The Parrots @ The Magnet, 27 Aug
The Parrots' trademark rock posturing more than matches the red velvet-bedecked environs at underground dive bar The Magnet. Celebrating the launch of their debut album Los Niños Sin Miedo on Heavenly Recordings, the Madrid garage outfit blister through a set chock full of fuzz-disguised pop and fun theatricals, much to the delight of a small but never static crowd.
After welcoming the local offerings of Jo Mary, Psycho Comedy and Ohmns with loose limbs, a well-oiled gathering are primed to embrace the headlining boogie-surf-sunshine-slacker trio, who open with the Johnny Bravo go-go of Let's Do It Again. Fun-lovin' on stage, they proclaim their love for the audience between tracks and shout out to the sound engineer: "Is there reverb? More reverb!" They're not joking – there's enough to have put The 13th Floor Elevators out of business, but The Parrots maintain an energy and easy coolness that stop them sounding too retrograde.
They really are a gift that keeps on giving. Slower-paced numbers like Windows 98 and The Road That Brings You Home both showcase the strength of their alternating vocals, while I Did Something Wrong starts off a little John Lee Hooker and has something of The Strokes (circa Is This It) to it. Like the bulk of their tracks, it’s a classic pop song soaked through with reverb and howls instead of harmonies.
For closers No Me Gustas Te Quiero and Somebody to Love, frontman Diego García bravely takes his mic and joins the boogieing masses on the dancefloor, singing and moshing along – like the Fat Whites but friendlier. Drawing out the instrumental pieces over and over again, whooping and hollering, it’s a raucous, rapturous climax and nobody wants it to end. Everybody digs The Parrots – catch 'em quick while they're still playing in clammy basement bars with tacky floors.