Les Savy Fav @ The Scala

Tim Harrington, lead singer of headliner's Les Savy Fav, is an energetic performer.
Marching on stage as the band open with the raw riff of The Equestrian dressed in a top hat, tweed jacket, big boots and a checkered scarf covering his face, he immediately patrols the stage with a arrogant authority. He throws his microphone in the air, pulls angular shapes and passionately rasps his lyrics into the air. He enters the crowd after only a couple of songs and scales the Scala's balcony, where he dangles himself upside down from the railings with the help of two obedient ladies, all eyes on him. I wonder what the rest of band have come to think of these antics as they end up playing to no one, just the back of heads but Harrington is such a imposing presence that its impossible to keep your pupils off him. His stature and looks are not those of your standard rock n roll star but not many frontmen have the same energy, charisma or endearing enthusiasm with which Harrington displays tonight and the crowd attempted to reciprocate those qualities.

Its clear from his playful and passionate demeanour that its all about the fans for Harrington, thats why he's here and he wants to make them as much a part of the evening's events as the band themselves. Like the reluctant individual he pulls from the crowd during The Equestrian and rides like a stallion around the stage or the stage invader he captures during the intro to The Sweat Descends, who he sits on and dry humps for half the song. These people will go home with the largest smiles spread across their faces. Harrington wants every person to go home feeling something about the performance. He acts out lyrics, miming, making sure we understand what he's so impassioned about, making these sung stories even more vivid. When he enters the crowd a second time, kneels on the floor and without asking the surrounding crowd lowers themselves down to his level. It feels like storytime at school, its intense and personal, until everyone jumps up and dances as the drums kick back in. Harrington has so much adoration for the fans that during his mid-set banter, he marries the crowd and the band in a life-long union that i don't think either will ever think of breaking.
After a set of infectious classics, strong new tracks and many antics, the band reappears to encore, Harrington dressed in a nightgown. They burst into Who Rocks the Party and having been on fire all night, Tim and co. continue in flaming fashion. Its too much for some fans, who leap on stage causing a wave of dancing, smiling freaks to follow suit. By the end of the encore, the stage is swarmed and as the last chords ring from the distorted guitar a lone bearded figure stands in front of the stage modestly applauding and as the crowd realise they all turn and applaud Tim back. because even though he's modest, he really was the star tonight.

Les Savy Fav - Patty Lee (Radio 1 Session)
Les Savy Fav - Rage In The Plague Age (Radio 1 Session)
Les Savy Fav - We'll Make A Lover Out Of You (Radio 1 Session)

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