Peckham band Tangerines are tonight’s headliners at the Green Door Store. To pigeonhole the band you’d put them close to a 60s style garage blues band. There’s a solid Dylan impersonation going on in the vocal, it’s the nasal way of singing combined with a spoken delivery which works well live. They are clearly into the old classics and their rhythm section has hints of Aladdin Sane–era Bowie to it.

The band recently released a debut Into The Flophouse, which is a very stripped back debut keeping the music raw and to its bones. There’s some added tinges on the album that you don’t get live, mostly the occasional appearance of some brass on the tracks. But Tangerines are very much a band that keeps things to its core with no nonsense. Their live show, in contrast to the album, is a little more toned down and subtle. It’s taken back a little bit which works well, it is a sound that is made for a live environment like this.

The band start their set off with ‘You Look Like Something I Killed’ which was the single that gathered a lot of hype for the debut release. They aren’t the most energetic of performers and they probably choose not to be. They’re a band who let the songs stand on their own two feet. Regardless, the crowd is in motion, swaying away to the music.

Their set is a very no-thrills type show. For this music it works in their favour and there’s little exchanges between the band and audience. There’s some excellent lead guitar work going on, they’re all clearly well versed in their pub rock chops and this transfers very well live. They give a full set running right up to the curfew, playing the majority of their released material.

Tangerines aren’t a band that will change the world or reshape a music scene. I don’t think that’s their intention and that’s a good thing. There isn’t a push towards the fringes of a genre. They write classic songs for themselves and an audience to enjoy. Their influences are clear and their songs are punchy and direct. Tangerines offer a fresh take on classic songwriting and do it very well and, you know what? After seeing countless bands it’s quite refreshing to see a band go back to basics and offer straight, solidly written songs that go down brilliantly live.

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