William The Conqueror

William the Conqueror are as inventive a three-piece as you’ll meet in any genre. Superb as usual and a pity they only had 31 minutes as the support to Bright Eyes. Better for being in the more intimate venue of the Project House rather than the O2…. I’ve seen W the C 3 or 4 times and they’re a really tight performing outfit with some great incisive songs, who can rock out in a bluesy Americana borderline celtic stylee given the opportunity. Tho’ of course it meant ticket sales hadn’t been as good as projected which may be down to Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst trying too hard, not to live up to his humanity but to project that he is. He is liable to think he’s grunge’s Leonard Cohen (that’ll be Kurt Cobain, then), but he’s neither. Parts of Bright Eyes set was very good but he got boo’ed for bringing up the right wing nature of the US Supreme Court - he’s not incorrect there but it was a surreal and dampening interlude on a couple of levels & some people (maybe) got the wrong end of the stick; or, maybe, don’t believe he’s being himself. Ho-hum ….. Some think he doth protest too much. No such trouble working out where William the Conqueror are grounded !