Live

The Deadline Fever

Benjamin Short 28/07/2006

The Deadline Fever, perhaps the north-west's most notoriously hyped unsigned band, draw upon influences from across the Mancunian spectrum. Live, the baggy beats of the Happy Mondays and the trippy riffs of The Stone Roses are both in evidence, and extrovert vocalist Chris Fallows resurrects the spirit of Ian Curtis as he scans the horizon with a terrified 1,000 yard stare. New song 'Do You Feel Lucky Punk?', a furious three-chord explosion, could easily be mistaken for an Artic Monkeys cover version. The introspective acoustic interlude of 'The Paper It Was Written On' sees The Deadline Fever reveal their love for Oasis, whilst by contrast, 'Ultraviolet Light' and 'Beatfreak' are high velocity indie-dance anthems to rival anything by The Rapture or The Music. In comparison with tonight's opening acts, the Wiganchester five piece are outstanding. Mundane pop-rockers Halesis open the show, followed by the harmless acoustic melodies of Strobe and the laughable dad-friendly soul of Cardello. But still, The Deadline Fever fall frustratingly short of fulfilling their potential. If not for the interruption of mediocre tunes such as 'February Clouds' and 'Leave The City', the three stars which this review scores could easily have numbered four or five