August 4, 2000

London Hoxton Jack The Bass Player's Flat

For [a]Reef[/a], things could be a whole lot worse.

Reef's Tarzan-like bass player, Jack Bessant, is being kicked out of his flat in east London's trendy Hoxton. Estate agents and landlords have decided that Hoxton is so happening right now that not even a platinum-selling rock star can afford to live here. So, to mark the occasion, Jack and his mates Gary, Kenwyn and Dominic have decided to play an impromptu gig for about 100 friends and music biz types (Andrea Corr, Gavin Rossdale's new chick, is here, having rolled up in purple tinted shades and Miu Miu cowboy boots) in the living room of Jack's now-empty mega flat. There's also a film crew here so you suspect this footage may end up on a promo video sometime in the future.

This gig is also a return to Reef's roots. The band are on the verge of releasing their new, er, back-to-basics LP 'Getaway', and tonight's gig is a chance to roadtest it. In the years before they became stars, they honed their good-time rock'n'roll skills at parties thrown by Cornish surfers. What we have here tonight is a replica of that - Reef close up and personal in their natural environment. A few beers and some spliff. Wicked.

In the great tradition of good time rock'n'roll, Reef are all about simple sentiments set in well-crafted, dynamic rock tunes. Back that up with four good-looking sweaty dudes and you're laughing. New single 'Set The Record Straight' may boast one of the cheesiest choruses known to man but when the furious Motown middle eight kicks in, you can't help but be infected by it. During the song, as with most of tonight's short set, drummer Dominic Greensmith is beaming madly, singing along to every word and swapping glances with bassist Jack. Together they make up the cutest rhythm section in modern English rock - they just don't give a fuck.

Gary Stringer's in the middle of the crowd for most of the set, dancing his monkey dance with all the pretty girls. It could be hilarious, but when he starts to sing the intro to 'Place Your Hands' and the whole room goes apeshit, you've got to give him the props. He's the king of daytime radio rock'n'roll and you know he means every word he sings.

Reef aren't a 'cool' band - just check out Stringer's yellow and blue pinstripe shirt for proof of that - but so what? After the relative commercial failure of last year's 'Rides', many pundits were writing Reef off as has-beens. But after tonight's joyous little set, it's easy to see those cynics are wrong. Come the end of the show, a beaming Dominic Greensmith is wiping the sweat from his brow while Andrea Corr brushes hair out of his face: "Just loved the show, baby."

For Reef, things could be a whole lot worse.