TIDAL FURY + SIDEWINDER + MEGAWATT WINGED AVENGER - FIBBERS, YORK - 19/01/08

Refreshingly, when I did some digging up on Tidal Fury in prep for this show, I was directed to their own independent website and not another MySpace. These guys looked organised, had an instantly recognisable identity and seemed to know where they were aiming - gigs, girls and RAAAAWK! This show was the next step for them as they launched their EP 'Faith Or Fury'.

All three bands on the bill were from York's FK Management and it was good to see three very different acts. Megawatt Winged Avenger displayed a very hard niche sound; arrestingly riff heavy and laced with beastly vocals. This was a jolting support act which gave us some excellent Big Hair moments. West Yorkshire's Sidewinder also delivered the goods, playing much lighter, high energy original guitar rock, featuring punchy and urgent vocals.

Coming on stage to a full house one could tell that Tidal Fury were geared up to party. And they did. Even though style-wise in comparison to the supports there were fewer surprises here, it still worked. Rather than forging their own break away style, for me TF played and developed their ideas within the parameters of an ever   popular genre - Classic '90's Rock - and strongly reinforced it. Coming over like Guns'n'Roses, relishing the overly large guitar solo and obviously loving being in front of an audience, Tidal Fury were convinving with their original material. Being youthful enough to carry off their image and at the same time deliver a professional live show, I reckon these boys in time will gain a much wider audience.   

words: dean saint john
pic: rob scott

Sultans of Squeeze - Black Swan, York - 17/01/08

When I say that this was, by and large, one for the older audience, it's not a reflection on the constituency for this type of music but, rather, recognition that the old timers have been around long enough to know to turn up early and not be amongst the unprecedented number of disappointed punters who couldn't get in. For those who don't know, when it comes to modern players, John Kirkpatrick is the Boss of the Box, first coming to prominence in the 70s on the seminal Morris On album and with a CV that would take the rest of this magazine to cover. The latest outing for this giant of the folk revival is with fellow virtuoso of all things squeezy, Chris Parkinson - a duo who, fittingly, contribute The Gallant Hussar / Valentine to what it is claimed to be the final instalment of the Morris series, the excellent The Mother of All Morris. Naturally enough, tonight's set has its excursions into English dance traditions, but there is also so much more as a dizzying array of boxes are squeezed into voice. So we get everything from the haunting Under Paris Skies to the hippo-farting bass Anglo on Liberty Bell, not least an appropriately arranged cover of The Who's paean to pneumatic prestidigitation, Squeeze Box. It's all delivered with the sort of good-humoured ease that only comes with years of hard work, and if time hadn't been called it's unlikely that they'd have got away with only one encore. If you didn't make it along this time, don't miss them next time they're in town... but make sure you turn up early.  

words: oz hardwick
pic: phil myers

Alabama 3 + Bosscaine + Sunshine Brothers + Recent Future + 21st Urban Bluesman - BRIXTON JAMM, LONDON

One of York's finest, the much-loved and well-known musical collective that is Bosscaine took a day out in the big city of London, the deep south, also known as Brixton. They were playing at the venue Brixton Jamm, one of the areas newest projects and it was thanks to local boys and girl Alabama 3 who put together a night of acid house, country and western and club fusion.

With five bands on the bill Bosscaine made it to second and ended up playing at the extremely late hour of 12am. This of course gave everyone plenty of time to get steadily drunk before hand and watch some surprisingly good and some not so good emerging talent. Although we missed the first two bands, due to the cheap pub round the corner, we did manage to get ourselves in gear and finally head over to catch the incredibly funky ska/reggae outfit the Sunshine Brothers. They played a hedonistic style of fresh, soulful and feel good dub/reggae with added husky vocals. Although the venue was only about a 3rd full at this stage the whole room took a liking to these guys resulting in every form of head shaking, leg moving ska dancing you could think of.

A few more drinks later and our very own country boys Bosscaine began their half hour set to a fuller, slightly drunken and very talkative crowd, many of which had made the journey from York with them. Giving it there all, they kept the set pretty up beat and for the lively crowd this was probably wise. Their blend of acoustic country bluegrass and thoughtful lyrics definitely won over a few new fans and considering they were playing to a rather large amount of balding south London blokes was quite an achievement.

Main-man Mr Turbo's gruffly laid-back drawl together with their effortless cool really brings out their uniqueness and individuality. Their charisma on stage is impossible to ignore, although due to them playing so late to a pretty half cut crowd a few of the bleak angst ridden slower tracks were lost amid the noisy chatter. This wasn't so much of a bad point however, but more of a disappointment.

Ignoring this though and they still get it right on stage. Perhaps they don't need to try so hard, because when you've got great songs that's half the battle already won. What felt like a short time later the set was over and chants of more circulated the room, Bosscaine really did provide the perfect atmosphere for what came next, the sweet country acid house of Brixton natives Alabama 3. At this point the room had transformed into one big party. The Alabama 3 returned the favour by playing an enticing and quite simply electrifying semi acoustic set. As always these guys have the crowd eating out of their palms. 'You Don't Dance To Techno' provokes a mass sing a long interspersed with Mr Larry Love's unintelligible ramblings. It was quite simply a perfect end to a perfect night.   

words: emma dolby
pic: ryan horsewood

Glasvegas - JUNCTION, York - 02/02/08

How exciting it is to discover that one of the "hot tips" for 2008 are booked in to play a venue two and a half minutes from your front room (it was four minutes but I've found a short cut).   Although it may be convenient for the likes of me, this venue is famous for provoking the slightly distressed excuse, "but it's so out of the way", a persistent myth based entirely on its isolation rather than any actual physical distance. Thankfully this perception hasn't prevented a large crowd tonight, even for first band up, Wakefield's Pavilion. They are chirpy and interesting, with a diverting set of songs that deserve to see them further up the bill in future. They are followed by the Station Club who are competent in a gutsy, Killers type way but their singer either needs to buy some cough medicine or learn to sing. I fear it is the latter, but they are not without charm all the same. But wait - has it got that bit busier and tense in here? There is a real feeling that we are about to see something very special and thankfully we are not wrong. Glasvegas play their massive sounding rock and roll doo wop real-life-Glasgow inspired songs like they have been doing this for years. Their ability to make the much talked about Spector-esque "Wall of Sound" with nothing more than a traditional line up and a sound system is thrilling. James Allan's thick Scottish voice is super strong but desperately yearning and melancholic, and sums up their ability to sound gloriously, blissfully emotionally troubled, especially in recent single "Daddy's Gone". They finish with The Ronettes' "Be My Baby", giving its smitten loveliness a wistful air, an inch perfect cover that this wonderful band entirely deserve to make all their own. Sell your face to see this band - you won't regret it.      

words: martin cordiner

Martin Carthy - The Black Swan, York - 24/01/08

After the show, compere Chris Eusden remarked how fortunate we are to see a performer of Martin Carthy's stature in such intimate surroundings. Absolutely, and that's one of the real pleasures of the folk scene - there's no waiting nearly thirty years for a gig and then going into a raffle for the privilege of paying £125 for a ticket here. No, Mr Carthy can and does headline festivals, but that is clearly not the point. Rather, from the moment he arrives with his guitars slung over his back, it's clear that the point is to sing some songs to people who want to hear them. For, however much of a 'big name' he may be, everything about his warm, open demeanour points to the fact that it is the songs themselves which are the stars. And what a remarkable gathering of songs it is, from the intense Bill Norrie or Famous Flower of Serving Men to brother-in-law Mike (bona fide folk legend turned driver-for-the night and asleep in the car... sort of like Paul McCartney driving Zeppelin's bus for the O2 gig)'s Stitch in Time and a perfectly delivered The Devil and the Feathery Wife. Introductions are light - encouraging the audience to join in the chorus of Rufford Park Poachers: 'don't worry about the time signature, just remember the words' - but peppered with the fruit of decades of immersion in the folk world. I'm sure more than one of the younger audience members will be eagerly seeking out recordings by Jeannie Robertson or Joseph Taylor after the tip-offs. Of course, the exchange of songs is never simply one-way, as illustrated by the inclusion of 'Limbo', learnt from daughter Eliza... who had originally learnt it from dad! So it is that the songs go round, and Martin Carthy has done more than most to keep that happening over the past forty five years or so. His influence is immeasurable but it's plain from the performance that he's just delighted to be playing songs he loves for those fortunate enough to have got in. Oh, and what do you do if demand for tickets far outstrips availability? Simple - book another night. Some rather self-important rock dinosaurs could take a tip there.

words: oz hardwick
pic: phil myers

VICTORIA WRIGHT - STEPHEN JOSEPH THEATRE, SCARBOROUGH - 19/01/08

Granada, I'm falling under your spell," crooned mezzo-soprano Victoria Wright, eyes seductively half-closed. Standing in front of the restaurant windows, with tambourine held high above her head, she looked like an operatic Statue of Liberty, a dramatic sight for passing traffic on rain-swept Northway. The restaurant was absolutely roaring when we arrived - in an atmosphere like that, she couldn't fail. And she didn't. Her voice is incredibly powerful. In her case, voice-training must feel more like lion-taming. David Pearson supplied an intelligent keyboard accompaniment, and musicians Dave Wright, Angus Wright and Matt Simpson aided and abetted her in the best version of Gershwin's 'Summertime' since Itzhak Perlman and Larry Adler performed it on Parkinson, many years ago. The sleazy dialogue between Victoria's voice and the guitars and trombone was almost indecent!

In a well-mixed repertoire, Victoria's vocal range was easily wide enough for 'Maybe This Time', from Cabaret. Her sense of drama relished the pathos of 'With One Look' and 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina'. 'I Feel Pretty' was brazenly flirtatious, the black feather boa writhing like a serpent. But it's opera that really shows her measure, the voice leaping to the challenge. Her Carmen was showy, and stunning. The last note of her closing song 'Time to Say Goodbye' rang round the candle-lit room with penetrating echo, and there was much table-thumping for an encore.   Vicky's next show on May 31 is at Scarborough Library's first-floor concert room. Contact Mojos Music Café on 01723351983. www.myspace.com/victoriawright     

words: jenny drewery/scarborough evening news