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MUSIC TECHNOLOGY (ST.AUSTELL)
SOLO RECORDS (TRURO)
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NICALS (BODMIN)
...and other fine outlets and venues throughout the county!

SO GET SWEATY WITH EL MAJESTICO AND THE CLGR!

GIGS IN JANUARY 2007

FALMOUTH ART COLLEGE (26TH JANUARY)

THE REELS

Top the bill tonight was never going to be a great place after the previous acts, but local heroes The Reels showed how professional they were with a quick turn around and a more mellow style that contrasted with the previous Exeter hordes.

Down to a three piece nowadays, (Alex`s guitar easily filling the gap on both old and new songs), the band were planning on showcasing some new material amongst their regular set but were restricted by time into cutting large chunks from their intended setlist. Coupled with technical problems, The Reels performed valiently against the odds and did finish strongly. Their mix of Radiohead and Oasis came to the fore with a feedback led finale that suddenly took the audience up a gear and left us wanting more of the same.

Having seen The Reels perform before, I`d say they`ve done better - this was good, but The Reels can be stunning on top form.

Disappointment all round, I`m afraid.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

OK PILOT

Also down on a daytrip from Exeter, Ok Pilot quickly took to the stage area to follow their city mate`s performance. Already noted by Rocksound magazine as one of the "100 bands to watch in 2007", this three piece had some serious ass to kick as they launched into their first number. An action packed performance followed led by Chris (bass) and Tom (guitar), reined in only slightly by a sweat-covered Ben on drums, which saw outbreaks of bizarre headbanging-stylie dancing from the excited and growing crowd. More hardcore punk than The Computers, Ok Pilot are a powerful raawk machine that made me think of Therepy? more than anything else and their original material certainly does mark them down as a band worth seeing in 2007.

With little time to chat to the crowd, the boys let the music do the shouting and showed the Falmouth crowd why Exeter is fast becoming the punk/rock capital of the southwest. Over all too soon for the cheering crowd, Ok Pilot left us wanting much more.

Ok Pilot - more than okay!

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

THE COMPUTERS

Second up on tonight`s four band bill, came The Computers, down from Exeter to share a little love with the locals. Dressed in a uniform of red skinny keks, white shirts and a smart black tie, these four maniacs completely tore the place apart.

Alex, Will, Sonny and Nic came out fighting in all directions with a punked set of tunes that would`ve sat proudly next to any of the best from The Clash or early Costello, they easily stole the evening`s show with their bravado. And what a band? - Led by a Mark Lamar look-a-like with a cross between Jude Law and Damon Albarn on the bass, The Computers were winning before they even opened their mouths. With a front line three part harmony, mental guitar breaks that saw an audience invasion by the band and a rythmn section to die for, our mouths were gaping like loons before the first song was over. We never stood a chance! Banter between songs was genuinely funny and relaxed which made for one of the best performances I`ve seen in Cornwall, (and `performance` is the key word here, because where some `play` or `gig`, The Computers truely `perform`).

Jeez, they could`ve played all night, (if they knew more songs!), and we would`ve cheered louder and louder. Absolutely stunning. They`re back at the end of March, this time in Truro (TBC), and if you don`t see them then, I suggest you dig a large hole, jump in it and cover yourself over with the soil, because you might as well be dead!

The Computers are without doubt, the bees bollocks!

(Photos from Lord Itchfield)

MIKE ANDREWS

Falmouth Uni used to be called Falmouth Art College and has for many years been the centre of all things `art schooly`, creative and alternative for the next generation of artists living in Cornwall, (forget St.Ives - that`s for tourists and old semi-professionals). This is where they learn and hone their skills, where the students can experiment with different genres until they find their personal niche.And so it was tonight, keeping within this remit, the four acts varied between ability and style, but showed their passion and desire throughout the evening`s entertainment.

Held in the non smoking student uni bar, (where else?), the first to take to the microphone was local lad Mike Andrews and his acoustic guitar. Poll position is never easy, but Mike quickly started his set with songs that recall his self confessed influences, Bright Eyes and Arcade Fire. A nervous performance of "pseudo-political songs" about things he claims to know little about, with much re-tuning between songs that made every new tune stand alone, Mike Andrews only began to relax as the last song loomed. Although supported by his friends, he needs to engage with the audience between songs if he`s not to lose their interest as he constantly tunes up.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

THE GREEN ROOM, REDRUTH (19TH JANUARY)

MY ELVIS BLACKOUT

Headlining tonight`s gig, My Elvis Blackout were the cherry on the top of tonight`s particular musical cake and showed the rammed pub what they`d learnt from months of touring with established bands around the country last year. Clearly the main thing that Harry and the boys have learnt is to give 110% in their performance, and to pace themselves for a powerful finale.

For a five piece band, the stage was a little too cramped to allow MEB to physically perform to their finest, but musically the surroundings couldn`t constrain them as they played crowd pleasing versions of `Vitamin MEB` and other Blackout classics. Showcasing some newly written songs that illustrated a more worldly-wise and mature viewpoint, the band sweated along with the audience as the riotous music enveloped us all.

Smoke machines and stripping drummers aside, (nice vest Jason!), My Elvis Blackout have no need of visual special effects and let the music do the talking for them. Their performance was solid muscle.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

GLASS SHARK

Taking their place on the corner stage at The Green Room, I imagine Glass Shark have rarely had to follow such a tough act and I have to admit I was glad not to be in their shoes. You`ve got to see this band right now! But fear not, yea of little faith, the mighty Shark is not afraid - they see a challenge to their role as protector of all that is good in music and they rise from the deep like a torpedo, breaking the surface with a healthy yell of triumph. You`ve got to see this band right now!

With the first beat of Tam`s drum, the duelling bass and guitar of Matt and Jimmy smacked into the room and they led Glass Shark and the audience into the wicked world of Disco Robots. You`ve got to see this band right now! Electronic beats mashed up with distorted guitar and a thumping rhythm section, created an electric atmosphere with sweat quickly falling from the brows of the dancing audience of students, stray punters and Friday night nutters. You`ve got to see this band right now!

Glass Shark presented a polished and powerful performance from a band at the top of their game to an audience that helped to put them there. You`ve got to see this band right now!

Understandably, Glass Shark have gained a great reputation; people who`ve never actually heard the band tell me they`ve heard how good they are and word is starting to get around. You`ve got to see this band right now! This is good news for people who speak and wot read wot uvvers ave writ, but to those that can `hear`, it is surely music to thine lug `oles!

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

RICKS REBELS

The Green Room in Redruth played host to a stellar line-up of local talent on Friday night and continued to illustrate how many great venues this county actually has hidden away down backstreets. The pub itself is on two floors with an open staircase, that doubled as a viewing platform when the bands performed, dominating the large victorian ground floor, with two bars and some pool tables upstairs it made queueing for a drink redundant as the downstairs filled up.

But onto the music; for a very reasonable £3.50, an excellent night`s entertainment kicked off with the "youthful exuberance" (Harry, MEB) of Ricks Rebels. The name is a misnomer, don`t be fooled into thinking this is a rockabilly outfit or some dodgy C&W covers band - far from it in fact. Ricks Rebels are punked up to fuck! Musically leaning on The Ramones, (checkout the Joey Ramone look-a-like on the drums by the way, coincidencely called Joe Black!), The Clash and Metallica in their own material, they also camp it up with glam when hitting the disco covers. Leading the way, is frontman extraodinaire Jordan Doidge (Jordski), who`s performance was stunningly spell-binding. Pulling shapes and faces as he lept into the audience, Jordski is without doubt the Keith Moon of front men with a visual and vocal style that demand your attention. Like another Joe, (this time Strummer), Martin Skews manhandled his guitar with panache and powered the band throughout their all too brief set, aided and abetted by Ele Lucas on her pounding bass and vocals.

The conclusion came with the appearance of an `exotic dancer` on the staircase and goodybags being thrown to the excited crowd. As far as `opening act` goes, I`ve yet to see a better one and in any other circumstance you`d have to pity the band that had to follow Ricks Rebels - they were magnificent.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

NICALS, BODMIN (5TH JANUARY)

OBSYDIAN TEARS

Headlining tonight`s charity gig at Nicals, (in aid of the Cornish Air Ambulance - what a good idea!), Obsydian Tears had little to prove to their hardcore fans in attendance. As the first chord was struck, the heads came down and hair flew in the air from the audience to the band. With the exception of Todd the drummer and Adam on vocals, the band instigated and joined the audience headbanging with every power chord they struck. Like a cat fight in a heavy metal hairdressers, the follicles flew and even those cranially challenged gave it a fair crack!

With influences coming from areas such as Pantera, In Flames and Chimaire, the Penzance based Obsydian Tears were obviously heavy as hell. The hypnotic pounding aura around the band`s performance is surely indebted to the combination of the duel guitars of James and Tim bouncing off the band`s engine housed in Todd`s drums and Andrew`s bass.

So what else do you wanna know? Obsydian Tears are heavy as fuck and your tattoos will slip off if you stand too close!

STALKING NORTH

Organisers of tonight`s charity fund raising gig and all round good eggs, (they didn`t even put themselves on as the headliners!), Stalking North took second billing and control of the crowd that started to fill Nicals at this point in the evening.

Then the lights went down and darkness was all around, when suddenly the lead guitar of Joe Pamplin literally lit up! Little blue lights along the fret board gave a continued Christmassy feel to the occasion as the mad guitarist thrashed his fingers and led the band into their set : Limmer on vocals calling the audience to their feet, Gooch`s Flying V battling with the taught rythmn section of Rowse on drums and Dan on bass - it was a powerhouse performance from a band at the top of their game. With influences rangeing from Iron Maiden, Slayer and Metallica to Trivium, Stalking North are seriously crowd pleasing and tonight was no exception. With drum solos, guitars played behind heads, (can you guess the culprit?), and screaming vocals, this is a band that demands your attention.

More fun than you can shake a sticky thing at !

SOLD IT ON THE SOFA

Hailing from Newquay and celebrating the lead singer`s birthday - it was destined to be a good night for Sold It On The Sofa as they took the second spot on tonight`s gig. Playing a mixture of original and covers, the band put in a professional performance that illustrated a confidence that only comes from regularity or arrogance. Luckily it was the former in this case and the atmosphere went up a notch as the band ripped into their set.

Clearly influenced by Nirvana and The Misfits (illustrated through a combined cover), but with a bass tom pounding drum pattern, I started to hear Ramones influences and a sixties/Cramps style in their own material. Twangy lead guitar suddenly distorting into heavy riffs, confused initially until the style became recognisable as truely their own.

A birthday treat for all concerned.

BREATHE

As this was the incredibly young band`s first ever gig, you would have expected a few shakey starts and general cock ups to occur, however Breathe produced a startlingly good performance in front of proud parents and friends as they raced through six original numbers to start this charity evening in style.

A damn fine guitarist was backed by an equally good bass, running lead riffs across the pounding drums. With hints of Metallica, Breathe`s own material is strong and melodic, anthemic and in your face. Unfortunately the volume of the vocals was far too low to hear and this was annoying because clearly this is a band with a strong future and I for one, would like to hear what they`ve got to say for themselves.

Breathe deeply.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)