Telegram Live Review

A support band that musically outclasses the main act is a very rare breed indeed. Especially when that main act is the scintillatingly energetic Palma Violets on their latest tour, who too put on a fantasticly memorable show. Positive reviews for the Palmas are springing up here, there and everywhere, and if you saw them on the Rattlesnake Rodeo Tour it’s more than apparent why. But for me, despite Palma Violets’ mastery of Monday’s hectic Southampton crowd, the Lambeth four-piece was no match for the swirling, psychedelic of London’s hottest new band; Telegram.

The show at Southampton’s university was one of the last on Palmas’ Rattlesnake Rodeo. This meant that Scotland’s Baby Strange, who’d supported Palma Violets on the first handful of dates, had gone home and the band were to be supported by the cream of the capital’s new bands; Childhood and Telegram. Whilst they showed a large amount of promise, Childhood were somewhat underwhelming and showed the crowd why they were only the support. However, Telegram kicked off proceedings in a way that wasn’t to be topped for the rest of the night.

Telegram were the first band on, and immediately got the audience going with the swirling opener Rule Number One. They arrived onstage clad in skin-tight black jeans, with even tighter black t-shirts and jackets, meaning that they resembled some sort of godly, psychedelic Ramones reincarnation. The opener was one that immediately got the crowd to pay attention. I, myself, remember staring at lead singer Matt Saunders being able to think "is he the messiah?"

Telegram’s set showcased a variety of material unheard to anybody seeing them for the first time, and needless to say, it all impressed. From the stunning Eons to the fantastic  It's Not Very Easy, Telegram's set was all killer no filler, even though almost all the songs were new. Only Follow, their single (which I reviewed here), had been heard previously by the audience, but that sounded even more alive in concert. After Follow came final song, Folly; the perfect closer to a set. Folly was the longest song in the set, one that dabbled in prog and krautrock, whilst keeping Telegram's trademark swirling guitar sound that is somewhat akin to Washing Machine-era Sonic Youth.


In fact, the only thing that could possibly top the London four-piece's sound was their stage presence and showmanship, as they powered through their energetic set. The band were well choreographed on the tiny Uni stage, and maneuvered around the stage in a manner that would make The Clash seem sluggish. Telegram are certainly a band on the up, and if this set in late 2013 was anything to go by, they will be the band of 2014.

 (written by Calum Cashin)