Live Review: Team Waterpolo at Oxford Zodiac Academy (12th October)
Ever since Academy Music Group have taken over Oxford’s Zodiac venue, I’ve had the chance to catch some amazing bands there – Wombats, Delays, Friendly Fires and tonight, Team Waterpolo. Granted, it wasn’t sold out – far from it – but they still put on a fast, frantic and pretty darned good show.
Defend Moscow opened up the evening, with glorious tunes that reminded me of a mixture between Canada’s Stars, Denmark’s Alphabeat and a few other bands that I can’t quite get my fingers on right now. Surprisingly good for a support act, they really are a band that I’ll have to check out again.
20 minutes later and Team Waterpolo come out – ready and raring to go. Opening with their introductory song “We’re Team Waterpolo”, they plunged their way through a 45 minute set of songs that are just begging to be heard by a bigger audience than the one they got this cold Sunday night.
“We came here to Oxford on the NME tour and just had to come back… you people are gorgeous. We were on the bus on the way in just looking at people thinking “wow”!” joked frontman Fred Davis after their first song. “Sorry if we look a bit sweaty – we got like no sleep last night as me and Lex had a bit of a heavy one!” To be honest though Fred, we’d never have noticed if you hadn’t have told us.
Current single “So Called Summer” was the penultimate song of the night, almost inspiring a mass singalong as Ruggero Lorenzini let off small cannons of confetti. Closing the set with a chaotic “Sink This Ship”, triumphant Team Waterpolo certainly won their match, but will they be back for the new championship next year? Only time will tell.
After the jump: Photos.
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19th January 2009
[…] to Paris home), have bagged support slots with Sam Sparro, Sneaky Sound System, Team Waterpolo (who we caught them supporting last October) and The Wombats. This year, Defend Moscow are preparing to embark on their own major tour, but […]