So I’ve called myself a self confessed poptart in the past, even stating it on Twitter – being the only official one @officialpoptart

But after this gig, I’m starting to think otherwise. Click this to see the photo album blog

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRAc9-Q9C0]

Kids in Glass Houses have been around for the best part of the last five years. I know of them, but haven’t managed to see them live but that changed last night. The gig was for the release of their third album In Gold Blood. Support came from other local bands, Save your Breath (from Newport) and Straight Lines (Pontypridd). I’ve seen Straight Lines before (and have played their music on the radio), didn’t know much about Save your Breath – but liked what I saw.

Save your breath

KIGH have a massive youth following in South Wales. They’ve supported The Stereophonics on more than one occasion, also Lost Prophets & Funeral for a Friend. But download/chart wise the highest they’ve got to has been #62 (#27 in the album chart). They’ve also had support from Frankie offa The Saturdays on Undercover Lover, and support from Radio 1 at the One Big Weekend in Bangor in 2010. My point is, I get the feeling they may just be the also rans of the South Wales music scene.

Straight Lines

Back in the late 90’s when “Cool Cymru” came into being (created by the London media), South Wales was a big breeding ground with Manics, Phonics & Catatonia. But for every Phonics, you also had a Johnson (I can’t even find a weblink to explain who I mean). Cool Cymru went away although music still came out of South Wales and still does – Lost Prophets, Funeral for a Friend, The Blackout, Sian Evans (Kosheen) to name just a few. The London media perception is probably different, and this is where my feeling of how KIGH will do in the scheme of things.

Kids in Glass Houses

After seeing them, and seeing just how good they are, I really really want them to succeed. There’s many a rock/pop band, but I’ve not seen many with a brass section. Just for that reason I want this new album to do well. The venue (Cardiff Solus) is very intimate, only about 800 odd people – but with songs like Saturday, Give you what I want, Animal, and Matters at all, you get the feeling it’s only a matter of time before the wider world start to appreciate KIGH. They’re on tour in October – if you get chance to see them, or have a listen to their new album – it’s good!

ImPatrickDownes