GIGS IN MARCH 2006
THE HIGH ROLLERS, THE STANNARY, FALMOUTH (10TH MARCH)
MY ELVIS BLACKOUT (ABOVE)
5 fantastic up-and-coming bands, 4 1/2 hours full of excellent new music, 3 quid to get in, 2 top DJs? It all added up to one hell of a night out at the "High Rollers" gig held at The Stannary in Falmouth last Friday. With a full lightshow, projection videos and a cracking, well balanced soundsystem, the DJs Vicar & The T-Bone set the tone of the night, raising excitment in the audience between all the live sets and creating a heady atmosphere which was conversely intimate and epic at the same time, their involvement was crutial.
Opening the evening for the live acts, Tom Mounsey bravely took to the stage with only his steel national guitar and a mic-ed up foot for rhythm, his wild bottleneck guitar playing quickly turning heads. Like a young Lightnin` Hopkins mixed with a dash of Stevie Ray Vaughn, his performance warmed the audience up and showcased the quality that was on offer. This was already feeling like one of those nights when an audience collectively experience a musical landmark, and the pace was just warming up!
Next on the bill were The Noel Prior Band, riding high on a wave of recent success across the county after releasing their first album Outside In. Noel and the lads, break the mould of other performers by having an absolute ball on stage, grinning and dancing like mad children, chatting to the audience like old friends and totally at ease with their surroundings. The music is uplifting, happy, acoustically driven and perfectly paced for summer success. Like Jack Johnson fronting a rock outfit, The Noel Prior Band have similarly catchy tunes and it can only be a matter of time before you won`t be able to afford tickets to see them.
Following hard on their heels like rabid dogs, Truro`s My Elvis Blackout hit the audience with a wave of raw energy that recalled the young days of The Damned, (which explains Captain Sensible`s reference to them as `the future of rock`n`roll` when he witnessed an earlier show). However, although a contrast to the previous acts, My Elvis Blackout stole the open-minded audience`s hearts with their passion and power driven Stooges sound that was at all times exciting, loud and confident. This was completely the right venue for the band; large enough to take the volume levels required to do them justice and placing them mid-pack, allowed them to stamp their authority all over the evening`s proceedings.
The DJs had to work hard to follow this performance, but rose to the challenge and by the time The Truths came onto the stage the audience were bouncing off the walls with energy. The band are instantly on a groove, stirring their music, which recalls the likes of Kasabian, late Stone Roses and Can into a rhythmic swamp gumbo. Swirling guitars and keyboards were mixed with the best vocals of the night when The Truths slowed the audience right down and took them on an atmospheric journey. Recalling both Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher`s style of singing, Anthony Neale prowled the stage drawing the audience into the songs like a cobra to it`s prey. All too soon they left us and the DJs were back, but with little respite, the headliners were soon there to fullstop the evening`s entertainment.
The Hitchcock Rules, clearly loved by their dancing fans at the front of the audience, had little to prove here but took to the stage with friendly banter and cracked into their set. Having your main singer, in this case the witty Ryan Jones, leading the band from behind a keyboard centre stage does pose a problem with the notion of a barrier between the audience and focal point, it also denies the singer mobility. So after the previous band`s frenetic performances, The Hitchcock Rules seemed a little subdued. However, living up to their, `quirky and charismatic` label, the band played a warm and wonderful set of smooth pop tunes with jazzy overtures that rounded off an amazing evening and won them many more new fans.
It was a blinding night at a fabulous venue. The Stannary has got it right - five local up-and-coming bands for £3? You`re getting the best deal in the county! This is grassroots, this is where the tide turns and a music scene in Cornwall is finally is born. Sick of waiting for someone else to do something, the bands are organising themselves in a true DIY punk attitude, but with professionalism that belies their youthful exuberance. Wake up Cornwall - finally theres homegrown talent worth hearing..."Get off your arses!!"
(photos by Laura Snapes)
THE HIGH ROLLERS, THE STANNARY, FALMOUTH (10TH MARCH)
MY ELVIS BLACKOUT (ABOVE)
5 fantastic up-and-coming bands, 4 1/2 hours full of excellent new music, 3 quid to get in, 2 top DJs? It all added up to one hell of a night out at the "High Rollers" gig held at The Stannary in Falmouth last Friday. With a full lightshow, projection videos and a cracking, well balanced soundsystem, the DJs Vicar & The T-Bone set the tone of the night, raising excitment in the audience between all the live sets and creating a heady atmosphere which was conversely intimate and epic at the same time, their involvement was crutial.
Opening the evening for the live acts, Tom Mounsey bravely took to the stage with only his steel national guitar and a mic-ed up foot for rhythm, his wild bottleneck guitar playing quickly turning heads. Like a young Lightnin` Hopkins mixed with a dash of Stevie Ray Vaughn, his performance warmed the audience up and showcased the quality that was on offer. This was already feeling like one of those nights when an audience collectively experience a musical landmark, and the pace was just warming up!
Next on the bill were The Noel Prior Band, riding high on a wave of recent success across the county after releasing their first album Outside In. Noel and the lads, break the mould of other performers by having an absolute ball on stage, grinning and dancing like mad children, chatting to the audience like old friends and totally at ease with their surroundings. The music is uplifting, happy, acoustically driven and perfectly paced for summer success. Like Jack Johnson fronting a rock outfit, The Noel Prior Band have similarly catchy tunes and it can only be a matter of time before you won`t be able to afford tickets to see them.
Following hard on their heels like rabid dogs, Truro`s My Elvis Blackout hit the audience with a wave of raw energy that recalled the young days of The Damned, (which explains Captain Sensible`s reference to them as `the future of rock`n`roll` when he witnessed an earlier show). However, although a contrast to the previous acts, My Elvis Blackout stole the open-minded audience`s hearts with their passion and power driven Stooges sound that was at all times exciting, loud and confident. This was completely the right venue for the band; large enough to take the volume levels required to do them justice and placing them mid-pack, allowed them to stamp their authority all over the evening`s proceedings.
The DJs had to work hard to follow this performance, but rose to the challenge and by the time The Truths came onto the stage the audience were bouncing off the walls with energy. The band are instantly on a groove, stirring their music, which recalls the likes of Kasabian, late Stone Roses and Can into a rhythmic swamp gumbo. Swirling guitars and keyboards were mixed with the best vocals of the night when The Truths slowed the audience right down and took them on an atmospheric journey. Recalling both Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher`s style of singing, Anthony Neale prowled the stage drawing the audience into the songs like a cobra to it`s prey. All too soon they left us and the DJs were back, but with little respite, the headliners were soon there to fullstop the evening`s entertainment.
The Hitchcock Rules, clearly loved by their dancing fans at the front of the audience, had little to prove here but took to the stage with friendly banter and cracked into their set. Having your main singer, in this case the witty Ryan Jones, leading the band from behind a keyboard centre stage does pose a problem with the notion of a barrier between the audience and focal point, it also denies the singer mobility. So after the previous band`s frenetic performances, The Hitchcock Rules seemed a little subdued. However, living up to their, `quirky and charismatic` label, the band played a warm and wonderful set of smooth pop tunes with jazzy overtures that rounded off an amazing evening and won them many more new fans.
It was a blinding night at a fabulous venue. The Stannary has got it right - five local up-and-coming bands for £3? You`re getting the best deal in the county! This is grassroots, this is where the tide turns and a music scene in Cornwall is finally is born. Sick of waiting for someone else to do something, the bands are organising themselves in a true DIY punk attitude, but with professionalism that belies their youthful exuberance. Wake up Cornwall - finally theres homegrown talent worth hearing..."Get off your arses!!"
(photos by Laura Snapes)
posted by CLGR at 6:33 AM
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