Friday 22/08/03 Thee Exciters, The Agenda, The Sights @ Dirty Water Club, London

Once again my legendary cheapness led me to avoid the festivals like the plague this year. Instead of pitching down in a field on a Friday night, I found myself ensconced in the comfortable surroundings of the Dirty Water Club in Tufnell Park, enjoying an evening of rock n roll headlined by Detroit's the Sights.

First up on the bill were Southampton's Thee Exciters, playing a good set of straight-ahead garage rock originals mixed with a few covers. Their cover of 'Have Love Will Travel' was absolutely ace, in fact, and was a particular highlight. Thee Exciters possess possibly one of the most charismatic singers I have seen in a long time, and his Jagger-esque dance moves were thoroughly entertaining. They're definitely ones worth seeing again.

Next up were The Agenda, throwing a noise-rock twist to the garage rock sound. The band certainly looked the part, dressed in matching all-black shirts and jeans, as they ran through a set of songs taken from their album 'Start the Panic'. Their performance was energetic and entertaining, but the songs seemed to get lost under the sheer noise of their live sound. I think the mix could have been a bit kinder to them on the night.

The Sights' return to the London stage was timed to provide a warm-up for their Reading and Leeds festival slots. Their particular brand of rock n roll, for the uninitiated, is equal parts down and dirty blues, 60's pop, Stax soul and crashing garage rock n roll. Combined, these influences produce a unique sound that references classic rock but does not get stuck in a time warp.

The group have trimmed down since the last time they played in the UK, with bassist Mark Leahey departing and keyboardist Bobby Emmet arriving in his place. The personnel change has not damaged the bands live dynamic and they still provide a sharp performance. Much of their set is drawn from their 'Got What We What' LP, standouts being 'Don't Want You Back' and 'One and Only'. They also manage a few new numbers, including an impressive cover of soul standard 'I'm Going to Live the Life I Sing About In My Song'. It is on the latter number that guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek's star really shines, as his soulful voice and bluesy guitar work really compliment the song.

Unfortunately, much of The Sight's set seemed to be unappreciated by the assembled audience, with the band receiving a decidedly muted reaction. I'm not sure why this was the case, as the performance was solid and the songs sound as good as ever. Perhaps the band's moodier slow-tempo songs are difficult to digest for the newcomer expecting to see Detroit's latest garage rock gods. Yet, this shouldn't put people off, as it is precisely this aspect of their sound that sets them apart so nicely from their peers. All in all, the band offer a fresh perspective on the current rock scene, and that should certainly be applauded.