Two Door Cinema Club, Leeds Cockpit

As a band who haven’t made quite the impact anticipated this year, Two Door Cinema Club will live or die depending on their performances rather than their recorded output: an increasing trend these days. While their debut album ‘Tourist History’ is reminiscent of We Are Scientists’ ‘With Love And Squalor’ (if only for the fact that every song on it sounds like a huge indie-pop single), one of it’s potential weaknesses was it’s production. Many felt it was too crisp, too pop, belying the grittier edge that had been displayed on earlier versions of first single ‘Something Good Can Work’. Playing live is their chance to put those doubts to rest, despite the relative lack of touring underneath their belts that they know the differences between the studio and the toilet venues of the UK.

Opener (on both album and setlist) ‘Cigarettes In The Theatre’ certainly suggests this could be the case. Recently incorporating a live drummer where before there was a drum machine gives the band a harder edge - the rhythm plays a far more pivotal role, driving the songs forward, a licence for the guitarist to take more risks. This newfound tenacity and ability to improvise is reflected throughout the set. New single ‘Undercover Martyn’ is played two songs in, you wonder if it’s a mistake to play it so early but on reflection no, the crowd liven up from this point in. Alex Trimble’s voice doesn’t quite have the delicate nature and wistful tone it does on ‘Tourist History’ but is still distinctive throughout - apart from the end refrain of ‘Do You Want It All’ where he is drowned out by the crowd singing back at him.

The main criticism that can be levelled at the band is also one of their strengths (there’s no obvious filler on the album, but…) the songs all follow a relatively similar pattern and structure, making it hard to distinguish which song is which. A few times the crowd seem caught out, mouthing the wrong lyrics before sheepishly falling in line. It’s nitpicking for nitpicking’s sake though. Many bands on their debut suffer from the same ailment yet don’t have the quality of pop song and ear for melody that Two Door Cinema Club do. A short, sweet set is finished with an encore of ‘Come Back Home’ and ‘I Can Talk’, the latter proving to be the song of the night in terms of crowd recognition and being the song they perform with most gusto and skill. This gig won’t have changed anyone’s life but you would struggle to find anyone who didn’t get what they came for and for a band in this position and at this age, that will do for now.