"Against a backdrop of a bare brick wall plastered with posters advertising holidays in Belgium, The Clynics played their first ever concert at Norwich City College last Friday night. Six chaps and a girl up on stage: lead guitar, two rhythm guitars, bass, keyboards and drumkit. Sound problems were evident from the start: Lindsey's keyboards were inaudible, the guitars drowning out the bass and drums, and the low ceiling of the prestigious F block coffee bar not allowing the sound to go anywhere but right flat out at the audience. But after the first couple of numbers, nobody cared about the abysmal acoustics - the three guitars meshed into a frabjous metallic KO, For a debut concert, these people showed great  poise, even if the stage was a little crowded. There they were, Tony leaping about like he was already famous; Alan looking as if he should be playing in a New York night club instead of some crummy English college; Lindsey hopping between keyboards and centre-stage mikestand, displaying real confidence, and dare I say it, stage presence. And the songs! All featuring jangling, pulsating guitars, catchy rhythms, each one an instant little hit, but all with an indefinable weirdness behind them that lingers on afterwards. This isn't ramalama garageland punk, but it isn't clever-clever either. And The Clynics don't really sound like anyone else. When they played what was announced as the last number, you could feel the electricity in the hall: nobody was going to let this bunch get away without an encore. They were just smashing. Afterwards, I went home and listened to the new Lou Reed album. It all sounded pretty old-hat, I must say.
Douglas Cumberlandmouth.

Set List: Nights Dream, Sending My Messages, Devil, Prizegiving Day, Private Life, Cross One Off, What To Say, No Hesitating, Dream Her, Don't Ask Me Questions, Young Love, Girl Of The Month, Insane Reasons, Hellraiser, Blood Test, These Lost Years, [encores], Dream Her, Insane Reasons, Dizzy Miss Lizzie (were we serious?)

Fez