Culture Music Live music

TOY at Old Blue Last

TOY at Old Blue Last | Live review

It is fair to say that Monday’s TOY second album launch gig was a real surprise. Onstage these guys from Brighton have the same giddy energy of those who have just made it in the music business, and considering the presence of the London music elite at the venue, it is not surprising.

The gig was a shock because one could never have thought of TOY as a seminal band, or something more than a teen band, but that assumption is wrong. Onstage these five are extremely professional, managing to create a pop-punk wall of sound with several tasty psych-kraut reflections.

Having just released their second album Join The Dots the band were celebrating at the Old Blue Last in front of the usual crowd of such a hipster venue; sometimes it really seems that these people are just following a mode rather than the music.

TOY’s mix of musical genres comes out onstage where the five transform their songs into something more sophisticated: a little bit of kraut here (the best member of the team is the Spanish keyboard player Alejandra Diez, giving the band that twist that put them on top of the average), some psychedelic guitar there as well as a killer bass or a good drum session.

This mix of pop, noise and kraut is the signature element of a band who are improving their skills very quickly; they will be for sure one of the best acts of 2014. Good luck.

Lorenzo Cibrario

For further information and future events visit TOY’s website here.

 Watch the video for Totem and Taboo here:

More in Live music

Lido Festival day four with Charli XCX and Kelly Lee Owens

Selina Begum

Pulp at the O2 Arena

Christopher Connor

Meltdown Festival: The Streets at Royal Festival Hall

Mark Worgan

Shura at Bush Hall

Christina Yang

SXSW London 2025 Day Five: ILĀ, Baby Said, Jessica Winter and more

Christina Yang

Lido Festival day two with Jamie xx, Romy and Sampha

Sarah Bradbury

Massive Attack at Lido Festival

Glory Matondo

Djo at the Forum

Paulina Subia

SXSW London 2025 Day Three: NAO, The Kites, Mystery Tiime and more

Christina Yang