Thursday 04/12/08 Hockey, Stars And Sons @ Water Rats, London

It's not often that you go to a gig and the guest list is eight pounds but that's how in demand Portland's Hockey currently are amongst the indie illuminati of London. Tonight is there first show in the UK, they haven't even played outside of the West Coast before meaning even the hipsters of New York are yet to see them live, and there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the air.

Tonight they are supported by equally hot young things Stars And Sons who are only sixteen gigs in but already creating good noises amongst those in the know. The brainchild of Mike Lord, who fronts the band shyly while protected from the audience by his keyboard, the four piece are like Ben Folds Five after a case of Sunny D, all shimmering piano led pop that is yet to be fully refined but has the definite potential to works its way into your head. Previous single 'In The Ocean' is their most fully rounded nugget to date and if they can add to the songs with some much needed stage craft then 2009 could be an important year for the Brightonians.

By the time the main attraction hits the stage the Water Rats has become like a can of sardines but with sweat substituted for brine. Two things become immediately apparent – Hockey don't disappoint live and Ben Grubin has a brilliant voice. The set is short, six songs to be precise, but it gives us a window into the quartets potential. Openers 'Work' and 'Too Fake' are already anthems to those who've been hitting the band's myspace for the past three months – kitsch, funk infused sound bites with the earnestness of Springsteen but the party vibe of The Rapture.

No doubt 2009 will see a re-release of Hockey's album 'Mind Choas' and we can see it having a similar impact to MGMT or Vampire Weekend in 2008 because they have the 'I saw them first' indie kid cool but the pop sensibility to cross over to more main stream markets. They slow us down for 'Learn To Lose' which showcases Grubin's vocals in a similar vein to 'Curse This City' (which we're said not to see them play tonight) before bringing us back up by closing with 'Song Away', on which Grubin sings “I'm gonna right a truthful song over an 80s groove” doing a reviewers job for him.

This may not be Roxy Music but its definitely brilliant music.