We Were Promised Jetpacks (Live @ XOYO - London 12.10.11)

I've waited for this day since 2009 when I first got in touch with the album These Four Walls. It was the début studio project of the Scottish kids known as We Were Promised Jetpacks. They were soly responsible not only for what I considered to be the best album of 2009, but one of my favourites in general [1] [2] [3] [4]. So obviously, I longed for their tour to reach Portugal, however, that never happened. I hoped they would play in a summer fest... after all they were quite popular among the indie community back home (at least that was what I thought) and I even went so far as dropping emails to a lot of companies, requesting them to bring WWPJ. 

Years went by, and nothing! I admit losing some hope on ever seeing them... So you can imagine my reaction when I found out they were playing here in London!

I was pumped as I never was in my life to watch a gig in recent years!

It came to me like a dream come true! But, I had my concerns...
This year I went through the experience of attending a gig of one of my favourite bands and leaving somewhat disappointed. Not because they pulled of a bad performance... I just pictured them in different way! Maybe it was my mood... I don't know... I just didn't want anything to ruin WWPJ for me that night.

After work, went to Shoreditch to meet a few friends before going to the XOYO venue. The Jetpacks only started at 10pm, so we still had the opening band to listen to, but I didn't want to go inside just yet. I preferred staying outside having a chat, while at the same time getting ready for what I believed it would be an epic night!

As we walked in, we saw a crowded room holding in anticipation for the musicians to come up on stage. Discretely I tried to get a spot near the stage and in this time I came across a group of girls holding a Sagres, one of the most popular Portuguese beer brands. That obviously left me with a smile on my face because, to a certain extent, it made me a bit closer t home.

Meanwhile, the youngsters finally came in! They were nicely greeted by many fans like me, who were longing to see them live in action. 

WWPJ didn't want to disappoint the people attending and from the get go, they showed the audience they meant business... Their start was basically a full on demonstration of an attitude that said "we are going in for the kill and we aren't taking any hostages". Explosive and with loads of intensity, their set-list began with Circles and Squares, the opening track of their latest album In The Pit of My Stomach (2011), followed by probably their biggest hit Quiet Little Voices, much the to the crowds delight. Both these songs gave away the full blast and high paced entrance that instantly took people to ecstasy, who reacted by throwing their hands in the air, jumping and shouting the chorus.

I personally was going out of my mind, trying to keep up while I sang in full lungs while poring my emotions out! The day finally came where I was able to sing along with one of my favourite "contemporary bands".

Quick aside note, while in the middle of the chorus for Quiet Little Voices, some random douchebag decided to throw a beer on stage, in which Adam Thomson replied with a very nice remark (You can listen on the clip below).

Throughout the rest of the evening, the tracks were very well balanced between their first and second album! Obviously, since I was much more familiarized with their first-born project, I got heavily involved. It's maybe the best quality of These Four Walls from personal perspective. It was able to take my feelings in this crazy roller-coaster, making me experience different things from one track to another. Made me feel young and crazy, while on other occasions, left me on a more nostalgic and emotional state of mind.
This condition is due to some of their singles are of the most profound and dense that I have met in recent years. This is My House, This is My Home, probably the biggest highlight of my night, is a great example of that. But that doesn't mean to say, their most recent work didn't cause an impact. Quite the opposite!

Their live performance added some more emphasis In The Pit of My Stomach, briefly making their cd "redundant" on my computer/iPod. I became even more in love with tracks such as Medicine. Human Error, Pear Tree, Picture of Health or Act of Impulse, most of them with those growing dynamics that just left me absolutely delighted in the mist of their trademark guitar chords!

Reaching the end of their one hour gig, WWPJ decided to finish in great style with It's Thunder and It's Lightning, much to my disappointed because I was still hoping to hear Conductor and Moving Clocks Run So Slow, this last being what I thought more than appropriate to send people off home.

All and all, couldn't really complain... I was rejoicing in great happiness, knowing that I witnessed a colossal display of music. The best so far since my arrival to London...

Here's how it ended (very sorry, but with all that jumping around, I accidental turned off the camera, only realizing a few seconds later)