The first time I saw Summer Camp was last year, supporting Wild Beasts at The Grand Ballroom in Sheffield. Back then, the couple seemed dwarfed by the size of the venue and the occasion in general, their sound failed to transmit throughout the large audience, and the whole show was a bit of a non-event. Almost a year later, they are back in Sheffield for a more intimate affair, playing in the far more suitable surroundings of The Harley, which is filled to the brim with bodies, all ready to hear some of the most addictive pop songs of the year performed live.
Despite the excitement and anticipation of the crowd, things don’t get off to the greatest start for the band. The bass drum microphone starts to distort heavily resulting in Elizabeth Sankey halting their opening song to proclaim “Jeremy’s monitor is farting.” After a little technical assistance, the problem is resolved and the band are ready to start properly, kicking things off with ‘Welcome to Condale’. Since their last visit to Sheffield, Summer Camp have added a drummer to their live set up, creating a fuller sound that gives Jeremy Warmsley more space and freedom to concentrate on his wonky synth riffs and backing vocals, which prop up Elizabeth Sankey’s elegant and powerful voice. The opening track demonstrates the tightness the band have developed together after months of touring, giving space for each fragment of melody to shine through the layers of sound that make up their expertly crafted pop songs.
Although the band displays great technical ability, there is a slight sense that Summer Camp are cruising a little too casually through some of their numbers. ‘Round The Moon’ sounds a little raw as if it is missing that layer of vintage dust that comes across on the recorded version, whilst the melody from ‘Last American Virgin’ doesn’t completely translate live. However, with songs like the fuzz-soaked ‘Down’ with its intensely driven bouncing rhythm, and the addictively catchy ‘Ghost Train’, the band’s repertoire can speak for itself and create a sea of bobbing heads amongst the audience.
For the performance of the band’s latest single ‘Losing My Mind’, Summer Camp rid themselves of their electric accompaniment, immerse themselves amongst the audience and perform the song with just an acoustic guitar. The crowd respond by singing every word along with Sankey, erring just on the right side of cringey before the band return to the stage to perform ‘Better off Without You’, greeted by a joyful response from the audience.
Summer Camp have clearly grown in confidence and ability, yet still haven’t quite managed to translate the polished sound of their record live. In a sense, the roughness of the performance brings a personality and uniqueness, but lessens the shiny aesthetic that consumes their album. Nevertheless, a masterful grasp of the pop song ensures that Summer Camp's captivating melodies stay floating inside your heads for a good while afterwards regardless of the delivery.