Departure lounge
It's very much a case of right band, right time for Northampton five-piece the Departure, whose sound has been deemed to be so 'in' this year that they have been fast-tracked to stardom like a 10-year-old maths genius at Cambridge.
In May, they were offered a record deal - less than six months after they formed --with Parlophone, a label that does not throw its funds around - other charges include Radiohead and Coldplay.
They've got this year's look --skinny ties, tight jumpers and haircuts that look like they've been done with a protractor and a set square - and this year's sound, although, of course, this year's sound has been nicked from 1983.
It's a jerky, danceable racket also to be heard on albums by Interpol, Franz Ferdinand and the Killers, who the Departure recently supported on tour. Singer David Jones's (right centre) mannered, mangled vowels complete this perfect picture.
Catchy second single 'Be My Enemy' comes out on the day of this gig, their first London headline show. By the time an album appears we will know whether they can become more than today's musical flavour of choice.
