SPITFIRE LIVE REVIEW
SPITFIRE LIVE REVIEW
NME 2 March 1991
SPITFIRE
LONDON CAMDEN FALCON
Sleek, fast and sexy, the car and the band. Spitfire retrace the calculated
steps of The Doors, grab all the influence they can and sprint back without
getting caught in the time warp. But they're more diverse than you'd
imagine, with sparks of Dinosaur Jr, Loop and The Stone Roses (on double
speed). And on the image scale, Spitfire shatter the meter and pierce you
with the fragments.
'Presence', their first aptly titled number, is infiltrated by up-tempo
drums and although the guitar overly wah-wah orientated, Spitfire's
superiority over-rules their demeaning pedal poaching with their
professional and burnished instruments earthed by sheepish vocals. The
Brighton five-piece have encapsulated their attitude into their set, their
arrogance is forcefully projected into their show.
Spitfire challenge instrumental territory as well, with 'Blues' and their
interpretation of 'The Six Million Dollar Man' theme tune; bizarrely and
expertly transformed into a rock pop song. 'Fluid', 'Dive' and 'Firebird'
are lyrically scant and repetitious. In fact Spitfire prosper in
disorientating the audience's attention, bound to watch the frontman but
compelled to glare at the drummer.
And that's what is so exceptional about Spitfire. The drummer is the main
man, his strength and domineering showmanship combined with his flash drum
brilliance infuse a fervent dose of power into the band. Only the
forthcoming 'Translucent EP', produced by That Petrol Emotion's Steve Mack,
will authenticate that tonight was no one-off wonder gig.
Review: Gina Morris