The Walkmen at Islington Academy

I read somewhere that The Walkmen are like “The Strokes gone evil”. I like that description. Except The Walkmen are much better than The Strokes. God knows why they’re first on at Reading and Leeds this weekend. 

Last night was what they call a warm up gig. But there was no sense that they held anything back.

Hamilton Leithauser doesn’t just sing these songs, he launches everything he’s got into them. I don’t know how he maintains that for a tour without losing his voice.

Leithauser has the ability to convey real emotion. Before a song like The Rat you can see him preparing himself, summoning up the right strain of emotional energy. Then, one hand in his pocket, the other hand gripping the mike up high with the cord wrapped around it, he attacks the song. “YOU GOT A NERVE TO BE ASKING A FAVOUR…”

And I don’t know much about the technicalities of playing as a band, but I can tell that the Walkmen are a very, very good unit.

It was a wet and miserable evening last night in London, almost autumnal. Perfect.

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