Sons, Daughters and Chip Shop Lighting

We can't think of many things that we'd rather do on a Tuesday evening than go and see some Scottish indie-pop. And FREE Scottish indie-pop-Well that's just the kind of thing that makes us get over-excited and shriek like fourteen year old fan-boys. Which is essentially what we are, although slightly older than fourteen.

So it was with great anticipation that on Tuesday we popped over to capitalist relic Fopp on Shaftesbury Avenue to see Sons and Daughters play a free set in promotion of their excellent new single, Darling.

Normally, these in-store things are a bit of a drag. No matter how good the band, it's always slightly odd to be stood inside under harsh lighting. Nobody ever moshes or jumps around. Meanwhile, nervous looking security men always watch from the side with a press officer camped just to the right of the stage. The hardcore fans are usually joined by city types who have popped in after work because it's something to do. Meanwhile, we are always overwhelmed by the horrible urge to...nick stuff.

But Sons and Daughters are more than aware of this. They compensate by joking with the crowd about the artificial atmosphere. Meanwhile, they have enough great songs that they have no trouble playing a full blooded 45 minute set. They argue onstage and charm us all, merely by being genuine, having fun and having twenty times the charisma of any other band playing in London tonight.

We hear that another, much more famous band played (or at least attempted to play) an in-store gig last night, to rather more publicity than that garnered by Sons and Daughters. But we doubt Thom Yorke and his overly earnest pals had the style, wit and talent to churn out anything as good as this.

Oh-and they're playing at at Trash successor Durr on the 21st. Bonus.