REVIEW 17/5/02

 Genuine York rock stars form supergroup. First
      gig is at The Junction on Leeman Road. Partisan crowd react ecstatically.
      The end. Or almost. The Yards, the latest mini-adventure in the
      lives of ex-Seahorses Chris Helme and Stuart Fletcher and ex-Shed
      Paul Banks, demands and deserves a more complex account of itself.



      Playing a gig at The Junction instead of the better reputed and
      more accessible Fibbers might have seemed a risk, although the
      Leeman Road pub was packed out in line with it's growing status
      as one of the city's hottest live venues.



      Shipping up with a keyboard player, a drummer and a two-piece
      string section, Helme clearly has a big vision of what The Yards
      can offer the world of music. That the keyboards and strings
      went largely unheard in a crowded sound presumably matters less
      than the fact that they were setting out a stall; this is a band
      with a plan and something to say. In fact, during the well-received
      crowd pleaser "Matter of Time", cellist and violist
      share a fag while the rest of the small pub is treated to three
      minutes of bona fide stadium rock. On another song, Chris breaks
      a string, is forced to abandon his rhythm guitar work, and the
      resulting gap in the sound allows the more subtle nuances of
      the support instruments to come through.



      While the anthemic, technically well-made songs will certainly
      appeal to the more mature fan of music (The Yards would be an
      undoubted hit on Later with Jools Holland), it can also be argued
      that in today's bland indie world, these grand masters have still
      got an edge. Between them they've inspired a generation - Starsilor's
      James Walsh displays more than a passing acquaintance with "Do
      It Yourself" in every note he sings - and judging by the
      response of The Junction's crowd, they're starting from a pretty
      solid fan base. I got the feeling tonight was a warm up gig for
      bigger things - keep your ear to the ground, and set the video
      for Jools. review by :here magazine