Operator Please - East Brunswick Club

Operator Please tick all the right boxes, they’re young, attractive and every member falls into one of several ‘kooky kid’ categories, something to appeal to everyone, they also appear to write very catchy songs. All of which begs the question if the band are manufactured, or at least some sort of stage school band. Their ‘shtick’ is very cutesy, toying with that confusing late teens state of mind where you still want sweets and concession fare on the bus, but you also want alcohol, parties and sex. The band’s biography is very vague and convenient, with members just sort of coming together, new recruit Stephanie on Violin talks of getting ‘The Call’ to join the band, and then after some ‘DIY promotion’ and a trip to New York City (which of course every teenager can afford!) the band sign to EMI? Hmm, Is the smell of a Rat in the air? Or the smell of Big Management bucks? Probably, but for some reason and for once, it’s hard to care because Operator Please are so much damn fun!

For such a Buzz band The East Brunswick club is not particularly busy, possibly due to being over 18, and it looks like a few minors still managed to blag and bluff their way in. The night opens with Little Red, enough has been mentioned of them elsewhere, next are Treetops, a band who apparently have quite a varied and chequered History, despite possessing an amazing and youthful drummer the rest of the band seem rather tired and lacking, both supports a peculiar choice for the pure slice of saccharin soaked Pop rock to follow. These kids know how to play, the drums may be slightly weak but Timmy’s only got little arms, so forgive him for now, Ashley’s bass rumbles despite never seeing his face beneath an ample fringe, Sarah’s keyboard bloops and fizzes in the modern way, and as well as producing a fine sound from her Rickenbacker / Vox combo, Amandah possesses a powerful and passionate voice, with range and depth. The songs are generally bouncy, upbeat and light in content, songs to scream along and dance to, not change the world with, perhaps ‘Get What You Want’ showing some hints of song writing maturity bubbling under the surface. Any self-respecting street press reading music fan just shouldn’t like Operator Please, they smack of contrivance, of music career by numbers, of a fashionable gimmick. However with their charm, energetic stage show, apparent talent and irritatingly catchy tunes, the band will slowly be working their way on to many serious muso’s list of guilty pleasures.

Published in InPress