Hubris –noun
excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance.
The really terrible thing about hubris in a professional, be they an artist or an artisan, is that it causes complacency. It becomes really easy to take things for granted, to coast, to get by. Focus gets lost, things start to slip. Shoddiness abounds.
The last time ELM caught up with The View was 12 months ago in Edinburgh, when the band were visibly worse for wear and lead singer Kyle Falconer was so drunk he could barely stand. The excuse given was that they had supported Babyshambles the night before and had been up all night partying with Pete Doherty. It struck us as as odd that they’d play a support show then get so fucked up they’d hazard their own gig in front of their own fans, but to be fair to them, they played a rousing set and it was easy to chalk it up to youthful exuberance.
So it is with some dismay ELM notes that the opening line tonight to the crowd is ‘we played Glasgow last night and got hammered, we’re really hungover.’
It’s particularly unforgivable because the band are doing a great thing by playing a provincial tour in small towns that wouldn’t normally see much live music. But by walking on and basically telling the crowd that this is a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show for them, the band treat the audience with utter contempt. You’ve been looking forward to this? Well, shame, because it means fuck all to us. Not much of an attitude.
The great pity, of course, is that The View are very good and the songs are so strong they almost transcend the state of the people playing them. ‘Wasted Little DJ’s’ is delivered, all spark and vigour, before new single ’5 Rebeccas’ gets the already excited dancefloor in a state of meltdown. Tracks from the new album ‘Which Bitch’ – awful title – sound very promising indeed. They don’t sound like much of a departure, but that’s not really the point of The View; they are a traditional British guitar band. They are unlikely to ever issue an epoch-making album, but they will pack one full of memorable choruses and great tunes.
But it’s impossible to escape the reluctant nature of the show. ‘I really didn’t want to play this show tonight’ whines guitarist Pete Reilly, and it’s impossible to avoid the conclusion that what we are witnessing is a group of young men who have been spoiled by early success. And that’s sad, it really is, because the terrific pair of closers ‘Same Jeans’ and ‘Superstar Tradesman’ are just sublime pop songs, real three minute wonders. They almost snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with these, but not quite.
The View may wish to consider what a total lack of respect for their audience will lead to. They may, with that absolute sense of certainty that only the young can experience, feel that their fans will be out there for them forever; history tells us that is not the case. Right now, they need to decide if they want to be a truly great band or just a buch of pissed up arseholes who made a great album once. If they want to just fuck about on stage, go for it, but don’t charge people £15 to watch it. Because when an audience leaves a gig under the impression that the band are relieved the show is over so they can continue getting wasted, the law of ever diminishing returns apply. The View are at a crossroads; your call, boys.
Filed under: gigs Tagged: | dundee, fife, gigs, Live, music, the law, the view, the view are on fire, the view kirkcaldy, the view live, the view ocean nightclub live, toblerones
Something which I should say is that their support, The Law, were excellent, really won over a few converts.
Spot on although you have let Kyle off lightly. I was there..it wasnt big and it wasnt clever. As an aside, something that may interest ELM and put the final nail in the View Coffin is that they have colaborated with non other than Paolo Nutini on their new album, Kyle is actually quoted as saying “Working with Paolo was a brilliant night. He really is a star.” …Nuff said…Rehab beckons
Yep, Kyle is developing a worrying case of ‘little arsehole’ syndrome.
Working with Nutino…wonder if they did ‘Same Jeans’?
The View have a special place in my heart so this makes me despair. I really hope they don’t look back and wish they had done it differently! It would be such a waste!
They were good but Kyle was steaming. Thought the Law were great. Was a good night but I saw The View at Rock Ness last year and they were better then.
Adrian, you are absolutely spot on. They can go one of two ways now, and if they keep going where they are going they will squander their talent and their opportunity.
They haven’t ‘made it’ yet. they still need to work hard!
Never heard of them. I’m so out of touch.
ELM shows immaculate taste, and sarcasm. I am quite surprised you like these c***s.
We’ll keep you right Tombstone!
Bert, they are a good pop band when they are focused.
The View are nothing more than a very average band who liked The Libertines. I’d like to kick fuck out of them when they start all that “we’re so wasted” pish. They’re a bunch of neds basically.
I can’t deny they have neddish tendencies!
you could call them a lot of things but they are anything but average. Young and silly? yes. Misguided? perhaps. An inflated view of their fans loyalty? Perhaps. But average most definitely not.
Agreed Adrian, ‘Superstar Tradesman’ is an absolutely perfect pop single.