Geneva
Reading Alleycat
I think it’s fair to say that a live spectacle is perhaps not the best way to enjoy Geneva. Technically, they are brilliant, and that voice just has to be heard to be believed, but somehow their music takes on such monumental proportions that standing in a sea of static people all with arms folded is just not enough. Not even the crashing choruses of ‘Into the Blue’ and ‘Tranquilizer’ can elicit any real reaction from this crowd, half of whom are mesmerised, the other half just not that bothered. Their loss. Andrew Montgomery’s voice swoops and soars over tunes that will run a relay race up and down your spine, while simultaneously making your heart bleed, ache and finally melt.
The only disappointment tonight was the non-appearance of expected support band Silver Sun, their frenetic, melodic blend of Beach Boys and Teenage Fanclub being the ideal counterpoint to the almost statuesque beauty of Geneva’s music.
You can hear echoes of bits and pieces of Suede and the Sundays, Puressence and even James, but Geneva have very much their own sound, and amazing it is too. Incidentally, you have to feel a little sorry for similarly girly-voiced neo-goths Puressence, who must be kicking themselves that they launched their widely-ignored career two years too early. Unfortunately, the ‘Essence also looked like a quartet of travelling plumbers, whereas Montgomery and co have that kind of haughty elegance that says “We are stars. Watch us shine”. And they will too, just you wait.
