Theme Park

Ruby Lounge, Manchester | March 15th

With torrential rain outside, and a temperature far too cold for March, it’s a tricky setting for the calypso-tinged Londoners Theme Park, who’re here to radiate their summery vibe tonight downstairs in the Ruby Longue.

Despite being the latest outfit to bring their jaunty indie-pop straight out of the capital, albeit a few years off the mark, the breath of fresh air that surrounded Theme Park before their inauguration release doesn’t seem to be in the hands of seventeen year-old fangirls smuggling sips of WKD in the crowd as could be expected. Rather, there’s a flock of parental-aged couples sipping crisp pints of continental Vedett. How a scene can change …

Stepping up to a grandiosely beam-lit stage, the trio barely once manage to omit their signature transportations of whisking one away to a beachy escape full of cocktail freedom and blue waters. Instead, they fall flat. Single Jamaica does receive a blissful reaction and the tightly structured riffs of closer Two Hours are delivered with precision. Yet it’s obvious throughout the gig that Miles, Marcus and Oscar just haven’t got an original, or at least on-the-pulse style that’d give their glimmering debut album that Spring lease of life which it requires.

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Words: Leah Connolly