Wednesday 16/08/06 Director @ Kings College, London

Kings College London. A venue stemmed in tradition, apart from the great and the good that have passed through its doors on the pursuit of knowledge, there are also the memories, sights and smells experienced in the good old Student Union.

Here in the SU you can almost smell the middle class off springs clambering in to put off their dissertation for another afternoon as they make use of the cheap drinks and amazing view of the Thames (not really rock n roll though considering it isn’t like they have to get up in the morning, or work.) Nope the most debauched events taking place within these walls is that mousey posh bird getting hammered, trying it on with a guy and crying when she’s unsuccessful. Takes you back doesn’t it.

So this is the back drop for a Bell X1 gig, combine the faux emotive intensity the headline band project and the Student Union’s usual crowd and you get an audience that is considerably safe. And female. However, we are here for the support act, Director. And the sickly sweet cocktails at £3.00 a pop.

Looking about twelve years old, and beginning with an upbeat perky inoffensive indie pop track, Director have the quirkiest front man in Michael Moloney since the Young Knives quit their day job, who hasn’t even bothered upgrading his specs. Can you remember when every band was sex fuelled hormones raging ala Pete n Carl and Jet? It seems that all of a sudden, with unenthusiastic sex symbols everywhere like the Young Knives, Rakes, Arctics et al, we are suddenly headed for a post Pulp era (see what I did there).

There’s no room for banter as they launch into track 2, an introspective 80s tinged dance floor filler that is very Long Blondes. Radio play beckons for this little number. The number is pre-occupied with a driving beat that slows down to a halt before resuming again. Indie boys and girls, we are now entering Franz territory. Director seem refreshingly down to earth in their approach to proceedings, aware where they are in the new bands hierarchy, they engage in no banter or song titles, though that is by no means saying they are arrogant. And as they don’t bother announcing track names, we aren’t either. How very post-modern.

Track three is all moody angular hooks and Interpolesque melancholy with guitar breakdown and heavy drum beat... It has the opportunity to be an anthem, and should induce crowd surfing when they headline (and with consistently tight hooks it is only a matter of time.)  Track four contains a Jet / Kings of Leon heavy bass and drum based beats with sharp twanging guitar. There is no room for stars as this is a band – a sum of all parts with sumptuously polished hooks and melodies in all the right places – mixing it up so it never sounds derivative.

Although track six is sharp and stinging that stabs like heart burn, it was the last song in their repertoire that is deemed worthy of introduction. It contained the indie grandiose wall of sound that Editors champion, but as their first single was a strange choice of release as it is their least original, especially when their catalogue includes track after track of quirky, strong indie dance.

Anyway that was from Director, a cut above fledgling bands, who just walked off like they were popping to the shops. The best bit? The band suspect they are good but sheepishly play like stage presence isn’t as important as egotistical front men would have you believe. A basis all bands should begin with, which by Arthur Fonzarelli definition makes them very cool indeed.