Haven - Water Rats, London 20/11/01
A short review from David Courtenay (who was there)
I arrived just in time to see Haven walking on to a warm reception on an uninspired Tuesday night freeze. The band came on in a fairly low key manner, leaving their statement of intent to the first track which grabbed the stragglers at the back by the ear and the front line by the balls. It already felt like Haven were knocking out a greatest hits set with classics such as 'Beautiful Thing', 'Let It Live', 'Til The End' and new single 'Say Something' (my personal favourite) pulling in the punter's vote. Vocalist Gary has without a shadow of a doubt the most original and powerful voice I have heard in a band in recent memory and held the audience's attention with each soaring outburst. If Charlatans Tim can get away with hit singles in the falsetto range then Haven step up and over with ease. Complimented by the ever stooping Nat thrashing about his guitar in total focus, the band oozes vibe to a fault. The band look set in stone, there's just no doubt who does what and when, well honed skills and everyone including the audience knows where they stand. We play the songs, we kick ass and you love us for it. Simple.
Drummer Jack Mitchell made the most out the kit and blew a few compliment cheeky grins at the waving hands. No encore tonight which I think is always a must for the up and coming - you don't want to start milking it at this stage, treat 'em mean. With references as far and wide as The Grateful Dead and Buffalo Springfield, Haven have distilled the essence without the blues lilt and turned up the guitars to 11. With an emotional fragility thrown in, the band have got more than a lot to give.
When was the last time you saw a band carving out their name on the ears of a live audience. Hey, we were there, and those are the words that will come back to you over the next two years.
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