secret fireworks @ glasgowbury: cashier no 9
Fresh from their Glastonbury session Cashier No. 9 took to the stage to a fairly decent sized crowd on the main stage. Opening up with probably their best known track"When Jackie Shone" you have to admit the band have balls breaking the song out so early on in the set. However, it's a rollicking performance, even quicker than on record and the guitars are a bit dirtier as well. Danny Todd shines on guitar, and he's got a cracking voice to boot. The legend that it Stuart Bailie is standing right in front of me, and he's nodding his head in approval.
Disco pop drums and a repetitive riff kick in for "To The Death Of Fun", a song that contains more twists and unusual turns than the Draperstown to Belfast route. It's a good track and it's the perfect way to demonstrate folktronica. "42 West Avenue" features yet another cracking guitar riff and it sounds a lot more sinister than on record: the harmonies sound like ghosts lamenting in the background. I can't decipher a word of the lyrics in fairness so the meaning of the song is lost on me.
"Jump The Queue" is a good ol' fashioned country song, but "The Lighthouse Will Lead You Out" seems to indicate that the band have at least temporarily converted to electro pop. The audience begin to clap, it's stopped raining, and we're treated to a lovely little catchy number that we can sing along to. Sure, the live version may not have the stylophone solo featured in the demo, but there's something pretty surreal about 50 or 60 people chanting "this ain't the day" and singing along.
"Goodbye Friend" strikes me as a track with the fingerprints of Elliott Smith all over it, especially in the chorus, with the various melody and chord shifts. It all gets a little bit weird during the breakdown where the voices mix together to create a sound that bounces between a bunch of Ooompa Loompas and a selection of zombie children going to kill you. Very strange end to a promising set.
High point: "When Jackie Shone".
Low point: "Jump The Queue" was forgettable, quite literally.
Final point: Describing Cashier No 9 is a tough job: no matter which way you package it, it simply doesn't compare to a live performance. You'll be able to catch them at the Monio festival in the Kings Head!
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