Papa Roach
6th October 2009
Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Review and photo by Lucy Pryor

After 2 blinding sets from British born Heaven’s Basement and the crazy Madina Lake (who must have been exhausted after running around the stage for duration of the time they were on it), Papa Roach had some big shoes to fill. I’m not sure what I was quite expecting from them tonight in the sold out Civic Although they have made a significant comeback to the music scene in the last few years, nothing has quite made such an impact as their most famous song ‘Last Resort’ 9 years ago. They certainly knew how to build the tension as the awaiting crowd chanted and stomped their feet. The Civic was actually reminiscent of some kind of Roman amphitheatre, and I really hoped Papa Roach would be getting a thumbs up tonight! As it went past 9pm and they still weren’t on stage I was starting to worry that the show would be a let down and they would stumble on the stage in true drunken rock and roll style, and the crowd would turn a bit crazy and start ripping up seats. I was of course totally wrong.

Anaal Nathrakh + Dragged Into Sunlight + Nailed + Force Fed The Sick
25th September 2009
Joseph’s Well, Leeds
By Leo Kindred

After first band Force Fed The Sick’s adequate if unremarkable performance comes the surgical intensity of Nailed. With the band sporting a fair number of Suffocation t-shirts it’s no surprise what they sound like but it is still welcome. As a hand full of head banging hair windmills break out it leaves Nailed, with their high speed grunts and gritty expeditious songs, very much in favour with everyone.

Dragged Into Sunlight begin with and continue with their backs to the audience, along with no lighting except for a strobe and a sizeable candelabra complete with an equally sizeable goat skull attached to it. As it turns out they’re remarkably good bringing a mighty storm of doom metal that somehow you can still actually hum down on us, and whilst they don’t shy away from putting the brakes on to wallow in the usual murkiness there’s also time for a healthy battering of riffs.

As Birmingham’s extreme metal legends Anaal Nathrakh bust on with the title track from their new album In The Constellation Of The Black Widow everything proceeds to go ape shit. With Mick Kenney’s driving guitar and Dave Hunt’s near psychotic vocal blasting, growling, yelling and, sometimes, singing it really does feel like the apocalypse has arrived from the black country. With More Of Fire Than Blood rattling round our heads Hunt encourages the destruction, riley commenting “you show me some blood I’ll show you some free merchandise!” The crowd participation, further bolstered by a man no one can understand through a Glaswegian accent introduced as an organiser of Leeds Damnation Festival, doesn’t disappoint as a dystrophic scene of copious amounts of stage diving and furious pummelling unravels. Whilst others merely observe other audience members throw themselves from the stage and, towards the end, the towering speaker stacks, varying in success but with no shortage of enthusiasm. As the band reverse back through their albums, picking up Final Absolution, Destroying Angel - where Dave Hunt yells the immortal intro taken from Blackadder ‘KILL EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!’ - followed by Do Not Speak’s vitriol filled aggression the level of brutality is insane. Finishing with a piece of fuming carnage from The Codex Necro and, notwithstanding the blood I find on my bag not snagging me any free merch, it is an extreme metal triumph of an evening. You’ve just been Anaal-ed.

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Misery Signals + Your Demise + The Number Twelve Looks Like You
23rd September 2009
The Corporation, Sheffield
By Leo Kindred

After locals The Gold Coast’s decent if somewhat ragged performance The Number Twelve Looks Like You provide an unusual proposition. Whilst the originality nor the competence in their flicking from mathcore to winding jazz and atmospheric passages is in question one can’t help but feel the outcome doesn’t quite deliver.

If Number Twelve’s performance was marked by experimentation and multifarious involvedness…basically reverse all of those words. Your Demise come across with all the subtlety and complexity of a brick. Windmilling and slam dancing breaks out in the audience as bystanders duck for cover, only to find YD’s new vocalist Ed McRae stage diving onto them despite the fact there clearly isn’t enough people. Musically there is very little to comment on, partly due to poor sound but mainly because all the riffs sound the same, pulling as they do from the low end marriage of hardcore and metalcore. Like it or loathe it the atmosphere is certainly there and those who like music brutal and simple with a fist in it enjoy a stage invasion as everyone else tries to avoid them diving off of it.

Misery Signals can’t help but come across as a little calmer but the beef is certainly brought, although thankfully with some of the flair and imagination that was lacking from YD. Muscle-bound Karl Schubach’s yells succeed in getting people riled and a couple of fervent kids jump on the stage to join in. The glinting guitar work added to the rhythmic stomp of the output is powerful in its force and sweat flies in the already hot environment as latest album Controller’s material is given airing with some oldies. Unfortunately by this point it’s clear Corporation’s sound isn’t tip-top and a lot of the depth of detail on record is lost through the dubious muddy sound quality; disappointment compounded by the shortness of the set. Clearly tonight provides a good physical catharsis to some, but as it stands it’s more than points for effort than achievement.

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Laika Dog + Eureka Machines + The Idol Dead
25th September 2009
The Speakeasy, York
By Suzy Harrison

I was invited to check out Laika Dog and their supports at The Speakeasy in York. Just before the first band started playing the promoter said to me "I'm not sure if this gig is your type of thing" and with that in mind I was half expecting to be subjected to some dull indie bands who would succeed in sending me to sleep in the middle of a crowded room. However as 'The Idol Dead' started playing I was completely surprised. They provided us with powerful bass and guitar lines and a set of songs which kept my attention for the full set. They were a bit glam/punk rock with a hint of '90s indie - certainly not a bad choice for the opening band. The singer admitted during the set that he wasn't used to being on stage without a guitar but you wouldn't have known it as he moved around the stage with energy and confidence necessary for any good frontman. I felt some of the songs may have been a fraction too long in duration but I enjoyed the band all the same.

I'd seen some men walking about the venues in suits, ties and 'Creeper' style shoes, completely unaware that they were one of the bands until they got on the stage. They wouldn't have looked wrong at a punk show. Eureka Machines is a band of performers; they look the part and they act the part, with choreographed head movements and an enthusiastic stage show. The music was mainstream rock (rather than punk) and the singer entertained us with his dance moves, singing and also his banter with the crowd between songs. It wasn't a surprise to hear that this band are going to support Electric Six later the year - they seem like an ideal choice for the tour. The room was its fullest for this band and it was easy to see why.

After an impressively quick changeover it was time for Laika Dog. If you were in your teens (or older) in the '90s you'd probably remember a band called Terrorvision who had hits including Tequila and Josephine. Well Laika Dog is lead singer Tony Wright's current band. They played a set of 15 songs and included 'Monkey Song' which was surely appreciated by a number of people in the venue who had shouted for the song towards the beginning. Laika Dog were full of energy, the songs had a full sound and Wright's voice is as good as it ever was, but unfortunately I wasn't convinced. They just didn't have such a punch that I was expecting, perhaps it was because I was hoping for a Terrorvision reunion gig and that's not what I got. It's always hard for a singer of a band to shake off the image of a previous band they've been in and when it was one that big it can sometimes be a bit of a let down to see them in a different set up. However the fans were certainly enjoying themselves and so were the band, and in my opinion that's what makes a live show a success.

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Massive Attack + Martina Topley-Bird
21st September 2009
Sheffield O2 Academy
By Leo Kindred

In a difficult position playing support to such a massive (haha) headliner on first impressions one has to wonder if Martina Topley-Bird’s been given the slot because, as well as collaborating with the headliners, Martina and her “band” as a two piece take up a minimal amount of space on a stage littered with equipment ahead of the main act. This proves a little ungenerous and although not generating excessive amounts of excitement Martina Topley-Bird’s soulful tones successfully manages to spark some enthusiasm and respectful attention from the crowd.

After a substantial wait Massive Attack take to the stage starting off with unfamiliar numbers hinted to be from their forthcoming albums (an EP’s been announced for release sometime in October and the untitled long awaited full length’s slated for an early 2010 release). With the tone of the new material sitting well on first impressions they dip into more familiar territory and as the insidious digital surge of ‘Risingson’ swells over the crowd everything seems right with the world. Martina’s returning to provide vocals for a beautifully spellbinding ‘Tear Drop’ is remarkable and even though throughout the night 3D and Daddy G (not their real names if you were wondering) have their vocals slightly muffled it is possibly the only blemish on the splendour and of no real consequence. With the added lighting and LED graphics from the gantry at the rear of the stage watching the spectacle of Massive Attack truly is staggering. Particularly epic is ‘Angel’, performed to truly immense proportions that gives the show an almost extra-terrestrial feel with the otherworldly lights shining out from the stage like the aliens have truly landed. Two encores and a closing with a wonderful ‘Karmacoma’ it completes a show that attains a truly matchless and stirringly tender level of experience that somehow even manages to justify the exorbitant ticket price. When music history mentions Massive Attack it will be obliged to in terms synonymous with the word 'brilliance'.

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NME Radar Tour
30th September 2009
The Duchess, York
By Aimee Taylor

As York is such a small place, big things don’t usually come our way very often, so I was surprised to see that the NME Radar Tour was visiting us. Judging by the queue outside, it was sure to please.

First on are Yes Giantess, a 4 piece from America, donning plaid shirts and polo tops, sounding like MGMT and Tetris having a brawl, the majority of the tracks were upbeat and energetic whilst others were toned down, they were still pretty lively. With a few tech issues, Yes Giantess still performed brilliantly. They played a 6 track set full of harmony, constant beats and synth galore. Yes Giantess provided an amazing show and brilliant way to start the night.

Local Natives are second in line to present their musical talents, they have a mellow folk sound with beautiful harmonies. The vocals are clear but soft and they use ‘real’ instruments as well as technology. They’re original yet traditional with vigorous breakdowns and beautiful melodies, these guys are all about contrast. They treat us to a Talking Heads cover, with their angelic vocals that when in unison sound 3 dimensional, “Airplanes” a track with an incredible breakdown and a multi pitch build up to conclude. To finish the set, Local Natives give us “Sunhands” a rhythmic gem choc a block of contrast, from the chanting of the three voices there comes a mental breakdown which is energetic to say the least. Local Natives are a charming 5 piece and are definitely ones to keep an eye out for.

The crowd has grown in mass and anticipating the next act on the bill, which is of course Marina Diamandis, she steps on to the stage sporting harem pants and a super cool t shirt. She plays “Girls” first, a bubbly tune to get everyone in the mood. “Seventeen” which she sings with a powerful and effortless voice. One of her greater known tracks, the brilliant, “I am not a robot” is next on the set list with robotic movements to accompany her stunning voice. “We love you” exclaims a fan, Marina looks bewildered at the declaration. The one thing about Diamandis is, she connects with her audience and gives them a performance. She exchanges glances with the guys at the front and they look back at her with adoring eyes. The lads get even more excited when she whips off her top and reveals a black jumpsuit with amazing shoulder pads.

To finish, she belts out “Mowgli’s Road”, “It’s the first one off the album, and it’s been a long time coming!” she cries. She has performed a magnificent set and has given those lads what they came for, those lucky things.

The headliners, Golden Silvers, take to the stage, an odd positioning but it works. Lead singer Gwilym Gold looks like he’s taken a trip in the Tardis and arrived from the '80s, wearing an oversized denim jacket, gold chains and a billowing lemon shirt, he is working the '80s look. They kick things off with “Magic Touch” full of energy and beautiful synth, Gold reminisces, “ We’re back in York, last time we were here, about 5 people were here”, Well Gold, look at you now, what an improvement. The next track has an easy start and a chilled feel but is still lively. “Queen of the 21st Century” using claves and cowbells with a contrasting outro, this is one of the better known ones. Finishing with “Arrows of Eros”, possibly one of the best songs ever to be made, it is a brilliant way to end the night. Golden Silvers have definitely proved that they deserve more than a 5 man audience. Watch out for this band, and please Golden Silvers, come back soon.

Photos from this show are online now!

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All Time Low + The Audition
5th October 2009
Electric Ballroom, London
By Mark Plummer

Tits, man boobs, dicks, jokes about your mother, dry hand jobs & crude profanity, you could mistake this as a Blink 182 concert but it's All Time Low. These American punk-rockers (fronted by an English born Alex Gaskarth) have transformed London's Electric Ballroom into a jumping, moshing, hand clapping night of infectious songs and some spine tingling moments.

Long time touring friends The Audition lend a hand in a solid set that goes down well with everyone, they'll have picked up a few fans for sure tonight. Despite only having the one guitarist, they manage to create a very full sound and along with plenty of energy, they get the crowd moving. This could not be showcased more in a rocked up version of Katy Perry's "Hot 'N' Cold", The Audition are a band to be seen if you have not already. If you like your punk-rock with a little bit of a darker and heavier side to it, they're a band you'll enjoy.

All Time Low themselves get off to a mediocre start, it's not until the third song in (Jasey Rae) that they really set it off and come to life. After this there's no stopping them, complete with catchy guitar riffs and punchy drums, they're not a band you forget straight away. A mention should also be made to Ryan Ogren (vocalist of Runner Runner) who's filling in for Zack on bass (Zack had to go back to America for a wedding). Ryan more than fits into the mix, interacting with the crowd and jumping around the stage, it's a pleasure to watch. As the show goes on with songs like "Poppin'" and "Break Your Little Heart", there's not a single person who's not singing along and getting involved. The highlight of their set is a hair raising performance of "Remembering Sunday". It's a song that relies on a strong vocal performance more than anything else and Alex shows in this song that he's not lacking in vocal talent. His immaculate voice on "Nothing Personal" is backed up with a flawless performance tonight. After taking people back to 2006 with a "Coffee Shop Soundtrack" (from their Put Up Or Shut Up EP) it's back to crowd favorites such as "Let It Roll" and "Weightless" before finishing off with an electrifying "Dear Maria, Count Me In". It's a disappointingly short set of only 12 songs, however it's fair to say that everyone has left feeling some what happy and content. They'll be back in January as part of the Kerrang! tour, if you missed them this time around make sure to catch them then, they shouldn't disappoint.

The Audition - 4/5
All Time Low - 4/5

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Blackhole + The Plight + Throats + With One Last Breath
16th September 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Harrison

The evening kicked off with some metal from local band With One Last Breath. The band have a commercial sound to their music which is surely an achievement having only been together since April last year. They're unsigned as yet but due to go on tour with Will Francis (Aiden) according to their MySpace. To be honest they weren't really my thing but I think they're good at what they do and there weren't any faults in their performance in my opinion.

The next band was Throats. I felt that the band's chosen name certainly summed them up. Their singer spent the entire set growling and screaming into the mic, making any lyrics impossible to decipher. The songs consisted of strange patterns of timing and rhythms which weren't messy as such, but difficult to follow. Metal style riffs in places and punchy guitar lines filled out the sound. The band played a set that seemed over quite quickly. And left the stage without even a goodbye (to which some of the crowd felt was a bit rude, heckling as they walked off).

The Plight were the third act on stage. They hail from Leeds and certainly have a reputation in their city and many loyal fans. Singer Allistair Mancrief didn't spend much time on the stage, preferring to jump down into the crowd and command the floor. He paced up and down, jumping and putting an enormous amount of energy into the first part of the set. His voice has a 'gravelly' sound to it, which is raw and powerful. I definitely enjoyed listening to this band; the music was rock and in parts reminiscent of The Bronx. The guitarists and bassist were left on stage to perform in the background, often standing in a row, guitars pointed at the crowd. Towards the end of the set one of the guitarists joined Allistair on the floor with a mic stand. It was nice to have an up close and personal experience of the band. And you can see why they have such a following in their hometown.

And finally, it was headliners Blackhole's turn to take to the Fibbers stage. Another opportunity for us to be inches away from the band with Richard Carter heading into the crowd after a couple of songs. By this point in the night the crowd had truly warmed up, full of drink and energy, pushing and shoving each other on the dance floor. Much of the time the singer looked quite amazed by it all, especially when a girl getting a piggy back seemed to accidently flash him. The barrier between crowd and band was definitely torn down during the performance. In terms of the music, the lead vox had a powerful and raw sound, but there were markedly more growls than we heard from The Plight's singer. It's hard not to compare the vocal sound to that of Richard's brother Frank (lead singer of Gallows) as there is a definite similarity. But this band is a band in its own right and the music was well executed with strong guitar riffs and a tempo typically hardcore/punk. Throughout the set it was evident that the band has a good attitude to both their music and fans, taking the time to speak to the crowd and encouraging them to buy (rather than copy) their music. The band's blog stated that they were looking forward to the gig as York was one of their "favourite places to play in the country" and I hope that statement remains true.

Throats, The Plight and Blackhole are currently touring the UK together. And Blackhole are due to go on tour with CKY in November in UK, so make sure you don't miss them.

Photos from this show are online now!

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Goldblade + Comply or Die + By Default
11th September 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Harrison

By Default, a local punk band, opened the gig. Most people didn't seem to be paying this band much attention, many in the crowd were chatting and wandering about the venue. I found myself getting distracted by the people around me and the music seemed to wash over me. The band tried their hardest to keep us interested but it didn't work - the sound was a bit sparse, their on stage presence was lacking something and there was definite room for improvement. However they tried their best and it was an unfortunate situation for them to open a gig for a band who have such a following as Goldbade have. The number of people in Goldblade tshirts and the constant activity at the merch table just highlighted the fact that people were only there to see one band.

With no introduction Comply or Die, the second local band on the stage tonight, kicked off their set with 'The Right' which is a great punk track with good vocals and a strong guitar line. Needless to say a notable applause followed this opener. Every time I see this band I'm impressed by their progress. Their tracks are well written and there is a certain roughness round the edges which is what you need in a punk band. It's clear that influences stem from both classic punk bands as well as modern ska punk groups such as SB6 and Random Hand. A few of the newer tracks featured some samples (I wasn't sure about the police sirens on one track) emphasising the modern influences on this band. I didn't get bored of the set and Comply or Die well and truly got the crowd warmed up for Goldblade.

And the headliners tonight, Goldblade. I first saw this band at Mutiny fest earlier this year and was extremely impressed by them. I don't think this band ever disappoint - singer John Robb in particular has enthusiasm and energy that a lot of bands lack. He danced around the stage, encouraged the crowd to shout back the words and even offered us some ginger biscuits to help get our energy up for the second part of the set. 'Riot Riot' involved a banner and three girls from the crowd were invited onto the stage to dance and give the crowd something different to watch. 'Strictly Hardcore' was also another memorable track - songs that sound like this fool you into thinking that this band started in the punk era of the 1970s, but the band have only actually been together since the '90s. Despite not owning any Goldblade music and only seeing them once previously I was pleasantly surprised that I recognised many of the songs; indicating to me that they obviously have some very catchy tracks. This band are awesome live and I don't think I'll ever tire from seeing them play. I definitely recommend you go and see them.

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Leeds Festival 2009
28th-30th August 2009
Bramham Park, Leeds
By Suzanne Edwards

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a festival goer in possession of a weekend ticket must be in want of a greatest hits set. Sadly, this truth did not reach the majority of the awesome line-up of bands at this year's Leeds Festival. Indeed, by the time the third day had dawned, the mood was downcast. New albums are all well and good but a drunken sing-a-long with your mates is what you go for.

Thankfully, pop/punk favourites and Leeds Fest regulars New Found Glory did not disappoint. When the banner on the stage unfurled to show the cover of their latest album, 'Not Without a Fight' a collective sigh passed through the crowd. The casual NFG fan was clearly going to be in for a long 45 minutes. Jordan Pundik blew this away about 10 seconds into 'Understatement', their opening track for both the set and 2002's 'Sticks and Stones'. The mosh pit roared its approval - finally an opportunity to sing along and pogo like a maniac. NFG have been doing this for twelve years now and it shows. They know how to please a crowd. With perennial favourites such as 'Something I Call Personality' and their fantastic cover of 'Kiss Me' on the setlist, even new songs sounded great when they were given their three minutes. The finale song of 'My Friends Over You' has never sounded better. Jordan’s t-shirt said it all; 'pop punk’s not dead'.

Jack's Mannequin followed in much the same vein on the tiny Festival Republic stage with Andrew McMahon's 'Something Corporate' background being an obvious draw. The tent was rammed full. Talk amongst the crowd centred on the desire to hear Something Corporate's 'Konstantine'. This soon vanished when the band took to the stage and started playing. McMahon leapt around the stage from his microphone to the keyboards. Jay McMillan seemed to channel the spirit of Animal from The Muppet Show with his arms flailing and his huge mop of hair bobbing around. His infectious enthusiasm transferred well to the crowd and the 30-minute set flew over. McMahon beamed as the full tent sang the words to 'Dark Blue', 'Holiday from Real' and 'The Mixed Tape'.

Despite the rain, Fall Out Boy gave an absolutely superb performance on the Main Stage. Fully tutored in the New Found Glory school of festival sets, they whipped through a greatest hits collection of 11 songs spanning their last four albums. The opener of 'Sugar, We’re Going Down' was a winner with the crowd. Old fans and new were catered for through performances of 'A Little Less Sixteen Candles', 'Where is Your Boy Tonight?', 'Thnx Fr Th Mmrs' and 'Dance, Dance'. A seemingly odd choice of 'I Slept with a Member of Fall Out Boy and all I got was This Stupid Song Written About Me' gave the crowd another chance to see Chad from New Found Glory reprise his role on the song from the original recording. At one point, Pete Wentz announced that the band would be performing America's national anthem; a suggestion that was met with boos of disapproval until the opening chords of Journey's 'Don’t Stop Believin' filtered across the crowd. Certainly a popular choice, no doubt thanks to the Family Guy karaoke episode. The band finished, as they always do, with a tight performance of 'Saturday'. A hooded Pete Wentz ran around the stage, launching into 'round-the-worlds' and sliding along the slick stage. When slipped over, he tried to compensate by playing on his back before diving into the crowd and literally having the t-shirt ripped from his back.

Awesome.

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Anberlin + The Academy Is...
28th August 2009
The Roundhouse, Sydney, Australia
By Meghan Player

After playing Soundwave music festivals across the country earlier in the year, Anberlin returned to play in front of a sold-out crowd at the Roundhouse.

The Academy Is...were clear favourites amongst the younger members of the all-age audience - punching out songs that appealed to a new generation, and anthems they could relate to. While not a band to suit every punters taste, they certainly have a knack for grabbing the audiences' attention, shaking it senseless, and not lose their interest at the same time.

The night however belonged to headliners, Anberlin. Having only previously seen the band play in a festival setting, smaller more intimate shows seem to more their forte, practically exploding onto the stage, fuelled by an almost deafening roar from the passionate crowd. Each song was accompanied by mesmerising waves of moshing, clenched fists punching into the air, and the voices of eager fans singing in unison to the likes of ‘The Resistance’, ‘Disappear’ and ‘Godspeed’.

Thriving on the crowds’ energy, the band managed to also show a stunningly beautiful, honest side to their music, by throwing in the acoustic ‘Unwinding Cable Car’ and ‘Dismantle.Repair’, with the crowd almost hanging on every word.

A highlight of the night was a cover of Joy Division’s ‘True Faith’ - which was met with a mixed reaction from the crowd, but wholly enjoyable overall. Tonight was undoubtedly an unrelenting display of passion, aggression and enthusiasm that will be hard for the audience to forget.

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The Big Chill 2009
6th-9th August 2009
Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Malvern Hills, Herefordshire, UK
By Samuel Bradley

This year’s chill was arguably one of the best to date. Each year the crowds swell, the number of big name acts increases but still I don’t feel that this festival gets enough credit. With so many competing to sell their heftily priced tickets each summer, it’s safe to say that a lot of people stick with what they know, preferring not to risk a hundred and fifty plus pounds on anything they’re not completely sure of. So then where do all these people come from?!

We arrive bright and bushy tailed on a grubby Thursday morning, having taken a relatively short three hour drive from Devon to the stunning grounds of Eastnor Castle. No one is really sure where the festival actually is. It’s near a castle, somewhere quite close to Wales but not that far away from Birmingham. You might go via Bristol but you don’t take the M4 and it feels a bit like you might have crossed over the severn but you don’t remember paying a Welshman in a glass box. Weird.

Anyway like I was saying, the sky was spitting down on us, it didn’t really matter though - there could have been a blizzard and it wouldn’t have dampened the excitement that comes with arriving at a festival.

An hour later having trekked across the car park, over a road, up a hill, down another one, past a ruddy great castle and collapsed on a patch of green which we immediately declared base camp because no one could really be bothered to walk any further. After a good old fashioned bout of manly grunting and juggling bottles of cider with tent poles, something that closely resembled a habitable dwelling appeared and we collapsed into it. A quick glance at the program tells us that we need to dress up like zombies to get into the main arena; something we were all prepared for luckily and an hour our pitch looks more like a graveyard than a campsite. We then set off for the festival itself, quickly discovering that it’s quite a long walk and secretly thanking our Gods that it’s not yet sunny.

It’s safe to say that none of us were quite prepared for the sight of just under five hundred zombies all drinking otter ale and clawing at each other. After the initial shock we decided to get involved, digging wallets out of our ragged tomb attire to get a drink and join the undead masses. A bloke with a coke can sticking out of his head politely greets us at the barrier, asking us to fill out a form before plodding into the zombie pit. Backstage we’re greeted by the site of Noel Fielding dressed in all manner of freakish undead habiliments, the most impressive perhaps being a skull encrusted red velvet top hat. Suddenly we feel quite silly in our ponchos and white make up. Still just before heading out onto the stage, Noel’s makeup artists give us a quick once over with some fresh blood, perhaps more out of pity than anything else. From the side of the main stage we have a good view of the next half hour of gory action. Designated zombie warriors chase an assortment of lively human morsels through an inflatable obstacle course that, to be frank, might look more at home at your local fun swim. Still it’s entertaining to see loin cloth clad meals being devoured by a variety of morbidly made up actors.

All the while Noel keeps the crowd baying for blood with wave after wave of improvised grim zombie humor. We follow Noel off the stage for a few photos and rushed handshakes before trekking back to camp. Warm Carlsberg and a big packet of wet wipes never seemed so inviting.

The next morning after nine bottles of vitamin water we emerge from our tents, wondering why it’s so hot in there… It’s sunny! We trek to the main stage for ‘Noah And The Whale’. Sadly despite a few UK hits they fail to excite the crowd and their live sound leaves much to be desired. People drift past the fringes of the crowd, not really bothering to listen.

As we continue on through the festival we’re getting more and more excited about ‘Mr Hudson’ in ‘The Coop’. Everyone seems to be heading in that direction and the crowd is bound to be huge. We’re not disappointed. Ben and the band are really on form, tight as a drum and stunningly melodic. We’re treated to a purely Hudson version of ‘Supernova’, normally featuring Kanye West. Was there a moment where some members of the ground thought he might make an appearance? We like to think so.

Later that night the anticipation is killing us as we wait in the pit for ‘Basement Jaxx’ to take the stage. The crowd is phenomenal; of course it’s the biggest of the festival so far. It’s easy to forget how many hits Basement Jaxx have actually written. Every vocal hook is sung right back by the crowd and each applause; thunderous. Halfway through the set, we’re treated to a quick jaunt backstage to get some crowd shots. Surprised to find that somehow we’re the only one’s back there, we see the audience from the band’s point of view; incredible.

Another day passes with some amazing headliners. We hit the hay early ready to explore the less musical parts of the festival in the morning.

You’d be crazy to think that music is the only thing ‘The Big Chill’ has to offer. With all manner of fair trade stands, a shisha café, freshly made pizza, pancakes, corn on the cob and coconut milk, food forms an essential part of the festival. Add to that a ‘bubble emporium’, a film four tent showing alternative movies late into the night, an oxygen bar and all manner of stalls selling an assortment of trinkets and clothing, and you have a small insight into the diverse cultural melting pot that is ‘The Big Chill.’ We spent Saturday experiencing as much as possible, just for you guys of course.

Some of the most visually stunning aspects of the festival include an enormous wooden helter skelter in the center of a lake, an enormous zombie effigy, a Hollywood style ‘Big Chill’ sign on the hill behind the main stage and the enchanted gardens. The Film Four drive-in is another highlight this year, boasting a scattering of burnt out cars pointing towards various movies projected on the side of a truck. Surrounding the makeshift cinema is a circle of metal trees spurting dry ice and flames. Check out the photo album to see what all the fuss is about.

Sunday sees us parked comfortably backstage at ‘The Coop’ waiting for Russell Howard to hopefully make everyone laugh for fifty minutes. He gets a warm welcome from the crowd and embarks on a loud and quite crude routine that appears to go down very well. Despite relying a great deal on volume and hand gestures to conjure comedy, the tent fills up nicely with booming laughter.

Next up, Noel Fielding emerges onto the stage, greeted by a huge applause. Unfortunately it seems people are expecting ‘The Mighty Boosh’ and that’s not what this is. In the end Noel admits that he wishes Julian were there with him and just starts taking Boosh requests. We can’t help but love him but clearly the less enthusiastic members of the crowd aren’t satisfied with what they’re getting. There’s a pleasant atmosphere but sadly it’s not enough.

We head backstage again in time to see Dylan Moran stumble out of his trailer, clutching a glass of wine and suddenly everything is fantastic. He’s exactly what we expected in real life, he greets us with a lopsided smile and that gives us a warm fuzzy feeling, everything will be alright. Dylan’s performance is hilarious, just the right amount Irish charm and drunken slur makes for a heartwarmingly hilarious fifty minutes. Neither Howard nor Fielding can possibly compare.

The final act on the main stage that night is ‘Hexstatic’, not a group we’re familiar with but wow! With a live collaboration featuring ‘Schlomo’ beatboxing against multiple versions of himself on various big screens, this is an epic end to an epic festival.

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The Birthday Massacre + Raggedy Angry + Dyonisis
15th July 2009
Sheffield, Corporation
By Leo Kindred

It is undoubtedly 'gothing time' at Corporation tonight. Goths of all shapes, ages and sizes gather for Canada’s premiere goth synth-pop export The Birthday Massacre. Right. I’ve probably exhausted the number of times I can use the word “goth” in one review so mark me down when you spot it and I’ll try to be inventive to sneak around actually using that word by itself.

Locals Dyonisis do not go unnoticed, with a new-age take on the gothiness (doesn’t count) of the evening they give us some rock and they leave the stage with a sense of accomplishment, even if they have no drummer.

Fellow Canadians Raggedy Angry are the support for this BM tour, and by way of contrast the only good thing aboot them is their drummer. With their lead singer seemingly aping the movements and style of Marilyn Manson and Gerard Way they bumble through their set with dubious sound quality. Despite the entertainment provided by the amusement in covering (again, like Marilyn Manson) ‘This is Halloween’ from the Nightmare Before Christmas, and the good time nostalgia of Coolio’s ‘Gangster’s Paradise’ all the thing worth appreciating are lost under the sound quality and the irritating posturing. Reviewer says: ‘no’.

Birthday Massacre on the other hand, are monumental. From the moment the band come out on stage and the cute figure of vocalist Chibi arrives, stamping sulkily on before engaging the crowd in a collection of pantomime smiles and waves, everything fits together. All of the worthy material from first to last gets an airing, and at times the volume and depth of the childishly dark sound and the epic keys is just enchanting. Theatrics and excellent performance abounds so that it’s almost impossible not to feel joyous and dance like an idiot and laugh as Chibi and guitarist Rainbow drool and make ‘eeew’ faces at one another. Goth (damn) pop metal may not get a lot of kudos as a genre but when it’s at its best it keeps you smiling like a vampire with the keys to blood bank. Finishing with an encore performance of ‘Happy Birthday’ they leave tonight having excelled themselves. Amazing show... goth.

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Failsafe + Surprise/Fire + Tomorrow We Radio + Taking Out Tomorrow
7th July 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts

Catching the end of Taking Out Tomorrow, they came across as a band with its basis in metal/screamo but with room for improvement in terms of tightness. This said, they are supporting Young Guns in Leeds later this month and have photos on their MySpace of a gig they did with Wheatus so despite me being unimpressed by their performance they seem to have been impressing the right people.

Tomorrow we Radio were the second local band to take to the stage. Quite a crowd had gathered by the time they started playing, but were generally quite static. The band had a good set of songs, the singer moving from mic only on some songs to guitar and mic on others. And he had a good voice but appeared a little awkward at times. I was a bit confused by the random couple of bars of Slayer's 'Raining Blood' at the end of one of the songs and the final song of the set highlighted some sloppy timing - some members rushing away whilst others dragged behind. Overall their sound seemed a bit sparse in parts and does need to be tighter, but all in all it was a promising performance.

And then it was time for the last support act of the night, another local band called Surprise/Fire. An awesome start from these guys, the opening track being powerful and attention grabbing with its punchy intro. The songs were varied in terms of tempo, the faster songs being most impressive. And it was nice to hear them play in a time signature other than 4/4 (the opener being in 12/8!). My attention unfortunately lapsed halfway through the set as some of the midset tracks were slightly samey and slow. However overall this band were good, they had some great songs and were really tight. Definitely a step up from the two bands before them. The final track of the set stood out as well, complex in terms of tempo changes and showing that Surprise/Fire are good musicians with good composition skills. This band need some merch - I was surprised that there didn't appear to be any cds on sale or t-shirts.

Headliner for the night came in the shape of Failsafe. The band were nearing the end of a tour which spanned across June and July but you wouldn't have known it. Usually I see this band in support slots so it was good to finally see them headlining a show - something they probably should have been doing ages ago as they were truly worthy of the slot. They played a selection of songs from both albums and the set was fast paced and high energy, with the singer, guitarists and bassist constantly moving around the stage to the music. It was nice to hear some good backing vox to support the strong front man and for the first time that evening some of the crowd actually ventured to the barrier infront of the stage. The singer was entertaining and at one point he grabbed a hat from a member of the crowd, wore it for a bit, and then returned it to its owner. Great songs and a great performance. The headline show definitely allowed them to shine. Keep an eye on this band, they're destined to do well.

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The Ghost of a Thousand + The Computers + Sharks
4th July 2009
Fibbers, York
By Simon Harrison

Openers for this evenings show are Lemington Spa’s Sharks. Their sound is very reminicsant of late 70s punk bands, especially The Clash, and lead singer James’s voice reminded me heavily of Joe Strummer. Although the early crowd was small the band gave a good performance, and played with passion. Judging by the style of what is to come from the remaining acts I think that Sharks would go down a little better on a more punk bill, saying that I’m sure they gained a few new fans tonight.

Next to hit that stage, and that they did full pelt was The Computers. Hailing from Exeter and playing a very balls outs and brash post hardcore style. From the outset they reminded me of another band, but it took me until the last song to realise who it was, and it was The Bronx. Playing their set in matching white shirts and jeans The Computers come across as a very well oiled machine and put on a great show for those in attendance, urging everyone to keep moving forward towards the stage. The Computers are a band who’ve been on my ‘to see’ list for some time, and I’m glad I’ve finally seen them, as I thought they were proper mint.

Headlining tonight’s show are The Ghost of a Thousand from Brighton. This is their first headlining show in York, and they’ve pulled in a reasonable crowd. From the outset their sonic assault of in your face hardcore goes down well, and their energy cannot be contained, with vocalist Tom spending half his time on stage, and the other half moving around with the crowd. Even though the band give their all the crowd just stand and watch, only really moving as part of a ‘wall of death’, where instead of running at each other the crowd are asked to walk towards each other and shake hands, a novel twist. I did feel a bit sorry for the band as towards the end they must’ve felt like they were fighting a loosing battle trying to get people moving. Never the less I’m sure both the band and the crowd enjoyed the show, and I hope this isn’t the last time The Ghost of a Thousand come to York. All in all, I’d say it was a top night.

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The 69 Eyes
20th June 2009
The Forum, Sydney, Australia
By Meghan Player

Promising nothing but “the very best and blessed” of the 69 Eyes for their first Australian Tour, anticipation was already high for the Helsinki Vampires Sydney show - and they certainly did not disappoint. Taking to the stage in front of black-clad fans, the band already owned the crowd with their dynamic onstage presence, unique sound (affectionately called ‘goth n roll’) and their signature vampiric style.

The set list boasted a number of crowd favourites and were played with an undeniable energy and enthusiasm that fulfilled the excitement of the eager fans. “Gothic Girl”, “The Lost Boys” and “Devils” were met with waves of vocal fans, savouring every minute of the show like a pack of hungry wolves (or should I say vampires). “Sister Of Charity” was one of the highlights of the night - displaying the bands emotionally driven side, presenting a poetic display of raw emotion that had you hanging off every word.

Vocalist, Jyrki69's performance was seemingly flawless - continually drumming up audience participation and weaving his inspired voice into the hearts and minds of the dedicated crowd. After their incredibly enthralling and entertaining performance, it looks like the 69 Eyes could be visiting our shores more often in the future.

Our reviewer would like to give special thanks to Sarah Dalgleish of AmpHead Music for her help at this show.

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Mastodon + Valient Thorr + Winnebago Deal
5th June 2009
Sheffield Corporation
By Leo Kindred

This looks like it’s going to be a good one. It should be a good one. After drinking fine ales all day and running into a slightly dazed Brent Hinds in a nearby pub (he asked us when we thought he was supposed to be on stage), you could certainly be forgiven for thinking that this would be a good one. Things certainly start off in a benign fashion with Winnebago Deal sparking out some great noise rock. As a duo they succeed in bringing the kind of sound that a dozen members could fail to produce. With only guitar and drums, the trashy sound buzzes and crashes through with the gusto of a slightly more fuzzy Nirvana crossed with the Melvins.

Following the sparse presence of WD, the stage seems crowded for Valient Thorr, presenting a wall of denim and beard. Vocalist, Valient Himself, promptly loses some of the denim in the heat and sweat of the performance. Bearded and bare-chested with his hillbilly accent, Mr Himself puts one in mind of a character from the Dukes of Hazzard that got written out. With Himself rousing the crowd with some enlivening banter that brings cheers and raised glasses Valient Thorr hurtle through their set of psychedelic rock n’ thrash. It’s not exactly mould breaking, but where the songs are lacking innovation they want for nothing in freshness, and any deficit is made up for with sheer ballsy rock-out spirit. Brilliant stuff.

We neglected to ask Brent Hinds what to expect of tonight’s set list (given he wasn’t sure when he was supposed to turn up), but as the guys make their way out it soon becomes clear where things are headed. With suitably trippy imagery playing on a digital screen, ranging from starscapes to beardy cult members, Mastodon proceed to play through all of new album Crack the Skye. Maybe not an unexpected move but still a bold one. The newer more sentient material live changes the character of the gig to a much more proggy spectacle than Mastodon gigs of the past. Luckily it pays off. Every song acquires new presence and vibrancy played live, and the more cerebral settled style makes for a comfortable and less physical gig; thoroughly enjoyable after the unpleasant remembrances of sweat box sold out corporation gigs in the past.

From ‘Oblivion’ to ‘the Last Baron’, the singing along is unbridled among the crowd, making up for the slight low volume of the Hind’s mic. His guitar howls out wonderfully, playing with more confidence and showboating than when he last trod these boards and Brann Dailor’s drumming is still top of the line, everything flows together near perfectly. After a break and more psychedelic visuals (slightly hampered by the screen screwing up) and some wonderful keys and synth the guys reappear and proceed to reverse through their back catalogue. From Blood Mountain comes ‘Blade Catcher’, ‘Colony of Birchmen’, ‘Wolf is Loose’, and a slightly iffy ‘Capillarian Crest’.

Then to their breakthrough album Leviathan and ‘Sea Beast’, a crushing delivery of ‘Megalodon’, followed by the traditional double whammy of ‘Iron Tusk’ leading straight into the classic stomp of ‘March of the Fire Ants’ from Remission. As the horse from their album’s cover emblazons across the screen and the song brings a gig to a rousing climax in the aftermath it’s become evident that Mastodon are still one of the finest bands of the moment, seemingly guaranteed success with each move they make. With another gig of the year contender, their place in music history seems assured with each passing triumph. In short: it was good.

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Enter Shikari @ Liverpool Soundcity Festival
22nd May 2009
Liverpool Barfly
By Benjamin Gibson

It seems unusual for a band such as the critically acclaimed Enter Shikari playing such a show in the small venue such as the barfly, but this show on the Friday night being the first of the two intimate shows planned over the weekend, this being the night show for the over 18s, and tomorrows afternoon show being for there younger followers.

Joining the St. Albans boys for these two small shows, were the local lads The Hot Melts and the electro pop duo which has been supporting the rest of the tour Lights Go Blue.

Lights Go Blue are a relatively new band on the scene, which have pretty much been dumped in the deep end, playing recently with bands such as You Me at 6 and We Are The Ocean, they certainly got the crowd hyped for the musical onslaught that was to follow.

After the short wait the crowd was growing anxious, as the venue was getting warmer, the sweat pit erupted, with Rou jogging on to the stage followed by his fellow miscreants, in one fail swoop, the song starts ‘Shit..!’ bodies began flailing in this beautifully intimate venue. Blazing through an amazingly energetic gig, only pausing for minor technical difficulties which didn’t seem to slow the party down, but leaving Rou slightly agitated, throwing the monitor in to the crowd, not hurting anyone, but showing the crowd that this band is no less hardcore than it was 3 years ago when they were completely unknown, playing tiny shows. But through the likes of Myspace, they really are an inspiration to any band, wanting to make it in the current climate of regional accents and indie tunes.

This being the North-Westerners first chance to hear the new tracks from the Hertfordshire outfit’s new album ‘Common Dreads’ The new offerings were definitely not to be sniffed at which keep the mood bouncing all the way through. Although the newer tracks to seem to have a more political edge proving that the band, themselves have matured, maybe to fast for there own good, but it is very eye opening for a band such as Enter Shikari to be seen to care about the likes of sweat shops and almost to be preaching to the younger merch wearing followers in our society, but kudos to them, if in fact it makes the kids, the future of our society, open there eyes to what is happening around our world.

Along with the newer tracks they injected some of there older more well known tracks along with remixes of tracks such as ‘The Feast’ which brings back the old skool party atmosphere in which seems to happen every time with there unrivalled mix of hardcore, screamo and drum and bass.

After the party had finished in the theatre room, everyone was ushered in to the second room where Rou and Rob were knocking out a serious mix of drum and bass, dub step and hardcore taking the party well in to the early hours of the morning, an amazing night, amazing band and an amazing North-Western atmosphere, completely unrivalled by anything I have ever seen before.

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The Pains of Being Pure At Heart & Help Stamp Out Loneliness & The Understudies
16th May 2009
Brixton Windmill, London
By Rachel12

It has to be said that there is a certain something about bands who have terribly long and twee names that makes you intrigued regardless of what they might sound like. Luckily in the case of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, their reputation as one of this years most promising bands comes from a lot more than just a quirky band name.

The second of two consecutive London dates sees the four-piece playing the very cosy and sold-out Brixton Windmill venue, which seemed to remain at full capacity for the entire night with an extremely excitable audience.

Openers for the evening were London-via-Scotland four-piece The Understudies, a nouveau 1950's styled outfit playing mellow indiepop with twinges of a whole bunch of inspirations - everything from country crooners to 80's electro. Lead singer Brian's vocals work their swooning charms on an audience already enveloped in romanticism thanks to the headline band.

Following were Help Stamp Out Loneliness, a Manchester group who'd be more fitted to a European climate judging by their suave sounds and effortless style. Lead singer Lucille is the epitome of a frontlady, her deep vocal tones consistently on key and alluring in every sense of the word. Her bandmates may lack her confidence on stage, but they luckily share the same competence for their respective instruments and altogether produce a great sound.

So onto the headliners - a group of New York indie kids who have recently been lathered with praise by fans and critics alike, swayed into love at first listen by their romantic sentiments and catchy rhythms. Live, they are no less enticing. The band are consistently and effortlessly tight, playing new material as well as familiar album tracks in their short but sweet 45 minute set. The between song banter from lead singer Kip is just the sort of cute and innocent remarks you'd dream to find from a band who look like they've not yet finished college.

They are, in a word, delightful - everything, from the music to the image to their audience interaction and obvious connection between the bandmates themselves, is loveable. One of the rare sorts of bands who will stay on your ones-to-watch list and will swiftly move onto your favourites list in a matter of minutes.

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Sonic Boom Six + Random Hand + Comply or Die
10th May 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts
Photos coming soon!

I received the new SB6 album the day before the gig so hadn't had much chance to get into it. Luckily tonight's gig consisted of a live perfomance of the full album from start to finish. Despite the ongoing issues with pre-orders cds plenty of people in the crowd were still singing along to the tracks. It gave those who hadn't heard the new material a great opportunity to hear it. And it was played really well. I actually enjoyed the live performance more than the CD, and the new album has definitely grown on me since hearing it performed at the gig. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! was a highlight and actually came across better live than recorded. Through the Eyes of a Child was also a big hit with the crowd. By the time the album had been played through, the band were feeling the heat, Laila soaked in sweat. Plenty of skanking and dancing contributing to the heat in the venue. They ended with a few of their older tracks such as Piggy in the Middle and People Acklike They Don't Know. I am very much looking forward to seeing them at Mutiny and Slam Dunk though I'm a bit disappointed that I won't be seeing them play through the whole of the new album again.

Random Hand were on top form tonight and were an excellent warm up for SB6. With Matt looking unrecognisable without his long hair the line up looked a bit different, but as the band jumped around the stage with all their energy it was clear to see that it was the same band. I've never seen this band perform without such enthusiasm, you wouldn't think that they were on tour and having to do the same thing night after night. Robin is a great front man and he encouraged the crowd to move forward on several ocassions - telling the violent skankers at the front to calm down a bit so people could move forward. I also like the comments he comes out with - I often found myself laughing. Brilliant performance as usual.

Comply or Die, local punks from York, opened the show. Unfortunately this wasn't the best I'd seen them. The sound was a bit sparse and not as tight as it could have been. It was clear that lead singer Smell wasn't really into the performance; I later found out this was down to a terrible hangover and kudos has to go to him for actually going through with the performance at all. The band recently had a line up change - bassist Mike leaving the band and Steve moving over to play bass. Jim is the newbie on guitar. So all in all they looked the part but bit disappointed with their set. Sorry guys!

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Non-Stop Promotions present... Catch 22 + The JB Conspiracy + Make it Better Later
23rd April 2009
Cockpit, Leeds
By Suzy Witts
Photos online now!

Make it Better Later opened the gig with a band line up that looked a bit more like Skatesian (singer Aaron's previous band). In violinist Amy's place there were two trumpets and a trombone and with this in mind we were subjected to a sound not usually associated with MIBL. However this said, it wasn't a disadvantage to the performance and key songs such as 'Soul Train' and 'The Pirate Song' remained part of the set. There was banter from the band and Aaron tried to persuade any hecklers to tweet their comments via Twitter instead of shouting them - the only problems being the lack of crowd members who admitted to jumping on the Twitter bandwagon and the lack of phone reception in the venue. It was clear however that the crowd thoroughly enjoyed the opening set of the night and they had a chance to warm up their skanking skills in preparation for the next two acts.

The tempo picked up for The JB Conspiracy. I'd previously only heard one song by the band, on the Ska is Dead Compilation.. but having seen them live I'm going to be purchasing some more of their music for sure. They have some fantastic songs and I was especially enjoying the trumpet riffs (check out their new song, 'Start Listening') and enthusiastic stage presence from the lead singer/guitarist. Three saxes in theory seems a bit excessive, but I didn't really notice any saturation of the saxophone sound within the songs. The first crazy skanking pit of the night was witnessed during their set and by the end anyone in the front half of the room was feeling the heat, band included. JBC certainly got the crowd well and truly ready for the headliners.

I've liked Catch 22 for a number of years now but this was the first chance I'd had to see them live. Was it worth the wait? I think so. And I think I probably wasn't the only one catching them for the first time tonight. We were only in the medium sized room of the venue but it was packed and everyone went crazy from the first song. It started getting hotter by the minute but those at the front didn't let it phase them - skanking, pushing and shoving each other, pointing their fingers in the air whilst shouting out the lyrics. I've long said that I prefer C22 over Streetlight Manifesto and this gig only enhanced my opinion further. The band consist of amazing musicians who totally love what they do and it shows. The set included a range of songs from the discography - my personal favourites being Intro and Point the Blame near the start of the set. We were treated to a constantly energetic, brass fuelled set with hardly any time for a breather. The band returned for a three song encore which included classics 'Keasbey Nights' and '9mm and a Three Piece Suit'.

Following this gig and the Aquabats show last week in particular, it's fair to say that Non-Stop Promotions are getting quite a reputation for being some awesome ska punk promoters.. And I'm looking forward to seeing who they book next! A brilliant night.

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NOFX + The Flatliners + Pour Habit
29th April 2009
Leeds O2 Academy
Review by Suzy Witts, photos by xsimx

Pour Habit took the first support slot. They were fronted by a man who had no fear - climbing up the rigs from the first song, loving the attention from the fans gathering at the front of the stage. He took time to get high fives off almost every person at the front of the venue. The singer danced all over the stage and we were even treated to some break dancing at one point. I think I lost count of how many times the guitarists/bassist jumped in the air - it was certainly a high energy perfomance and difficult to choose who to watch on stage. The sound was typically punk and reminded me of NOFX in parts. The band complimented the crowd throughout the performance and seemed to go down well.

More compliments followed as Flatliners took to the stage, claiming that they were having more fun in Leeds than they had the night before. The performance was a bit more serious and the venue began to steadily fill with more and more people. The band played a mix of songs from both albums, getting the crowd going - it was clear that they have a growing fan base in the UK and they weren't just a support band that people hadn't heard of. A great second support act which led us nicely to the headliners.

And finally, it was time for NOFX. In true NOFX style the banter was well and truly in flow before the first song had even started. The room packed out and clearly full of drunken punks, the band chose to open their set with their famous rendition of Minor Threat's 'Straight Edge'. The slow tempo of the opener was surprising, but worked well. 'Murder the Government' closely followed upping the tempo to that which we expected from the band and providing us with a complete opposite to the previous song. Other songs included 'I'm Telling Tim', 'Radio', 'Soul Doubt', 'Bottles to the Ground', 'What's the Matter with Parents Today' and 'The Desperation's Gone'. I doubt there were many people in the room who didn't know at least three songs on the set list. The crowd shouted back the words for numerous songs and enjoyed the banter from the band. An encore was definitely deserved and included 'Franco Unamerican' and 'Don't Call Me White' and ended with Theme from a NOFX Album. I always enjoy seeing NOFX live and tonight was no exception.

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Non-Stop Promotions present... The Aquabats + MC Lars + Failsafe
14th April 2009
Cockpit, Leeds
By Suzy Witts

The night started with a set from Failsafe. You can guarantee that whenever you see this band they will perform to their best and give their all. They set a standard for the rest of the evening, and despite playing a different genre, them opening the show was a good move tonight. However I did wonder why I only ever seem to see them supporting bands, mainly of the ska punk variety, and not headlining shows very often. The songs are well written - they have a good melody and lyrics - and the tempo is generally fast which is great; it's not easy to get bored watching them.

Before tonight I'd only heard one song by MC lars and I remember liking it but not making an effort to hear anything more. Tonight was a great opportunity for me to sample more of MC Lars's music and I was really impressed. Despite not knowing the songs I found myself dancing along to the music. It was nice to see Failsafe performing as his backing band, illustrating their talents in terms of their capability to play different genres. Help also came from the MC Bat Commander from the Aquabats as well as good friend DJ. In return, MC Lars sported an Aquabats costume. It's nice when the bands at a gig help each other out and show their support - it gives the night fluidity. Great set and I'd definitely be up for going to see an MC Lars show again.

And finally the 'amazing' Aquabats! - born in the '90s, as pointed out by the band, just like many of those in attendance tonight, this band are one of a kind. If you've never heard of the band before they hail from the US and dress in superhero style costumes to match their superhero aliases. Led by the MC Bat Commander, the Aquabats highlight that you need to stop taking yourself so seriously - they are fun, hilarious and crazy and so are their fans. The set consisted of a range of songs from across the albums, including crowd pleasers Pizza Day, Super Rad! and Pool Party. The show also included a man in a gold robot (?) suit - an apparent enemy of the Aquabats… and we were encouraged to throw 'magic' bread at him. We succeeded in defeating the monster and helped save the day! Throughout the entire set we were made to feel like we were part of The Aquabats. There were people on stage, crowd surfers and audience participation in the form of singing. There were jokes from the band and laughter throughout from the band members and the crowd. It was a brilliant atmosphere and I was still buzzing from the gig the next morning! The gig is definitely safely within my top ten, if not my top five, all time gigs. If you want to find out more about the band, you should look it up on Wikipedia... Because, in the words of the MC Bat Commander, "Wikipedia never lies"...

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Poison the Well + Ecclecia + Drowned In Flames
11th April 2009
Fibbers Barfly, York
By Suzy Witts

Drowned In Flames provided a metalcore start to the evening. They've been going for about 3 years but have just had a 6 month break (according to their MySpace) however despite this gap they played well and I only noticed a couple of slips within their performance. Drowned in Flames are pretty heavy really but they were a good choice for the opening slot; they have two singers, one bringing a melodic sound to the songs and another bringing a more screamy sound. Even though I don't usually listen to this kind of music I actually found myself getting quite into it. I felt there was lots of potential here and I'm looking forward to seeing how they progress over time.

Ecclecia were second on the stage and my first impressions of this band were good; they started with some good tunes and played them well. The band also brought a lot of fans along to the show. However I was disappointed with their overall set and quickly tired of the music. A lot of the songs were quite similar sounding and not particularly memorable. They did have a lot of enthusiasm and energy but in general they weren't really for me.

The venue wasn't quite as packed as I expected for Poison the Well, but it didn't impact on the band's performance. High energy, Jeffrey Moreira walked back and forth on the stage, never keeping still for a moment, screaming into the mic. The other band members were also constantly moving around the stage to the music. The fans who did turn up were giving it their all - jumping around the floor, shouting the words out loud and one person even jumped over the barrier onto the stage a couple of times to sing with his idol; die hard fan for sure. Despite not having heard much of this band's material prior to the gig, I really enjoyed their set. The songs fluctuated in terms of tempo - some being fast and others more chilled out which was refreshing as it gave the crowd and band time for a breather.

I'd probably describe their sound as combined metal/punk/hardcore but more old school than metalcore. It's not everyone's thing and some of the people who had come to see the supports seemed to disappear rapidly once PTW started. But I enjoyed myself and I'd definitely go and see the band again.

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Wednesday 13 + Glamour of the Kill
28th March 2009
Cockpit, Leeds
By Alan Brown

This Saturday was the only time I have ever been to a Halloween party in March. Plenty of people in weird and wonderful death like costumes turned up to welcome Wednesday 13 back to Leeds and they didn’t go home disappointed. This show will take some forgetting.

Glamour Of The Kill were very impressive as they usually are, haling from York just down the road, they had a lot of fans present and received a large reception. Newly signed up with Universal Records, their set mainly consisted of new songs from the new album they are currently working on including All I Have To Give and Devoted To You.

Their new songs are pretty much in the same style as the ones on their self titled mini album, lots of harmonies and catchy riffs, with clean vocals and gang backing vocals. They don’t play around with their music too much in the sense that when they play live, they sound just like they do on the record. They opened and finished with two older songs, A Hope In Hell and fans favourite Rise From Your Grave, which is always a good song for fan participation and it was no different on Saturday. You could be forgiven for thinking that Glamour would fizzle out as bands always come and go, but watch this space because I don’t think the lads from York are going anywhere.

You could feel the atmosphere rising as the time got nearer to Wednesday 13’s appearance with raucous chants of ‘Wednesday! Wednesday!’ raising the roof inside the Cockpit. Unsurprisingly the crowd went crazy when the white faced, death like Wednesday appeared through the thick smoke to open with ‘I Want You Dead!’. It was every Wednesday 13 fan’s dream. Their latest album, Skeletons is without question a very good album, but didn’y get as good a reception from fans as some of their older material. Probably, due to the reduction of horror movie references and amusing lyrics, it almost seemed like they had ran out of ideas. On Saturday though, all the old favourites came out.

Home Sweet Homicide, Bad Things and Look What The Bat Dragged in were all played, delighting the audience. The only representative from the new album was Put Your Death Mask On. They even played Scary Song, from Wednesday’s old band ‘Frankenstein’s Drag Queens’. The crowd participated loudly all the way through as you would expect from what was a die hard audience, not least in the final song of the set, I Love To Say F**k, which involved the entire crowd rhythmically sticking up their middle fingers. That was a great moment, there is nothing funnier than a large group of people stood there putting up their middle fingers to music.

It was an all round great show and it is easy to see why Wednesday 13 enjoy such massive popularity.

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Funeral for a Friend + We are the Ocean + People in Planes
27th March 2009
Rios, Leeds
By Suzy Witts
Photos

Rios was packed out tonight for a show which I can only guess was probably sold out; I've never seen the venue rammed with such a crowd.

First up was a band called People in Planes who, like the headliners, hail from Wales. I'd never really heard of them before except for a quick pre-gig listen to some of their material on MySpace. I wasnt particularly sold by what I heard online, but was pleasantly surprised when they took to the stage. Energetic, vibrant musicians who gave their all. The music was enjoyable but clearly a different genre to the other two bands on the bill tonight. People in Planes brought us a mainstream rock sound which in parts was reminiscent of bands such as Muse.

Next up were We are the Ocean. I think having WATO tour with Funeral for a Friend was a wise move on the part of the promoter. It was like new blood meeting the old and this was reflected in the demographic of the fans who showed up. We are the Ocean are currently doing well in the UK alternative music scene. They are passionate at what they do - the singer jumping up and down on stage before proceeding to go into the crowd a couple of times, and then pretending to fight the security off before giving the bouncer a pat on the back after the song as if to point out it was all a joke. Great stuff.

And finally, the band I was waiting to see again after 4 years, Funeral for a Friend. The build up to their set was a little too long and I found that I wasn't the only person getting impatient. I overheard a girl behind me telling the security that this was the fourth time she'd seen the band this week and that she'd travelled up from London - now that's commitment! And personally having been a fan for at least six years the band have done well to keep going so long and it's definitely resulted in a solid fan base. Their set was nothing short of awesome. It was great to hear a mix of material from their classic album 'Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation', as well as newer tracks from 'Hours' and 'Memory and Humanity'; and it was done it a way that worked well. They played faster intense songs as well as those more 'chilled out' songs such as 'History'. Seeing FFAF tonight made me realise how much I love this band and for the first time in a while i've actually enjoyed listening and watching a band without feeling the need to take photos like I usually do - it was a strange thing for a photographer to feel but it was a good thing. They've restored my faith in bands being able to entertain me.

Interview with People in Planes coming soon!

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Burst + The Ocean, Bison B.C., Medeia
12th March 2009
Corporation, Sheffield
By Leo Kindred

Following a delay with rather slow sound checking, when Medeia take the stage we’re actually elsewhere interviewing Robin from the Ocean (keep your looking orbs peeled on the interviews section for a look on what he had to say as well as an interview with Dan from Bison B.C.). Catching the last two songs of the output by the Finns who have in their ranks the lead singer of grind giants Rotten Sound what is heard is to our liking. Bison B.C. put on a great show of rock n’ roll styled sludge metal. Heads bang, poses are struck and grins are shared, not least by the band’s bassist Masa Anzai, who on a couple of occasions can be found lying over the front of the stage and letting his bass fall over the front to the floor whilst still playing it. With a truly excellent performance of the 8 minute epic ‘Wendigo Pt.1’ still resonating they leave with both the award for most fun and most bearded band of the night in their clutches.

The Ocean’s set gets under way and boy is it a) loud and b) impressive. The back screen projection, the LED’s, the smoke (the latter two sadly obscuring the former) all seem so many levels above what Corporation’s smaller room is used to. Performing material from all the releases Precambrian, Fluxion and Aeolian they play some truly unique heavy weight chunky progressive hardcore that features some great string tracks and variety. The set is also as professionally played as it is presented and the band truly comprise something special both in sound and visually. Following the critical success of Precambrian and an upcoming album promised, the amount of work put into this collective project by founder Robin Stapp means that one trusts hopefully the band will be destined to yet greater things.

With quite an act to follow Sweden’s Burst look decidedly diminutive and naked after all the smoke and lights of the Ocean, and despite the brilliance of recent release Lazarus Bird one wonders whether they’ll be up for the task. As it transpires the answer is ‘fuck yes. Oh, oh, oh, fuckin’ yes’. With numbers like ‘Cripple God’ and ‘I Exterminate I’ giving us some brilliant progressive hardcore it couldn’t be anything else but. With excellent group melodic vocals that are positively magical and Linus Jägerskog’s main vocals truly bringing the beef, the band don’t put a foot wrong. The set is woefully short but the sheer jaw droppingly well written songs and humorous one liners from Linus makes for truly an unforgettable performance, made all the more special due to the fact they play like pros despite a rather sparse crowd. Burst produced the goods with one of the best most unique metal albums of last year, they repeat the performance gloriously for this evening’s show and bring things to a resounding finish. Amazing gig.

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Goldie Lookin Chain
12th March 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts
Photos

A mixed crowd filled Fibbers from front to back to mark the return of Welsh rappers, Goldie Lookin Chain. It was clear in fact that GLC brought a lot of people to the venue who'd never been there before, some old, some young, some trying to look like the idols they'd gone to see. Having missed the band when they played Leeds Fest a few years ago, I was eager to see them live.

We were treated to a mix of songs from all the band's albums including their forthcoming release, 'Asbo 4 Life'. The set included their single due to be released on March 16th 'By Any Means Necessary'. The new single features a female singer who was not actually in attendance at the gig, the explanation being, "the lady who does the singing wouldn't get on a bus with 8 men who smell as bad as us". Consequently the crowd were encouraged to fill in for her by singing the chorus.

As well as new material, there were the classics from GLC - 'Guns Don't Kill People', 'Your Missus Is A Nutter' and 'Your Mother's Got A Penis' (the encore for the evening). The banter between songs was pretty good too and there were references to tape speed dubbing and mystic meg - concepts that many younger gig goers would have no memory of. I'm not saying the crowd were old, but you might have thought so seeing as though were also encouraged to enter a charity raffle to win a ballroom dance dvd, something I've never experienced at a gig. Overall, just as GLC are, the gig was one of a kind. And I encourage you to go and see them live, but not if you're easily offended.

Our competition to win 'Your Mother's Got A Penis' on vinyl is coming soon! Keep checking our competitions page!

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Twin Atlantic
9th March 2009
Manchester Roadhouse
By Ellen Tomlinson

After already supporting the likes of mewithoutYou, Biffy Clyro, The Subways and Say Anything; Glasgow four piece Twin Atlantic return to headline their own 6 date UK tour in preparation for their debut album, due for release this year.

Despite only having released a four track EP and one single, Twin Atlantic are armed with quite a fan base, and despite the ridiculous yet typical weather, they are out in full force to welcome Twin Atlantic back to Manchester tonight.

With their un-mistakable Scottish accents, and guitars that sound like ignition to their amps, the musical tags and likeness to Scottish peers Biffy Clyro for the band are unshakable, however, tonight’s performance proves that Twin Atlantic are indeed in a league of their own. They are masters of the quiet to loud dynamic, yet are completely and utterly un-pretentious when it comes to showing what they can do. They know when to start, they know when to stop, they know how much is enough and don’t jeopardise their mighty anthemic chorus’ for the sake of ‘look what we can do’ musical experiments. Their music is melodic, individually thought out and intelligent, their lyrics even more, they are metaphoric but not just for the sake of being different.

In an industry where trends are ever coming and dying, Twin Atlantic are a breath of fresh air. Lead vocalist Sam McTrusty has a voice that just makes you want to listen. He doesn’t try too hard to sing in key, his style is un-conventional and can sometimes turn into a husking howl, but it makes you pay even more attention to what he is trying to tell you. This is indeed apparent in the haunting ‘Crash Land’ Although one of their least complex musical offerings, it is the simplicity, emotion and desperation that leeks from this song that brings the whole crowd to utter standstill and literally, makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. This feeling is fully contributed to by the full accompaniment of cello by Barry McKenna (Bassist, who also has a head of hair that begs the question, seriously, what conditioner do you use???)

With fan favourites such as 'Guidance from Colour' and 'I Cave In'; the band rightfully receives the reception they deserve. They are constantly apologetic for the delay in their album and new material, but when the crowd instantly embrace their instantly catchy unreleased and un-played material, you forgive them and beg them to take their time as it’s now been proven that their album is going to be perfectly crafted, concentrated and each song single worthy; a formula that is sorely missed in most music today.

The band close tonight’s set with the insanely catchy ‘Audience and Audio’ to which the crowd give Twin Atlantic a well deserved send off. It makes you thankful to see Twin Atlantic in such an intimate venue as if tonight’s performance and upcoming material is anything to go by, they won’t be playing a venue of this size ever again.

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Electric Six + Tragedy
9th March 2009
Sheffield Academy
By Alan Brown

If you’re interested in surreal gigs, this is the gig for you. Men in silver PVC trousers and pink leather jackets, male spectators in tutus and fluorescent tights this was seriously freaky stuff. ‘The number one heavy metal tribute to the Bee Gees in the world’, Tragedy, provided great entertainment and amusement and probably stole the show above Electric Six who, performance wise, were largely mediocre.

Having checked out Tragedy before hand, I knew what to expect in terms of sound but as far as performance was concerned I had no clue what to expect and I wasn’t disappointed. Performing various different Bee Gees hits including Night Fever, How Deep Is Your Love and Staying Alive, Tragedy performed their task of warming the crowd up very well, with the crowd really getting into the tongue in cheek spirit.

But this gig was one of those disappointing occasions where the headline band doesn’t follow up a great performance by a support band, an anticlimax. When you watch the videos for Gay Bar, and Danger! High Voltage!, they are hilarious videos, so you think that live, they are going to produce a real show with the right mix of good music and showmanship if you like. Instead, the sound was slightly unbalanced and Electric Six did very little to catch the eye on stage, they were without the flamboyancy I expected. However, despite my misgivings, the large crowd at Sheffield Academy really seemed to love the Detroit based bands show, with people of all ages present dancing around and having a good time.

The band did play their two most popular songs, Gay Bar and Danger! High Voltage and also Dance Commander, all of which on record sound like plain rock songs, but live, it sounds a lot more like dance music which I found disappointing.

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Fight Like Apes + Underground + Overreact
6th March 2009
Fibbers, York
By Suzy Witts

First up tonight were three piece Overreact. I'd describe them as an indie rock band with a punk edge. The singer's voice has a raw sound at times which is a good thing and a typically southern accent. The music itself reminds me of mod bands like The Jam, though this band isn't cited by the band as an influence. Second song of the set was 'Violent Eyes' which was probably one of my favourites. The pace of 'Violent Eyes' is fairly quick, and the sound is nice and clear, not too busy or overcomplicated. In terms of the whole set, the songs were complimented by some nice bass riffs and the band gave their all especially the drummer who also sang on one of the songs. The band brought a group of dedicated fans to the venue who were all gathered at the front for the entire set. A good opener for the night.

I'll admit it, there are genres I prefer over indie. And my opinion of the second band of night just summed up why. Underground Railroad play 'typical' indie music - the type I don't like. I found the set very tiresome and it didn't help that they played for ten minutes longer than they were meant to. The sound was repetitive, dull and made me feel quite depressed. I stayed at the front for a few songs and then became bored watching the band. They didn't seem to put much energy into their performance until later on in the set but by that point I'd lost interest. I'd say the best and most interesting thing about this band was the singer's voice but overall I didn't enjoy them.

And onto the headliners of the night, Fight Like Apes. Before the set started I'd heard that this band were known for jumping into the crowd at their shows and that they have vibrant onstage energy. I was looking forward to their set and rightly so. Fight Like Apes brought an amazing performance to Fibbers despite MayKay having a sore throat - the only give away was when she admitted it to the crowd and handed them the mic for one of the songs so she could have a break in the chorus. I liked the penultimate song and it's 'encore' (the same song) which was apparently about crisps (?!) and resulted in the crowd shouting all the types of crisps they loved. The set also included MayKay and Pockets jumping over the barrier into the crowd - MayKay lying on the floor for quite some time whilst singing away. Amazing. And the final song of the set featured Pockets playing the keyboard whilst gradually moving it off the stand until he was stood hugging it. I loved their entire set - a great way to end the night and a sure sign that this band are going places!

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Marmaduke Duke
1st March 2009
The Deaf Institute, Manchester
By Ellen Tomlinson

Marmaduke Duke is the side project of the Scottish duo ‘The Dragon’ and ‘The Atmosphere.’ Or, more commonly known as Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil and Sucioperro’s JP Reid. The Duke are soon to follow their 2005 debut release ‘The Magnificent Duke’ with ‘Duke Pandemonium’ which is the 2nd of a trilogy of concept albums which sees the band taking on a whole new sound consisting of dance/funk and electro elements. Joined for live shows by Fergus Munro and Biffy brothers Ben and James Johnston, The Duke are known for their crazed and surreal live performances which see the band dressed in peculiar outfits consisting of masks, capes and glitter with such attire also being adopted by the bands following.

For this tour, the band pick unlikely venues to appear and can tonight be found at Manchester’s Deaf Institute. The band take to the stage at 9.30pm, and amongst the blistering chants of ‘Duke! Duke! Duke’ some of the crowd members can be found looking genuinely puzzled at the sight they find in front of them. Simon Neil takes his place in front of an electric keyboard, sporting black shorts over bright red tights, his face is covered by black material and a large feather necklace hangs over his shoulders and wraps around his neck. The rest of the band wear eye masks and head scarf’s, except a transparent plastic masked bystander who throughout the gig simply walks around the stage enjoying the audible delights presented by the band wearing a white blazer, silver leggings, glittered converse and a large top hat.

The band head straight into ‘The Fridge and The Fromage’ which is two minutes of pure noise made possible by guitar, bass, keyboard and two drum kits. Straight after the song ends, Simon Neil stands at the edge of the stage, un-accompanied by instruments, screaming an in-coherent word bordering on an action which would forgive people for thinking the gig was over rather than just beginning. As he screamed for the last time yet still only two and a half minutes into tonight’s show, the guitar kicks back in, distortion fills the room and Simon launches himself head first into the crowd. He continues with the second song of the set, buried by an army of fans, half of which embrace tonight’s hero amongst them, the other half still wondering what the hell is going on as the plastic masked, silver stranger known as ‘The Duke’ himself, simply looks on still calmly circling the stage. It is this early action which rightfully sets the scene and tone for events which would follow in tonight’s epic and mesmerising show.

The venue is fantastic for sound, with a high and pointed ceiling which allows for a fantastic reverb around the room. The band are loud, very loud and although their performances together are rare, this doesn’t show in tonight’s performance. They are tight and all of their instruments interact together perfectly, each complimenting the other with the perfect volume and tone. Expectedly, with all members making up two long standing bands, the two drum kits play perfectly in time and unison both underlined with a loud and extremely deep and dirty bass. Mixed together with dynamic guitars and many variations of keyboard settings, the band are practically musically flawless.

The band’s next spontaneous triumph occurs during the intense and deafening ‘The Red and The Number.’ During the middle of the song, Simon makes his way over to the left of the stage which is centimetres away from the long bar which takes up the full left length of the venue. Still shrieking into his microphone, carefully stepping over heads in his journey, he is soon found walking along the bar, his microphone lead trailing behind him as he makes his way over to the beer pump he will soon kneel down to face, and in front of a clearly disturbed group of bar staff, pump in mouth, drink straight from.

It is at this point made clear that people looking for their Biffy fix tonight will have to look elsewhere as a Biffy gig this is definitely not. Simon Neil is a different person to the concentrative and private guitarist that makes up one third of Biffy Clyro, he seems possessed, parts of the gig are indeed quite scary, but it’s the type of scary you can’t help but watch and admire. And although he is surrounded by an equally bizarre and talented band, it is Simon who is the main focus for everybody tonight.

It is the middle of the beautifully elegant ‘An Imposter and a Magician’ which sees the band go forth with their next un-conventional yet glorious stunt. Whilst lead guitarist and joint lead vocalist JP Reid continues with the song, the rest of the band members casually walk off stage and enter the venues roof terrace and designated smoking area. Last to follow is Simon, who still clutches his microphone, his accompanying harmonies still being projected to the music hall as he wanders outside, sits on a bench and continues singing whilst smoking a ‘cigarette…’ The rest of the band members stand and also smoke, observing their band mate, not forgetting to wipe their feet upon their return. The whole moment is surreal, yet magnificent, leaving you constantly wondering what on earth the band are going to do next.

They soon resume with short scream fests such as ‘The False and Cinematic’ and ‘The Kill and the Kure’ taken from their fifteen track debut album ‘The Magnificent Duke’ yet are commonly interrupted by funk driven, melodic and electronic foot tappers such as ‘Everybody Dance,’ ‘Silhouettes’ and forth coming single ‘Rubber Lover’ not to mention fantastic new single ‘Kid Gloves.’ All of which appear on forthcoming album ‘Duke Pandemonium’,

As the band approach the last songs of their set, The ‘Human and The Jigsaw’ introduces the show’s high point, this meant in both senses of the word. It is now that Simon Neil proceeds to climb upon the speakers until he reaches the balcony in the music hall. Dragging himself up by pushing onto the balcony barrier, he glides across with only the balcony frame to hold onto as he pulls himself from one side to the other. I, along with most of the utterly astounded people in the room are sure he is going to fall, until he tips himself over and falls into the arms of the people seated below him. The song is then finished as he lies on the floor and upon completion casually makes his way back to the stage to finish the gig.

It is clear that tonight was special for everybody, As the band make their way off stage following their incredibly astounding performance, it takes a while for the crowd to adjust back to reality. As everybody finally makes their way out of the hall, a random member of the crowd approaches me and asks what I thought of Marmaduke Duke. I simply tell him it was simply the most amazing gig I have ever seen. With my statement, the stranger agrees, like I imagine everybody who witnessed tonight’s Pandemonium would do also.

Kid Gloves is released on the 2nd of March

Duke Pandemonium is due for release in April

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This Town Needs Guns, Blakfish, Adebisi Shank, Swim Team
27th February 2009
The Hope, Brighton
By Rachel12

Yet again, our favourite label Big Scary Monsters has treated us to another killer of a line-up, colliding one of the final dates of the This Town Needs Guns tour with the beginning of Blakfish's, much to the delight of everyone who's showed up this evening at the show in Brighton.

Not an easy pair of bands to have to open up for, it has to be said, but four-piece Swim Team set a confident example with their indie-rock sound, slightly math in places while more reminiscent of Incubus in others - another interesting band courtesy of the superb Lockjaw Records.

A gig of delightfully mixed genres, it seemed, as second band of the night sought to completely shatter the ambience set by the night's openers. And this wasn't so much a shattering as a complete upheaval of genres you'd thought you'd managed to define, devouring elements of punk, electro, DnB, metal, math and indie before chewing them up and spitting them back in your face in a fierce and unrelenting volley. Irish upstarts Adebisi Shank, unsurprisingly, had the audience wide-eyed and open-mouthed from the very first second of their opening number: expressions which cemented themselves on faces during the entire set. Literally incredible.

Quite an act to follow, but if any band were capable, it was Blakfish. One of Birmingham's finest musical exports, the boys were back from their Seattle recording trip and hyped to debut some new material live. Slightly less math and more flat-out heavy rock, with chunky riffs and an energy of determination running through the rhythm of each, the new tracks looked and sounded promising, the unpolished edges of the live performance making them just that little bit more exciting.

They may be label mates, but the sound and style of the nights headliners compared to the raucous rabble of Blakfish and Adebisi Shank couldn't be more different. If you've never come across This Town Needs Guns before, think romantic folk-tinged indie-math, cascades of notes over soft rhythms, exquisite vocals, and loveable lyrics. Every song in the band's extended set list seemed a crowd pleaser, superbly performed (despite no sound check) and with a sense of solidarity and warmth oozing from their stage presence and being reflected right back by an audience who'd probably just witnessed one of the best gigs and line-ups imaginable.

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This Town Need Guns + And So I Watched You From Afar + Red Paper Dragon + La Faro
26th February 2009
Cavern Club, Exeter
By Gavin Embley
Photos

There is something very romantic about the Cavern Club in Exeter. Situated underground, itself a signifier of the kind of acts you are likely to see there, the entrance leads down to the venue. The low ceilings and décor reminiscent of a 1980s student flat instantly warn you that you will be leaving with ears ringing and heart pumping.

The gig warmed up with La Faro, a formulaic punk rock band from Belfast; that is not to say that they were disappointing - far from it. They exuded great stage energy which was evident as the crowd slowly warmed up and crept towards the front of the venue as the set went on.

Red Paper Dragon followed with their post rock chic and elegance. While never really engaging with the crowd they remained a band you could not take your eyes off; a quintet of musicians who transfixed themselves in their music. That appreciation quickly seeped into the audience; it was a joy to see a band meditate their way through so beautifully.

To call And So I Watch You From Afar a punk rock band would be a disservice, they demand more respect than that. This is not simply punk, it is so much more! The four piece Belfast bands influences lie in punk but it is hard to pinpoint exactly what genre they are. Why pinpoint them; just enjoy the balls in your face bombastic heavy undercurrent smoothed out with elegiac melodies so pure and perfectly executed.

Frontman Rory Bone Crusher is dry and witty and charming despite his constant swearing which endeared him to the Cavern crowd. It is his and guitarist Tony Face Eater’s mosaic of harmonies that provide the melodic sound over the heavy dark rhythms of drummer Chris Blood Gargler and Bassist Johnny Gut Slurper. The highlight of the set being their nifty finger leads of A Little Solidarity Goes A Long Way. The low ceilings ensured that the bassy sound trapped itself just shy of in your eardrum creating a high octane atmosphere despite a modest audience.

Headline act This Town Needs Guns were going to have to raise their game to top this. By frontman Stuart Smith’s own admission TTNG are the least rock n roll band you are likely to meet. There was something understated and to be honest a little dull about their performance. They lacked the kind of energy to engage the crowd who clearly had fans amongst them. They rattled through the set playing songs largely from the popular Animals album to the delight of the crowd. It was a low key affair just lacking that little bit of energy and enthusiasm. They did however finish with a flourish on the ever popular 26 is Dancier than 4. It is the intricacy of lead guitarist Tim Collis finger work backed by Chris Collis on the Drums that really form the basis of the band. They stand back while Smith and Bassist Jamie Cooper converse with the audience. There is a charming and unassuming dynamic among the band which will surely help them make the next step.

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The Bronx + Fucked Up + Rolo Tommasi
26th February 2009
Leeds Cockpit
By Lee Brown

Unfortunately due to other commitments, I missed Rolo Tommasi. I can assure you though having seen this band before it would have been great and you should definitely check them out if you get the chance to.

As soon as Fucked Up hit the stage the night kicks off. From the opening chord to the final one ringing out there is not one disappointed person in the room; stage divers, crowds surfers, gang chants, everything you’d expect from their set. Vocalist Pink Eyes spent the majority of the set in the crowd as usual. It's great to see this band hasn't shied away from their hardcore roots and still play with the intensity and ferocity that they always do.

Most bands would look average if they followed Fucked Up but we weren’t about to watch most bands. We were waiting for The Bronx and what can I say that hasn’t been said time and time before? This band is just unbelievable and they make it all look so easy, the crowd carried on from where they left off as people dove off the speaker stacks. Tracks like Shitty Future, Around the Horn, White Guilt, and Heart Attack America sound fantastic. Vocalist Matt throws himself off stage just as much as the crowd do. To say this is the first night of the tour, the band look comfortable and there is no sign of nerves, everyone in the room sings their hearts out to every track.

This is one of the best gigs I have ever been to and it has to be the gig of the year so far.

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Rise Against + Anti Flag + Flobots
24th February 2009
Leeds Met University
By Lee Brown

The Met is packed to the rafters tonight and I wouldn't be surprised if tonight's show was over sold. The crowd gathers at the front for the opening act Flobots, a sextet from Denver Colorado. I wasn't sure what to expect from this band having never of heard them before; I was half expecting another pop punk/hardcore band. I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn't the case. Fusing hip-hop with funk and a hint of folk (I think this is mainly down to the presence of the fiddle) the first 3 songs are a bit long but I am very impressed with their 2nd track 'IRAQ' with fantastic word play and rhyming skills - every word using the letters of IRAQ. Other stand out tracks are 'Mayday', 'Stand Up' and set closer 'Handlebars'.

Next up are Anti Flag. Having seen them last year I wasn't really expecting much of a difference. The room is the fullest I think it is for the whole night, the anticipation in the crowd is just overflowing and the band are greeted with an almighty roar when they take to the stage. They just rip straight into 'Fuck Police Brutality' the crowd sing back every word with as much passion as the band put into playing it. Other crowd favourites 'One Trillion Dollars', 'Die For the Government' and 'Turncoat' all get an airing along with quite a poor rendition of 'I Fought the Law' by The Clash. Anti Flag are an enjoyable band to watch but personally something just doesn't sit right with me, it could be that it all seems to staged and rehearsed and I think that were the problem lies.

The last time Rise Against played here was with the Cancer Bats and The Bronx - two very hard bands to follow, which they did well. Tonight, however, there is no questioning how good they are. They're on top form, covering every inch of the stage; having seen them three times before this performance certainly stands out as being most enjoyable. Additionally I think that in songs when Tim isn't playing guitar there is an extra edge to the band. The tracks from new offering 'Appeal to reason' sound much stronger live than they do on record, the only downside to the set for me is the addition of new acoustic track 'Hero of War' - I find it one of their weaker songs. Even though it sounds better live, there is just something about the track that doesn't work and since it is followed by 'Swing Life Away' it pales in comparison. All in all the band are on amazing form and don't put a foot wrong and the gathered masses go home more than happy.

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A Day to Remember + For the Fallen Dreams + Azriel
23rd February 2009
The Cockpit, Leeds
By Lee Brown

The Cockpit is heaving tonight - the only way I manage to get to the front to take pictures of this no barrier venue is because quite a sizable pit has opened up for Azriel. The boys from Glasgow set a high standard for the rest of tonight’s show and the crowd is certainly up for with pile ons a plenty. They cover every inch of the stage, ripping through their set with ferocity. The highlight of the set is when they drag up as much of the crowd as possible onto the stage during the final song - a great way to start the night.

Next up are For the Fallen Dreams. The crowd is packed just as tight for this band, and it's even harder to photograph than Azriel. But these guys don’t mess about, ripping through their set without letting up; vocalist Dylan getting up close and personal with the front rows of the crowd. The crowd lap up every minute of it.

Finally for the headliners. I had no idea how big this band currently are - I'd heard them mentioned and their name dropped by a few people, but the crowd is crushed in so tight and surging that the noise that erupts as the band hit the stage is unbelievable. The band itself is like two bands in one; one minute they're playing New Found Glory influenced pop punk and then there are break downs that Cancer Bats could be responsible for blasting out. The band is on good form and has the crowd asking for more but I can’t even last at the front for more than 3 songs the crush is that bad. I enjoy the set but sometimes I just wish they’d play either a straightforward pop punk or a hardcore song but then I guess that’s the appeal of the band and why so many are drawn to tonight’s show as they cater for fans of both genres.

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Reel Big Fish + Suburban Legends + Random Hand
17th February 2009
Leeds O2 Academy
By Simon Harrison
Photos from this show can be seen here

"For anyone who knows their geography, Orange County is a bit further away than Bradford"

Random Hand open the show to a considerably below sold out Leeds Academy, but those already in attendance are gathered at the front of the stage awaiting their local ska heroes. Having seen Random Hand quite a few times before in much smaller venues I was intrigued to see how they would sound and perform in such a large room. The sound mix was less than perfect for the first few songs, but the band still put on an excellent show, and began to get the crowd moving. RH played a mix of tracks from their new release and a few older ones too for their fans.

The main tour support are Orange County's Suburban Legends, who come on instrumentless and perform dance routines to a backing track to get their set underway. SL play a very well honed laid back and catchy ska, with more dance moves than a Britney Spears show. Those in the crowd who know their songs can’t help but sing and dance along with the band. Towards the end of the set SL make a claim of being the best covers band in the universe and proceed to treat the audience to their version of a track from the Lion King film, very entertaining!

The band everyone is here to see tonight is California's Reel Big Fish. RBF's set consists of a blend of old favourites and some newer songs from their past two releases. As always the band put on a great show, with a trumpet player who'd look more at home at a '50s Airshow demonstration, and front man Aaron dancing all over the stage while playing guitar. There is a real blend of ages and people in the crowd tonight, as I see a middle aged rocker singing the words to 'You Don't know' to his chav son! RBF inevitably ended their set with their famous rendition of Ah Ha's 'Take On Me', causing debate for the best covers band in the universe.

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Cannibal Corpse and Children of Bodom
16 February 2009
Manchester Academy
By Ryan Gracey
Photos

A packed out Manchester Academy, adorned with long hair and Lamb of God t-shirts (following the old philosophy that you can’t wear a t-shirt of one of the bands on the bill, but it better be black in any event) saw a diverse mix of metal heads waiting to see Cannibal Corpse and the Children of Bodom. The old guard, with pints of cider in hand, who had seen the bands in the early '90s and the new breed of metal followers, still waiting for the magic age of 18, stood in contemplation of what was to come.

First to grace the stage, Cannibal Corpse. Visually, they are authentically intimidating; a gang of hefty middle-aged brutes, fronted by George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher. Although they have had little TV and radio coverage, after two decades and 11 albums, if you’re into extreme metal, you already know who Cannibal Corpse are and what to expect from them; if you’re not, it’s probably fair to say that they’re likely to be well beyond your comfort zone. Their instruments are all massively down-tuned, and the music itself is a relentless savage grind. Breakneck speed, peppered with finger-shredding solos, relentless blast-beats and Corpsegrinder’s blood curdling vocals, hits you like a conflict ridden machine gun. It’s utterly brutal and the crowd go completely ballistic.

The new album ‘Evisceration Plague’ saw the band using a metronome for the first time on their recordings, which has translated to their live performance. There’s fluidity with the band, all the members playing in perfect unison. To some degree I suppose it should be expected of a band that has been touring as long as they have, but it’s often missing in most metal bands that impose themselves with intensity rather than ability. That’s not to say they have lost any of the fury. It’s more a rejuvenation, a new vigour - cohesiveness.

They played a host of old songs, including ‘Vile’ and ‘Fucked with a knife’. The latter Corpsegrinder dedicated to all the females in the audience, and spent the majority of the song with one leg cocked on the feedback speaker stabbing himself in the private parts. A sight everyone should behold at least once in their life. Albeit, there wasn’t actually a knife. Throughout the set Corpsegrinder’s hair twirling antics was enough to send even the most hardened of metal fans into a hypnotic state one step from ascension, and I couldn’t help but think, if it hadn’t been for that beast like neck his head would have detached from his body.

Three quarters of the way through their set, chants for a wall of death were proclaimed. Corpsegrinder’s response? "Well let’s fucking see it". Like some sort of biblical event the crowd parted, and as the band broke into the title track to their new album, so ensued one of the fiercest walls I have ever seen, leaving the good people of St. John’s ambulance looking panicked at the potential for a busy night.

You don’t come to see a band like Cannibal Corpse for a relaxing evening unwinding, and that’s probably for the best - it’s pure and unadulterated brutality. I concede it’s difficult to be objective when it comes to Cannibal Corpse. For those who are not familiar with their tracks already, it may be difficult to differentiate between the songs at times. But for the true faithful, that instantly recognise every track without wasting a millisecond of processing time, it was true satisfaction. There’s no way anyone with sense would try to introduce a newcomer to metal by taking them to a Cannibal Corpse show, but it’s plain to see that they still deliver exactly the sort of stuff the die-hards go crazy for. It’s an experience worth having if you get the chance, and you will be able to say that you have witnessed true death metal legends.

Thirty minutes later the Children of Bodom, hit the stage. It’s was like going from the big dipper onto the tea cups. It just didn’t do it for me.

Founder, vocalist and lead guitarist, Alex Laiho could have played with any other group of musicians. I'm not saying that his guitar skills aren’t admirable, but every song was overindulgent. In stark contrast to Cannibal Corpse, there appeared to be no unity in the band. What Laiho plays, the rest of the band follows. Every song seems to pass by with the underlying feeling that it sounded remarkably similar to the last. Their sound falls somewhere between early '90s metal and the technical guitar of Dragonforce.

The use of keyboard by Janne Wirman (one time jazz pianist) seemed slightly out of place. Even more so when Wirman broke into a rendition of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’. What was even stranger was to see hundreds of metalheads instantaneously recognising the song, swaying their arms in perfect unison. Bizarre.

But for all my criticism, there were droves of die-hard hard Children of Bodom fans transfixed by every tune. Touring with their current album ‘Blooddrunk’, they played a diverse mix of both old and new.

Oldies such as ‘Lake Bodom’, ‘Silent Night, Bodom Night’ and ‘Follow the Reaper’ sent the audience into hysterics, and there was a sense of elation in the air as the crowd got to hear tracks off the new album live for the first time.

Nevertheless, I personally found it to be a bit monotonous. I didn't feel that Children of Bodom had developed their sound, so it felt slightly dated. It’s nostalgic music to reminisce upon in decades to come, but failed to fuel any enjoyment for me in the present.

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Black Dahlia Murder, Cephalic Carnage, Psycroptic
16th February 2009
Sheffield Corporation
By Leo Kindred

As Tasmania’s finest get under way we grab a good spot at the barricade and bare witness to some first class technical death metal by Psycroptic. Whilst variety in tech-death is not its strong point, Psycroptic kick out the right blend of rhythmic aggression, cascading riffs and meticulous solos that, whilst tried and tested, is still an art to execute, and one which they do with top notch surgical intensity.

If Psycroptic were like a well performed piece of surgery then Cephalic Carnage are like a gory massacre orchestrated by a clown on a unicycle. The savage blend of off-kilter rhythm changes, wacky good time sense of humour, and barrage of high note density riffing leads to all kinds of mayhem, both off and onstage. Entertainment abounds as the band suddenly all fall over backwards mid-song with their legs in the air. This is followed later on by yet more amusement as vocalist Lenzig Leal proclaims in a suitably grim voice, “you may not know this, but we are also a black metal band” and the entire band don corpse paint masks and embark on a truly ‘kvlt’ number whilst Lenzig gestures with an upside down crucifix. Fun times. We are treated to such manic pieces of “hydro-grind” as ‘Endless Cycle of Violence’, ‘Kill for Weed’ and ‘Dying Will Be the Death of Me’ as well as the mere sight of Nick Schendzielos’s inhuman bass skills propelling the whole sordid operation forwards; all of which is just awesome.

Black Dahlia Murder have a tough act to follow and as the band begin to a rowdy reception with ‘A Vulgar Picture’ it seems like they might be outclassed, seeming slightly sub par. Quickly though, this thought is banished as they hit their considerable stride. New guitarist Ryan Knight doesn’t falter for a moment in his new position and singer Trevor Strand gets the crowd riled, running around shirtless like a very sweaty one man cheerleading squad. It might occur to you he slightly resembles a tattooed Donkey Kong with his almost ape-like arm movements. If it did then the sight of a member of the crowd getting on stage in a full gorilla outfit and dancing with him for the song ‘Statutory Ape’ is priceless. As the primate stage dives in the pitting crowd BDM pummel on through a cracking renditions of ‘I‘m Charming’, and ‘What a Horrible night to have a Curse’. Come the resounding finish Black Dahlia Murder stand sweaty and triumphant with the smell of camaraderie and other bodily fluids in the air. Death Metal at its finest.

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Defenders of the Faith 2 Tour; Lamb of God + Dimmu Borgir, Unearth, Five Finger Death Punch
Birmingham Academy
By Leo Kindred

This Metal hammer ‘Defenders of the Faith 2” tour attracts just what you’d expect from an event headlined by one of the biggest ‘American metal’ bands. Lots of Pantera shirted young things push and jostle through Five Finger Death Punch’s set, which certainly doesn’t pull any punches combining some high brand metalcore with some beefy vocal melody. Pitting ensues on an impressive level for a support band, and whilst the stage banter’s admittedly simplistic and got more ridiculously testosterone filled statements than a film with Arnie, Stallone and a rhino it goes well.

The stupid amounts of beef continues with Unearth, again an American metal band. As if to underline this fact Trevor Phipps sports a Vulgar Display of Power t-shirt and some mosh inducing provocative lines that would make Spartans seem sophisticated. Beer and limbs fly in all directions as Unearth play a tight set honed by years of touring .Take out the physicality and the remarkable acrobatics (both on guitar and around the stage) by Buz McGrath and you only have so much for enjoyment but if you’re in the pit getting kicked it’s probably a lot more agreeable. If you want to merely observe and listen then they are not going to find your buttons particularly pushed. The crowd of Lamb of God fans are mostly here for that of course, and set is received raucously.

After a delay Dimmu Borgir take to the stage with all the pantomime gusto of one of the world’s biggest Black Metal bands. The giant steel pentagrams, corpse paint and full leather attire are a far cry from the denim and yelling of the rest of tonight’s bands. Despite sound problems meaning that Simen ’Vortex’ Hestnæs’s bass doesn’t work for the first 15 minutes Dimmu successfully pull out all the stops for tonight. Orchestral intros and blast beats pummel the air during ‘Progenies of the Great Apocalypse’ and ‘Kings of the Carnival Creation’, and the sound malfunctions fail to mar the pure blackened goodness served up. The experience is all encompassing as Vortex’s operatic vocals soar above the crowd, Shagrath’s crisp guttural voice accompanies the dark symphonic music all along with choreographed video projections. Following a rousing encore of ‘Mourning Palace’ the Norwegians disappear from whence they came, leaving the venue darker than when they found it.

Because of the technical delay Lamb of God get on stage well after 10 with the curfew tonight set at 11. Wasting no time a full metal riot of head banging and moshing erupts as the guys bash out some crunching anthems including ‘Ruin’ and ‘Laid to Rest’ with all the cascading physicality that has helped make them become one of the most popular metal bands of recent years. The sound is also remarkable as the crystal clear duel guitar attack of ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ and Randy Blythe’s powerful bark come through with amazing clarity, and the spiky call and response riffs cut through the sound like razors. The performance is commanding and LoG fail to a put a foot wrong. Whether or not they play, say ‘11th Hour’, is sadly unknown, for after half and hour and as our own 11th hour approaches we have to exit and only able to reflect on what might have been.

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Fighting with Wire + LaFaro + The New 1920
9th February 2009
Camden Barfly, London
By Steve O’Gallagher

Having heard that this gig was sold out, expectations for an evening of quality bands were at a quizzical high. These are not names that get banded about in magazines and on the radio, your mates are 99% likely to have never heard of them before, and yet here they are playing a sold out show in Camden. Oh, and they’re from Ireland and Wales… so how did they do it? The show about to take place ought to shed some light on the situation…

The New 1920 set up their equipment in quite a shy and reserved fashion before the lights went down, upon which the singer timidly said “Hi, we’re The New 1920…” After that, they didn’t just ‘start’ their first song in a shy and quiet manner. No, no. They exploded. The first chord must have sent an electric shock through singer Colin’s microphone because the man was whirling about like a loose fire hose on full blast. In spite of this, his voice shone above the mix with terrific clarity and pitching to match. With a drummer you’d swear was the son of Taylor Hawkins coupled with a solid guitarist and bassist they showed the crowd where the bar was to be set for quality this evening. Colin dived into the crowd a couple of times to mosh around, jive with crowd members, and dropkick off the venue walls making it bountifully clear that these guys mean business. Not only do they have brilliant material with stonking chorus melodies and captivating song structure, but they know how to entertain a crowd leaving not one single person wondering ‘when’s the next band on?’ Their sound is hard to describe as it’s a raw multi-influenced cocktail of beats and riffs; however, I’d put them in the same room as american band The Sun or new UK upstarts Mr. Kamikaze. Unfortunately, the most energetic performance came about mid-set and, although the band still played with great vigor, in comparison with their initial energy they seemed to trail off towards the end a little. With a little pacing adjustment this could have been a perfect 10/10 set. Having only been in their current lineup since June, in time this band could be unstoppable. Remember the name!

Up next were Belfast boys LaFaro who had been tipped to be pretty decent and worth checking out. Travelling all the way to London from Ireland, they’d pretty much have to be somewhat praiseworthy. The material coming forth from these lads was totally unexpected in light of the band beforehand as it appeared to relish discord rather than harmony, spoken poetry rather than melody, and booming guttural riffage rather than polyphonic arrangements. If Iggy Pop sang for Queens of the Stonage, was born an Irishman, and was a big fan of And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead… LaFaro would be their tribute band. A good portion of the audience were lapping it up and the band received an eager applause after each song before delivering genuinely funny self-depreciating irish banter. This band will no doubt be championed by arty, gritty, image-conscious rock music elitists who will celebrate the genre-defying bohemian songwriting on display tonight. What the mainstream and music industry at large will make of them however is anyone’s guess.

Headlining these two wildly different bands should be an arduous task, but luckily for Fighting with Wire they seem to straddle neatly between the styles. After tuning their guitars on stage for 20 minutes, walking off stage, and then back on again for that Headline-band-Rock-star-We-have-arrived entrance, followed swiftly by a long pause waiting for the crowd to cheer louder on their own accord… the band finally kicked into action. If one word could sum up their performance, ‘professional’ would be it. The songs were cranked out with energy and perfection whilst also maintaining a consistent ratio of foot-on-monitor poses, crowd enticements to sing along and general rocking out. There are some fantastic songs coming from this band who clearly know exactly what they’ve set out to accomplish. The audience lap it up and it’s obvious that this band are headline material. If Biffy Clyro, Rival Schools, and Fightstar all had sex, Fighting with Wire would be their 3-headed baby. The only visible ‘flaws’ during their set came in the form of overenthusiastic crowd members knocking over the singer’s microphone mid-song. This wasn’t really a problem though as the crowd proceeded to sing all the lines in unison while they placed the stand back on stage in its rightful place. That truly was impressive as well as indicative of how fast people are taking to this band. NME, Kerrang, and the like will probably jump on these Irishmen and trumpet them up and down the UK before too long. The big question is longevity though. If they play their cards right, FWW could be the next Biffy Clyro. Play it wrong, they could be the next Thursday. There can be little doubt that this band will be known and good, but will they be known and great? Time, as always, shall tell.

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Rockabilly Riot
6th February 2009
Milo, Leeds
By Suzy Witts

Also see: photos from this show

The previous Rockabilly Riot took place last year in York and was incredibly well organised and well attended. It's fair to say that February's Leeds Rockabilly Riot was an even greater success. Despite a last minute line up change, promoter Jen managed to find a replacement band and also managed to get the upstairs of alternative bar Milo absolutely packed. The place was heaving with a mix of males and females, some old, some young, and many dressed in '50s fashion.

The first band to hit the stage were duo The Spirit of John. This band were the last minute addition to the line up and were definitely a welcome opener for the night. They treated the crowd to fast acoustic American folky punk on double bass and guitar; a bluegrass influence certainly evident and the complete sound of the pair can only be described as beautiful.

Next up were The S.S.S.S.S., bringing a blues '50s sound to the night. The band played a very long set but it wasn't tiresome as it featured guitar riffs, violin, a stripped down percussion section and awesome vocals. The band weren't even distracted by a fight breaking out midset - they carried on unphased. The female guest singer has to be the highlight of the entire gig for me. She was absolutely amazing, taking the lead in one song to sing the blues with one of the most powerful voices I have heard in a long time. The crowd loved it and everyone at the front was dancing for most of the set. When the band asked how long they had left, the crowd begged them to play all night!

And finally, Rebel Yell. This band have quite a following and quite a sound. They played a faster and more punk driven modern yet rockabilly set. Brilliant electric guitar riffs were coupled with rock beats and a double bass and of course, fantastic vox. This band are definitely going places and you should see them at least once - especially for the music and also to admire the balancing skills of the lead singer standing on his double bass. They will make you want to dance.

So to sum up, the night featured great music, great fashion and great people and I can't wait for the next one!

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The Fight
30th January 2009
Hamptons, Southampton
By Jeanie Chalmers
Also see: photos from this show

Arrived ten to eight, pretty quiet thus far... with a rather eclectic mix of music played by the dj. From Dizzee Rascal to Razorlight and The Scrubius Pip. Not sure if it's any indication of the music to come...

With a meagre crowd by Hampton's standards, Pump-Action Radio, from Bournemouth launch headlong into their very Blink 182/Jimmy Eat World-style bouncy pop punk. Really catchy stuff. Second song is slightly heavier. Nice to see a band with no pretentions – these guys are what they are, and do what they do, and well. They don't have the hair or the cardigans to make them blend into the melee of trendy pop punk bands we constantly see. It's singer Jim's birthday today apparently! Quality line of the set: "There's a hole in my head, another in my heart." A truly worrying medical condition and no mistake! 'Zeros and Heroes' has a syncopated introduction and chorus, with much more melodic chorus. "This is a song about mums who don't stop fuckin' naggin'!" - lots of chuckles and nods around the room. New Ep being recorded next week.

Next up are the Pancake Eating Freaks from Gosport - an original moniker, I'll give them that! These guys have a much brighter guitar sound, but a much more old-skool punk vocal style. More like Rancid and perhaps Offspring. Awesome drumming too! First track off their album is 'Let Me Out' the album, which they, incidentally, forgot to bring to sell. Arse. The next song's called 'Wannabe' and is allegedly not a Spice Girls cover. Let's hope not! With their bouncy guitars and hi-hat heavy drumming, the P.E.F are very likeable, and not too samey, as the singing is shared between the rhythm guitarist and the bassist, making the vocals sound like a mixture of Rancid and Bowling For Soup.

"We're playing standard tuning!" is the opening line for the next act, Six Inches Small - so much more interesting than the usual "How are you doing tonight?" shout out. This four-piece play a much thrashier style of rock, and suddenly the crowd are looking more interested. 'Why why why', their opening track, is an instant success, with catchy chorus and chugging guitars. These guys have clearly been playing and performing for longer, showcasing songs from 2006 EP release 'Voyage' alongside newer tracks. The lead singer has had tonsillitis this week, so his vocals aren't up to his usual standards, although he doesn't seem to be lacking in power at all. His pitch is, however, all over the place. 'Say Goodbye' has a really chirpy G'N'R/U2 introduction - a la 'Where the streets have no name' and 'Sweet Child o' Mine.' This similarity promptly ends as the song progresses into their usual style. "This next song is about a massive twat called Steve Murphy, and is, in fact, called 'Steve Murphy'." I'm sensing this chap's not terribly popular. Penultimate song is the much faster, 'Disappear', followed by another punchy tune for the finale. Clearly a band with something to say, and with a few more performances like this, they should start to get the message across.

Fourth band tonight are Over and Out from Brighton - new to Hamptons, and indeed Southampton. Back to Blink 182/Bowling for Soup, Girl at the Rock Show type stuff - really American sounding. These guys use some less-standard harmonies when singing, though, which is refreshing after the previous acts, who tended to play it safe. One of their older songs, 'Start Again' is as catchy as the rest of them, but the American-accented singing is starting to grate a bit. Over and Out have been writing new material over the past months, and this is their first gig since the festive season, so we are treated to 'Accidental Gentleman' which is probably the best song of the set - much more bass-heavy, and really tight vocals. By the end of the set I'm used to the uber-abrupt endings to every song. Different, and not altogether unpleasant.

Finally we have the headliners, The Fight, from Dudley, the only band here tonight with any merch. I was a little anxious about how this girl-fronted punk band would come across, having been disappointed by their output on Myspace. Thankfully, however, they are much heavier live, and have a good solid sound. The lead singer has the sort of power not heard since Bow Wow Wow, and has a devoted gaggle of fans here. Sadly tonight, the preceding bands brought along a bunch of mates who promptly scarpered after their sets, leaving The Fight with a smaller crowd even than the openers. Those who are still here, though, are more up for it, and are right in front of the stage rather than huddled around the rear of the venue and the bar. "We're just gonna fuckin' play some shit, cos we always end up talking too much." Stand out track, 'Shallow', is the first one on their Myspace, and is so much better live, with powerful vocals, punchy guitars and some really funky bass. Their usual drummer, Jack, has broken his knee, so they've brought in stand-in Nick at short notice - he's learnt everything really quickly. The slower tracks have more of a ska feel, and this goes down really well with the audience. It's past eleven now, and people are drifting off for the late bus. It's a shame, as they're missing some truly anthemic tunes, like 'Johnny Can't Hack It.' It's a really varied set, with a lot of people being won over tonight, no doubt. Definitely worthy of the headline slot.

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Random Hand CD release show review
1st February 2009
Leeds Cockpit
By xsimx
Also see: photos from this show

"I always knew Sonic Boom 6 would end up supporting us, I just didn't think it'd be this soon"

Retrofin + Templeton Pek + Short Warning + LYU
31st January 2009
Bridge House II, London
By Steve O'Gallagher
Also see: interview with Templeton Pek

Having successfully traversed through an industrial estate over in east London convinced that no such venue would ever be found there, I finally stumbled across the Bridge House II. It really is in the middle of nowhere, but that didn't stop a decent crowd of people from shuffling in to watch some intimate performances from buzzing UK rock bands.

First to take the stage were LYU, a young band from Birmingham who had the style and equipment to suggest they'd been studying Funeral for a Friend and the like. Low and behold, when they started their set their singer did actually have the same vocal tones of an early Matt Davies and there was much dark and heavy riffage. This band does however have some great riffs and some good ideas. In their 5 song set, there were a dozen sections that had me genuinely hooked with some ferocious grooves and riffs. Unfortunately, they do give off a vibe of high school kids playing at an assembly and there were some serious pitching problems vocally. Perhaps a band to keep an eye on though as they certainly have potential.

Up next are London melodic-punkers Short Warning. The tone of the live show changed dramatically from the first band as clearly these guys know exactly what they're doing. Throwing some brilliant foot-on-monitor shapes and staring crazy-eyed into the faces of the crowd tonight, their frontman Carl knew how to grab your attention for the full length of their set. Sporting a new guitarist Alvin, who it has to be said is a jaw-droppingly talented guitarist, the instrumental sections of the songs managed to shine as brightly as the chorus hooks. Gareth beat the drums with such intensity you'd be forgiven for thinking they'd insulted his mother. How he manages to take the stage with such energy every night is beyond me. The only shortcoming of Short Warning if they have one is that the production on their album Safety in Numbers is so brilliant that the live sound will always struggle to match it. Luckily, their entertainment value fills in the gaps.

When Templeton Pek start their set, it's hard not to feel like you're watching a band on the brink of greatness. They clearly came here to melt faces. The crowd are instantly locked into the air-tight beats of Simon on drums with Kev defying physics by strumming his guitar without any strings snapping. Rightfully, at least one string should be throwing in the towel per song with the way he hammers them. Bassist Neil is like a coiled spring, controlling the chaos of his bass parts and melodies before letting loose some impressive screams and yells in the powerful song sections. The call-and-answer vocal melodies and harmonies between Neil and Kev add to the relentless driving nature of their material and ensure that all eyes are firmly on the three men on stage. Perhaps the most impressive part of all of this was that, despite the fact that they went on six different tours last year and gig relentlessly, they played each of their songs with the same roof-raising energy and determination. It doesn't matter that they've played to 1000+ seater venues before, tonight they're gonna give the 50 or so people everything they've got. It's that determination coupled with the great material that suggests there's no stopping this band. I'll wager that as soon as next year, all your mates will be asking you ‘hey, have you heard of Templeton Pek? You should really check them out man…'

The last band to take the stage was a local band called Retrofin. By this point half of the crowd had left; signalling the drastic change in musical style. The singer seemed to have taken all his frontman lessons from Axel Rose, which sadly doesn't work at all unless you are Axel Rose. I wouldn't say this with him in earshot though as his arms were bigger than my legs and he could probably give me brain damage by just flicking me with one finger. They were a kind of classic hard-rock band both in the age of the members and in the repetitive hooks that each song was draped around. I couldn't help thinking that the ‘fans' there to see them were either supportive mates or jaded rockers themselves. It has to be said though that their lead guitarist could really shred, so they get some kudos for that. Perhaps they didn't really stand a chance from the off, as they were taking the stage after Templeton Pek. That's something no one would rightfully want to do.

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Gregor Samsa, Cocean, Machines
25th January 2009
Corporation, Sheffield
By Leo Kindred

Gregor Samsa are a little known project and it’s a tad difficult not to feel out of place if uninitiated when surrounded by all manner of musical underground geeks. Side projects and related projects of the headliners are discussed, opinions are traded like pokémon cards and, on this rather gloomy Sunday, there’s a great deal of expectation and optimism about what is to come.

Having been waylaid en route the remainder of Machines’ set that we catch upholds that they’re doing well to defend their rep as a very solid local act, giving an air of professionalism to their progressive rock.

Cocean provide a fairly interesting change of direction as the post-rock/metal they produce feels tempered on the one hand, but given to powerful surges overall that belies their lighter image and sound. Applause is easily forthcoming and without actually astounding they admirably produce a much appreciated amount of borders and shading to the evening.

The most notable thing as Gregor Samsa get on stage and begin is the small space of Corporation’s second stage is taken up by a huge amount of equipment and musicians. Yet the performance begins so quietly and delicately that it is no exaggeration to say that people consider turning off their mobiles for fear of breaking the atmosphere, something that is practically unheard of at your average gig. Through the hushed opening of the set the music flows guided by the haunting vocals of Nikki King and Champ Bennet sitting opposite each other when at their keyboards, and becomes surprisingly thunderous at points as the unexpected distortion and dissonance of guitar, keys and throbbing synthesiser effects pile on the sonic pressure for sporadic bursts. Come the end nearly everyone agrees on the amazing value of the show, but there is a small amount of debate on the enjoyment. This is the musical equivalent of Lost In Translation; if you’re in the right mood, mode or mindset it is overwhelmingly beautiful, but if you’re not it is difficult to connect with or even merely tedious. Maybe a 45 minute set was too short to hook everyone, but more than most are satisfied. Especially for £6.

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Staind + Seether
25th January 2009
O2 Academy, Birmingham
By Lucy Pryor and Steve Cooper
Live photos from this gig online now!

The queue for tonight's gig stretched all the way around the Academy on this mild Sunday night in Birmingham, which was surprisingly, not completely sold out. The line up consisting of only 2 bands, Seether were up first.

With a career spanning 10 years, Seether (formerly know as Saron Gas), have undergone many line up changes and a 5 album back catalogue. With plenty of material to choose from they opened with ‘Gasoline' from the album ‘Disclaimer II' followed by ‘Needles' from the same release. Thrashing around the stage, ‘Breakdown' from the last major album ‘Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces' came next, all of which drove the awaiting crowd wild with applause. With no dialogue with the crowd in between songs, it could have felt like the set was a little rushed, but singer Morgan slowed down the tempo next, with an acoustic rendition of ‘Broken'. Made famous by guest vocals from Evanesance's Amy Lee, and used in the soundtrack for the film ‘The Punisher', it was and is Seethers most commercial release to date. Morgan's haunting and faultless vocals throughout the song showed off what a beautiful track it was, and quite honestly no one seemed to miss the presence of Amy Lee. Plunging the crowd into darkness they carried on, with a brilliant mix of music from past and recent albums. ‘Fuck Me Like You Hate Me' was a particular highlight with the crowd. Finishing with ‘Remedy' from album ‘Karma and Effect', it was clear to see why Seether have lasted 10 years as a band. They exited the stage leaving the crowd hungry yet joyless for an encore; let's just hope they don't keep their fans waiting for years again before they tour the UK.

Staind entered a dimly lit stage to the sound of Johnny Cash tonight, maybe an unlikely choice for a band of their genre, but nevertheless it set the mood. In a contrast to Seether, Staind had a mellow air about them as they opened with the amazing song ‘Suffocate' from album ‘Dysfunction'. Even though the track is 9 years old, and from their first major release, it still provokes an insane reaction from the audience below. With 6 albums over the 14 years as a band, Staind have an immense amount of material to choose from for tonight's set. Going straight into ‘Falling' and ‘Right Here' from their 2005 album ‘ChapterV' (which shockingly only peaked at No. 112 in the UK charts), showed how their sound has developed since they began back in 1995. Half way through the set frontman Aaron Lewis armed with acoustic guitar, performed ‘Epiphany' from album ‘Break the Cycle'. Lewis seeming such a quiet man, then jolts the crowd back out of their acoustic trance with heavy song ‘For You', again from ‘Break the Cycle' sending the audience into a frenzy. Lewis doesn't jump around much like other frontmen during the set, taking a more controlled and mature attitude to the performance, not that you would know from the amount of crowd surfers hurtling toward the barrier. ‘Outside' was a definite highlight of the evening, made famous for them when Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst duet-ted, (well chatted in the background). The song is so much better without Durst, and the crowd seemed delighted to fill in for him by singing the chorus. Just before the end of the show, Lewis speaks to the audience, exposing his shyness by saying' I don't know what to say, so I don't say anything' before crashing straight in to one of their most popular and last song of the evening ‘Mushovel' Its easy to forget how many of Stand's songs you actually know and how much of an influence they have had on the music world until you hear them live. Lewis may not be the loudest of frontmen when he's not singing but he certainly makes and impact when he does.

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Tall Ships
23rd January 2009
Nancy's, Falmouth
By aSH

The headliners tonight appear to be fans of Craig David and Status Quo. Perhaps a bigger concern though, is whether or not the capacity crowd will be exiting through the main entrance or through the floor which is surely about to collapse.

Nancy’s is not be the likeliest venue for a gig, in fact it is probably more accustomed to hosting boozy football fans rather than the four bands on offer tonight.

Tall Ships have pulled a big crowd and the temperature is almost unbearably hot. The crowd braves the heat and Tall Ships open their set by treating us all to an instrumental tribute to Status Quo. Those who spot it seem suitably amused and this underpins Tall Ships style.

Their use of pedals and effects result in an obvious, if somewhat lazy, comparison to Battles, but they come across more playful and with the inclusion of another cover - Craig David’s 7 Days – Tall Ships exhibit skilful musicianship and sense of humour. Their sound shares snippets from Don Cab, Piglet and The Cancer Conspiracy. What Tall Ships are able to add though, is this playful nature that can get a room full of people dancing – dancing so much in fact that I fear the floor will fall through as it bows and creaks under the weight of the one hundred plus crowd.

In contrast to the straight up punk and screamo styling of the support bands, the headliners sound is far more engaging and inclusive. The track Beanie and Dodger prompts the crowd in to syncopated head nodding and the progressive nature of the composition forces the tempo – of both the music and nodding heads – to increase almost hypnotically.

Tall Ships show a great deal of promise and seeing as they are a relatively new band this promise is very, well, promising. Visually there is plenty to keep the live performance intriguing. Guitar parts are well layered, samples are inserted with control, and the manipulation through the two keyboards gives this band’s sound infinite possibilities to grow.

Tall Ships are received exceptionally well by the audience and it is refreshing to see a band showcasing their work, that is a far cry from the majority of sounds on offer in the local scene.

Support tonight was supplied by Cornish screamo band Crocus, Falmouth based punk trio Bangers and Exeter’s The Cut Ups.

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Kerrang! Relentless Energy Drink Tour 2009
23rd January 2009
Manchester Academy
By Lee Brown and Suzy Witts
Live photos from this gig online now!

Unfortunately we missed In Case of Fire due to the enormous queue of eager fans waiting to get into this sold out show on the Kerrang! Relentless tour. Apologies.

The first act we catch is Black Tide. The influences are evident from the outset - aspects of Metallica and Megadeth. The band are technically very good but just don't give off much to get excited about as I've heard countless bands do this style before and do it better.

Next up are Steel City's Bring Me the Horizon. There's a lot of anticipation for the band as the crowd start to chant for Oli Sykes and scream everytime a member of the band appear near the stage during the set up. The moment the band take to the stage the crowd are hooked and will do whatever the band tell them to do. BMTH have come a long way since I saw them open for Bleeding Through a few years ago. They are a lot tighter musically and got a huge following. The track that stood out for me was 'It was written in blood' and on the whole I found their set the most enjoyable tonight.

It surprises us to find that late addition to the line up, Dir en Grey, are the main support for the night. This band have been accelerated into the mainstream and this tour has certainly had an impact on their popularity in the UK. Generally the crowd is noticably smaller but those gathered are passionate about the band. Dir en Grey are pristine in appearance and have an air of confidence as they walk on stage. Musically they mesh together various genres into each song, one moment it's all out thrash and the next it flows into a riff that most nu-metal bands would be proud of and to top it off the vocalist is crooning away like Ville Valo.

Happy hardcore has arrived on the Kerrang! tour; hardcore of the dance rather than punk variety. Mindless Self Indulgence are a huge band at the moment in the UK and it makes perfect sense for them to headline the show tonight. They open with Shut Me Up and it's time to expect the unexpected - you always know something's going to happen at an MSI show but you never know quite what Jimmy Urine is going to do next. Tonight's set includes Jimmy going down to the crowd and an invitation for the photographers in the pit to join on stage in a 'paparazzi party' - it doesn't happen... the set is short and Jimmy is restless so moves onto the next part of the set. MSI are like providers of the ultimate exercise music for the alternative masses; without a doubt, being the most energetic band to grace the stage tonight. Highlights include 1989 and Never Wanted to Dance. The crowd lap up every word, beat and guitar hook. The band fuse metal with dance and hip hop beats and with an awesome performance like this it makes you wonder why they weren't so popular in years gone by. Tonight MSI are missing bassist LynZ who is not on the tour due to pregnancy - her stand-in seems to drift into the background, avoiding the limelight.

Walking around the crowds in the entrance way to the venue it's clear that a great night has been had by the majority of gig goers and it's also clear that tonight you were either here for the metal style growls of Oli Sykes or the unpredictableness cyber goth-esqueness of MSI. There was a real combination of fans in the room, which made for an interesting gig.

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