The Walkmen: ULU, London – 29/10/08
The boys thought a red scarf would be 'fun' for their image
I am happy to say that I can still tick the 18-24 age box. Well, just. Tonight’s gig audience, however, is mainly made up of members from the next age bracket, indicating that The Walkmen are an acquired, more distinguished musical taste, and after being around for 8 years they are a bit ‘before our time’ for the youthful musical denizens of the UK today.
Whilst all over London town, the nu-indie kids are going crazy to newbie obnoxious bands, The Walkmen prove that they still have it. With a veritable feast of filmic references – horns straight out of a dusty, Deep South Tarantino shoot out and great clunking pianos from a Tim Burton fairground – mixed with Hamilton Leithauser’s (what a name for a front man!) gravelly, emotive vocals and the alternating tempos, The Walkmen come across as wizened but fresh, with a lust for performing live.
A well-deserved encore ends on high with the lullaby-esque Louisiana, the perfect way to send off the slightly ageing but very contented crowd into the falling snow outside…
