Issue 147

Highway to Hull...

23rd October 2006

After bursting onto the scene a year ago with their explosive debut album, First Comes First, The Paddingtons are set to bring their anarchic youth-punk to Swansea for what can only be a pulsating night of rock 'n' roll debauchery on the grandest of scales. When The Libertines reignited the romanticism in British rock, it meant that those who followed a similar path risked being crudely lumped together for the sake of lazy generalisations. However, where others failed, The Paddingtons broke through any preconceptions and dazzled fans and critics alike with a hi-octane approach that shows no signs of waning as they race wildly towards a hotly anticipated second album.

As they plough through yet another exhaustive tour, be in no doubt that when they roll into Swansea on 12 November, it will be a performance so riddled with passion and enthusiam that you'll probably convince yourself that they are playing just for you. Not many bands can offer such commitment to their live performances as The Paddingtons, and all you can do is let yourself get swept up in the euphoric ferocity of proceedings and hope that it never ends.

If that has failed to convince you, consider that Carl Barat recruited Paddingtons' guitarist Josh Hubbard for Dirty Pretty Things' recent US tour when Barat broke his collarbone, and Pete Doherty is a fan, so these Hull boys must be doing something right. Admittedly the similarities to The Libertines are there, and you could even compare them to The Clash, but at the same time The Paddingtons are doing something completely different. It's a fusion of the dirtiest indie licks with riotous punk that perfectly suits Tom Atkins' distinctive bawling vocals.

What could be more enticing than the chance to see a band at the very top of their game? It's going to be dirty, it's going to be electric, and it's going to be bloody marvellous. Swansea won't have seen a night like it.

You can see The Paddingtons at DV8 on Tuesday 12 November. Tickets cost £10 and can be purchased at the Ents box office, or online at www.swanseatickets.com.

Pete Hayman