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THERE’S an old saying, ‘never judge a book by its cover’ ... I think that expression also aptly applies to certain bands and perfectly sums up the Toploader gig at the Dilmun Club at the weekend.
The British indie rockers are recognised most of all for their cover of King Harvest’s song Dancing in the Moonlight which became a global smash… but as I found out, there is a lot more to this underrated band than a hit cover version.
I remember when the song came out in 1999 and it dominated the charts for what seemed like an eternity. Lead singer Joseph Washbourn, guitarist Dan Hipgrave, bassist Matt Knight and drummer Rob Green are now back on tour with a vengeance.
As good as their cover version is, the band has a plethora of lesser-known original material that is equally as catchy, heartfelt and incendiary. Regrettably, I only discovered this while I was at the gig, held at an impressive show arena on the tennis courts at the Dilly.
The supporting acts at the gig are also worth noting, kicking off the night in style was Past Masters. Featuring Antti Asu on guitar and vocals, Ben Lin - guitar and vocals, Jojo Vivero - keyboards, Deorn D’Souza bass/backing vocals and The Doctor on drums/vocals.
Being the opening act is a tough job, but these guys handled it well and had me bopping my head to their blend of country blues.
However, I have to give a special mention to the second band to grace the stage, Black Lime, who literally covered all my favourite alternative rock songs with flair and conviction.
Comprised of James Morgan on vocals, Antti Asu - on stage for the second time on guitar/backing vocals, Jebin Varghese - guitar, Tom Romanski - guitar, Ryan James - bass/backing vocals and Davin D’Souza on drums, this band really bloomed on stage with their rendition of a classic Nirvana tune.
Next up was Revival, a band that boasts several St Christopher’s School teachers in the line-up, which includes Viv Etches - lead vocals, Greg Simms - vocals/bass, Tom Simms - drums, Paul Morris lead guitar/keyboard/vocals and Brian Steene - guitar/keyboard/vocals.
They followed beautifully from Black Lime, sticking to the theme but dusting off some old-school classic rock that had the middle-aged members of the audience dancing in the aisles.
Soon the moment of truth had arrived, the headline act took to the stage and proceeded to put on a show that blew the crowd away.
I cannot give the band enough credit; they put on such an energetic performance that was packed with great tunes and humorous gags between songs.
Lead singer Joseph had the crowd in stitches when he told the tale of the band’s three-hour hold-up at immigration at Bahrain International Airport.
“We almost didn’t make it through,” he explained. “I’m glad we did though because the towels we’ve been given to wipe up our sweat on stage are actually nicer than the towels in my bathroom at home.
“In fact, I’ve heard people refer to this place as being like ‘Middle EastEnders’ so I can see why you all moved here, you made the right choice, feel sorry for us when we go back home to the freezing cold!”
One of the best songs of the night was their upcoming single This is The Night, which has a very Motown feel to it, but delivered with an edge thanks to Joseph’s impressively powerful voice, which, incidentally, has a range far beyond what I expected.
It appears that time has given the band a new sense of maturity, which really comes across when they play. There is a palpable cohesion to each element that results in a polished yet gritty sound.
Dan Hipgrave not only gets my respect for having once been married to British beauty Gail Porter, I think he is a first-rate guitar player too. His fingers purposefully and rhythmically fly across the fret board to create a distinct sound that give the tunes some ‘omph’.
Often, drummers and bass players are overlooked and the focus falls only on the singer and lead guitar player, not in any review I write!
While lyrics sung beautifully and paired with an awesome guitar lick give a band it’s distinction, the drums and bass are the backbone of any band. So, Rob and Matt, keep up the great work guys, you nailed it!
Unsurprisingly, the band ended their set with their hit cover. As soon as the first few notes were played, there was a stampede towards the stage as fans wielding camera phones rushed to capture the moment, which ironically had the majority of the Dilly crowd literally dancing in the moonlight.
At one point, Joseph simply stopped singing and let the crowd take over lead vocals because even though he had a microphone and a stack of speakers, the crowd was still louder than him.
Hats off to the Dilly for organising such a fantastic show. It was put together so professionally, that there were times I actually forgot I was in Bahrain and imagined I was at an international festival.
– Review by Charlie Holding
