MODETTES / MONOCHROME SET / PRAG VEC
Albany Empire, London

THE ROUGH Trade tour arrived in Deptford toting three bands who each deserve larger, more appreciative audiences.

The Modettes began the evening with a choppy, funny version of 'My Favourite Things'. The French vocalist bopped gently and delivered rich, insistent songs. The guitarist was pleasantly abrasive but slightly under rehearsed. A song about the Kray Brothers alternated a heavy chorus with a loping, understated, almost miliary march beat. 'Satisfy Yourself' is a gem as good as any Blondie single, and they were loudly applauded to repeat it for an encore. These girls will go far!

Monochrome Set is a drab name for a band, and visually they are, relying on movie collages projected onto the rear of the stage. Unnecessary really, 'cos this is great dance music. The dual guitars attacked like a circular saw, a kind of sweeter, more mobile Ramones, Bids' vocals were unfortunately, often incomprehensible. Their singles went down best (obviously), 'Alphaville', casual and eerie; the poppy 'Lester Leaps In' and 'Eine Symphony Des Grauens'.

Prag Vec bravely wound up the proceedings as the audience thinned out. Theirs is a much more impressive sound live than on record. Susan Gogan nets 'vocalist of the evening' award.

The others were great too, splintering colourful music throughout 'Bits', 'Expert' and a song about the seaside. I would have danced to the end, but I was too knackered.

Three bands of this calibre for 50p each! If this is the new pop age, get some while it lasts.

NIGEL BISHOP