Yeti, Cardiff Barfly, 6/02/08

On paper Yeti is the least appealing of all post-Libertines projects. Pete Docherty and Carl Barat, the band’s creative wellspring and joint mouth piece, formed Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things respectively. Meanwhile, Yeti have John Hassell who never wrote anything for The Libertines but carried on a long tradition of ‘quiet one’ bass players. So, while his old band have a best of in the shops, Hassell is still playing small venues like the Barfly with something to prove.

Tonight the band are further hamstrung by a missing guitarist after he collapsed from exhaustion. Johnno from support band The Foxes fills in manfully but Yeti are forced to play a truncated set. Even the drummer steps in on bass for a three piece version of tongue in cheek, music hall ballad Insect Eating Man, something of a set highlight.
Elsewhere they boast twangy guitars and bright, lively harmonies that add a folky lilt to sixties Brit rock. They owe more than a little to Hard Day’s Night era beatles and there’s nothing here to indicate that Yeti’s music was written anytime after 1970. Luckily Yeti have a gift for melody and a lightness of touch that makes these songs more than just tired retreads. Tunes like Never Lose Your Sense of Wonder and Merry Go Round sparkle. There’s a fine line between The Las and Cast. We can only hope Yeti can keep on the right side of it.