Easily one of the best UK debut albums of 2008, Little Death by Reading’s Pete and The Pirates has been on heavy rotation at TLOBF towers all year. A short, sharp, attack of the senses with a great big giant pop heart. Brilliant.

The guys are currently on a UK tour in support of the record and we have two pairs of tickets to give away for their show at London’s ULU on 27th November. The two winners will also receive signed copies of Little Death and a Pete and The Pirates t-shirt. Ooooh arrrr me hearties etc.

To be in with a chance of winning simply answer the following question.

Which record label are Pete and The Pirates signed to in the UK?

Send your answer, along with your name, address and a contact telephone number to competition@thelineofbestfit.com with the subject line Pete and The Pirates ULU

Closing date is Monday 24th November. Winners will be notified via email.

Photographs by Valerio Berdini

It’s been a while. I’ve met both the main protagonists this evening before. One I’ve met personally, the other I had the good fortune of seeing in the back room of a local pub a couple of months previously. Both have toured a well received debut album extensively, and tonight we get to hear where they’ve got to. A one off show, with a 14+ age limit on the door, it was an interesting crowd and by far the most interesting thing, musically, to be happening in Cambridge in August… The less I say about the number of glow sticks present this evening though, the better.

Pete & The Pirates have used the months since I’ve last seen them well. Sounding more focused, they’re a tighter, louder and darker version of those young lads I’ve seen previously. The months on the road have honed their sound and stage craft, though their dance moves leave a lot to be desired. There’s still not much interaction with the crowd either, but the songs still get you singing along and their quirky one-liners put a smile on your face. One aspect though that didn’t sit quite so well with me was the volume. Whether this was the venue or not I don’t know, but P&TP had it turned up to 11 which distracted the listener from the lyrics and concentrated the mind on the hack-saw riffs that dominate their sound. The new songs, therefore, sounded meatier than those on the current album but still retained their trademark style and whit, they were just a little deeper in the mix.

After sufficiently entertaining the crowd, it soon became clear who the crowd were actually here to see. It’s been some time since I’ve seen a crowd go wild for a band in this way. Even on the numerous previous occasions I’ve seen The Maccabees, I’ve not seen them get a reception like this. It also doesn’t take long before we find out the reason for this one-off show; they’re showcasing new material. And not all of it works. They also seem to have beefed up their sound, taking cues from U2 in their chiming guitars and thunderous, but slightly darker, choruses. It was also odd to see Orlando look bored whilst playing the infinitely more popular songs from their debut. They look like a band who are sick to the back teeth of playing those same songs over and over again. Only guitarist Felix White was giving it the energy their songs need to leap off the stage. He also got his moment to be The Edge on one of the new songs, a very odd skittish song that featured his deadpan vocals over a folk-tinged verse before it thrashed around into a wall of noise during the chorus.

If anything the new songs lacked focus. They have to be admired for trying to move out of their comfort zone but the problem at the moment seems to be that they don’t really know where they’re heading. They’ve lost the innocence of their debut which, I guess, is to be expected, but the new songs don’t quite have the charm to replace it. Perhaps once the new songs have had a chance to breathe and find some space of their own, it’ll be different. But, tonight at least, it’s the young pretenders that have shown the way forward.

The Autumn has finally arrived. It’s cold, it’s wet and I’ve had to dig my scarf out from the bottom of the wardrobe before I leave the house. So, it’s with no little difficulty that I drag myself out of my warm and dry house across town to the Portland Arms. I get wet as I trudge through the puddles to the surprisingly welcoming pub.

As I have a beer, which isn’t very nice unfortunately, and wait for the evening to unfurl I’m suddenly wondering if Pete and the Pirates will actually dress up. I’ve failed to do my research sufficiently and I’ve not Googled them to see if there’s any photographic evidence of some sort of costume-fuelled live show. All I have to go on is Everett True’s glowing live review in this months Plan B, comparing them to all the greatest live shows he’s ever seen, and I bet he’s seen some impressive shows.

Things don’t start too well. The drummer for the support act The Umbrella Assassins has left his cymbals at home. Which, even I know, are pretty useful. So, after an hour wait, they weren’t worth it. A mish-mash of garage rock pretensions with classic rock riffs and a bassist who wants to be just like Flea. Oh dear. Well, at least it was all over pretty soon.

Thankfully we weren’t kept waiting for Pete and the Pirates. Five guys shuffle on stage and look the least likely band members in the entire world. The front stage duo of vocalist Tommy Sanders and guitars / backing vocalist Peter Hefferan are tiny, delicate individuals who look like a gust of wind might blow them over. However, as Sanders bellows into the microphone for the opening song, he becomes twice the size.

His vocal yelps and accentuated drawl sound open and honest; you instantly warm and trust this man. The two, and occassionally three, vocal harmonies are tight and uplifting whilst the hand claps, tambourine and “la la la’s” make it feel as though you’re at a party. The band sound tight, their Myspace gig list looks like a road map of the UK, they don’t seem to be having a break between now and Christmas. Their entire 10 song set is jovial and upbeat. In places it might not come across as an entirely fresh take on the whole post-punk scene, but their glittering riffs and crashing drums take unexpected turns. Just when you think you know where a song is going, it shifts and explores a different path. Their repertoire of riffs and jangling guitars impressive, the drummer beating the living daylights out of his kit throughout the set.

The songs themes are all that young men sing and dream about; girls, drinking, girls, sex, girls, love, girls, food and girls. Their lyrics are instantly memorable, full of hooks and smile-inducing couplets: “Hey girl what are you doing in his bed!” and “I got up in such a hurry / I’m still stuck in side my dream!” to name but two. Latest single “Knot” should be huge. Its crashing riffs, three part vocal harmonies and a mid-section that Franz Ferdinand would be proud of, I’m surprised it’s not featured more prominently.

As I left the venue, the rain had stopped and even the wind had died a little. I strolled over to my car with a smile on my face and a thought that I think I’ve found my new favourite band.

Photos courtesy of Phil Day