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)