GIG REVIEWS
Bubbles, Ashington - Monday 9 Feb 09 - reviewed by Tony E.
THE RESTAURANT - Let me say this is not a good name..for a start I am too illiterate to spell it without pondering, and that is not a good start, but on the positive side of things it makes me think about food, which I like, as my large belly can testify, and sometimes does, usually by making strange noises in quiet bits in the cinema.... Anyway that's not the point of this, the band isn't the name, and i can say from prior experience of this lot that they are better thought out than the moniker, and I will try not to litter this review with food references. They started out tonights 'battle' with an accoustic guitar and gentle vocal, brushed drums, and risked being drowned out by the noisy getts at the back, the PA was a bit shaky as well and this wasn't the best time to be unsteady, but the strength of the song got them through, Garfunkelish references following into the second song (sorry no titles), but they really found their stride on the third when the accoustic was cleared away by the waiter (oops sorry) and replaced by Rickenbacker bass (no not a fish), bringing a much needed energy to the track (possibly 'Found You'), with sing-along chorus and happy clappy crowd input, the band won the locals over, holding it at that level through the rest of the set. The brother (I think) combo on drums and outstanding guitar are really tied into the excellent poppy bass playing and happy singer, they all look as if they are really enjoying the songs, this carries over into the audience. It's a mix of styles reminiscent of Squeeze and English pop, with a bit of folk thrown in... Well served up, tip the staff a five bob note!
FROM ORDER COMES CHAOS - No problems from the sound here... in fact the band storm into the first songs invisible behind a wall of 6ft bodies, all eager to support the local heroes, and they don't disapoint. It's a fine British rock band now, developed over the past year from a very American metal sound into something far superior, with the lead singer really singing now, no need to imitate anyone else, he's found a voice with a dash of gravelly Phil Lynott (well before his time, mind) and with a presence to match. The rhythm section veers from ZZ Top driven, bluesy, bassy riffs to a more classic heavy rock style, a bit of Led Zep maybe, and the guitarists both impress with searing metal solos, but not too OTT. Although a bit of variation on the pace could have been introduced, the band are as tight as they could be, truelly committed and entertaining, and an absolute must if you are into ROCK!!!
THE ILLUSTRATORS - Another local band and not without support, it could be a blessing or a curse to have mam, dad and cousins waiting for you to be the one kicked out! Nerves clearly affect the lads as they kick off on a bit of a shaky start on the first song, glances between them betraying this, but by the second they pull it together and I am strangely reminded of various scottish bands .... Big Country, Orange Juice, Simple Minds. All these bands had things in common, not least strong songs, but also a very northern feel to the vocals, more recently carried on by Arctic Monkeys. It might be the clear northern vocals and backing chants or the gorgeous brassy guitar from Rob on 'Swept Away', but by the time they had got into 'Three Flags' it was clear that the songs alone where enough to carry these lads through. The final song 'Running Out' is an absolute winner, so Radio 2 friendly it should be played directly into fm frequency at 88.5. What a tester for the judges tonight!
Bubbles, Ashington - Monday 8 Dec 08 - reviewed by Tony E.
SMOKE AND THE COLLISION - It's the bass players hat that gets the attention as the band slope in, in fact it's more a parasol, even a tent, big enough to hold a gig under should bad weather strike, and it brings to mind that classic hippy cartoon character, Freewheeling Franklin. Having said that, these are no cartoon band, and the hat thing is soon forgotten as the wearer adopts a plucking bashing style that forges the band ahead, in a Red Hot Chilli meets Southern Death Cult sort of style, aided by the (newly grown) mohicaned lead singer doing a matching war dance, and belting out the songs tunefully, but with menace. It takes a couple of songs for the band to really gel, but by the 3rd they are airtight, and with a good variation of song styles, they held the audience, peaking on the excellent 'sleepless'. So it's hats off to a good solid rock band!
LAZY BAKER - Aha, where's the bass player? I didn't find out, but the band managed fine without one, two guitars sufficing to supply a raw jangly sound oft favoured by the early Orange Juice, but heading more in the direction of 60's bands like The Animals and Hermans Hermits at times, with over the waist guitar style adding to that impression, although the singer is more Brandon Flowers than Pete Noone. The songs are well put together, with verse chorus verse sometimes being hijacked with nice geetar solo vignettes before the return to traditional form, these wanderings not to much to lose the listener though, and during a later song (poss 'Here For You') the solid bassy backing of the song reminded me of Cream or early Deep Purple, but with the sadness of Radiohead. The last song was a more modern indy sound and showed that these lads are well on track to pull all percieved influences into their own world. Excellent.
Bubbles, Ashington - Monday 24 Nov 08 - reviewed by Tony E.
UNDERLINE HERO It's punk Jim and just as we like it! A three piece band from Blyth, Northumberland. They started their set complaining about the lack of gigs for them in the area, but by this performance I can't see why that is, unless the locals just don't like entertainment with a bit of cheeky punk attitude. First impressions are an important thing for a new band, and these lads look good, in a teen new wave way, all tattoos and the right tee shirts (Clash/Misfits), so it's no surprise when they fly into songs that reek of Green Day and Blink, but that's only because they have songs, and stand out from so many of the modern 'punk' bands by being pop enough to get you singing along with the first take, no mean feat for a jaded punter like me. With a drummer that batters and strokes the skins like a young Rat Scabies, the other two keep up and clearly enjoy the challenge, the tall singer/bass quipping between songs in a true potty mouthed punk fashion. The songs harden up later in the set, more SLF and a bit of rolling metal riff, but retain the accessible vocal style and lyrics that will carry these lads to a wider audience.
ATHENAS CHILD. Imagine hitch hiking to a lonely bar on the edge of an American desert, to find a few locals at the bar and a couple others watching the band, who have obviously just called in at the end of a long and dusty tour…this is that band, and they have all the style and ability of a tour hardened Stateside rock/blues combo, but with the added advantage of being under 20 and from Northumberland! I don't know what these lads have in their i-pods, but it seems as if they have had a fair whiff of Tom Petty, maybe some of the great Tom Verlaine/Television, and the singer sounds a bit like Dave Grohl. They probably haven't, but the end result is eminently listenable, the lead guitarist is uniquely good, the band as a whole so tight they might implode, so get to see them soon.
The Elephant, Ashington - Friday 21 Nov 08 - Ska Monkey Promotions - reviewed by Tony E.
Déjà vu? I've heard of that before but rarely as strong as tonight when two bands invoked the spirit of '79 unlike any I've seen since I got thrown off the stage way back then for skanking with Ranking Roger!
DIRTY REVOLUTION are a punk/reggae/ska/pop band with a double bonus of two great vocalists. With the edgy punky reggae style overlaid with the full and perfectly pitched voice of the female lead (Rebs), and occasionally by Strummeresque vocals of lead guitarist Stu, the band would be classy even without the added attraction of catchy 'radio friendly' songs. Hinting to the storybook song writing style of Ray Davis at times, and with a couple of '‘protest songs for the modern day', this four piece ventures into dubbier areas with the eponymous 'dirty revolution' showing how tight and nasty a smaller ska/reggae band can be when the backline is…SOLID! Check out the C.D., the songs are great, but don’t miss them live, they are superb.
NEW TOWN KINGS. A nine man suited up band, all pork pie hats and dreads strides on stage, but even this impressive sight doesn't get you prepared for the full on entertainment package that the New Town Kings have now become. Every song is a classic sing-along and with the band literally jumping, it's rude not to join in .... and everyone did! Fire in the Hole? I'll say there was, this band are scorching hot, with Chris the lead arsonist fanning the flames. Tracks from the recent 'Sound of the New Town' (check out our CD review section) were joined by new material like 'Dynamite' (living up to the title), and even a jammed together 'Happy Anniversary' had the crowd skanking .... So altogether it was smiles all round for both these uplifting bands who have taken the Two-Tone torch and thrown on some high octane fuel to brighten up the present day ska scene.
Bubbles, Ashington - Monday 18 Nov 08 - Battle of the Bands - reviewed by Tony E.
CRADLE wandering on stage the 4 lads looked a bit lost,and although not really dressed like your regular rockband, got straight into some pretty impressive bluesy funk rock, all original songs, with a singer who occasionally reminded me of Coverdale, and then of the Manics, with strong full range vocals, not afraid to sing out.
THIS TIME AROUND was full of interesting drumming, still teasing the audience with a hint of funky, and I had the feeling there was a lot more in the band waiting to get out.for some reason I kept thinking of Anastasia ... the bespectacled American rock chick, especially on the song 'STILL ALIVE' which was a real tension builder, with great growing floor tom/snare drumming and emotionally charged vocals. It was the last song that really let the funky chicken out of the pen though, lead geetar stomping the wah wah and the band finding a groove that should have come earlier ... in short tight, good songs ... but get the dancin' shoes on more often!
DJANGLEARBRA from the off this band set out to have a good time, it was smiles all round, no studied cool or icy stares here ... but the music filled up the cool quotient with the well balanced 5 piece delivering just enough sound to fill the songs without crowding out the tremulous vocals of the female lead. A soaring guitar cut over the voices of the front 3 members of the band, repeating chorus lines and chants complementing the 'Bjork/Everything But The Girl' style lead. a track possibly called 'People Often Pray' was haunting with vocals and guitar blending over spacey drums. The band showed versatility and soulful funkiness on the faster songs, the bass player doing fine Mick Kahn/80's stylee lines, even losing his hat with the effort ..... nice to see the band enjoying it ... and the audience even more.
THE RESTUARANT this three piece band start up in a drums/accoustic guitar/Rickenbacker 6-string lead, and immediatley put me in mind of the great Roddy Frame/Postcard records type of folk song, good lyrics, strong chorus. A dash of Simon & Garfunkel pops in and then when the acoustic is changed to a (lovely) complementary Rickenbacker bass, The Monkees get a foot in the door. I could mention a good few more 'classic' songwriting styles that I thought i could glean from this excellent bands own songs, but it has to be said that they blended them in a loving and finely crafted way, with echoes of the Beach Boys and Lennon/McCartney in the vocals that made this a fine set, over to soon.
The Hub, Gosforth, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne - Saturday 1st Nov 08 - reviewed by Tony E.
CHINA SHOP BULL (EX FULIBULBOUS) It's fair to say the lads had been practising what they preach on their epic 'Sandblaster' song during the long trip up North, and a fair few beers on top of this before stage time left me worrying for the viability of the band. I forgot that these lads are seasoned in the art of substance abuse. If they don't know when to stop, that carries on to the over the top stage antics, where, regardless of the demeanour of the people in the audience, they are going to enjoy every minute of their stage time and drag the audience along as well, kicking and screaming. The drummer must drink Carlsberg though, because he's probably the best in the world, at least the best ginger since Baker. He allows the rest of the band to ebb and flow around him on the trance inducing power reggae, then drives the old kool hip-hop with the snares as sharp as a firing line. The brass section leaps and body slams each other, dancing with the audience, but still managing to put out a mesmerising cacophony of sound . With vocals ranging between The Minutemen/hardcore punk style to rapid fire rap in northern dialect, this is a band who you will want to see again and again, and you should.
ALL COMMENTS ARE MY OWN, I AM NOT AN EXPERT, DON'T TAKE THEM TO HEART ... THANKS FOR LETTING ME LISTEN.