Monday 15/05/06 Tilly and the Wall @ Night and Day, Manchester

‘Tilly! What? We don’t give a ****! We say “Tilly”, you say “What”, we say “Oh” you say “****”…’ And so the love in begins…

Tap dancing…synchronised Flamenco dancing…watching Tilly and the Wall is an aesthetic pleasure, quite simply adorable, the ladies in the audience become glaringly aware of themselves pulling their hair this way and that, keeping a close watch on the reactions of wide eyed boyfriends as Jamie, Neely and Kianna, oozing beauty and charisma, charm the audience into giving over every last piece of their attention, indeed eye’s are pointed in only one direction, the stage…a tumbleweed blows wistfully past the barmaid…

Manchester’s Night and Day has never been famous for its sound quality, tonight is no different, it seems that someone has pulled a plug somewhere, or blew a fuse, or both, ‘more vocal please,’ ‘We can’t hear Nicks keyboard,’ ‘Can you guys hear that feedback, or is it just me?’ are amongst the many requests and questions thrown towards the PA box, yet despite the prolonged technical difficulties, Tilly and the Wall manage a sublime show, displaying the ease at which they can turn from folk driven melodies, and 60’s inspired pop vocals to near punk lyrics and a twee stage manor.
 
The evening consists of a mixture of old and new, showcasing tracks from the new album Bottom of Barrels alongside 2004’s Wild Like Children. 'Reckless', form WLC, is the perfect intro to a night which by rights should be filled with audience participation, clapping singing and dancing, and though its true of some of the crowd, it seems that Manchester just can’t find their rhythm tonight, even if Gigwise have got a spring in their step and their maraca’s at the ready, O’la!

Latino inspired new track, 'Bad Education', is an energy filled set highlight. Spanish inspired guitars set off the opening handclaps and trademark taps, to ignite the performance with dark gitana magic. 'Shake it Out', sees said paranoid girlfriends, reaching tentatively for said bewitched boyfriends hands, to the sound of summer romance and slow dance.

Tilly exits the stage to applauds for more, and more, and more… indeed this crowd won’t be satisfied until they hear the punk inspired anthem for generation X, Nights of the Living Dead, they aren’t disappointed, and in this, their last song, Manchester finally locates its rhythm… pogoing ensues… ‘I wanna **** it up! I wanna **** it up…’ Group hug anyone?