Wednesday 03/03/04 Snow Patrol, Terra Diablo, Astrid @ Carling Academy, Liverpool

We're all old friends in here tonight.  The headliner's first support is Astrid, who are probably best known for their part in The Reindeer Section - a massive Scots collaboration with members of Snow Patrol, Belle and Sebastian, Eva, Mogwai and The Mull Historical Society.  They produce a predictable form of folky, poppy indie peddled by the likes of Crowded House and (on a bad day) REM.  In fact the skin headed lead vocalist does resemble Mr Stipe - had he been morphed with a Ferenghi or the Head Master from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (depending on your preference for turgid American geek TV).

Glasgow's Terra Diablo are again acquaintances of old.  The band supported Snow Patrol in 2003 despite the fact that they're a sub-Nirvana rock act and completely different from the others on this tour.  The five piece have all the hallmarks of a band on the up, with a slot on T in the Park, an MTV Unsigned Showcase and an 'In The City' already under their belts, it's suprising that they aren't a more well known name already. But there is a reason for that and that is: they play grunge by numbers.  A ray of sunshine does peak out of the gloomy clouds during one middle eight when a Brian May type lead perhaps ironically emerges from an otherwise Seattle inspired number but things don't really pick up until their parting shot - new single 'Swings & Roundabouts' a Foo Fighter-esque romp due out on March 15th.

With everything to play for and an audience that is all theirs (thanks to their recent hit single), Snow Patrol are set for a stomping performance.  The lights dim, and a thumping beat can be heard accompanied by Noah's "two by two, hurrah" theme tune.  It sounds like the Uruk-Hai have marched into the venue. But wait, what's this? Mordor's finest have been replaced by a maudling indie act.  With so much goodwill and credibility in the bank at the moment it would be a shame for the Patrol to fritter it away on an "old one from 1998".  Yet they do it over and over again firing blank after blank over the heads of a sell out audience eager to be impressed.  It's not until current single 'Run' literally "light's up" the crowd that the true capability of this band becomes apparent.  Their destiny is firmly in their own hands - do they want the relative mainstream insignificance of their fellow Reindeer's and a continued share in their underground respectability, or do they want chart glory and the chance to break free from their art-house brethren?

Photo by Dave Kent