glass shark + THE sycamores + ipony

Snappily dressed in a black shirt/white tie combo, iPONY’s lead singer looks the spitting image of Howlin’ Pelle Amquvist, and his youthful cohorts almost suggest The Hives man has taken a hiatus to lead a school outing. Wardrobe interests aside, the band deliver a catchy, synth-assisted set. The highlight by far is the party starting whirlwind that is ’Hollie RU Goin 2 The Disco’. The tune careers along on a wave of irresistible hooks and pulsating sped-up vocal samples, suggesting Kanye West hijacking one of The Rapture’s better moments. Plenty of Saturday night Camden foot-traffic ensures fellow Cornish band THE SYCAMORES play to a healthier crowd. While they lack any stand-out tracks, the choppy post-punk and tumbling guitars of ’The Theory Of It All’ and ’Barricades’ keep the crowd fixated. By the time GLASS SHARK take to the stage the venue is heaving, but they offer a riposte to the trend-savvy with their souped-up funk and disco grooves. The drummer takes centre-stage, singing lead and bashing out rhythms as half the crowd nervously shuffle their feet - even though some are letting their inhibitions go. Maybe it’s the drummer’s headphones that make me think of XX Teens doing an evening of Chic covers - but full marks for going against the tide. All said, a strong line-up and a great excuse to avoid staying in and crying into your Carling.