Maxïmo Park: Newcastle band play the hell out of jaggy, angsty debut

With his trilby rakish and his suit tight, Paul Smith leaps from the drum riser with a scissor kick; for a moment, as he hangs in the air, it could be the cover of A Certain Trigger — the album being celebrated in Glasgow tonight. Maxïmo Park’s debut is 21 years old.

It sounds very much of its time: all jaggy riff and angsty yelp, yet the Newcastle band play the hell out of these songs and they sound better now than back then. They won’t perform the album in full and in order, Smith explains; they’ll throw in tracks from other records.

“But,” he reassures, “you will probably hear 97% of it.” The selection is well judged. The inclusion of recent-ish single Favourite Songs feels pointed: Smith sings the opening words — “My best years are behind me” — with a finger in the air, then pats his chest in mild defiance: “But I’m damned if I’m giving up.” Anniversary shows often carry an unspoken question about how to stay dignified and present when selling tickets based on youthful success.

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