Sunday 12/12/04 Colour Of Fire @ The Roadhouse, Manchester

Although they were tipped as a band to break-through in 2004, Colour Of Fire have built up an underground following but are yet to cross over to the mainstream.  Tonight’s show is the last of their headlining tour in a year that has seen them release a cracking debut record and share billing with the likes of Placebo.

The band are very tight and accomplished musically, and duel vocalists Owen Richards and Stuart Jones can both project their voices effectively – which is exactly what is needed for anthems like ‘Robot Rock’ and ‘Second Class Citizen’.  The small crowd sings every word, and cheers greet a perfect rendition of ‘The Exile’.  Latest single ‘A Pearl Necklace For Her Majesty’ packs a mean punch, while also highlighting the contrasting voices of Richards and Jones, and ‘The Company Won’t Colour Me’ features some excellent falsetto work. 

The set also includes new song ‘Words Are Bullets’, which is a decent mid-tempo effort, and a number of B-sides.  ‘Jennifer’ is a ballad that should be accompanied by lighter waving, and the wonderfully titled ‘Genki Desu-ka?’ is a riot that sees Richards in a tangle of Christmas lights and the crowd more than satisfied.  If they perform like this every night, 2005 could just be their year.