Music to our ears

Such is Apple’s monopoly over the world of music, that they now carry the clout to take over one of London’s premier music venues for an entire month.

Not only that, but they’ve managed to secure a line up for the second iTunes festival that comprises a succession of the UK’s most prominent talent, young and old - Dizzee Rascal, McFly, Paul Weller, Feeder and The Zutons to name a few will grace the Koko stage throughout July.

Tonight it’s the turn of The Music to showcase their wares to the crowd of fans and competition winners, and this is not a bad opportunity to do just that- no one is more powerful than Apple, after all.

This Leeds four piece were on the verge of superstardom in 2001, with the release of their brilliant debut album, a few successful singles, and support slots with the likes of Oasis to boot. Then it all went a bit quiet, and second album Welcome To The North went almost unnoticed. But they’re back for a third bite of the cherry, and latest offering Strength In Numbers is a triumph, pushing the band back to something of the prominence they deserve.

The Music appear on stage to a surprisingly early rendition of their finest hour, Take The Long Road And Walk It, and the crowd’s reaction proves they are worthy of their place on the bill at a festival of this calibre - they tear the roof off. The Spike follows, a stand out track on the new album, and indeed tonight.

This is a band with a truly excellent sound, merging the heavier end of indie with a perfectly fitting beat laden rhythm section, to form the sort of dance rock that Pendulum wish they could write. Classics like The People, The Truth Is No Words and Getaway are blended with newer efforts such as Strength in Numberseffortlessly and an hour and a quarter flies by as if it hadn’t even begun.

Reading and particularly Leeds are in for a treat over the August Bank Holiday. Incendiary stuff.