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Allo Darlin’, Cargo, London

Live Reviews

The most joyful band in indie pop.

17th November 2010, London Cargo / By Simone Scott Warren


Cargo is cold. For some reason best known to themselves, on a freezing, wet, November night, they've whacked the air-conditioning on full and left all the doors open. I'm quite sure that my mother would ask them if they were born in a barn, and the cloakroom attendant must be doing a poor trade as we all keep our coats on for shelter from the draft.

But if Allo Darlin' are feeling the cold, it doesn't show. Recently returned from wooing America with their feel good indie charm, there's smiles all around as they once again warm the cockles of our hearts, back in their adopted home town.

Last time that DIY caught up with the band, they were drummerless in Cambridge, thanks to a nasty bicycle, pedestrian and cycle helmet-less Mike The Drummer incident. Coincidentally, the stand in drummer for the night, a guy plucked from the audience who claimed to (and indeed did) know the entirety of the band's debut album is in attendance tonight, and gets a shout out from the band and a massive cheer from the audience. Obviously, Mike, now proud owner of a cycle helmet, has to up his game, or risk his place in the most joyful band in indie pop.

Without skipping a beat, Allo Darlin' leap into 'Let's Go Swimming' with gusto, proving once again that a track that sounds so whispered and gentle on record is just as effective when played loud and lively. Elizabeth, sans shoes, skips around the stage, is managing to make the skill of jumping and skipping whilst keeping time on a uke seem utterly effortless.

New track, 'Darren', is introduced as a song that some of us may know who it's about, (Darren Hayman), and I'm momentarily embarrassed about having chosen to wear an old Hefner t-shirt tonight. And then the handclaps kick in, the refrain of 'I just can't stop listening to Darren' rings loud in our ears, and all the coats that have been keeping us sheltered from Cargo's cold are dutifully discarded and thrown in various corners of the venue.

'Silver Dollars' is dedicated to all those bands trying to scrape a living out of music, 'Kiss Your Lips' sends a wholly accepted invitation to the entire audience to start dancing like nobody's watching – but I am, dear readers, and to that chap at the front who is busting out the sixties shangri-la moves, bravo my friend, bravo.

'Polaroid Song' stands out from the setlist, not least because halfway through, bassist Bill appears to go terribly wrong, and the rest of the band look at him momentarily, mock aghast, before he shrugs, lets loose one of his trademark grins, and Allo Darlin' launch headfirst into a cover of The Bangles 'Walk Like An Egyptian' in the middle of the song. It shouldn't work, but it really does.

After what feels like ten minutes, the band exit the stage and the venue shakes with the demand for an encore. Returning to play new single 'My Heart Is A Drummer', a thank you from the band goes out to the makers of the video who apparently spent days creating entire sets out of cardboard, and the audience gets back to work grinning whilst dancing their cotton socks off.

Now, it's a brave choice, having already said hi to three of the band member's mothers in the audience, to sing a song about offering to watching porn in your room on New Year with your paramour (b-side and early EP favourite 'Will You Please Spend New Year's Eve With Me'). Even allowing for Elizabeth forgetting half the lyrics and being prompted by a couple at the front a couple of times, it's met with happy approval, before the band exit once more, with the strains of 'Henry Rollins' still ringing in our ears.

As we filter past the massive queue for the merch stand, and in unison all put our coats back on and filter out into the cold, wet, London night, I look for anyone who doesn't have a massive grin on their face. And fail to spot anyone. Rating: 9/10
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