The View @ Astoria

"The View! The View! The View are on FIRE!!" shouted the rambunctious sold out crowd as the young Scottish band took the stage last night, fresh off tour with the venerable Primal Scream.

In a triumphant headlining set in their young career, The View are leaders in a wave of new UK indie lad-rock - spiked with sharp wit and a sound a little more rough around the edges than fellow countrymen Franz Ferdinand.

The View ripped through a tight fourty-five minute set of tunes off their upcoming debut album, Hats Off to the Buskers, a series of small glimpses into Northern life, ranging from quick, punky bursts to hand-clapping stompers. Despite the album's release in over a month, the crowd reacted as though these were songs they grew up on for years. The View formed in the backroom of their local pub 100 miles Northeast of Glasgow, in Dundee. It's no surprise as each song is a pint-swilling sing a long.

Songs like "Wasted Little DJ's" and "Wastelands" got the jam-packed dance floor moving in rowdy fashion, as the band played the soundtrack to being sweaty, smokey and buzzed on a Monday night in London. Even the too-cool balcony dwellers with big hair and small jeans danced, sang and swilled through the set.

It should be noted that the band are an average age of 18, an impressive fact considering their confident yet playful set played to such a crowd in London. While still fresh-faced and starry eyed, The View are poised to continue their upward swing in the UK as they release their new single "Sam Jeans" and no doubt set their sites on the States in 2007. It was, however, their debut single "Superstar Tradesman" that blew the doors off as the little ditty became an anthem to the 1500 plus loyal to close the set.

The View
By Danny Wirtz, Tripwire Dec 05, 2006