'At a time when most guitar bands are harking back to wide eyed baggydelica, coal-powered garage-punk or Strokesy street rock, British Sea Power are an anomaly. What's most remarkable about the Brighton quartet is the fact that they take as their year zero a time when indie pulled the collar of its army surplus greatcoat up under its bird's nest haircut and moped about to the goth-tinged sounds of Joy Division and Echo And The Bunnymen.
    This gig, meant to herald the imminent release of BSP's Rough Trade single 'The Spirit Of St. Louis', starts with the band arriving onstage amid stuffed owls, clad in matching nautical uniforms, blanking the crowd and playing Peter Hook's lost bass parts at the wrong speed. Unfortunately, after we've been treated to the genuinely sky-scraping, anthemic 'Russian Rock' and 'Fear Of Drowning', the needle in the British Sea Power gig groove slips - along with the scales on the audiences' eyes - and suddenly we're watching Ian Curtis playing an endless version of 'Uptown Girl' under harsh, white supermarket lights. A whole bottle of Ritalin could not keep anyone focused on the deeply unassuming songs that follow, so it's a relief when they finally lurch into closer 'Later''s scientific noise jam.
    On tonight's evidence, it could be a while 'til Britannia rules the airwaves again.'

From L-R : Yan & Hamilton