Ricky

Sheer quality. These guys are going to be big, and if not, well...they deserve to be. A very down to earth group of blokes, great musicians, and very confident performers.

Opening with the harmony-drenched 'Mise-En-Scene', Ricky sounded chilled and very much at home and this was the feeling right through to the end. James Lines' vocals were of the highest quality throughout the set - there were no bum notes as you'd expect perhaps even from more experienced frontmen - and possessing an assured stage presence, he seemed totally at ease with what he was doing.

The crowd, it seemed, although small, recognised what they were witnessing…a band of extreme talent and potential who are unquestionably on the rise. The set list consisted of the songs from their mini-album, 'You Set The Scene', along with two new songs.

Although very prestigious, the "intimate" venue was far from perfect (dodgy sound, etc) but Ricky made the best of a potentially bad situation. Bands such as Oasis, REM, Blur and The Verve have graced the same stage early in their careers and hopefully that stands as an indication of what is to come for Ricky. However, it was not exactly packed to the rafters...it was hardly advertised. If Ricky are to make it big they're going to need a lot more promotion - word of mouth is not enough. These guys deserve some serious backing because everyone should have the chance to see Ricky live.

All those going to The Bluetones upcoming gigs are in for a real treat, as Ricky will be supporting at all dates. This was an absolute cracking night, and all those who haven't yet purchased 'You Set The Scene', then do…

Chris Miller

(The Borderline, 27th May 2002)