A few songs into Spacehog's set, a sobering realisation sets in: Maybe the distressed Skid Row T-shirt adorning guitarist Antony Langdon isn't a completely ironic gesture. How else to explain the tuff, unsurprising power chords of their new material and all that cock-rock posturing onstage? After all, the shiny '70s glam scene from which Spacehog drew its early inspiration eventually beget humourless '80s Los Angeles glam-metal: Poison, Quiet Riot, the Crue, and, of course, Skid Row. Maybe Spacehog are just being musical ethnologists, following glam's natural arc to its leopard-print-clichi conclusion. A noble gesture, if slightly hard on the ears.
Of course, nothing in the mirrored hallway of rock is that cut-and-dried; Skid Row leader Sebastian Bach is now in a Broadway musical, and Spacehog are too savvy to end up as cartoon characters.
Granted, a lot has changed for this Leeds-born, New York-based expatriates since they burst out of the East Village neo-glam scene in 1995. For one, the scene surrounding them has shrivelled a bit; people here still like getting dressed up, but it's getting harder to spot purple feather boas and sunglasses bigger than your face. Then, after a dizzy rise on MTV and commercial US radio, Spacehog were dumped from their major-label contract and are now back to playing small clubs. They've got a new contract with an indie - and another album due next January - but it's safe to guess they've been humbled by the experience. So even as Antony and singer/brother/bassist Royston Langdon do Spinal Tap-style rocking in unison on some new songs tonight, they're just barely able to keep from laughing; they know they're channelling the sillier spirits of rock'n'roll's past, and they know we're in on the joke too.
Still, it's the older material that brings a refreshing air of expansiveness and complexity to tonight's show: 'Candyman', 'Mungo City' and their debut hit 'In the Meantime' all display the mix of elastic rock and swoony pop that got them attention in the first place. And when Royston switches over to keyboards for a few more tracks, the group's sound gets looser and more inventive; one instrumental sounds somewhat like the theme from '2001' as performed by '70s-era Stevie Wonder and Slade.
But before the night is over, Antony can't resist doing one more rock-star move: unpeeling his Skid Row T-shirt and stripping down to nothing but his undies. Leopard-print, naturally. As the ladies (and some lads) whoop with happiness, one thing is clear: Some rock clichis are worth keeping.
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page