GIGS IN MAY 2006

THE PRINCE OF WALES, FALMOUTH (27TH MAY)

MY ELVIS BLACKOUT & MARVIN AND THE GAYES


(Reviewed by Jocky Slingback)

You may`ve had the impression that fantastic tiny venues like the Prince of Wales had gone out of fashion back in the 1970s, (and they probably did in the rest of the country!), - places where you have to push your way through the band to get to the bogs, where the temperature and lack of oxygen makes your head spin like a little kid on a round-a-bout. But Cornwall still boasts the places where Witherspoons have yet to throw their cash, killing the atmosphere and creating a place like Burtons but without the clothes. Thank Budda that we still have these pokey little venues where bands can ply their trade to smokey-eyed punters.

Both bands played fan-bloody-tastic sets which left I debating on the way home, over which band should have been headlining. I finally came to the conclusion that I were still undecided and that the homegrown talent I keeps seeing is getting better.
My Elvis Blackout play an intoxicating mix of punky, indie rock that is filled with hooks and is so professionally performed that you`d think the lads had been at this game for donkey`s years and not the short time that in reality they have. Fast, loud with bags of attitude - they made I drink me beer really quick like.


MEB thrilled I; that there solid back beat intermingled like an errant sheep on clover with short powerful drum rolls providing a perfect backdrop for the charismatic Harry. His raspy vocals reminded I of Gerrard Tregunna and his Hot Pennies mixed with a Kenwood blender on setting number two, but I could also detect a certain hint of Woody Mellors and Henry Cluney...but maybes that were the ale talking.


When Sam from Marvin and the Gayes (seriously stoopid name chaps by the way), started telling jokes, I started to feel a bit funny too, so I goes outside for a bit of fresh air only to find when I tries to get back in, the pub`s been shut for hours and its four o`clock in the morning. Well, I put it down to that there last pint that did it to I. My advice to you, is never drink your last pint - cos that`s the bugger.

So go and have a look at these couple of bands when you get a chance, cos you`re guarenteed a memorable night...I think.


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NICALS, BODMIN (26TH MAY)

TURNING SPACE ONLY (T.S.O.)

This was an important gig that needs a little explaining - It was the goodbye gig for Eyedealsounds promotions and so we finally saw head honcho Andy Guthrie take to the stage and join the punk mayhem of T.S.O. in a storming rendition of `Help` in front of a delighted crowd of well wishers. The fact that Eyedealsounds is shutting up shop after all this time, is a tragedy for local live bands, but the good news is that Andy will be back in the summer - he just can`t `Help` himself!

To the evening`s music though - Turning Space Only, the St.Austell punk band that evolved over the last six years from the ashes of Hoodwink, played with volume and enthusiasm some of the best original material on the local scene. Powered by the impressively manic drumming of Nick, the high kicks of `class clown` Jim and the thundering bass of Adam, T.S.O. roared through their set led by the larynx of mainman Dan. Hit songs like Townie Anthem and Brickwall got an airing from the varied setlist that reflects their long history and whilst not the most enthusiastic crowd ever seen at Nicals, the audience didn`t take much winning over. It was an excellent way to say goodbye to Eyedealsounds (RIP).

Way back in February 2005, their Don`t Die Wondering e.p, (still available, if you know the right people!), came out to great commercial and critical acclaim, but now is the time for some more fresh recordings chaps to hit the market.

T.S.O. - original, loud, funny and above all... punk!

(Photos by Mildly Disabled Dave)

THE PRINCESS PAVILION, FALMOUTH (16TH MAY)

NEW MODEL ARMY

(Reviewed by Crafty Pete)

Led by Justin Sullivan, (AKA Slade the Leveller), New Model Army bizarrely claimed it had taken them 25 years to get to Cornwall at their triumphant Pavilion gig... strange really because I saw them at St.Austell`s old Colisium (RIP) in the late 80s and they were often found at The Poachers pub in Roche throughout this time when recording and rehearsing. Justin must be getting old if he`s forgotton his Cornish history, outside of Lancashire/Yorkshire, the Cornish must have bought more of his band`s albums than anyone else.
Unsurprisingly after all this time, the original band members are all gone except Justin, some dead (Rob Heaton to cancer recently) and others merely fallen by the wayside. This is the reality of a longterm music career, but we take it in our clog-wearing stride and continue to relive the memories of younger days.
The old tunes revived our spirits, tracks like Stupid Questions and Here comes the War were sadly still relevant to today`s world and even more so the power of 51st State . Singing was loud and strong from those of us who`d been here the first time around, but the audience held second and even third generation fans who joined in the celebration.
Punk with a touch of folk is a rare combination, a bit of politics, (`...mynamesbeneltongudnight!`), and you`ve got the Army.
Bloodied and bruised, but unbowed, the message is still the same;

Don`t let the bastards grind ya down!

THE SWAN, TRURO (22ND MAY)

Last Warning (above)

The LPs (above and below)

The Psykic Farmerz (above)

THE LP`S, PSYKIC FARMERZ AND LAST WARNING

Another Monday night in The Swan, where you get the chance, for the price of a pint, to see three vastly different bands play their little hearts out. Truro - you are spoilt like the guests at the ambassador`s dinner party! The Swan has been promoting live local bands for sometime now and has built a reputation for eclectic gatherings under the banner `Broken Egg` and tonight was no exception.

A late start for Falmouth hip hop crew, Psykic Farmerz meant the audience were ready and waiting, (although not too keen to dance just yet mate, thanks...gotta just finish me pint here first). Jabatta bEz & Faffin Juraff MC-ed to Dj Buddy B`s best beats and soon had smiles on the faces of the standing audience with their witty, lyrical rhymes. Tracks like `Fugitive` (about a fugitive...) and `May Contain Skipping` (...you don`t need me to tell you it ain`t about playground games, do you?), saw the lads gaining the confidence of the unsuspecting in the crowd. A human beatbox was hauled to the stage and did his thang, but although he was applauded, I reckon it actually ruined the Farmerz set by changing the tempo and they had a job to regain their rhythm for the final track. Overall though, a great opening performance, I`ll be checking out their e.p. May Contain Skipping.

Next up, surprisingly not headlining tonight, were Camborne`s LP`s, no longer Lucky or Polarbear friendly, Phil and the boys have shortened the name reflecting the tightness in performance of their songs. They are lean, keen and (don`t you just want another word that rhymes here?)...a bloody good band that play catchy, powerful rock. This being the second time I`ve seen The LPs, I`ve gotta say it, but why haven`t you got a CD out yet? With material this strong, you really need to get down to a studio asap and knock up the album we`ve been waiting for! The performance at The Swan tonight was way too short, but like many things, perfectly formed. In Craig, The LPs have one of the most inventive bass players in the county (think Entwistle runs), and fitting in the solid beat from Luke at the back gives Phil all the freedom to lead the band through some excellent original material. The LPs - make that CD !

Finally in a bit of a rush and with a determined look in their collective eyes, came Last Warning, a three piece `alternative` rock band. One song in and the landlady is up complaining about the noise levels, (which has gotta be a first in my experience), however, the band continued at seemingly the same volume and thrashed their way through their fast paced set. If you like it loud, fast and raw then you could do much worse than catch Alex and this Last Warning.

The Swan continues to supply a great evening of local talent every Monday night with `Broken Egg`. So people of Truro - I suggest you support them! (...and send us a review if you do!)

(Photos by Johnny Echo Echo)

SOLO RECORDS, TRURO (13TH MAY)

THE HITCHCOCK RULES OUTSIDE/INSTORE GIG

Another sunny Saturday afternoon and the streets of Truro are alive with the sound of music. Nothing unusual for the busker-friendly city you may think, but this was slightly different from the average dog-on-a-string fare that normally assults your ears.

Always inventive, The Hitchcock Rules were at Solo Records to do an instore gig promoting the release of their new multi-media e.p. Bookmarks page 1 , but seeing as it was such a nice day, they decided impulsively to do the gig in the street instead. Taking the music to the people, like the famous rooftop B-Sharps gig (but without the rooftop part), The Hitchcock Rules, with fully amped up kit entertained the afternoon shoppers and fans alike.

The last time I saw the band was at the end of a long evening of excellent performances at The Stannery`s `High Rollers` gig (see review below) and felt that they were a little subdued compared to the other performers, however this time I saw another side to their music. Playing in the warm sunshine, the tunes from the e.p. filled the ancient streets of the city and I found a new appreciation forming for this raggle taggle band. Light and jazzy upbeat songs held a large crowd that almost blocked off the street and saw children jigging along to the catchy rhythms of Rich`s drums and Disco Stu`s basslines. Ryan Jones, looking every bit like a young Mike Scott (from The Waterboys), sang and played the keyboards as if he was on the main stage at a festival, (which they will be soon - see the K Festival later this year), entertained the gathering crowd with his cheery manner and friendly banter.

The Hitchcock Rules have a large and loyal following that has been built up over a relatively short period of time and you can see why with this afternoon`s performance. Their extensive tour dates take them all over the country and this constant practice shows clearly in the relaxed attitude towards ideas like doing impromtu gigs outside and the easy conversation between the audience and the band. The set was too short for the growing crowd, but the hard working lads had to get ready for another gig later in the evening and so time was finally called after about three quarters of an hour of bouncy, summer songs.

What a great way to spend your Saturday afternoon - I saw a lot of people go after a copy of the e.p. as the band wound things up and not surprisingly, more Hitchcock Rules fans were created, (myself included). I`d spent weeks being told how good they were and how everybody liked them, and this usually puts me right off a band when the pre-publicity is so relentless, but in this case it is justified. I`m now newly converted to the Rules of Hitchcock and so will you be when you finally catch up with the rest of us. Resistance is futile !

(Photos by Johnny Echo Echo)

NICALS, BODMIN (5TH MAY)
The Frenzy (headlining the gig above)

The Reels (above)
William Gregg (above)

THE FRENZY, THE REELS & WILLIAM GREGG

The first Friday of May saw another excellent line-up of fresh Cornish talent at Bodmin`s top venue for local live music, as Nicals welcomed a large crowd to the triple wammy of William Gregg, The Reels and The Frenzy. The recent upsurge of high quality, local musicians has been noted by many as exceptional and I think that we are truely living in a golden age for Cornish music. So in the low ceilinged backroom of this tiny old pub, there was an air of expectation as the audience built up to capacity. The stage was set and William Gregg was first to the mic.

The young man with the twelve string acoustic and the loud shirt, looking every bit as if he`d just got up from a beach party fireside sing-a-long with Jack Johnson, kicked off proceedings with a nervousness that was endearing. Once into his stride, however, William`s obvious passion showed through. His dedication to his girlfriend in the audience was a sweet touch and in keeping with the mood of his original material. He won the audience`s attention and applause quickly, but the choice of a Smashing Pumpkins track to finish was unexpected.

After a brief moment, The magnificent Reels moved into the strangely positioned spotlight; a four piece band with a full sound that grabbed your attention instantly. Although suffering from the after effects of a throat illness, Alex Hill and the band played an excellent set of catchy, punky tunes and I can only imagine how brilliant they must sound when in full health. The lively audience lapped up the original songs as their number swelled and the seated became the minority. The jangle of Alex and Joe`s guitars were held tightly together by the rhythm section in the form of Jeremy`s pounding drums and Neil`s smooth bass runs. This is truely a great band that makes you smile like a tax rebate on a winter`s day. I don`t recommend you see this band play...I demand you do!

Of course, if you`re on top of the bill, the tricky thing is following great bands and The Frenzy had set themselves up in this position, so tension was riding high in the room when Rich, Fiona and Ben took over for the last set of the night. But one song in and they destroyed the problem by playing with fantastic confidence that only practice and performance can create. As I said in an earlier review, this band is on a learning curve and they have come on leaps and bounds since I first saw them at Nicals. The size of their audience is a reflection of their improvement and having reached this standard in such a short time, it makes you truely wonder what dizzy heights The Frenzy will finally climb. Go and see for yourselves - they`re becoming more frenzied!

This was a great evening of live music and another feather in Nicals cap for keeping the local music scene thriving. With this sort of quality on display, it can only be a matter of time before these bands seize the airwaves.

(Photos by Johnny Echo Echo)

GIGS IN APRIL 2006
BARRACUDA, NEWQUAY (30TH APRIL)
COOLIO

(Txt review by TeeJ)

It was 2 rubbish 2 write about! He was on 4 bout 20-30 mins.

THE KASBAR, TRURO (30TH APRIL)

Noel Prior and Rob Carter (above)
Andrew Bate (above)
L-R: Liam Jolly, Noel and Rob (above)
Andrew Bate

ANDREW BATE AND THE NOEL PRIOR BAND

The Kasbar, hidden along one of the quiet sidestreets of Truro, reminds you of a Soho club in London from the wet and deserted streets. The glow of light that beckons you from your journey into the warmth of a crowded room, filled with chatter, smoke and greetings has an almost metropolitan air to it.

On the final night of April, we gathered to witness two outstanding talents on the local music scene and first to take to the microphone was Andrew Bate. Looking like George Harrison`s son Dhani with his long dark hair just hiding his eyes, Andrew`s voice is one of the most striking and emotive that I`ve ever heard. His singing brings to mind a combination of Nick Drake, Thom Yorke and Jeff Buckley; one moment quiet and gentle and the next powerful enough to raise the dead from the oceans. He moans and he soothes, his words sliding over the music like ghosts of waves on a distant shoreline, (this is indeed haunting stuff). Almost trance-like, his songs seem to carry this young man to other places and we the audience, are left behind to wonder at the spectacle of this performance. Breathtaking and without a shadow of a doubt, the best solo performance of the year by any local hero. Andrew Bate was in good company tonight, because if this evening is anything to go by, he`s destined for major success. Do NOT miss!

So what do you do to top that? - Wheel out the big guns... The Noel Prior Band ! Probably the only band in the county that could follow such a performance and build on it, Noel and the boys were on top form tonight. To a large and expectant, fan-filled, crowd Liam, Noel and Rob belted out track after track of catchy sing-a-long tunes that had the audience grinning like a cheshire cat conference. (I even have to report an incidence of `frugging` in one of the young females, as they were swept away on the moment!) It is no surprise that The Noel Prior Band has already secured themselves a Radio 2 Session with top DJ Janice Long, as the album that Noel released at the start of the year has seen quite a lot of national airplay. Justifiably so, once you hear the hooks that he has tied into tunes such as Friend or Foe? and My Little Fix , (both aired tonight to massive cheers) and in the new material such as Buy Another Day and A Thousand Miles from Here. I was reminded of The Bluebells as the acoustic twang of Noel`s guitar mingled the melody with Rob`s fast, compact basslines and of Jack Johnson when the songs turned to summer and the light touch on Liam`s high-hat. Proof, if needed, that a songwriting talent of international proportions has arrived.

The band entertained and delighted the crowd and left them wanting more...in fact I think we really didn`t want April to finish this year after seeing The Noel Prior Band in performance. We are the luckiest folk around, because it won`t be long before the rest of the world find out and whisk our boys off for stardom. My advice? - Don`t miss either of tonight`s talented artists before its too late!

(photos by Johnny Echo Echo)

THE FIRST EDITION!
THE FIRST EDITION ...AVAILABLE FROM THE 15TH MAY !