Take one of the world's biggest bands, place them in the world's biggest city and having them play to one of their smallest crowds does not really sound that accurate now does it? However, the band that can sell out Wembley Stadium in the blink of an eye or the Tokyo Dome without an issue, took a whole summer to pack people into New York's Webster Hall. Welsh band Stereophonics made a rare stateside appearance to support the band's latest Pull the Pin, which just came out in the US this week, but has been out around the world for a year now. The crowd looked more like a firm waiting to cause havoc inside a soccer or rugby match than a concert and feeling like one of the only New Yorkers in the crowd, the band came out and rocked so hard that the floor at Webster Hall was waving. Walking out on stage in leather jackets, sunglasses, slick hair, they looked as if they just rolled out of a GQ shoot and were ready to rock. A roller coaster ride of a concert, Stereophonics proved it does not take a venue to make them one of the best live acts one can see these days. Opening with "Bartender and the Thief," and breaking into Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," and diving into much faster and harder classic's the band then began to slow things down a bit mid set, but did not disappoint. Singer and guitarist Kelly Jones reminisced about the times his band has played New York and what New York means to him and his bands. After a two hour set that included hits such as "Superman," "Vegas Two Times," and "Traffic," they closed with fan favorite "Dakota." I was a little upset to not hear "It Means Nothing," but I really cannot complain, after a career spanning one like the 'Phonics, there is enough to go around. I just still cannot figure out how and why this band is not much bigger in this country, they have it all and refuse to stop.
Opening the show was fellow Welsh band People in Planes. Who were on tour to support their sophomore Rain Maida produced release Beyond the Horizon. The 'Phonics could not have brought a better band over to the States to open for them, as People in Planes caught the attention of the audience right away. Another band that will have a long successful career if they keep up the good work.
