Although they formed Grand Drive at the height of Brit pop, Julian and Danny Wilson are the antithesis of the Gallaghers. They take to the stage, warmly acknowledge the polite applause and begin without fuss. For a band that claim to have played only a handful of gigs in the past year, Grand Drive are impressively tight, the songs fresh and flowing, the winsome vocals glorious.
Born in Australia and living in south London, the Wilsons sound unashamedly American. The ghost of Fred Neil lives on in Wheels, a song that inexplicably conjures up Cadillacs and dusty highways - "Don't let the grass grow, don't let the wheels make you slow." And on True Love And High Adventure, the title track of their second album, the Wilsons share a mike, their intimate harmonies as luscious as maple syrup.
The band swap instruments throughout the songs, moving around each other as if dancing an old-time waltz, never missing a beat. Cosy at the best of times, the Menagerie was enveloped by Grand Drive, whose Hammond organ dominated the makeshift stage. There wasn't a huge turnout, but quality was the key. The audience were respectfully quiet and appreciative of the intimacy.
Grand Drive hadn't been back here since their first EP. They played On A Good Day for the lone person who had returned from that 1997 gig. And then they finished with Wrong Notes, building it up from simple picked guitar to a chiming, flowing weave of tinkled piano and plaintive harmonica. A masterful band that sound as lush and comforting live as on record.
