The Cribs @ St. Georges Hall, Bradford

Disorder and chaos. I mean, it really has got to be expected. After all it is The Cribs.

It seems a while ago now but Sunday 8th February saw myself and my lovely boyfriend in Bradford. Snow falling, lapping the city center for a restaurant, and my boyfriend jumping in icy puddles. A few hours to kill before The Cribs and we were excited. The boyfriend is a big fan and takes to putting on his Cribsmas DVD whenever I'm not in the room and then convinces me to leave it on with promises of glimpses of beards or Nick Hodgson. I am not as dedicated a fan as he, but have seen them more than he has, I just love gigs.

Plus, seeing The Cribs live is not something I'd ever turn down. Because, although I may lack the sheer enthusiasm my boyfriend has in abundance for the Jarman's, seeing them play live is an absolute treat. Indulgently, I like to observe the entire spectacle. Not just their performance which is always laced with haphazard, yet charming, inconsistencies. Sibling similarities but stark differences and approaches. Personally, my crush tends to lean quite unshakably towards Ryan and the boyfriend's, well, he is a Gary-lover. But the thing that I enjoy most of all is to watch the massive out-pouring of dedication and adulation from the audience and Cribs-worshippers. I genuinely love just looking and taking in the adoration that swarms of independent beings collectively muster for this band.

I mean it, if you get the chance buggering go! Ignore The Cribs for a moment or two (especially Johnny Marr), detach yourself from the ongoings and experience what it is that The Cribs still manage to foster in people.

The St. Georges Hall in Bradford is a great venue. And getting to go there again was such a treat for me. The city of Bradford helped shape me and going there made my heart ache, in a good way.

For him:

The Cribs - What About Me [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

For my leary crowd loving:

The Cribs - Another Number [via YouSendIt for 7 days]

The Cribs

So I knew when it was announced that The Cribs were playing at Cornerhouse in Middlesbrough that it would probably be an awful gig. But that was genuinely the entirity of its appeal. The Cribs are not the world's greatest musicians. And had it not been for Ryan Jarman's appearence on Never Mind The Buzzcocks I'd probably never have bought the album The New Fellas. About 5 of the songs on that album became anthemic. "Catchy!" I used to just shout that as justification whilst bopping away.

Plus, these guys have character. Personality is something quite lacking from a fair few bands and artists. These guys are dirty, Northern, scummy and they fucking love it!

Ridiculously scene and, oh, how I love it!

But their performance was shockingly bad. People went crazy! Crowd surfing, dancing on tables, climbing the speakers. But The Cribs were out of time, out of tune, and a little insulting.

It was mint! Any band that can get away with that sort of performance and still have their fans go mental for them wholly deserve all of my respect. At the time I wanted to buy a t-shirt, so I could point at my chest whilst donning it and say "So bad, its fucking good!"

Oh. However. The Rapture at Empire on Saturday was just flat. I hoped I'd be inspired. Jumping around to House Of Jealous Lovers like someone was trying to stab my ankles? But no. I barely noticed it was them. Ah well. I think when I realised it was them I was more annoyed at the behaviour of the owners of Empire and the club night organisers for putting The Rapture on so early... It felt like it was done with the sole purpose of getting the gig over and done with and getting the club night punters in. Rake in that money!

So ethical.