May 24, 2009 11:32

Maximo Park play secret tea-party show

Geordie five-piece drop in on Clint Boon and his other half

Photo Gallery: Maximo Park

Maximo Park played a secret one-off gig in Manchester yesterday afternoon (May 23).

The North East band played a short set at Mrs Boon's Tea Party at TV21 hosted by Inspiral Carpets' Clint Boon and his wife Charlie.

The regular free afternoon event was a decorous affair with the audience eating homemade cakes and drinking tea out of China cups as Maximo Park performed songs from their new album 'Quicken The Heart', as well as one track from their debut 'A Certain Trigger'.

Featuring the songs 'I Haven't Seen Her In Ages', 'Questing, Not Coasting', 'Calm' and fan favourite 'Going Missing', the gig also proved to be a support slot for local unsigned singer Carl Martin who went on after the Geordie five-piece after only playing a handful of gigs.

Talking to NME.COM before the show, frontman Paul Smith revealed his reasons for playing Mrs Boon's Tea Party.

"We appreciate the opportunity to do something like this," he said. "We've known Clint [Boon] for a while and he’s always been a supporter of ours, so it's great to be able to do someone else a favour.

"I mean playing our records is a big thing and it's nice to get to know someone who isn't just doing a job but is passionate about what they're doing."

The band found time to sign autographs for fans – as well as sample some of Charlie Boon's homemade cakes before heading off to sound check for their evening show at the Academy.

Talking to NME.COM after the tea party, Clint Boon gave his thoughts on the secret gig.

"I'm dead chuffed that they did it," he gushed. "It's great that when we ask bands like Maximo Park, The Enemy and Reverend And The Makers to play because their first reaction is 'Yes, we’ll do that' not 'How much money is involved?'"

He added: "To have someone play like Maximo Park who put so much passion into their set is great but what's better is the little nippers who were here who will never forget it and that's the best part about it."

They played:

'I Haven't Seen Her In Ages'
'Questing, Not Coasting'
'Calm'
'Going Missing'

Watch fan footage of 'I Haven’t Seen Her In Ages' from the show below.