Patrick Duff - Live

21st July 2005
PATRICK DUFF feat. Alex Lee and Damon Reece + OSKAR The Borderline, London

Tonight is like a mini Strangelove reunion %u2013 the Bristol band who shadowed Suede's career in style, if not popularity. Thanks to the 'mature' crowd, it has the definite feel of a fanclub outing.

First we have Oskar, who seem to have a multiple personality disorder and feature ex-Strangelove member Nick Powell. On the one hand they are an effective Godspeed You Black Emperor-style post-rock outfit, complete with soaring cello and electronic blips.

Then their guest female vocalist comes in and they become a slightly messy Sonic Youth whose music resembles a Jackson Pollock painting. But by ending on a stormy post-rock note, they win the audience through sheer exuberance.

It provides a good start for Duff who, rake thin, pale, intense, takes to the stage likes he owns it with former bandmate (and ex-Suede member) Alex (bass/lead guitar) and ex-spiritualized member Damon (drums).

Duff has returned after tumultuous seven years with a new album, Luxury Problems, which he plays almost in its entirety tonight.

They open strongly with the Ryan Adam-esque 'Song For America', but it's downhill from there. Duff has a beautiful voice and all three are able musicians, but he also appears to have a gargantuan ego that begins to turn the crowd off. He restarts the second upbeat stomper, 'Married With Kids', because of sound problems we cannot hear.

His on-stage intensity seems misplaced given the student quality of his lyrics and derivative songs, like 'DJ Yoga' and 'Mirror Man'. Each track is like a separate pastiche to a '70s icon %u2013 a bit of Lou Reed here, a touch of Bowie and Elvis Costello there %u2013 as is Duff%u2019s on-stage persona, all 'whoa' and 'man'.

y two-thirds of the way through the set, a third of the audience have vanished.

Then something surprising happens. With the painfully honest (and stand-out track) 'My Junkie Clothes, Duff tones down his ego, just as the band's chemistry seems to gel.

The crowd begin to move a little, and the day is saved with a couple more upbeat numbers like 'Refrigerator' and 'Elephant Bill' towards the end. Nick Powell's keyboard-playing appearance for the encore provides an extra treat for Strangelove devotees.