Hearing Dilly Dally on the off chance cos the name caught my eye and the band looked cool I buy a couple of tickets and invite Maya along to witness a bit of the grungier side of rock. She's fashionably late as usual in fact still at home searching for ID when I call to say I'm outside Angel tube. A quick pint and she arrives without ID but as we approach The Lexington the bouncer is ironically fiddling about trying to get his "Over 18 only - ID required" sign to stick to the door and we breeze in. It's still pretty early and the room upstairs only has a few couples hanging out and more than a few single blokes for some reason. Phones are a god send for those trying to look like they have some friends even though they are on their own. I know. Witness earlier tonight in the pub. Anyways soon enough the support band come on.
Tigercub play basic rock and roll spanning 70s riffing rock to post punk industrial neo thrash. They look pretty damn cool too. The guitarist could've been one of the Ramones although his guitar is hitched a little high for them and the bassist has short back and sides floppy on top with a tip top moustache down and dirty look. Drummer has post hippie hair in a bun and suspect a couple of tribal style tats about his body. Maya and I argue about whether they are yanks or not. I suspect so but Maya's turns out to be right. Ah yes, the music. They're a tight band and drive a lot of energy throughout their set. Drum and bass keep a good steady beat ranging from laid back sleazy where the guitarist riffs about and does a bit of noodling then they go all out rocking as the guitarist picks up a mean grungy sound. The guitarist plays effortlessly leaving the other two to thrash about and make shapes on stage. Singing is good too but a little american lilt hence the debate. Very good and well worth catching again. After that the room starts to fill out a bit more and soon enough the main band are coming on stage to whoops and applause.
Dilly Dally have a name suggesting a bit of lazy noodling or laid back 70s rock Eagles style. Possibly a post acid punk jazz format? Nah. They are straight into the set no messing about neither dillying nor dallying and give us a full frontal barrage of grunge soaked quirkiness. They play a magnificent set mixing slow and fast heavy numbers. Their sound is big big big and easily fills the small room rolling down the stairs into the bar and no doubt out the first floor windows. Great beats and catchy tunes getting a lot of heads nodding and one girl is so struck she starts her own personal mosh pit much to the annoyance of those around her but hey we've all done it. Haven't we? Interspersed with a bit of chat from the front woman about how they're enjoying themselves over here (Canadian) and something that I don't think the band understood let alone us. Again, great musicianship and the guitarist (main one, not the singer) particularly stood out. Slower mainly than post punk and rockier than grunge so I guess I'd categorise as Post Post Punk Pre Grunge from the late 80s. That'll be Pixies era then. And yep that's not a bad comparison to end this review on. Who wouldn't want to be compared to them. After a one song encore (at least we got one) Maya and I drift off and I stupidly suggest going for a drink at an old haunt the Red Lion which is empty but at least we get to have a chat.
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| Tiger Cub cool haircuts and moustaches |
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| Old school riffing |
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| They're not what it says on the T shirt |
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| They don't dilly and they don't dally |
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| Let's get ready to.... |
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| Rock out! |
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