the hilt by their label and it's been paying dividends already. Tonight's gig at London Astoria, only weeks since the release of the self-entitled debut album, should succeed in seperating the men from the boys. Is The Music a work of genius or a major marketing hoax? In the haze of smoke and sweat that is tonight's packed London venue, The Music will have to prove their answer to this question.

Bursting on stage with the first track from their album, Dance, all such fears are dispelled. This is a real band, with a diversification of songs but a uniform passion in their delivery. It's obvious that lead singer Robert Harvey couldn't give a monkey's as to what the public think. He has a hairstyle from a bygone era, a dance step that should be confined to the privacy of his own bedroom, a voice that reminds many of the time of Led Zeppelin and a corresponding presence that will certainly force its mark on tonight's crowd. In fact Astoria veterans will note an almost lifting of the roof when we all sing The People. There is passion in this house tonight, accredited to both band and audience.

Towards the end of their set one realises the meaning and beauty of this band's generic name. The symbolisation is simple - there are too many varieties here, from the poppiness of The People to the trance of Human and the melodies of Take the Long Road and Walk It', to the three-minute interludes of instrumental magic, to call this band anything other than the embodiment of music. They are one name for a variety of things and the audience appreciates this. Any lack of banter tonight between Robert and the crowd is forgiven, for we understand a genius is at work.

The Music play for just over an hour, with no encore, but yet this is enough to please the masses. All favourites are sampled, leaving only one attitude here tonight - "Let's face The Music and dance".

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