Live Review: We Are The In Crowd - The Borderline, London (06/03/11)

Let's get the Paramore bit out of the way first shall we? Yes, they are, just as much live as on record, with more male vocals and some twinkles. It's worth pointing out that appreciation of We Are The In Crowd probably hinges entirely upon whether or not one overlooks such an essential similarity to judge them on their merits... and they do possess them.

They’re a tight little package and though playing to a click aids in this, it's warranted as the additional 'meat' provided by the backing track really fleshes out their sound. Singer Taylor Jardine is a petite bubble of bouncy brunette energy and, ably assisted by her male compatriot Jordan Eckes who also plays guitar, the vocal is pretty spot on, if very much of its type.

They look the part too, clean-cut and wholesome, the sort of rock band that parents would be delighted to have their young impressionables take up as a cause when the alternative might involved piercings and rather a lot of black.

It's easy to see why the kids at the Borderline tonight feel as if they are watching the birth of something big, and perhaps it is that We Are The In Crowd would seem perfectly placed to take up Paramore's mantle now that they are arguably more brand than band.

We Are The In Crowd have the right mixture of good looks and catchy, inoffensive tunes to do a more than passable job, but unless they really strike to define themselves as something more they will never escape the immense magnetic pull of other bands reputations.

Nick Worpole