Thursday, 17 December 2009 10:23
2010 keeps on getting better. British four-piece THE CRIBS have just announced a tour of New Zealand in February; playing gigs in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland. And yes, that’s four-piece: although fans of the group will know that it began life in 2002 as a trio - comprised of twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross, Johnny Marr has joined The Cribs for their latest album, as well as their supporting tour. And Johnny Marr, being lead guitarist and founder of the legendary Smiths, as well as a member of Modest Mouse, is kind of a big deal... his presence within the group confirming their talent.
So how did this illustrious partnership come about? Well... Marr heard The Cribs’ 2006 single, ‘Hey Scenesters’, on his car radio, and told the band how much he liked it when he met them at the Glastonbury Festival. The rest, as they say, is history: Marr was announced to be a permanent member of the band in 2008. He has lent his iconic rhythm guitar skills to The Cribs’ latest album, ‘Ignore The Ignorant’, and it’s doubtless one of the reasons for its success. Even though it was released just four months ago in September, it’s been awarded the #11 spot in ‘Mojo’ magazine’s “Albums of the Year” list, and #7 in ‘The Fly’ magazine’s equivalent. Considering that so many great albums were released in 2009, such accolades are not to be sneezed at: clearly, The Cribs are passed the ‘ones-to-watch’ stage.
The Cribs combine the outspoken energy of Brit-pop, with the hooks and simplistic, sing-along lyrics of Top 40 pop-punk. This is true of ‘Ignore The Ignorant’, despite its being markedly darker than their earlier offerings: the first single, ‘Cheat On Me’, opens with a heavy guitar riff like that of a Cure song. If their songs weren’t enough to lure you to your nearest city centre to see them play; The Cribs are infamous for their “raucous, unpredictable live shows” (to quote that fountain of all knowledge, Wikipedia). So raucous are they, in fact, that they were invited by The Sex Pistols to support them for four concerts held at the Brixton Academy, in honour of the 30th anniversary of ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’. The Cribs have also headlined the Leeds and Reading Festivals - and indeed, in the case of the Leeds Festival, they are one of only two bands (the other is The Subways) to have progressed through its stages in consecutive years.
As if Marr’s and The Sex Pistols’ seal of approval weren’t enough, The Cribs have also collaborated with members of Sonic Youth, Suede, and Franz Ferdinand. Truly, the Jarman brothers are making industry professionals sit up and take note: Johnny Marr could have had his pick of bands to collaborate with, and he chose The Cribs. This alone should be incentive enough for you to make it to one of their gigs in February – if such established musicians rate The Cribs so highly, they’re bound to be worth seeing.
THE CRIBS - February 2010
Christchurch
Thursday 25 February
The Bedford
Wellington
Friday 26 February
Bar Bodega
Auckland
Saturday 27 February
Powerstation
Tickets on sale Thursday 17 December from Ticketmaster and Real Groovy (Auckland), Eventfinder.co.nz, Real Groovy and Cosmic Corner (Christchurch and Wellington).
Christchurch
Thursday 25 February
The Bedford
Wellington
Friday 26 February
Bar Bodega
Auckland
Saturday 27 February
Powerstation
Tickets on sale Thursday 17 December from Ticketmaster and Real Groovy (Auckland), Eventfinder.co.nz, Real Groovy and Cosmic Corner (Christchurch and Wellington).
