I was already in a bad mood. I was hungry. I’d been up since 6 a.m. And in fact, my arse was uncomfortably sweaty from the brisk walk I’d had to make to get to the show on time. And then I discover that The Library is on Fire are playing thirty minutes later than expected. I could have sauntered up.

Not the end of the world. I sat to listen to a band I’d not researched or even been interested in seeing, I Am Giant. Initially I (very wrongly) gave them a quick once over and decided that this four-piece looked like a set of over-aged, avid Guitar Hero fans. You know, the guys that are still rocking out in front of the television screen when they’re hitting their early thirties, dreaming, and believing, they’ve still got what it takes to sell out Madison, week in week out.

But in actual fact, this band had the credentials. Their songs were very well polished, the guitarist had the swagger and style of John Frusciante, and the singer had an essence of Brandon Boyd (minus the hair). I really liked them, and the other fifteen people in a quiet Mercury Lounge dug them too. Sixteen people have unearthed something very interesting.

Talking to the band afterwards, it turns out they’re signed with Sony in Australia and New Zealand, and now trying to create a following in the USA. Something tells me that they might have more luck on the West coast but they are definitely worth a look here.

Welcome, The Library is on Fire.

I was looking forward to being blown away by a band who’s hype I had bought into. I was looking forward to being picked up and whisked away. I had given them a few listens and was liking exactly what I heard. They reminded me of an early Weezer – young, reckless and raw. Too raw, maybe.

I can’t put my finger on what was wrong. They just missed the target. I like noise, I promise you, but this was just simply noise; at least, tonight it seemed that way. There was no presence or confidence. There was no rapport between band and audience, or even attempt. Maybe it was just me, with my bad day and sweaty arse, but their sound was… incomplete; I couldn’t comprehend the songs. I look back now and I can’t even remember which song was which.

On reflection, I’ve listened to The Library is on Fire again, on MySpace, and I like them. But live, they just weren’t the same. This is a band where I’d expect the reverse effect. Here, the personality of punk sits well on record but quite uncomfortably on stage.