‘They say the kids don’t like rock’n’roll anymore” sings John Eatherly on ‘End of an Era’ before ambling into a disco-infused chorus that screams back to the seventies. Beyond the garish shirts and T-Bird leather jackets, Public Access TV hark back to a time when the world wasn’t falling apart and you called your girlfriend up on a brick telephone instead of decoding the meaning of a blue tick on an iPhone.
The New Yorkers’ live up to their high praise from the likes of Rolling Stone and Zane Lowe in a punchy upbeat show as they exude effortlessly cool without being pretentious about it. Their retro rock is full of feel-good hits to howl your heart out to in a cathartic chorus, whatever your predicament. Jittery ‘Lost in the Game’ is an instant belter and produces the most euphoric and memorable moment of the night. Never before has it been such a joy to sing about dropping your leathers on a beauty queen’s floor.
Although they’ve been compared to bands like The Strokes and The Vaccines, it doesn’t feel like a gig from either of these bands. ‘In Love and Alone’ is more Ramones than Last Nite or Reptilia. That said, it comes as no surprise that their recent sophomore album, Street Safari, was produced by electro-pop Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly. As soon as the strolling bass of ‘Metrotech’ comes in, the crowd are set off in a dancing frenzy; Public Access TV are at the height of their funkiness with shimmering guitars that wouldn’t be out of place on a Chic record. A band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously, Public Access TV are a musical force to be reckoned with. Long live rock’n’roll.