MUSIC REVIEW: The Ting Tings, Liverpool Carling Academy

Sep 22 2008 BY Bethan Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

IT'S Saturday night at the Liverpool Carling Academy and the crowd is waiting anxiously to see this year's most sensational pop act, The Ting Tings.

If you've spent this last year under a rock, then you might not know who The Ting Tings are, though I doubt it.

Formed in Salford, the band is a duo made up of Katie White and Jules de Martino.

Katie is an unstoppable front woman and guitarist with an infectious energy, and a look reminiscent of Debbie Harry in her heyday. Jules de Martino is the unerringly cool and understated guy usually found behind the drum set providing the addictive beats of yet another addictive song.

This year has seen many successes for The Ting Tings, which has included a tour – Saturday being yet another sold- out date – the release of their debut album, We Started Nothing, which went to number 1 in the UK in May, as well as the release of several very successful singles.

The gig kicks off with the song, We Walk, which immediately gets everyone's hands clapping and feet stamping.

Katie and her electric guitar perform a particularly glorious rendition of the song I Started Nothing.

But, during the low-energy Traffic Light, the audience seems to get a little restless and distracted. However, they are once again excited by the energetic Fruit Machine, and this year's anthem, That's Not My Name, sends everyone home with a smile on their face.

During the gig, Jules stands up and takes a Polaroid picture of the audience, cheekily saying "see you on 'myspace' next week." It is indicative of the kind of performance that The Ting Tings provide, it feels interactive and intimate, the atmosphere is relaxed and frenzied all at once. With only having one album, albeit a brilliant one, under their belts so far, the gig is a rather brief but exhilarating affair.

Although it may come across as carefree pop, there is no doubt that this band is founded on hard work, and they are a well-polished and confident act who have come far, but who will go even further.