The View Are on Fire?
Tuesday night I saw the much-talked-about Scottish band The View at Mercury Lounge. (Please, no jokes about daytime chat shows.)
Young, enthusiastic, and taking wardrobe cues from the Arctic Monkeys (tight jeans, polos, and tennis sneakers) and hair inspiration from Tom Hank’s high school year book…
The band has an impressive showing in the UK, with their primo single, “Wasted Little DJs” hitting the number 15th spot on the UK charts and co-writer and bassist Kieren being voted as number 6 on NME’s annual “Cool List”. So it’s no surprise that the god-awfully early showcase at 7pm (7:30 showtime) was completely sold out.
Some faithful followers of the band stood off to the side shouting, “THE VIEW ARE ON FIRE!” as the rest of the crowd tried to figure out what the hell the band was saying through their Scottish accents during their inter-song banter. The only part I was able to make out was some bit about how they got into a drinking contest with someone at a bar the night before, and the other person won. Someone from the back of the room shouted, “USA! USA!” and singer Kyle Falconer lit up and exclaimed, “That’s what they started chanting!”
Overall, they failed to impress me in the way that the Arctic Monkeys did when I first heard them, but definitely the highlight was the hit single, “Wasted Little DJs” which instantly made me perk up my ears. But if the hype is to be believed, The View wlll be “the sound of 2007″. And according to the back-seat-blogger in the room, The View sound like a band full of kids who love The Kinks and The Smiths, with a healthy dose of Pete Doherty worship thrown in for good measure. I’m sure 16 year-old British kids love them for their slam-dancing and crowd-surfing soundtrack, but for me they were just OK.
I also have never gotten nor never will get the appeal of The Libertines and Babyshambles, although “Can’t Stand Me Now” is a great song.
Other writings on the night and the night after: The Music Slut, NME, Brooklyn Rocks, Metro Distorition, Brooklyn Vegan, ExtraWack, Sound Bites, Music Snobbery, Gothamist, What Became of the Likely Broads, Brick Woman
Some faithful followers of the band stood off to the side shouting, “THE VIEW ARE ON FIRE!â€
those dudes were totally from the UK cos they all do that over there. i’ve seen then twice and was like “wtf, is this something i should’ve know i was supposed to be screaming?” i was totally not prepared for it…but i love it. and i really love them. i saw them twice and the first time i was blown away. the second time not so much but i still think ‘wasted little djs’ is an amazing song; #2 song of 2006 for me!!
I like the Tom Hanks pic, don’t know what to think of the hype. They are good though.
[...] Brit ‘Buzz’ band The View come to town (pic via The Modern Age) I think we, as a independent music listening community in New York City, are just about over the whole post-Libertines, NME-hyped brit-rock thing. At least for the time being. The View are the British band du-jour, and they came to New York this week playing 2 back-to-back shows at The Mercury Lounge. Now usually a band, especially one who doesn’t even have a domestic record out, gets this type of booking by riding into town on a wave of serious buzz and grassroots excitement. Maybe it was the Holiday hangover, but the general mood here about these boys was pretty…meh. Most bloggers we spoke to felt a sort of going-through-the-motions obligation to check out the band that wrote one of NME’s top 10 songs of the year, but there wasn’t anyone we could find that was genuinely excited about their arrival. Nonetheless, the curiosity got enough people out to the club anyway, and it turns out that they were really young, but not that bad after all. No band fitting this mold and following the year the Arctic Monkeys had will seem a fraction as significant, but this probably won’t be the last we hear of these kids in the states. [...]
[...] Brit ‘Buzz’ band The View come to town (pic via The Modern Age) I think we, as a independent music listening community in New York City, are just about over the whole post-Libertines, NME-hyped brit-rock thing. At least for the time being. The View are the British band du-jour, and they came to New York this week playing 2 back-to-back shows at The Mercury Lounge. Now usually a band, especially one who doesn’t even have a domestic record out, gets this type of booking by riding into town on a wave of serious buzz and grassroots excitement. Maybe it was the Holiday hangover, but the general mood here about these boys was pretty…meh. Most bloggers we spoke to felt a sort of going-through-the-motions obligation to check out the band that wrote one of NME’s top 10 songs of the year, but there wasn’t anyone we could find that was genuinely excited about their arrival. Nonetheless, the curiosity got enough people out to the club anyway, and it turns out that they were really young, but not that bad after all. No band fitting this mold and following the year the Arctic Monkeys had will seem a fraction as significant, but this probably won’t be the last we hear of these kids in the states. [...]
“… But if the hype is to be believed, The View wlll be “the sound of 2007″…”
I fucking hope not. I absolutely despise this band. That kid has the most annoying voice I’ve ever heard in my life. Here in Britain they’re getting a lot of exposure. I’m just about ready find them and destroy them.
Godawful.
You wont ever get the Libertines as their are loads of english slang references that you’ll never understand. The Veiw do suck donkey balls though (all though wasted little djs is catchy). BTW thanks for blog rolling me i never got round to emailing you thanks. But thanks.
the view are rubbish but the british music scene is pretty apalling so they fit right in
A pretty pisspoor song their single is. It is what would come out of a Libertines song machine if you stuck a turd in it.
The view r class, good old scottish boys
meh…
- the libertines were great, not amazing, i wish i couldve seen them when they came to Toronto though…
The View QUALITY what else can i say love your music nice to see you are representing Scotland with some class music
THE VIEW, THE VIEW, THE VIEW ARE ON FIRE!!
the view are ace. great band, great songs and great guys.
its about time dundee was put on the map. on ye go lads!
5. anon | January 5th, 2007 at 11:05 am
“… But if the hype is to be believed, The View wlll be “the sound of 2007″…â€
I fucking hope not. I absolutely despise this band. That kid has the most annoying voice I’ve ever heard in my life. Here in Britain they’re getting a lot of exposure. I’m just about ready find them and destroy them.
Godawful.
ITS JUST ASWELL YOUR ANON COS THEN WE COULD NAME N SHAME YOU!!! THE VIEW ARE THE BEST UP N COMNING BAND OF TODAY!!! ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND TALENT WISE ARE FANTASTIC!! OBVIUOSLY YOU HAVE SHIT TASTE IN MUSIC GO AND LISTEN TOU YOUR BEST OF THE OSMONDS!!
[...] Check out this item about The View (the Scottish band, not Rosie O’Donnel and co…who I saw earlier this month at Mercury Lounge) from this week’s edition of Popbitch (if you don’t read Popbitch, you don’t have a clue, do you?): The View rock the Liverpool Travelodge [...]
[...] The piece is a bit boring–about the boys getting to words with a ruffian on the street, recounting their time spent drinking sake in Japan, and the tepid response the received by “every flavour of guestlist-grubbing ligger, from hipster bloggers to New York Times greybeards” present at the show. (Thanks for the shout-out!) [...]
The View certainly are on fire! Maybe too much so for the American audience to appreciate though?
To the sinecures’ above who were probably either coming down or out of their heads!! The View are a very young self talented band, who will headline with maturity… Did you catch the lyrics about their way of life? You probably wouldn’t understand where they are coming from cos you were born with a sliver spoon in your mouths!! Your music talents are obviously not professional… As said maturity brings professionalism, eat your words sinics in a couple of years!!! THE VIEW ARE ON FIRE!!! Go boys and good luck!
i luved the view and i alwaz will cus im gonna c 1 da cus there awesom THE VIEW THE VIEW THE VIEW R ON FIRE
i luved the view and i alwaz will cus im gonna c 1 da cus there awesom THE VIEW THE VIEW R ON FIRE
you people who say the view are rubbish fucking disgust me u silly stupid fucks uz are just jealous there away to be fucking massive so get it UP YA
DUNDEE BOY
THE VIEW THE VIEW THE VIEW ARE A BLAZE
[...] out what you are/aren’t missing–my review of their first NYC gig. These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web [...]
E OW THE VIEW R ON FIRE GET TI RIGHT UP YA ENGLISH CUNTS PS. DUNDEE BOYS ON TOUR
EAR SOME CUNT TELL THAT KEVY MERTIN THE WEE JUNKIE TI GET THE HEAD DOWN
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BOYS
wha r u him
the view r on fire… and i think they’l b on fire 4 sum time… seen them at s.s.e.c in glasgow they were backin up PRIMAL SCREAM. would have been great if they were the headliners tho… can’t wait 2c them again coz if there still on fire i for sure won’t be trying 2 put them out…go on lads and all the best when u’s get 2 america..hope 2 c u’s soon………KINGIE FI METHIL
..Omg!! I dont know why people dont like the view.. I think they Rock… And they have done pretty good for them selfs considering there from drybrough and harldt any1 knows were tht is… The view are on fire April 12th baby=]