Music / Gigs
Review: The Jacques, Tower Belle
Aside from Paris, there was really only one place to celebrate Tuesday’s Bastille Day: onboard the Tower Belle for Féte De Le Jacque where soon-to-be huge rockers, The Jacques, proved why they’re rapidly gaining a reputation as the ones to watch.
The Bristol band, formed of two sets of brothers and signed to Libertines’ drummer Gary Powell’s 25 Hours Convenience label, made their grand entrance with a raucous soundcheck before docking at the Cascade Steps to cheers and applause from the growing crowd not troubled by the pouring rain.
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Setting sail just shy of 7pm, the sold out Tower Belle began its voyage travelling out of the Floating Harbour and making haste for the River Avon. Warming up for the band was legendary film director and punk stalwart, Don Letts.
The 6Music DJ span dub remixes of everything from Chris Isaak to Lana Del Rey. Letts is also one of the many musical figureheads championing The Jacques.
“I’m a big fan of The Jacques I’ve been supporting them from the get go,” he told Bristol24/7. “I love their 21st century take on the whole punk rock thing. I love their attitude.”
Next on the decks was Maggie May who carried on the night’s proceedings with reworked mixes of Nirvana and Oasis before the night’s troupe of enfant terribles took to the stage with confidence and gusto.
It was an energetic, no nonsense set from a band who look like they’ve been doing this for a lot longer than a year and a half, playing material both new and old including the high spirited This Is England taken from their latest record, The Artful Dodger EP, and their first single Pretty DJ which sent the audience into a frenzy, with deafening cheers and frantic pogoing from all corners of the top deck.
The Jacques’ set ended with a rampaging drum solo before the band left the stage and dispersed around the boat. But the crowd weren’t having any of it and the four-piece were soon coerced back for an encore.
It was a triumphant evening for The Jacques who are rapidly making their way to the top on their own terms.