IC1s at Birthdays

The IC1s looked like your typical indie rock band when they first stepped on the stage at Birthdays on 29^th August: they had the slick haircuts, the buttoned-up shirts, the arrogant attitude, but when you see how dedicated their close-knit group of fans are, you know there must be something special about their music.

London-based, the IC1s play real rock ‘n’ roll, with lyrics about underage smoking, lost relationships, and trying to jump over the barriers at the train station. They are rough around the edges, they look like a “Jack the Lad” band and reportedly the other members first met singer Daniel Coburn when he was mid-fight at his local. But having already toured with the likes of Bloc Party, The Cribs and The Charlatans, and currently recording their debut album In the Blink of an Eye, the IC1s have already made quite a name for themselves.

With a set that started off fast-paced, aggressive and noisy, the loyal fan group were immediately whipped into a frenzy. Coburn remained very aloof, holding the microphone close to his chest, his eyes shut and one arm pointed towards the ceiling in salute – fascinating to watch even when calm and collected. That was until he shouted at the front row “I want to see your blackheads” to make them move closer.

New single Beautiful Ugly was one of the real gems of their set. Starting off slow, with just one guitarist carefully strumming away and a slow, steady drumbeat, Coburn’s depth of voice could be showcased for the first time during the set. It was from the start of this song that the band stood out from the average indie rock group.

The real showstopper that left everyone reeling was the finale, Whack Jack. It started off slowly, almost too sweetly, Coburn sang about his heart being broken, an audience member waved a lighter comically, and then it hit the unexpected. Like a switch had just been turned on, the entire band (and front rows) went, as Coburn conveniently sang, “a little bit mental”. Fast, catchy, Whack Jack is definitely their most memorable song. At the end Coburn jumped into the audience to dance with his fans, who chanted “IC1s!” as the band exited.

Verdict: ★★★★★

Bryonie Carolan
Photo: Paul Hudson

For further information about the IC1s and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Growing Up Going Down here: