Youthmovies are one hardworking band who have gone through many line up changes and seem to be forever on the road traversing the country and spreading the vibe with their blend of - well what exactly? Safeconcerts were not too sure so we went off to check them out at Bristol's Cooler in Park Street on November 12th.

First up you notice that the Cooler isn't the largest of venues, in fact the capacity is a mere 250 and on the night of our visit it appeared that there were certainly no more than 100 people who had turned out to see Youthmovies in action in Bristol. The band were ably supported by Adam Gnade (a very mad poet and a regular with the guys) and Geisha (very, very loud thrash metal NOISEY)

The venue is probably best described as compact and bijou yet despite being a small venue it's got a certain vibe making it feel friendly, comfortable and easy, it offers free drinking water and has a few comfy sofas dotted about which added to the ambience. Sadly the stage is not raised so visibility once the band takes to the stage is a somewhat limited, which might go someway to explaining why the rather small crowd trouped to the very front not leaving a millimetre of space - just like they were at a big packed out gig - which was...interesting. The downside to the venue was the fact that there was little appropriate access for people who use wheelchairs or have mobility issues; there are a lot of stairs you'd need to negotiate to get to the loos or the bar. None the less we liked the venue, it seemed relaxed and customer friendly, there was no security in evidence – so overall not a sophisticated venue, but still a nice little venue.

Having arrived mid way through Geisha's set we found them in full throttle - on their Myspace the band describe themselves thus "we are the noise group Geisha, who live in Bristol. We began like many groups out of boredom and sheer hatred of what was around us, not to save music, but to destroy it through an ever increasing number of FX units." Despite playing to a very minute crowd Geisha were loud, they were very loud indeed and they proceeded to make a noise that filled the venue and probably half way down Park Street to boot. This is one loud, aggressive and very, very angry band going hell for leather - we think they are achieving their stated aim!

A complete change of pace bringing a very different ambience followed as the mega loud thrashing rock sounds gave way to the more gentle tones of a rather spaced out and seemingly disconnected Adam Gnash, despite that he seemed totally at ease with himself, the audience and the world in general, all viewed, commented and sung about perfectly from the bottom of a very large bottle of vodka! Despite struggling with sound issues Gnash got it sorted after the first song or two and then sat on his stool looking rather like a throwback to a time when music was less sophisticated and more experimental, connecting well with those that had turned out, at one with Youthmovies the poetic Gnash has worked with them before, and they are quite a good fit.

Youthmovies are an Oxford based quintet put together by Al English and Foals founding member Andrew Mears, this is a serious band who are in it for the long haul, but what format they may have in the future is anybody’s guess. In a really old fashioned break with the current fashion for instant fame and fortune with little work and even less talent, Youthmovies are working it and working it well, the guys have talent and the constant stream of hard work at all sorts of venues is giving the guys the kind of grounding that few manage and many would benefit from. Youthmovies have been something of an 'underground' success over the past few years and have developed a strong and loyal following. The guys enjoy pushing the musical boundaries and similarly the nature of their work has lent itself to many line up changes along the way.

The current line up of Youthmovies is:

Al English (guitar/vocals)
Graeme Murray (drums/vocals)
Stephen Hammond (bass/keys)
Andrew Mears (vocals/guitar)
Sam Scott (trumpet/flugelhorn/organ)

Youthmovies really seemed just a bit too big and energetic for the venue, their frenetic stage antics seemed a bit subdued by the lack of space, and Youthmovies would lend themselves nicely to a bit of space in which to strut their stuff. They came on later than expected after much sound checking (the sound didn't seem altogether sussed at this venue) - despite that Youthmovies played an eclectic, interesting and multi-layered assortment of songs with great passion, vocally Andrew Mears is blessed with a voice that can really lend itself to a whole range of sounds, inevitably the comparisons with Foals is there in the background, which may just feel a bit like a spectre at the feast for these guys.

Yet somehow you get the feeling that this band have a great deal more to offer, that they haven't yet reached their zenith, or found their way and there's such a lot bubbling under the surface that you're not quite sure which way they will go, what is more sure is that musically it could go anywhere and wherever Youthmovies chooses to go will be an interesting place to be.

Mainstream success, or perhaps more appropriately Youthmovies as mainstream has not really been on the cards and has so far eluded this band, a tad avant-garde in their chosen genre Youthmovies are seemingly content to refine and redefine their sound and direction in preparation for the next phase - make no mistake about it Youthmovies are honing their skills and learning their craft - once they emerge like a chrysalis we think their unique, exciting and innovative sound will bring them the recognition they deserve - there's something about Youthmovies that sets them apart - keep an eye out.

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