Things didn’t look too promising for Brighton-based Vels Trio at the start of their gig with barely two dozen punters in the room and arguably more people stood outside Wire and Swans at the Old Market Theatre.
But the band put on a brave face and impressed those who were there with their groovy instrumentals that showed a fondness for jazz and experimentation with technical gadgetry.
They were followed by Sunday’s festival closer, the never-disappointing The Wedding Present, bringing their insistent riffage and heart-on-the sleeve lyrics at full throttle.
Highlights included a tender Click Click, a driving Interstate 5 and the old faves of Kennedy and Dalliance which incited a four-man mini-mosh.
Frontman David Gedge showed no ill-effects from swapping Tenerife sun earlier in the day for Brighton chill, batting away the strange shout-outs from some of his more quirky followers with good humour.
A trip through the band’s back catalogue in 60 minutes from early single Nobody’s Twisting Your Arm proves that while the four-piece may not be the other-worldly innovators of Drill’s stated philosophy, they have always been consummate craftsmen in the art of perfect pop-rock.
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