Maximo Paul is an amazing front man (last night at the Forum-centric)

Maximo Park were on fire last night, Paul has developed into such a fantastic performer, I couldn’t take my eyes of him. And how many great songs have they got now, each one was an absolute cracker.

Boo to the dickhead that ran on stage during the last song.

Props to the rest of the bands too – Pete & the Pirates, Blood Red Shoes and Mystery Jets were all very good. Although it has to be said Laura Marling really didn’t look too comfortable on stage.

Great gig 10 out of 10.




  • yeah

    i agree.
    ...but its a shame that he (paul smith) is a complete dickhead!

  • 9/10 gig

    great performances from all 4 bands. Particulary impressed with Blood Red Shoes and P & the Pirates. MUCH better than I expected. Mystery Jets had a few sound problems put just about pulled it off.

    Maximo Park were excellent, introduced very emotionally by their friend who has been treated for Cancer recently (the gig was a benefit for his charity). 2 new tunes getting their first airing, thought the first was a bit dull (slow with no obvious chorus), second seemed to have more depth. Nearly every tune was greeted like a no.1 by the crowd. They really do now have such a good set of songs to draw on. Encored with a Go-Betweens song.

    Apart from Paul Smith and the keyboardist, they really are an ugly band!! I was sitting (grrrrrr) last night and whilst Paul was his usual self, as i wasn't jumping around like a loon I was able to 'watch' the performance better. The bassist was on a riser too, I would find a 'lower' to put him in!! lol.

    Please elaborate on why Paul Smith is a dickhead, always seems like a decent bloke to me in interviews too.

    • Aww, they're not that ugly!

      In fact I find the guitarist quite attractive, but LOL at what you are saying.

    • Perhaps its tied up with

      an interview he gave last year about his band being so good - it did appear arrogant but then fair play, they cut it live, they give it their all and put on a damn good show. After I heard that interview I noticed the ENEMY started slating him all the time but would hold nobrot like Doherty and his moon/spoon/loon rhyming dictionary twadle in high esteem.

      Go figure (as annoying people in US teen films say. That and 'you do the math' it's mathS not math).

  • I really wish

    I had got tickets for this gig. I've only just started to love the Mystery Jets and would love to see them live, Maximo are pretty great usually too even if I did see them last year at Shepards Bush and Brixton I wouldn't of minded seeing them again.

    ... Just hope I can somehow get tickets for £15 - £20 tonight for The Futureheads.

    • 10/10

      Really great night! All the bands were excellent value with Maximo Park ruling the roost! Paul Smith is an awesome frontman and criminally underated IMO.

      • I concur....

        great night all round!

        Shame about the mystery jets sound issues but I enjoyed hearing the new tracks.

        By the way did anyone else see a few Laura Marling look a likes in the crowd. I was waiting by the bar for mates after Blood Red Shoes and I saw 3 of them within about 30 secs!

  • anyone

    spot Paul at EiTS ATP this year? Guy was all over the place!

  • i've met paul smith

    and he's a bit of a wally, like.

    He talked about himself for an hour. Non-stop. It was a bit dull.

    Certainly not a BAD person though, and a great frontman.

    Apparently, even members of his own band haven't seen him without his hat for over 2 years.

  • They were very on form.

    You could tell they were loving playing after a bit of a break.

    But - and for me this is a bit but - the sound man needs hanging? Don't know what it was like downstairs but from my seat on the balcony (about 3 rows from the front) it was shocking. It sounded like they were playing the room nextdoor even though they were right infront of me. Anyone else think that?

    • Agreed

      We actually thought the sound got worse for MP than it was for the other 3. Sound for P & T P was crystal.

    • I couldn't hear a guitar or keys during postcard of a painting :(

      fantastic gig otherwise though... just a shame hardly anyone seemed to know the go-betweens song!

      • sound

        was terrible. Could barely hear a thing.

        Started getting bad after Blood red shoes set for some reason.

        • Everytime

          I'm at The Forum it's the same - the sound completely ruined it for me. MJs Hideaway was a shambles, agreed on Postcard Of A Painting being completely wrecked...

          I missed Pete and The Pirates but the sound was dead on for Blood Red Shoes too.

          The first new song from the Park sounded to me like a cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and My Morning Jacket! It was great - I think it was called Time, or maybe Tanned?

          The crowd didn't impress me much though - especially the ones right in front of me who talked through pretty much the whole gig.

          And he's not a twat in a hat! I interviewed him at the end of last year and he's a lovely guy.

    • The sound at The Forum is always shit.

      End of. I would never watch another gig there ever. EEEEEVVVVVVEEEEERRRR!

  • hmm

    i really did want to go to this but i already had a ticket to see tapes n tapes....
    it wasnt too good, not really much of a fan of their new stuff