The Noisettes and The Maccabees played a sold out show at the Knitting Factory yesterday. Both bands seemed to draw their own set of fanatic Anglophiles.

I had not been to the Knitting Factory in a while, and now the stage is equipped with the super club stylings of twirling lights, strobes, and a smoke machine. With those things in action, the room felt much bigger than it actually is.

This was The Maccabees first time playing in New York. I was surprised that there were a few people cheering just after the mention of a song's name. The Maccabees sing a lot of love songs with angular guitars and fierce drums. They were tight on stage and looked well seasoned as a band. I think some of their lyrics are dumb, but other than that they seem to have the full package.

The Noisettes have been to New York before opening for the Mystery Jets but this show was much better. The singer Shingai has a lot of style. Last night, she wore a plush gold armored top and the braids of her hair exploded into a mohawk. The three-piece band plays music that would be more obvious if punk had been birthed by soul. Sometimes Shingai's voice falls a little flat but the punk diva's attitude keeps their songs together.

[Photo credits: thatgreenplant and muzikspy]