Neon Neon Review

The Sage Gateshead
7th November 2008

Producer Boom Pip and Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys created Neon Neon last year with a goal in mind – to create an album that celebrated the lives, wives and death of car designer John DeLorean. “Stainless Style” ended up being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and with good reason; the album mixed various genres together to create a brilliant collection that has to be one of the albums of the year.
But when they came to the Sage, I didn’t really know what to expect: just a standard show with some flashing lights or something much, much grander?
The group had taken the time to create a series of short films to accompany the music, starting with a look at the manufacturing of DeLorean’s vehicles during “Dream Cars” and moving on to a choppy movie examining the films of actress Raquel Welch while playing an extended version of their single “Raquel”. The mystic voice of DeLorean spoke from beyond the grave to address the band through this time, asking “how did you get inside my head?” after they finished a typically bouncy version of “I Told Her On Alderaan”.
The group were then joined onstage by Har Mar Superstar during “Trick For Treat” and then by their support band, rappers Yo Majesty, for “Sweat Shop” – both sending the temperature to boiling point. They started their encore with the slightly demure “Steel Your Girl” but then ended with a spiced up and feverish extended rendition of “Stainless Style”, marking the death of DeLorean.
This was no ordinary gig – it’s not everyday that you see a band putting in so much effort to try and make the night a special occasion but Neon Neon managed it without looking as if they were trying too hard to impress. It might have been a touch too short but it was spectacular while it lasted.

Neon Camera Obscura

Good news: I have recently acquired tickets to see Neon Neon in a rather intimate venue, which is pretty good because I have noooo idea if they're ever going to make another album seeing as "Stainless Style" is, let's be honest, a side-project.

Bad news: In doing this I think I've sabotaged my own plans to buy a new digital camera, scuppering my chances of joining little theme days of SkyWatchFriday and Odd Shots on SCG - major bummer! Oh, the humanity of this credit-crunch! Will it never end! If only ticket prices were as low as they used to be - even these supposedly cheap tickets have killed me!

Mercury Month: Neon Neon

Who: Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys and Boom Pip teamed up to create Neon Neon, an 80s-styled electronic outfit.

What Are They Nominated For: "Stainless Style", a conceptual album about playboy designer JohnDeLorean.

Why They Should Win: They've written such catchy pop-electronica. Some might say that they're not doing anything new, since their style is firmly rooted in the 80s, but in a way that makes them more interesting than some of the other new bands coming out right now. "I Lust You" always ends up in your head whenever and wherever you hear it, and so does new single "I Told Her On Alderaan". Gruff Rhys still shows all of his odd quirks on this album as well, and you've got to love that weird little Welsh pixie really.

Chances of Winning: Well, I think I'll be rooting for them because I love "Stainless Style" - it's one of my albums of the year so far. However, they have a mountainous task to get past Radiohead, Elbow and the Last Shadow Puppets. I wouldn't be surprised if they were one of the dark horses but then people might say that Laura Marling has more of a chance than Neon Neon does. Bet if you're feeling incredibly lucky - you never know, there might be another surprise like last year when Klaxons won against heavily tipped Bat For Lashes and Arctic Monkeys.

What I'm Listening To Right Now - "Paris Is Burning (Gopher Remix)" by Ladyhawke

Glastonbury: Who Should've Been There

This is not a wishlist for who I'd like to see at Glastonbury next year but more of a small list of people who could've replaced, say, Jay-Z (you can tell I'm pretty steamed up about that!). So, you could have had:

• Coldplay
• Radiohead
• REM
• The Police

etc? Surely these could have been better headliners. Maybe they're on the list for next year. However, if you believe Michael Eavis then five acts have already been lined up. Apparently one of them came off the back of Jay-Z's performance, so can we expect 50 Cent next year? I sincerely hope not! Other people I would've liked to caught this year include:

• Santogold
• M.I.A (although I'm not sure if she actually turned up or not)
• We Are Scientists (I'm interested now - what I saw of them was pretty good really)
• Neon Neon
• Hercules and Love Affair
• The Gossip
• Goldfrapp
• Ida Maria

Curse my lack of red button action! Although I just caught some more Kings of Leon while eating my dinner...