Mystery Jets

My first experience of a big gig at Cardiff's Gate Arts Centre (about five minutes walk from my flat) was a delightful one, courtesy of Mystery Jets, near the beginning of a busy summer to be spent mostly touring their impending fourth album, “Radlands”. An unusually civilised venue – a former church converted into a busy community arts centre: the theatre space holds 350, with plentiful seating, a decent-sized dance-floor and a pleasantly chilled atmosphere. Supporting were Peace (virtually un-Google-able, but apparently from Birmingham) – tuneful, floppy-haired indie, with a hint of rolling funk bass there and there – very enjoyable. The headliners kicked off with jaunty, heartfelt new single “Something Purer”, following it with a clutch of oldies (“Half In Love With Elizabeth”, “Flash A Hungry Smile”), then a chunk of new material, suggesting no radical shift in their sound (despite the presence of pedal-steel), but perhaps a maturer, more layered approach to their darkly cheery, melodic guitar pop. The set ended with more hits, including my personal favourite, “Two Doors Down”; the three-song encore included “Young Love”, sadly devoid of Laura Marling. And then we were cruelly ejected into the fresh, spring night, still singing along. A lovely evening.

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