october 2007 live reviews

HIJAK OSCAR + THE THURSTON REVIVAL + FISHING PARTNERS – FIBBERS, YORK – 08/08/07

Saturday night’s for boozing, bawling, bopping and having your frame shaken by whatever racket floats your boat, right? So it’s unfair to judge Fishing Partners, beardy blokes playing rambling acoustic tunes to a near-empty Fibbers, as it’s the most un-Saturday thing you can imagine (but they do look like a pair of angling buddies). They were late additions, so they’re probably best seen under better circumstances. Likewise The Thurston Revival, a solo mop-haired American with a sampler-loop-keyboard gizmo bolted to his guitar. He plays a sort of gospelified country with lo-fi beats, and not surprisingly given his name, religion figures large in the lyrics. At first it’s a bit style-over-substance, especially as his voice isn’t quite powerful enough to truly put the material across, but when he hits a more folky, uptempo vein he gets quite engaging, and you suspect there’s an inventive mind at work. But frustratingly after only four tunes he stops, so we may never know, and that Saturday atmosphere hasn’t yet kicked in.
So welcome Hijak Oscar and thank the Lord they are a band made for Saturday nights. Rollicking keyboards! Female co-lead vocals! Heavy harmonica! Songs that blast like a club-sized bluesrock-soul revivialist meeting! Standard guitar indie this is not, and it’s all the more refreshing for it. Drummer Dave and shaggy bassist Mark Meilack are well on the money, piano player Carl rocks like only a very tall man playing keys can, while whippet guitarist Mark Wynn seems to have been spliced from the DNA of Jon Spencer and a caged bear. Growly singer / harmonica man Tim Fox plays up a storm, doing his damnedest to put a rocket up the slightly apathetic crowd. Only co-vocalist Emma doesn’t look like she’s been mainlining electric tequila; she occasionally seems uncomfortable but when she really lets her voice fly there’s a touch of P.J. Harvey about her, and her vocals compliment Fox’s gruff bellow perfectly. There’s songs of the Devil, drink, deceipt, black sheep and railing at the state of the world, all set to a hyper-cranked aural bar-room brawl. OK, a bit more light and shade wouldn’t have hurt, a couple of the new songs were a bit too crowded with ideas, but so what, it’s Saturday night and Hijak should be playing to sweaty bodies, flying beer slops and cowboy whoops, not polite applause. Top band, one of York’s best, hopefully destined for bigger things. Don’t take ‘em for granted.

words: tim procter
pic: wiiinston

SCARDOM III: - Cert 18 - 18/08/07

I like charity gigs - not only do you get a wad of bands on the bill that are usually more than worth the entry fee, but you also get the satisfaction that the money isn’t just going into some fat-handed promoters pocket. This night promised to be no exception, with the charity of choice being York’s own Accessible Arts; an organisation that aims to provide access to the arts (as the name implies!) for under-represented groups of the populace - in particular those with learning difficulties. Its projects include the Melbourne Centre (Fishergate) and The Hands and Voices choir (a unique idea in itself; combining vocals and MAKATON signing!). Further details can be found on the website: www.cubemedia.biz/projects/associated/accessible-arts.
So, to the music!… Caffeine Kill ripped the night open on an unusual bill that had been laden with setbacks. Used to being the final support in all of their York gigs to date, the CK boys wasted no time in forcing the adrenalin into all of our bloodstreams. One vocalist. One guitarist. One technician. Awesome!
Sadly, the next act could not make the mark after that; Siouxie Suicide hail from Scarborough and seem to be attempting to mix rock n roll dustiness with early nineties industrialism. The results are sadly dire and actually manage to clear the room (not aided by the smoking ban no doubt!). If the vocalist were to be replaced by a female assassin type, then the music may still shine - the beats were capably written and the fifties styled guitarist was pulling of some stonking bits of riffage, but as it stands the future looks bleak for this lot!
Systemyk are on something of a roll at the minute - they are now signed and due to bring out an album soon. What should have been a storming cyber/goth/metal set was somehow feeling very flat - mostly due to the unfortunate fact that the vocalist seemed to be suffering from a severe cold. His usually powerful voice had shrunk to a hoarse rasp. The band however remained undeterred and battled on with the memory of the why they were playing tonight in their minds. Good on ‘em.
Finally, [DIGI]CORE took to the stage - and for the first ever time, without a drummer (with Cell being stuck somewhere in Europe). I had for sometime wondered what they would be like when purely electronically led - kind of the equivalent of an acoustic gig in industrial terms. They played their hearts out and on the whole didn’t disappoint their fans, but I couldn’t help thinking that they’ve now gelled so much as a four piece that they looked somewhat lost without the octopus man at the back… I even caught Psi turning round a few time s with a look of ‘Where’s he gone?’ on his face. Heheh. Ah well - well done lads anyway!
The night raised over £150 for Accessible Arts and I hope that more people set up nights to raise further funds for this most deserving of local charities.

words: cyrus crashtest

YORK YOUTH DAY: JIM LET’S JAM + INDEVIANCE + THIRD CONDUCT - ROWNTREE PARK, YORK - 29/08/07

Don’t say “There’s nowt to do” - this was prime time. When someone puts in the effort and organises an event for young folk then they really should turn out. The Youth Day at Rowntree Park was put on by the City of York Youth Service in the Summer hols and provided an opportunity for some bands to get behind a powerful rig and play their stuff. Despite the lack of audience Jim Let’s Jam, a Ryedale 6 piece, sported an energetic trumpet/trombone section and played rock tight bass Ska. Spilling over with energy. Even though the lead singer’s confidence did outstrip his vocal abilty on occasion this didn’t detract from their show. Good time, good feel tunes from start to finish. Look out for these cheeky boys (with cheekier lyrics in their original tracks) at a city venue. Indeviance, another Ryedale outfit mixed highly polished original material alongside covers from The Kooks and Foo Fighters. Pop punk in style and displaying a cohesion which proves how hard they have worked over the last couple of years after forming as a result of meeting at York Rocks 2005 - and they’re still just between 12 and 15 years old. Some very promising musicians in the making here. Third Conduct comprise three sisters playing drums, bass and electric guitar and their undeniable gelling factor is their fab three part vocal harmonies. Not an easy task to pull off but this band does it well. Very radio-friendly pop rock and certainly an outfit to watch rise further up the billing in time to come. So even though the turnout was pitifully low and unfortunately it wasn’t the outdoor gig it could have been let’s hope this paves the way for a better supported day in 2008.

words: dean saint john

UNITING THE ELEMENTS - Roman Bath, YORK - 06/09/07

With an international member roster, its hard to define just where this band come from, but considering that they’ve been touring the UK in a camper van for over two years, you could say that they hail from a motorway layby near you! It’s also pretty hard to define how they sound; they are called Uniting The Elements and that’s just what they do! Dawn’s powerful vocals move from raw rock to sheer sleaziness, and her power is only emphasised by her sleek figure and intimidating height. Yep - she’s a hottie! Drummer ‘Violet The Cannibal’ (scary name; sweet lass!) smacks hell into the skins without pause for breath and Ola the guitarist mixes hard riffs with stealthy finger work magic on the frets. Comprising influences from 80’s metal, punk, grunge, goth and industrial, they effortlessly flow through their two sets - undaunted by the poor turn out at the start (unbelievable considering the gig is free and the beer fairly priced!) - and put on a show that would put any major stadium filler to shame.
By the start of the second set, their sound has drawn in a large and varied crowd. Sadly, the odd shape of the Roman Baths lets down the projection of their unique sound, but cannot stop the rock. Whatever type of music you’re into, you have to check these guys out - and do it live! Some bands work best in the studio, some work best on the stage and this lot just work! DO IT!

words & pic: cyrus crashtest

The Dead 60’s + Last Gang - Fibbers, york - 18/08/07

I’ve seen many bands trying to be like their NME/MTV idols and it’s made me cynical. Last Gang do seem like the typical indie-pop band with their clean guitars and overly ‘Yorkshireness’. “This song’s about getting arrested in Wakefield” their skinny lead singer in tight jeans and tight t-shirt casually mentions. Most tunes remind me of The Cribs (also from Wakefield), but maybe there’s a bit more than meets the eye. They’ve a few punky and ska-based tracks and the second guitarist and the bassist have their shirt collars up rock ‘n’ roll style and make dynamic Mick Jones-esque stances, and the name could be taken from the Clash song. Perhaps their sound does have energetic roots in punk/new wave bands like Subway Sect, Buzzcocks and The Skids. By the end the audience and I were enjoying the lively indie rock and the second guitarist and bassist’s eye-catching show. Mind you, if their best political lyric is “You’re going home in the back of a Police Van” then they might need more work. The audience seem mostly old school punks and skinheads who have been following The Dead 60s around for years and it’s interesting that, although there is a younger presence, it’s the older audience who show the most love for this Liverpool quartet. The fact is The Dead 60s combine an energetic sound of early Clash with traditional Specials slow ska upbeat. Neither forcefully political nor overly pop, The Dead 60s have crafted their own breed of music (Ska-Indie?) which The Ordinary Boys and various unknown UK bands experiment with. The band stride onstage in matching polo shirts to the siren used to introduce ‘You’re Not the Law’ and without any fuss get everyone skanking. Lead singer McManamon commands and focuses the energy of the songs, alongside guitarist and bassist Gordon and Turner’s vibrant stage presence. The band play tracks from their new album, reminding me of early Jam, but their new single ‘Stand Up’ seemed to slow everything down and I thought maybe this was the safe single for Radio 1. But perhaps I again misjudged; and actually the song might have more powerpop depth. The dance floor explodes for the final song, ‘Ghostfaced Killer’ which is one of their more fast-paced ska tracks. The Dead 60s are in unusual waters, mashing up Two-Tone and dub with punk-inspired modern indie rock in their own Scouse style.

words: henry raby

BATTLE OF THE BANDS – STONE ROSES BAR, YORK – 16/08/07

A pretty fine evening. I set of on my walk into town, full of excitement and anticipation, I know it’s gonna be a quality show, there are some damn fine bands playing tonight! The only thing spoiling my mood was the fact that finalists The Reliance couldn’t make it. Didn’t keep me down for long mind.
Now, everyone loves The Roses. There’s something really homely, really cool and sophisticated as well as damn hard rock about this place. So there’s a great buzz and it’s REALLY busy. I struggle to get myself a spot near the front and eventually get there just before Player 1 take to the stage with a very punchy, twangy little number, Cold Coffee. It’s a real crowd pleaser and there are whoops from all over the place - these guys clearly have a strong following. They then lead into Surrender, Quicksand then Orange Rocket… some real up beat hard kicking numbers, which show just how brilliantly these guys not only know, but can work their instruments to create a sound not only mesmerising, entertaining, pleasing to the senses, but challenging.
They continue with another great set of tracks, bluesy rock flying everywhere, and finish with Game Over. This is a great track with a brilliant freestyle finale, and lovely to see performed. Nice one lads!
After a brief changeover, we receive Blind Justice.
Wasting no time, Sherelle kicks straight in with No Escape, a real rocky start, reminding me of We Start Fires - great way to begin! Following on we get Neon Lights, Devil On My Shoulder (a very pleasing rich track vocally), The Hands Of Time, and then for me it all went wrong. I believe in a certain etiquette at a BOTB, and there are un-written rules about playing a cover. In my eyes it’s cheating, wanting to be remembered for something someone else did all the work for. Yes, a crowd plus beer will sing crazily along, but I could have sung it and they’d join in. Using an anthem such as Bon Jovi’s You Give Love A Bad Name might have been a goer if the crowd alone were judging but on this occasion it was a huge error.
The final band were Hungry Ghosts, who got straight into a great, catchy little intro, which became a short, sharp ending Easy Targets. Lovely. Following on the boys begin to rough up their act, they now have your attention and they’re gonna damn well keep it! The almost explicit gestures between James (lead/vocals) and Adam (guitar/vocals) lead into a rock crashing frenzy as Dead Man Walking leads into Face for Radio and the tightness of this outfit doesn’t fail.
At this point the diversity of sounds has me wondering if there’ll be some hillbilly folk next, but no, more excellent quality rock with fantastic riffs, exciting mood changes and much more showmanship, esclating to the final track, Ship of Thieves. The crowd had been clapping along, arms raised above their heads, stamping their feet generally showing a great appreciation for what they were hearing, and then it ends. Everyone goes crazy, shouting, clapping, whooping… is this why Hungry Ghosts were the well deserving winners of this years Battle of The Bands here, I think so.

words: Jx

FIST FULL OF YEN + AZUMA VEGA + MILK ROUND BROWN – CITY SCREEN, YORK – 01/09/07

Occasionally York surprises you. Really surprises you. Surprises you in a slap-round-chops, kick-in-the-arse, jolt-to-the-knackers surprise. A night that starts pleasantly and ends up a Viking beserker frenzy surprise. Gentle readers, commit Fist Full of Yen to memory as they might not gig again til Christmas… First, Milk Round Brown, a good young support band, energetic, pretty tight, keen. No matter that they’re in thrall to The Jam or The Libertines, that the bassist’s poised between over-concentration and shyness, or that one newer number almost falls apart, they give their performance loads and come across as refreshingly free of pose. Nice one.
Azuma Vega by contrast draw from the American underground; crawling rhythms, discordant clangs, trebly guitar shrieks. With few vocals and a relatively static stage presence (bar their excellently maniac drummer), they stand or fall by six-string squalls, and mostly they stand – there’s several moments when the wind tunnel guitars suck you in and spin your brain sideways. No matter that a bass amp OD’ing on feedback saps a bit of momentum, this was a suitably gnarled noisenik set. Another nice one.
Then Fist Full of Yen. Stripped to the waist, comedy hats, ultra-dry guitar and thudding bass – for a moment you fear Chili Peppers-wannabe hell. You couldn’t be more wrong. Their set doesn’t so much explode as condense into a swirling whirlwind of chopping guitar, barked vocals and pummelling bass from their superb frontman, and dislocating, turn-on-a-sixpence time-changes, all delivered with an ever-intensifying fury. And as they intensify, so do their fans’ antics, punching the ceiling, bellowing, bouncing around in an oddball pseudo-mosh and scrawling on the frontman’s chest in felt tip. Yet none of this makes Fist Full skip a beat (the sign of a really talented band), and the comedy touches – monkey mask, cardboard panda – come as relief from the shredding onslaught. Ancient lags might hear Minutemen hardcore or Gang of Four, but there’s clattering rap rhythms, street suss, tribal thumping (another excellent drummer), and let’s face it, FFOY are too young and hip to give a tinker’s cuss what anyone thinks. How did a band this young get so amazingly tight and intense and yet so natural? I haven’t seen a band this superbly wired for a long time, I’ve never seen the Basement so jumping. Fist Full of Yen have raised the bar and rendered a load of other bands totally redundant. Total flippin’ nice one. And then some.

words: tim procter

Flood of Red + The Ghost of a Thousand + Zico Chain - Fibbers, YORK - 14/08/07

Blessed by a Barfly, York is often lucky enough to receive some great headline acts gracing the stage at Fibbers. Occasionally, we’re also treated to a double headline tour passing through. This gig though was witness to three headline acts, each with their own phenomenal sound and impressive background of achievements already to their names. So bring forth the night set to make your ears bleed.
Zico Chain - three angry young men determined to carve up the UK music scene and leave nothing but destruction and admiration in their way. A heavy, dirty, sleazy eruption of a sound sets the small Fibbers crowd into a mess of moshing madness, hair, sweat and roars thrashing in all directions from both band and fans. Undoubtedly passionate about their music, Zico Chain show a strong influence from stoner and heavy rock, and have enough live energy to pull off the sound brilliantly.
Kerrang! Award nominated five-piece The Ghost of a Thousand are slowly receiving the sort of appreciation they deserve, with tonight’s performance at Fibbers proving exactly why. The Brighton act rage through a blistering set of tracks from their current and instantly classic album, This Is Where The Fight Begins, with each band member giving equally commendable and energetic performances to form a set consisting of intensely creative hardcore-punk genius.
Tonight’s finale slot was reserved for Flood of Red, a Glaswegian post-hardcore band receiving great appreciation at the moment, and renowned for being an impressive live act - this certainly showed no hope of fading from their set at Fibbers. Terrific vocals accompanying a chaos of addictive riffs, the set demonstrated exactly the sort of damage four albums and a huge amount of touring can do to a band - absolutely superb.
The night offered a faultless line-up to begin with, but add to the fact that each of these bands put every ounce of effort into playing to a crowd of just 30 people, and you’re left with nothing but admiration and respect for each of them. Flood of Red, The Ghost of a Thousand, and Zico Chain all effortlessly showed exactly why they’re gaining growing attention at the moment, and this will no doubt continue after tonight’s performance. Definitely a show not to be missed.

words: r l wade

THE BLUEPRINTS + THE NOVELTIES + THE BUCCANEERS - FIBBERS, YORK - 17/08/07

Recipe for a successful evening: Take 3 amazingly talented York bands, allow them to them to marinade in just the right amount of adoring fans, place them on a stage under hot lighting for about 2 ½ hours with selected guitars/drums/synths (you don’t have to use all of these, but I find they compliment the palette), stand back, enjoy and wash down with one, two or maybe 5 dry white wines.
The Buccaneers took to the stage with their usual oozing confidence. Andre responded to the female chants with a cheeky grin before opening their set with “Busy Waters”. With its upbeat tempo and sleazy blues guitars it laid the table to their storming 8-track set. Other tracks included “ Follow that man”, “Who’s that knocking” and “Better days” promoting the launch of their new EP.
“Off the Track” was executed perfectly with 70’s groove guitar and psychedelic drum loops. It was an amazing example of dedication to time and detail to create a simply outstanding track, which would not be out of place on the soundtrack to any Quentin Tarantino film.
As Stuart Allen (The Blueprints) joined the band for “Empty your pockets” the use of mandolin added a new dimension creating a unique southern rock sound comparable to The Rolling Stones track, “Paint it Black”.
Their sound is a unique fusion of 12 bar blues, 50’s old school rock and roll, fermented with 70’s funk and garage rock. Such a beautiful concoction wouldn’t you say?
The Novelties are a difficult band to define. Maybe I just don’t understand them but I found there was a distinct lack of direction in their set. This could be down to the fact that their musical influences cover many different sounds and style. Unfortunately this didn’t make for easy listening, as their tracks seemed to change after every 4 bars and therefore made it confusing to follow.
Their Myspace states that their influences are “many subliminal bands, un-named ones and pizza hut”…? Perhaps they have chosen to create their sound like we create our own pizza – bang a bit of everything in! They also describe their sound “something quite different” well they certainly got that one right!
Their The Strokes cover was the highlight of their performance. It was concise, however not it tune and without any originality, therefore predictable.
Everyone’s loveable band The Blueprints were yet again absolutely flawless. Stuart sang in lyrical poetry, sounding effortless as the heart pounding drums complimented his emotional melodies throughout the track “I Will”. “Alpha waves” was yet another track recognisable for its accomplished drumming and contemporary guitars that the band are best known for. Looking across the room there was not one person in the room that wasn’t singing along to the track, loud, proud and hanging on the shoulders of their friends as they bounced along. The banter between the tracks is another reason for warming to the band. Humour and a real appreciation of the crowd makes watching them a real pleasure.
The band have created a sound of their own which is distinctive from the rest of the bands in York. They continue to play gig after amazing gig and I am highly confident they are the next band to break into the mainstream.
The climax of the evening saw all the bands join together onstage for a cover of “I want you to want me” by Cheap trick, with each band member given an opportunity to showcase themselves and get one final chance to lap up the crowd appreciation. A fantastic way of showing how all the bands support and respect each other’s work and how much they enjoy performing together. A great night had by all.

words: emma jackson
pic: david x green

Crystal Castles + Partyshank + Bearsuit - FIBBERS, YORK - 20/08/07

Fantastic Plastic favourites Bearsuit are the first support band of the evening, energetic and pulsating enough for everyone to crack open their glowsticks and start dancing. Try describing this bands sound as one thing, and you’ll soon find yourself correcting it, with the band taking little chunks of inspiration from anything they want - electro to indie, to punk, classical, big beat, synth-rock - the list doesn’t seem to stop. Creative to say the least, the Norwich band prove to be a great act for the highly anticipated headliners.
The night started with a certain amount of craziness, so it was only fitting to continue the trend with a guy dressed as 50 Cent, and his partner in crime wearing a quite impressive hot-dog suit. Apparently it made sense to someone! Absolutely determined to have a good time, electro-outfit Partyshank set their laptops on fire with some addictive beats and great samples, with the large Fibbers crowd joining in the fun, glowsticks at the ready.
A blacked-out Fibbers lit only by the light of a ruler-length strobe light and the crowds mass of glowsticks was suddenly pulsating to the sound of a cursing rapper on a record. Intriguing to say the least, soon enough Crystal Castles took to the stage - one stage-shy man working the electonics and an enigmatic female lead singer form the two-piece, accompanied tonight by a drummer in the background.
With literally not being able to see very much at all from the stage, tonight’s performance was all about the music - and what a noise they make for an act who describe themselves as ˜merely messing about with sounds”. Maybe that’s all it is, but their play has resulted in a set of vivacious and vibrant songs, each commanding an equally energetic dancefloor. The beats are loud and persistant, with the vocals strong, intriquing and very much able to hold their own despite the barrage of electro beats shaking the venue. Probably the biggest and best party of dancing electro youngsters Fibbers have ever been witnessed too, Crystal Castles certainly have a skill in what they do, whether their music be accidental or not. Each song, while short, is perfectly formulated into an electro, bitpop, micromusic masterpiece, enthralling the audience like a moth to a strobe light. Brilliant stuff.

words: r l wade