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GHOSTS
Cardiff Barfly
It was one of those gigs where things didn’t quite add up. It was a Wednesday night and very few people had braved the cold to see a little known group from London called Ghosts. I worried that the lack of atmosphere would upset a band on their first tour; but they were not the naïve youngsters I had expected. Formally known as Polanski, the core members of Ghosts have been together for over ten years, but had played only 20 gigs when they were signed to Atlantic records.
Having done a little background digging beforehand, I was surprised to find a distinct lack of information on the band tipped to be 2007’s big success story. Were they the latest gamble for the record label that signed comedy rap act Goldie Lookin Chain?
As soon as they opened with their first single, ‘Stay the Night’, it was clear that Ghosts are a safe bet for chart success. What they lack in live experience, they more than cover with pitch perfect indie-pop songs and the quiet confidence that comes from being skilled musicians. It didn’t hurt that Atlantic had sent them equipped with a couple of guitar technicians and a sound man, but they still managed to make the tin-can acoustics of Barfly sound like the Albert Hall.
Front man, Simon Pettigrew, took the empty dance floor in his stride, giving a polished performance which was slightly diminished by his constant sales pitches after every song. The only downside to spending ten years in a rehearsal studio is the loss of spontaneity and rawness of sound and, at times, it did feel like a corporate showcase. They might not be very rock’n’roll but Ghosts, with their accomplished song craft and live finesse, have hit on a winning formula.
NAT DAVIES
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