Night Engine/Xander Allen & The Keys

Mr Kyps, Poole

After just over a year together the momentum for London based band “Night Engine” is starting to build after a string of positive reviews in the national press, as well as a tour support with the Kaiser Chiefs. The band have decided to kick off their debut headline tour at Mr Kyps in Poole.

The four piece Bowie-influenced band have created a distinct new sound that relies heavily on synthesisers and keyboards. Tonight the turnout at Mr Kyps is very disappointing as the vast majority of live music fans are either at the Wimborne Folk Festival, or the On The Bus Festival – with the weekend’s weather being glorious sunshine who can blame them.

Tonight’s support act are “Xander Allen & The Keys” who are possibly Dorset’s most hard working band at the moment as since forming in early 2012 they have been performing a massive amount of gigs at a host of local venues, while building a good solid following. The three piece are made up of the ex bass player from “The General Public” Lee Hammond, with Marko Owen(Drums) and frontman on guitar/vocals Xander Allen. The band arrive in a confident mood and despite the poor turnout make every effort to perform to the people who have turned up. The band’s original material “Rushing By” and “Shoebox Alleyway” show some creative song writing coupled with some simple but effective guitar work, along with Lee’s neat funky bass lines. The band roll out a few well chosen but not so obvious covers “Kids” (MGMT), “Titanium” (David Guetta) and final number “Sweet Dreams” (Eurthymics) that get a reworking Xander style while sounding very interestingly different. The band leave the stage after a solid 30 minute set that shows a marked improvement on previous performances, as well as a new air of confidence that is looking good for their future.

Zander Allen And The Keys 1–2

After a prompt change around the very well turned out “Night Engine” are ready for their night’s work. As they look out at the empty hall I am sure that this is not the start to the tour that they dreamed of; it cannot be easy to perform to just a handful of people, but the band get on with it with positive energies. The band kick off with “Young And Carefree”; a sample of their “dark pop” electronically enhanced sound, which is sounding so uplifting and fresh with an infectious chorus to die for. As the set goes on there are influences within their songs that come from all over the place-there are bits of Joy Division, Talking Heads and of course David Bowie. The song “Seventeen” contains the brutal lyrics “You can slash my face with a razor blade and I will never feel it, I will never feel it”, which were sung by singer Phil in such a powerful and impressionable way it left it’s own mark on all those watching.

Night Engine 1–2–3–4

Just watching the band going through this almost rehearsal-like performance, it is easy to see there is a special chemistry developing – with all the right ingredients to take these guys on a very long journey on the path to success. With music it can be unpredictable and sadly there are always gonna be gigs like tonight; for example, U2 played their 1st gig in London to only 6 people watching and look where they are now! Night Engine’s distinctive new sound has made a lasting impression on me and I am glad that I bucked the trend and made it down to Mr Kyps tonight, I will watch their progress with much interest, hoping for big things in the future.

Set Lists
Night Engine
Young And Carefree
On & On
Seventeen
Give Me A Chance
Get This Straight
Bright Lights
Build Up
I’ll Make It Worth Your While
Treat Me Like A Baby

Xander Allen & The Keys
Different Lies
Rushing By
Killing Moon (Echo & The Bunnymen)
Shivers
Bring Back
Shoebox Alleyway
Titanium(David Guetta)
She Hates Punk
Kids(MGMT)
Wanna Make It With Chu (Queens Of the Stone Age)
Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics)

Videos

Night Engine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syd_s3N1bWU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyxpsrjGaps

Xander Allen & The Keys