Now Then Magazine, Heebie Jeebies

The Heebie Jeebies, Friday 11th June, The Harley

Considering the wind, the football and the fact the band didn’t start till about half 11, The Heebie Jeebie’s had a huge turn out in The Harley for a gig. The glitter and the colours which decorated the stage ignited excitement in the crowd and the equally exhilarated three band members maintained this feeling of fun and a party atmosphere throughout the gig.

The band opened with Murderous, their new single, an upbeat song which continued their combination of a punk and pop mentality in their stage presence. The band were an impressive act to watch, keeping the energy and enjoyment high enough to keep the crowd engaged through their twelve song set. The evening ultimately became more about the band and the atmosphere they expel as opposed to the songs themselves; the band themselves say, in terms of their development, ‘we don't waste our time trying to write good songs, its easier to just go with the flow and see what happen.’ What happened was a ‘flow’ unlike many others of the Sheffield landfill ‘indie’ scene and it resulted in a sound which involves pop, calypso, disco and punk which kept absolutely everybody dancing.

The first part of the set consisted of songs that had a distinctive style from the outset, this became all the more apparent with the introduction of their song ‘Romeo’, an epic, soulful song which genuinely was striking. This part of the set and the following four songs showed a technical prowess and a musical ability that overcame the organised chaos of the first half. Their skill was demonstrated by the drummer Thom’s amazing energy and ability to play frantic drums whilst keeping the song in time and was impressive to behold. The bassist, Den, was leaping in to the crowd, dancing with the audience and never really missing a note. The singer and guitarist Owen, expelled happiness and showed an immense passion, as did the rest of them, for what they were doing.

With songs as impressive as this and others such as ‘Butchers’ and ‘Misery Guts’ the second song on the single, this band are obviously capable of being more than a fun act to go see on a night out, there are great songs in their back log. With various gig’s coming up at places like Glastonbury and Tramlines, the band are heading for bigger stages and I imagine an even bigger stage presence. If they continue to be as engaging and as interesting to watch, big things will happen for The Heebie Jeebies. Their two part single will be released on August 3rd , followed by a tour in Asia.