Idle Vice Pirate @ White Stag, Leeds 08/03/05
Toby Buckman
The band had been drinking for three days (in Tim’s case continuously), and it showed. Candi was feeling the effects of the previous night’s gig on her throat and ten minutes before they were due on for their first headline set, Tim could be found asleep at the back of the pub.
This was either going to be a disaster or a classic. It was a classic. This was to be the best gig that Idle Vice Pirate had played so far. Of course, I didn’t know this yet, but I had an inkling as set opener ‘Yours For A Fiver’ sounded like it had been shot out of a canon, and the band didn’t let up.
Frantic versions of ‘Norf’s Rock’ and ‘Gracias’ followed, interspersed with a couple of new songs, both sounding very much at home in the set list. The overall sound was more raw and let-loose than IVP have ever sounded before.
Andy was a virtual metronome and Tim played with such enthusiasm that he hit Candi in the head with his bass on more than one occasion. North, looking a little dishevelled, nonchalantly played his way through every riff and solo with laid back ease and Candi’s husky, hungover vocals added an extra dimension to the music.
We were treated to a beefed-up version of another new song, ‘Phantom Of Frank’, proving that the band are already improving as songwriters, before a pummelling ‘Too High’ closed the set, and the band left the stage to great applause and calls for more.
After the gig it was time for more drinks and fun with incontinence pants. But that’s another story.

Idle Vice Pirate @ Watershed 17/02/05
Toby Buckman
I seemed to be the only person who had not heard the demo. Everyone I knew was raving about it, but no-one could describe it to me. Ross said "It’s amazing. I only heard it once but I’ve had ‘Muchos Gracias’ in my head for days. You have to hear them."
And so I found myself at Watershed in Wimbledon. A small and well, small club, I knew half the people there and the drinks were cheap.
By the time Idle Vice Pirate took to the stage to rapturous applause and fervoured anticipation, the room was packed. They launched straight into a blistering version of ‘Yours For A Fiver’. Although it soon became apparent that the sound quality of the venue wasn’t that great, IVP were not going to let that stop them, or the audience, from having a good time.
With each song played, I knew more and more what the hype was about. ‘Norf’s Rock’ and ‘On The Spot’ were played with such visible enthusiasm that the audience were captured. People were smiling and dancing and the drinks were still cheap. ‘Muchos Gracias’ was played and was instantly fallen in love with by anyone within earshot.
A good band needs a good set closer, and IVP’s is ‘Too High’. A fast punky verse leads into a slow, seductive chorus with front-babe Candi seemingly looking into the eyes of every guy in the audience at once, whilst singing "I’m in love with every ounce of you". It works, and when they finish, the crowd is pleading for more.
Shortly after the show, the stampede for the bar is outnumbered by the stampede to get on the mailing list. Every person present knew that they had been witness to the birth of something special.
For me, it was the best first gig I have seen, by a long, long way.