CityLife

Twisted Wheel

IT just keeps getting better and better for Twisted Wheel.

Signed to Columbia and Radio One regulars, the Oldham three-piece took to the stage in the school hall surroundings of Academy 2 last night for their biggest exam yet.

And in front of their hometown fanatics and the ‘rent-a-crowd’ fresh-faced frontman Jonny Brown took a gentle dig at, they passed with flying colours.

Entering with football chants of ‘Wheel, Wheel’ echoing round the sold-out venue the determined trio launched straight into their down-to-earth frenetic storytelling.

Bottles of beer were out – replaced with water – a clear sign of things to come.

Looking tight, well-drilled but relaxed, the ‘Wheel’ rattled through their favourites in front of the usual crowd-surfing fanatics.

Three songs in and they could have been back in The Castle, the Oldham club where they made their name.

Pecking my head

Standout tracks included ‘Big Issue’ - according to Brown a song about ‘some mad homeless guy pecking my head outside Sinclair’s Oyster Bar’ and the sleazy ‘Sheila the Dealer’.

But there’s no denying that July re-release ‘You Stole the Sun’ remains the standout.

It’s a simple but clever madcap tale about going up a ladder and pulling the sun out of the sky that speaks volumes about the band’s no-nonsense approach.

Comparisons with The Courteeners are inevitable but wide of the mark. They both have legions of home town devotees who know all the words. But this brand of dirty punk that at times almost merges with folk, sets them well apart.

“Let’s make sure we get next door next time,” says Brown, 21, as the curtain falls, making reference to the bigger Academy up the road.

With a support slot with Oasis in the bag and a debut album having the final touches put to it in Los Angeles that shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.

What did you think? Have your say.

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