After legging-it up the stairs and bursting through the door to catch the end of the first song of the Kids in Cars set, 'Lord of the Land', the first thing that struck me was just how young these guys look. The second thing that struck me was just how warm the Dragon Bar was - after braving the sleet and snow that seems never-ending at the moment I couldn't decide whether I was glad to see the electric bar heater on full-blast at the back of the room or not.

Despite their cherubic appearance, however, Kids in Cars demonstrated calm and subdued confidence opening for the polite, chatty audience, even if the rapport wasn't entirely there. Their set flowed nicely, and was obviously well thought-out. The guitars and bass sounded gorgeous and added to their surprisingly big sound. Someone thought that singer James' vocal had a Morrissey-esque quality and although I wasn't picking up on this myself I did think that his voice could have handled more of the melody. His boyish good looks compensated for his slight shyness and the overall result was a watchable front-man. The stand-out track had to be 'Species of Ape' with some funky drumming during the opening bars, however, ultimately this track ended up at the same tempo as the rest of the set. Finale, 'Pass the Baton' was disappointingly non-descript and although they have a definitive 'sound' and played well, they ran the risk of becoming monotonous at times.

Manchester's The Answering Machine initially struck me as a made-over, ego-boosted version of Kids in Cars and I think this comparison stands. The first few notes of their opener, 'Rose' set the agenda and throughout the set they demonstrated an unfailing energy and spirit. I was really looking forward to hearing 'Oh Christina' live, unfortunately it didn't quite have the punch that I was expecting, however the small blip was remedied and the cool 80s feel of 'Obviously Cold' got me back on track. Their parting song was the amazing 'Cliffer', the band's natural first single which is released in March on Heist or Hit. By public vote, Steve Lamacq will be championing 'Cliffer' on next week's BBC 6 Music Rebel Playlist and I can't wait to hear it - or the forthcoming debut album which I hope will be just as promising and punchy.

Upstate-New York troupe Ra Ra Riot are touring the UK as headliners after a successful run supporting Editors on their last UK tour, and to promote 2008 debut LP 'The Rhumb Line'. The cello and violin are integral to Ra Ra Riot's sound, and it's easy to see why - they sounded beautiful even when they were re-tuning between songs. There may be a current trend for classical instruments in indie bands and even though Ra Ra Riot don't really offer anything completely unique they certainly do what the do very well. 'Oh, La' was a great track to hear live, and great to watch, as the band members huddled together on a very small stage, but still managed to jump, sway and swagger. With vocalist Wes Miles also effortlessly weaving between the mic centre-stage and a keyboard off the right. The band also looks really, really cool. The girls had an obvious sex-appeal and the guys had fashionable-NY-geekiness down to an art. The crowd, still polite, were asked to move forward and as soon as this happened the atmosphere picked up considerably and later things really took off with the bombastic timpani-beater drum sounds of latest single 'Can You Tell'. Frustratingly, there seemed to be problems with the sound; I couldn't hear cellist Alexandra's backing vocals at all, and sometimes Wes' voice became muffled and lost amidst the wall of drums and strings.

This was especially noticeable on my personal favourite, 'Ghosts under Rocks'. The chorus has a haunting and subtle melody that I struggled hard to pick out without success and the track felt claustrophobic and restrained. Once again, I was appeased with the awesome retro synth sounds on 'Too Too Fast' which were thankfully not lost. Ra Ra Riot closed with 'Dying is Fine', again one of my favourites which suffered the same fate as other tracks the band have performed. I was really chuffed to have been able to catch this band headlining for the first time in Birmingham and I hope to see them again in a venue which is big enough to let them breathe.

SETLISTS

RA RA RIOT
Each Year
A Manner to Act
St Peter's Day Festival
Oh, La
Winter '03
Gaffa
*new song*
Can You Tell
Run my Mouth
Ghosts under Rocks
Too Too Fast
Dying is Fine

ANSWERING MACHINE
Rose
Lightbulbs
Time
Oh Christina
Obviously Cold
Emergency
Another City
Oklahoma
Cliffer

KIDS IN CARS
Lord of the Land
From Pyongyang With Love
Everything
Props
Species of Ape
So It Goes
Pass the Baton

]]> Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:34:23 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1086082 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1084883

I arrive at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall at around 7.15pm, with just enough time to grab a typically over-priced beer and soak up the atmosphere - it's one of intense anticipation from the crowd, which is quickly filling to its capacity of just over 3000 people.

The lights go down and the first support act, Will & The People, take to the stage. The hoards of young girls scream, thinking that it's the Script, and are slightly disappointed when they see the truth - a five-piece band who describe themselves as 'melodramatic pop', although there are more than just a few hints of ska in their songs. WATP certainly have enough about them to get the crowd bouncing, although things don't quite turn out that way. There's a definite sense that the sell-out audience is saving themselves for the headliners, despite the tartan-clad front-man's claims that this is "the best audience we've ever had". They play a great set and the applause when they finish shows that they probably deserved a bit more dancing than they were given.

Song to hear: Salamander.

The lights are killed again and the crowd goes wild but, alas, another false dawn. Gary Go walks onto the stage, video camera in hand. As if in hope of appearing in a music video or DVD extra, the throng at the front of the stage screams and waves - only adding to Gary's already huge ego. Although first appearing as a 4-piece 'band', this is very much Gary Go and his backing band. His first words "I am Gary Go" ensure nobody sees things any differently. The spotlight is on the lead singer, with the rest of the band shrouded in smoke for much of the gig. Arrogance aside, Gary Go is a very tight, accomplished act. He has a brilliant voice and the perfect harmonies provided by his backing only emphasise this. There seems to be a general admiration from the crowd, who sway in time to a group who sound remarkably like the Fray.

Song to hear: Wonderful.

After a short break the room goes dark and the audience know that the headline act is finally here. As The Script takes centre stage the room erupts with screams from a crowd which seems to be 90 per cent female. First out is drummer Glen Power, who shows he has talent beyond a pop band with a short but brilliant drum solo. The feeling of euphoria is only heightened when guitarist Mark Sheehan and handsome vocalist and keyboard player Danny O'Donoghue appear, with the latter clearly a favourite with the girls in the audience tonight.

The drum solo smoothly leads into the Script's first song of the night, 'Before The Worst'. O'Donoghue's instantly recognisable keys are greeted with another roar from the audience as the crowd seem to finally be giving this gig their all.

The first thing you notice about the band is the way they line up on stage - an unorthodox arrangement which sees the drummer on the right hand side, in line with guitarist and singer, and the bassist pushed to the back and out of sight. With drummer Power being involved with much of the vocals as well as providing some very astute percussion, it is clear that he is a massively integral part of this band.

The other thing that is evident straight away is how tight the band are as a unit and it appears Power is the one keeping them this way. He plays flawlessly and is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished drummers I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. He doesn't overdo it but every fill and every beat is perfect. The only downside to this is that sometimes the drums are a little over-powering, with the crowd struggling to hear the keys and guitar at times. Regardless, the Script is on form tonight - the threesome of Sheehan, Power and O'Donoghue work perfectly together, both vocally and instrumentally. They play with an honesty and passion which cannot be ignored, whilst all the time keeping things simple and just doing what the crowd adore them for.

As they move through the tracks on their impressive debut self-titled release, crowd favourites 'Breakeven' and 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved' bring the best out of what had been a timid audience. By this time most of the sell-out crowd are singing along with every word.

The Script is a primarily pop band, although they certainly like to add a sense of hip-hop to their songs. This is no more apparent than in 'We Cry', the song which the band cites as the one which made them famous. They leave the stage after a party atmosphere for 'Rusty Halo' but the crowd know an encore is inevitable.

O'Donoghue and Power return first and play a gorgeous rendition of ballad 'I'm Yours'. Power is now on guitar, but somehow still manages to play the hi-hat and bass drum on his kit at the same time. Sheehan and the unnamed (and seemingly unimportant) bassist are back for the band's finale - a cover of David Bowie's 'Heroes', and it seems that for the huge audience packed into the Civic Hall tonight, that's exactly what the Script are.

Set list

Before The Worst
Talk You Down
Breakeven
The End Where I Begin
We Cry
If You See Kay
Fall For Anything
The Man Who Can't Be Moved
Rusty Halo

Encore
I'm Yours
Heroes (David Bowie Cover)

Review - Jack McCormick
Photos - Chris Barber

Doors were delayed an hour, so the place next door opened its doors to the freezing crowd, only to have them leaving shortly after, running from the horrendous indie mix blasting out louder than any of the bands.

So the cold was braved and we were treated with Sonny Moore starting his DJ minutes after the doors opened. Instead of his rather unusual solo stuff, the man decided that today he would be a DJ. An impressive set of songs mixed in with heavy dance beats and techno failed to excite the audience. This is not the first time a DJ has died because they are in support of a band rather than the other way around.

Random Conflict are up next, and being local boys have brought down about 5 people. It's strange that a band that are supposed to be big in the birmingham scene are completely unknown to this audience. They kick things off with brutal metalcore, with impressive energy (and mullets) on stage. However, when you start things brutal, and stay brutal throughout, things get old pretty quick. This band really suffer from a lack of diversity, so the songs mush together and the set starts to drag. With a bit more inventiveness these guys would be really good.

The sound of Exit 10 is something that has been heard before, but they do a good job of chucking in some great riffs, the songs are diverse and intricate while still retaining a catchiness that is often lost. One thing confuses me though, a band that plays a style like this (hardcore/metal/rock I'm not really sure) have a singer that sounds completely out of place - yet it works. As the band started I expected one of two things from the vocals, screaming or high pitched vox along the vein of Kids in Glass Houses or Circa Survive. But instead it's real rock, lower pitched and aggressive without being growly. It put me off to start with, but while I definitely preferred the vocals when the went to the higher ranges, the voice did grow on me. This band are impressive live and definitely worth checking out at some point.

Finally Chiodos appear to impressive screaming from the female members of the crowd. Clearly the lead vocalist is something of a looker, and as the set pans out, one hell of a showman. The band are pretty technical, and perform well on stage, the PA was incredible, which makes a very nice change, meaning that all the instruments could be heard well. The band tear through a cut-down set with screams of 'take it off' and 'I want your babies' between each song. They truely put on an impressive show, with the instrumentalists taking a back seat in the exhibitionism to ensure incredibly high musicianship while the frontman does a simply excellent job of providing the visual entertainment. At one point the guy was sat on the hands of the audience, suspended by the fans that clearly love him crooning his lyrics as they sang with him. High quality stuff all the way through, definately a band not to be missed next time they're in town.

A "well done" is also deserved for the PA guy, who managed to an incredible job of balancing the acts. Every band was clear, and it really improved the overall quality. Very nice to have a good mix, and the first time in a long time that it's been heard.

Review - Terra Duff
Photos - Adam Spall

Whilst the long queue waits outside in the freezing cold air, inside the 02 Academy the first of tonight's 4 bands takes to the stage - Florence & The Machine . Spirited singer song-writer Florence Welch cuts quite a figure. She is a Titian haired beauty who immediately grabs your attention the moment she appears on the stage. They open with Between Two Lungs then My Boy Builds Coffins and the first things that strikes you is how powerful her voice is, at one point it soars above the band's instruments. The crowd seem to know most of the set and respond accordingly as Florence jumps around the stage, her red locks glowing like firelight under the stage lighting. Cosmic Love and Girl With One Eye show off Florence's vocal range perfectly. The highlight of the set comes when they play the raucous single Kiss With A Fist and then Dog Days are Gone. Having come third in the BBC's Sound Of 2009 new music list, rumour has it that she'll pick up an award at this years Brits for Critic's Choice Award. So 2009 will be a busy year for F.A.T.M.

Next onstage are album chart toppers White Lies, the band a lot of people including myself have come to see. They launch straight into Unfinished Business, a murder ballad [written by bassist Charles Cave] and, after a few bars, the crowd goes wild when lead singer Harry McVeigh is joined on stage by Florence Welch who sings the remainder of the song with him. The title track from the album To Lose My Life and Farewell To The Fairground both sound very clear and polished; almost effortless. A Place To Hide [for me the outstanding track on the album] is delivered with the confidence of band that have been doing it for years. Death, the opening track from the album, closes the set - a track that sounds like Furniture from the mid 80's but with dark undertones, and, as with quite a few White Lies songs, this has a bleak subject matter. Love, loss and murder are mentioned. But don't let that deter you from seeing these guys play their dark synth pop. White Lies delivered a powerful, flawless performance.

Friendly Fires arrive on the stage and Lovesick is greeted with applause. It seems that different sections of the crowd have their favourite bands on the bill tonight. When lead singer Ed Macfarlane hasn't got his face pressed in to his keyboard, he is dancing manically to On Board or Skelton Boy, his slight frame twisting and contorting to the funky rhythms. In The Hospital, White Diamond and Strobe are all well received, mainly by the female fans at the front screaming Ed's name! At this point he decides to go into the frenzy, then reappears minutes later saying "I think I've slightly broken my toe" - that's dedication to the cause. Photo Booth, Ex-lover, Paris and finally Jump In The Pool bring this high energy set to a close.

Glasvegas arrive on stage to the loudest cheers of the evening. Under a wash of blue light lead singer James Allan gives a rye smile and, as the band launch into Geraldine, wearing a striped jacket and John Lennon t-shirt he looks like a younger version Joe Strummer from The Clash. Lonesome Swan, Its My Own Cheating Heart then Fuck You It's Over and Polmont On My Mind are all delivered to the adoring crowd with a powerful torrent of guitars and soaring vocals. Half way through the set a lot of the younger members of the audience head toward the exits to catch buses or lifts due to the late start. Glasvegas have refined there sound to stadium-style power. Go Square Go becomes a mass sing along and Daddy's Gone closes the set to football terrace like chanting. James Allan and the band were note-perfect all night and gave a truly awe inspiring performance.

Set List:

Geraldine
Lonesome Swan
Its My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me cry
Fuck You It's Over
Polmont On My Mind
Flowers And Football Tops
Ice Cream Van
Go Square Go
Daddy's Gone

Review And Photos - Ian Dunn

Polar Bear Club are on first, a fun hardcore-ish band in the 90's sense of the word whose songs largely run into one another. In defence, it's terribly early: 7pm starts are no one's friend. There is some weakness in the vocals but the guitars are strong and clever and there's a lot of energy thrown about on what is an otherwise spectacularly crappy day in the Midlands. They play a new track, Take Me To The Town, which intros like an eighties musical montage colliding with 90s rock. In the good way.

Next up, Frank Turner is greeted warmly; it seems a large part of tonight's crowd is here for him. He brings the noise levels down with some folk-rock and vehement but not embarrassing sincerity in the lyrics. Tracks like Love, Ire & Song and Worse Things Happen At Sea are received enthusiastically by the crowd. Long Live The Queen is one of the faster in tonight's set, with somewhat raw vocals on the higher notes but it works as Frank Turner has a sound that is Americana at the edges but seemingly not an imitation, more an accident of genre, although the lyrics can be hit or miss.

He ends with Ballad of Me and My Friends, with much shouting along. On the way out of the venue someone will ask his friend "Why haven't I heard of Frank Turner? Everyone else has!" with a wide, sweeping gesture. Don't be that man. Listen harder.

Gaslight Anthem enter the stage to the flash of the presspit and launch into Great Expectations, crashing into The Patient Ferris Wheel without a beat. The've been touring The '59 Sound for a while now but the songs aren't called in as they go into the next three tracks without pause, only beginning to tumble at the edges on Film Noir, which has an intro I love. Here they pause for breath and we find out they've been sat on a plane for eight hours today in Glasgow.

Title track, The '59 Sound, is anthemic and polished but still makes me think of smoky clubs and listening to bands you knew when you were 17 and would live forever. The whole album has this strange combination of timelessness and immediacy that led Kerrang! To declare Gaslight Anthem as 'the best new band you'll hear in 20082 back in August: we're catching on. The few tracks they play from earlier album Sink or Swim seem to be a foreign language to some of tonight's crowd, but at Miles Davis & The Cool I'm told by fa fan "they'll be playing downstairs next time".

Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts impacts with the dynamic of guitars, even in the Academy with their oftentimes dubious PA, and there are crowdsurfers for High Lonesome and The Navesink Banks. Wrapping up with an awesome display of vocals on Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, and closing the set on The Backseat. There's a lot of blinking and breath-catching by the crowd as the band exit the stage.

And return for an encore, in which they cover Pearl Jam's State of Love and Trust and it is magnificent and I would never be forgiven for not mentioning this. By the time Say I Won't (Recognize), there is no one left ambivalent about the Gaslight Anthem. So I'll be seeing you downstairs next time, yeah?

SETLIST

Great Expectations
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Wooderson
We Came To Dance
Film Noir

The '59 Sound
Miles Davis & The Cool
I'da Called You Woody, Joe
Old White Lincoln
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts

High Lonesome
The Navesink Banks
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues
The Backseat

ENCORE
Boomboxes and Dictionaries
State of Love and Trust [Pearl Jam cover]
Say I Won't (Recognize)

Review - Jack Briggs
Photos - Steve Gerrard

In Case Of Fire played a short but sweet set, kick starting the night with their heavy rock. While they were a little lacking in energy, the power of the three-piece really shone through, the single guitar cutting through the mix in a way that the later bands really needed. While the songs are little formulaic the short set meant that there was nothing that could really displease. I get the feeling that next time they play in Birmingham a lot more people will know the words. Perhaps in a year or so these guys will be huge, but for now you can tell their a new band.

Black Tide kicked things off with some impressive hair metal style hardcore. Reminding me a lot of Blessed By A Broken Heart with their constant shredding and impressive double kick pedal rhythms, but these guys don't seem to be playing the gimmick. Instead the growled vocals all suck a little of wanting to be serious, even if most of their songs seemed to be about Dungeons & Dragons. The put on a good show and played some good quality stuff, while they weren't perfect I'd go and see them again.

Dir En Grey is a band I've known for about 14 hours (at time of writing) but apparently the younger part of Birmingham's alternative crowd knows all about them. I expect they've had a fair bit of Kerrang exposure, what with this being a Kerrang tour. Perhaps I will have to keep a little more up to date. However, with no preconceptions the band quickly made an impression. Over dramatic vocals so drenched in delay and reverb to make them almost pointless sung over a metalcore backing, but this band are seriously lacking. The instrumentation was just too boring for such elaborate vocals. Poor vocals can be compensated by good riffs, and vice versa, but this band had neither. The fact they kept on playing, what sounded like the same song for a good 20 minutes longer than any would have wanted really didn't help

Bring Me The Horizon were on next, and were my favourites of the night, playing through their metalcore set in their usual enthusiastic manner. Unfortunately the Academy still doesn't seem to have got the hand of setting up a PA right (which may have caused Dir En Grey to have suffered as well) so most of the intricate guitar melodies were lost into the front three rows. The band played well though, with front man Oli Sykes doing a good job of inciting the young audience to move. I've seen them play better shows; the new album has softened the band, and the line-up tonight means most of the old album is left out to make time for the other bands. However, classics like 'Pray For Plagues' still grace the set. New Album favourites include the crowd friendly chant of 'Diamonds Aren't Forever' and lead single 'Chelsea Smile' which gets the audience plenty excited for the head-liners.

Mindless Self Indulgence used to be a great little secret of the geekier alternative scene, but with a sound that is so gimmicky most have got bored of the rather repetitive processed beats and awkward vocals. However the new album seems to have struck a chord with a younger audience. Picking up on the new album 'if' with help from mass coverage from Kerrang, the kids seem to relate to the over-the-top attitude of front man Jimmy Urine and the sense of undirected rebellion that spins from the band. This band are a band that divides opinion, Jimmy's between song speeches suck of over rehearsal, and of simply trying too hard to be annoying, but he still manages to get a smile out of even the bar staff, it's infuriating and would simply not be tolerated by an older audience. The way the band still claim to be playing 'live' is a joke. With obviously electronic drums and huge amounts of synth and samples being pumped through the PA it is not hard for the band to sound as good live as on CD. It sounds as though Jimmy's vocals are being auto-tuned live as well, so the alternative dance beats really are CD quality. Despite my personal objections the enthusiastic live show and constant high energy levels really get the crowd into it, so if you can look past all the silly cloths and awful hair, even past the childish lyrics and repetitive songs this band you can really enjoy this band.

Review - Terra Duff
Photos - Adam Spall

The great thing about an Emma Scott presents gig is that your more than likely to have a good night's entertainment. This was certainly the case as I attended the Academy 2 to see Innerpartysystem. Unfortunately I arrived slightly late so I missed the first few songs of opening band My Passion. But what I did see was Day of The Bees - by this time the following fans were moshing at the front frantically as singer Laurence Rene stalked his was way across the stage with his post new romantic look. Next song Hot In The Dolls House, followed by Thanks For Nothing. The music is full of energy and gets the feet moving and the adrenaline running nearly as fast as the eyeliner, as the band close with Never Everland. My only regret about My Passion is that I missed the first 3 songs because I'm pretty sure they will be someone else's passion as well.

Next band Middle Class Rut arrive like a tornado tearing though a small Pennsylvanian town destroying everything in its path. As the decibel count goes up to maximum as lead singer and guitarist Zak Lopez tears at his guitar, you could almost see the ear drums pop as the blood tries to escape and find sanctuary at the back of the room. But for all here tonight there is no escaping the onslaught of power and mayhem of Zak's angst-stricken vocals. As drummer and backing vocalist Shaun Stockham attacks the drums as he delivers the pulse to fuel songs like New Low, Oh Well, Busy Bein' Born, Tied Up ]]> Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:06:11 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1073734 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1065096
"I started out with nothing and I still got most of it left" is the self proclamation which has become Seasick Steve's catch phrase.

It pretty much sums up everything about the bearded musical 'hobo'. What the man can do with a cardboard box guitar (the Diddly Bo) and a tin box drum simulator that he stamps on repeatedly]]> Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:54:47 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1065096 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1050061

I have limited knowledge about Grace Jones; it is restricted to two tracks from the '80's, A View to a Kill and the infamous Russell Harty incident.]]> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:37:47 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1050061 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1043976

Apologies - I turned up late and happened to miss the start of The Haunted's co-headlining set tonight, so I'll start about 10 minutes in!

Although there were tickets still available on the door, the venue seems pretty packed. The Academy 2 is in it's larger configuration, with the side wall open, allowing punters to spill out on to the balcony of the main venue and peruse the merch stall in comfort.

The reason the venue seems pretty packed is due to the obligatory metal staple - the circle pit. Yet another show that I'm reviewing where there are a large selection of the younger members of the crowd getting over the stress of their homework by running around in circles and shoving friends and foes alike.

Sweden's The Haunted are here tonight in support of their latest album "Versus", and they sound pretty good. The vocals are a bit quiet, but I've heard non-headlining bands sound a lot worse in this venue. I'm not sure why, but I expected the crowd to be more "up for it", especially seeing that The Haunted have been together for over 12 years now. There seems to be the usual hardcore of fans down the front, and a few dotted around the rest of the venue, but they don't seem to have a whole lot of support, at least when I walk in.

The Haunted's brand of metal, with its thrash, groove and melodic death metal influences seem to be winning the crowd over, and the applause seems to grow as the show goes on. When their hour is up, the whole crowd seem to be converted, and are all chanting their name as they leave the stage.

After a quick turnover, it's time for Massachusetts' All That Remains to hit the stage, and they hit the stage running. As opening track "The Air That I Breathe" starts, the crowd, who are clearly here to see this band, go mental and the biggest pit of the night opens up in the middle of the crowd, engulfing a large percentage of them, and pushing the remaining punters towards the walls of the venue. The first thing that strikes me is that this band is awesome. Their style of metal is quite melodic, with traditional dualing guitars, and an amazingly quick yet tight drummer in Shannon Lucas. Somewhat unusual (but in no way wrong) is petite female bass player Jeanne Sagan, especially when you hear her "death metal growl" backing vocals.

The sound, as with The Haunted's set, is good Academy 2 sound, although the vocals still seemed a little quiet, but the crowd more than made up for that, as they appeared to chant every single word of every single song back at the band. So much so, that vocalist Philip Labonte proclaims that "You guys have just made my fucking night".

The thing that I really like about ATR is just how accessible their brand of metal is. Whereas bands at the moment seem to be getting more and more technical, ATR seem to be concentrating on writing solid riffs, and making tunes that you can bang your head to, as opposed to confusing the crowd with random time signatures and syncopated beats.

The band finish their main set with their two main crowd pleasers - "Two Weeks" from 2008's "Overcome" and "This Calling" from 2006's "The Fall Of Ideals", and the crowd go even more mental than ever. The crowd start to leave, happy and smiling, when ATR hit the stage again for their encore, 2004's "This Darkened Heart".

It's been a while since I've seen a band that has made such a positive impact on me so quickly. Go out and buy their albums now!

All That Remains setlist:
The Air That I Breathe*
Undone^
Become The Catalyst*
Not Alone*
The Weak Willed*
Chiron^
It Dwells In Me*
Before The Damned^
Indictment*
Six*
For Salvation~
We Stand*
Two Weeks^
This Calling*
This Darkened Heart~

~ from 2004's This Darkened Heart
* from 2006's The Fall Of Ideals
^ from 2008's Overcome

Review - Tony Hackett
Photos - Steve Gerrard

The Academy may have been rebranded from Carling to O2 but fear not, as they haven't changed the carpets. Or any of the signs. The crowd sticking to the carpets tonightare largely bedecked in check shirts and hair products, and the room is packed by the end of the first set. My Emergency get the room moving with their energetic pop-punk and exit the stage on a strong note and shoutalong.
Next up, Young Guns open strong and continue that way, mixing new tracks with crowd favourites.]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:29:32 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1042433 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/1037654

Tonight is the first time I've visited the Academy 2 since it's re-branding, courtesy of mobile telecoms company O2, and... oh. They haven't changed any of the livery. It's still the Carling Academy 2 by looks, and they still sell Carling behind the bar. Nevermind...

There's a weird feeling as I enter the venue tonight - the crowd is young. "School age" young. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that kids would be hanging around outside toilets instead of grabbing a beer at the bar. Let's see how the night progresses.

First up for me tonight is Wisconsin's Misery Signals, who have come all the way to Blighty to play a 30 minute support slot on this tour, and they're going to make every second count. Starting off as they mean to go on, with searing riffs and manic double bass drum drumming, they manage to get about half of the (not capacity) crowd going. There appears to be a hardcore of fans up against the barriers, but not much else. In fact, the conversations around me carry on, albeit louder. Much louder. This is mainly due to "the curse of the support act": poor sound. It's really hard to get into a band you've never heard before when the drums and bass are WAY too loud in the mix, smothering the guitar and vocals. As for "make every second count", this quickly ends when midway through their set one of the guitarists seems to storm off the stage, leaving the rest of the band to continue without him. There was obviously a problem with his rig, which leaves the crowd wandering round the venue for about five miutes while they try and fix the problem.

Problem fixed, but unfortunately they need to do all the hard work again to get the crowd back on their side, and then their set ends. Sorry guys - better luck next time.

Headlining tonight are Brighton's Architects, bringing their intense brand of metalcore to the small venue. You know that they're the headliners, as they're allowed to have intro music - woo! This signals all the punters who having been hanging around the bogs all evening to come and see the band they paid for. I hope they enjoyed it.

Immediately, you can also tell they they're headliners as the sound is so much better - more in line with the usual Academy 2 sound, and that they mean business. Within a minute of the first song starting, vocalist Sam Carter is on the barriers at the front, trying to scramble his way over every person there. Unfortunately, security is there to "look after him" and stops him from surfing away too far. Carter doesn't seem best pleased with this situation, and seems to be trying to kick him in the head, but I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding...

As the circle pit starts to grow in size, you can see all the pent up teenage angst coming out, and as a fist flies between tracks, Carter doesn't help by proclaiming "Punch your best mate in the face right fucking NOW!"

While the set continues, one thing that is clear about the band is how tight a unit they are. No matter how technical the song gets, or how many time signatures there are, the band are perfectly in time with each other. Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of the crowd would rather watch the goings on in the circle pit than watch the band on stage.

The "real" fans that are there are lapping up their set, which features songs from all their long players such as "To The Death" from their 2006 debut "Nightmares", "Early Grave" and "Numbers Count For Nothing" from their forthcoming album "Hollow Crown", and set closer "Buried At Sea" from 2007's Ruin.

And as soon as "Buried At Sea" is finished, so is the show. No encore, and it appears that the crowd know this, as they're leaving the venue while the guitars are still ringing. What I don't understand is why no-one seems to be complaining at the shortness of the set. We work out that they were on stage for about 40 minutes - in my opinion a poor show from a band that have three full length albums of material.

I enjoyed their set, but thought that at points, they may have been too technical - sometime a strong solid riff is better than a mish-mash of time signatures.

Review - Tony Hackett
Photos - Steve Gerrard

A bunch of forty-somethings, a couple of kids and at least one passable Vyvyan Bastard look-a-like made Cox's Yard a sell out for this, the last leg of The Bad Shepherds' resurrected mini tour.

There could have been a danger that Adrian Edmondson's thrash mandolin versions of punk and new wave standards could be as smelly as Neil Pye's lentil stew except for three things: the audience loves the songs, he really loves the songs, and he also has the good sense to surround himself with some of the best folk musicians around; not that Mr Edmondson is any slouch on the mandolin himself in spite of what he might say.

Ella Edmondson and her band , fresh from supporting Jools Holland on some of his tour dates, formed the support, arriving out of breath from across the road and seemingly disconcerted by the amount of grey hair in evidence. After a chaotic start the she quickly moved into gear with Breathe, Sing for You, Capable and Hold Your Horses, being the highlights of a short set featuring songs from her forthcoming album Hold On To your Horses.

The Bad Shepherds took to the stage in darkness to to enthusiastic applause - "but you cant see us yet" - and when the lights came up there was that bloke from Casualty looking a bit wild-eyed, a bit rougher around the edges and ready to get stuck into I Fought The Law, Teenage Kicks, and Down In The Tube Station At Midnight. The songs lost nothing because of the intensity of the playing and the obvious enjoyment of the men on stage. Broken strings and tuning were masked by tales of "Ovarian Pipes" and bad nights out in Banbury

It's a weird kind of nostalgia when the songs are so familiar but at the same time so different, and the audience found it hard to recognise the songs from the opening bars and then cheered and laughed loudly when the penny finally dropped. Amongst these, TRB's Up Against The Wall, PIL's Rise and The Stranglers' No More Heroes vied for attention with various biblical parables and at least one psalm; all with a distinctly sheepy theme.

Anyone portly and called Bob had the misfortune to be in the firing line of a the vitriolic acapella The Bob Son - not connected in any way with another Bob "of this parish" who may have had something to do with the demise of the original tour, and the band then turned the tables with a punk version of All Around My Hat - "it's none of your f***in' business, and its my f***in' hat!"

With the likes of Maartin Allcock, Mark Woolley, Andy Dinan and Troy Donockley gracing the stage, there was a fair bit of musicianship on show particularly during Kraftwerk's The Model and Talking Heads' Once in a Lifetime. Maybe ironically the highlight was the simplest of songs, Wreckless Eric's Whole Wide World - two chords of flawed genius in the original transformed into a folky classic on the mandolin with those same two chords. Squeeze's Up The Junction was followed by a blistering God Save The Queen and then they were off.

If there was to be a downside it was that the crowd were up for toe-tapping rather than leaping about when the songs deserved a more energetic approach. Perhaps it's not the done thing in Stratford.

The encore saw the return of the virtuosi with a medley of folk tunes with Dinan's violin and Donockley's Uillean pipes taking centre stage before the whole thing descended into comedy and Hurry up Harry, complete with false endings and the rolling eyed "we're going down the pub - I hope"

Here's hoping that Fat Bob wasn't in the room.

Set list:

I Fought The Law

Up Against The Wall

Rise

Down in The Tube Station At Midnight

Whole Wide World

The Model

All Around My Hat

Teenage Kicks

No More heroes

London Calling

Once In A lifetime

Up The Junction

God Save The Queen

Medley Reel

Hurry Up Harry

Review - Ian Gelling

Photos - Steph Colledge

When bands have been around as long as Status Quo have, they can become an easy target for mockery - they only play three chords for God's sake! - but the fact that they have been playing for as long as they have should also command respect. 10 years together would be impressive, but a tour to celebrate your 40th anniversary is one hell of an achievement.

Taking the stage with little fuss and a very simple set-up of Marshalls and some video screens, there was never any doubt that everyone in the LG Arena was in for a good time, because if the Quo have learned anything in the last 40 years it is how to put on a great show. Most of the crowd will have seen them before, but that still didn't prevent a huge cheer as the band launched into opener "Caroline", and that set the tone for the evening; one of pure musical enjoyment for band and crowd alike.

Tonight's set list was nigh-on perfect for hardcore fans and Quo virgins like myself alike - recognisable songs like "The Wanderer" and "Pictures of Matchstick Men" mixed with cuts like "Mean Girl", "Softer Ride" and the more progressively tinged "Beginning of the End" all sounded brilliant, and showcased just why Status Quo are one of Britain's greatest rock bands. Unsurprisingly, Quo's rhythm section is tighter than a Scottish duck's arse, but there are many other facets of a Quo performance that rarely get highlighted; both Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt have superb live voices and are gifted guitar players, their interaction with each other and the crowd is perfectly natural, and (laugh though you may) their selection of songs is incredibly varied. Each song has its own character, and their set turns into a rock and roll master class.

The songs kept coming thick and fast with hardly any time to catch your breathe between them, or indeed with hardly any time for some crowd interaction - probably the only negative point of the whole show because when Rossi did chat and introduce a number, he was witty, light hearted and very interesting. But then again, if he'd been allowed to talk before every song he'd probably still be on stage now. Anyway, the gig rolled on, building to a fantastic climax of "Down Down", "Whatever You Want" and "Rockin' All Over the World" - the kind of three-song ending that any rock fan in the world would at least tap their feet to.

The band did return for an encore of "Burning Bridges", which had the whole room pogo-ing and "Bye Bye Johnny", which had the whole room waving the band goodnight. It was a fantastic end to a brilliant gig. Yes, they only have three chords, but can any other British band make the twelve bar blues sound this rocking? I think not. Happy 40th Quo, long may you continue.

Review & Photos - Dave Musson

Tonight's line-up could quite easily be renamed the "Scotsfest" tour, what with the headliners and both support acts coming from north of the border for a winter jaunt around the UK. 2008 has been quite a year for the headliners, partly because their most recent album - the excellent 'Puzzle' - has had time to properly sink in and make an impact, but also a lot of their success is down to their massive single "Mountains". Anyway, the result is a sold-out Academy just before Christmas and what should be a great show.

While I only managed to catch the last couple of numbers from openers People in Planes, there was more than enough on display to highlight what a special act they may well develop into. Their music had a brooding, atmospheric air to it that rumbled around the room sounding in parts like Khoma and elsewhere like when Nirvana had their dark, slower moments. Add onto that a very good singer and you're left with a band sitting on something very special. Going by the great response from the already huge crowd, this is a band to watch out for.

Next up, Frightened Rabbit, who were wholly disappointing after tonight's positive start. This is what happens when a headliner is loved equally by two different magazines like Kerrang and NME - as is the case with Biffy Clyro - the support acts won't please everyone. Frightened Rabbit are far more indie/folk orientated, very much an acquired taste and one that I'm not fond of. Their music didn't have the capability to make your hair stand on end like People in Planes' did, but they did have a strong stage presence and another talented frontman who certainly gave his performance all he could muster. Ask a reviewer who likes indie and I'm sure they would have heaped much more praise on Frightened Rabbit, but for me they really didn't cut it.

And so onto the headliners, who took the stage joined by a string quartet and a monumental cheer before jumping into the stuttered intro to "Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies", an intro that, armed with the extra power of the strings, punched you square in the face. With barely enough of a break to breathe between numbers, songs were fired out at an impressive rate, with "Saturday Superhouse", "A Whole Child Ago" and "Get Fucked Stud" coming and going in a flash a power of melody. What was both refreshing and impressive was the crowd response to the songs, and the sheer passion for Biffy's music - singing along to every word of the hits from 'Puzzle' was not a surprise, but songs from their debut record like "Joy.Discovery.Invention", "27", "Convex, Concave" and "Justboy" certainly was. It would have been easy for the band to just play new material, but with three other fantastic albums behind them who would begrudge them the chance to demonstrate their full repertoire.

The only real break came when singer/guitarist Simon Neil performed acoustic versions of "Folding Stars" and "Machines" aided only by a cello - two numbers that highlighted not only the band's softer side but also Neil's tremendous live voice. The volume was turned back up to full with the dance-inspired "Glitter and Trauma", while the upbeat bounce of "Who's Got a Match?" was a personal highlight. The main set was, inevitably, brought to a close with the aforementioned "Mountains", which got the wildest response but did sound somewhat flat compared to the rest of the set. However, the final few numbers were played with appropriate gusto and power, before the wonderful finale of "Now Action is On Fire!", a song that built up gently but deliciously, before launching into a stupendously heavy ending of pounding drums, choppy strings, and Neil leaving the stage by mounting the PA and into the balcony. Yes they could have had more interaction with the crowd, but that was only a minor whinge from an absolutely exhilarating live experience.

Biffy Clyro have found out how to blend prog, indie and sheer rock power into something wonderfully digestible and enjoyable, and they could soon be the biggest and best power trio to break through in this country since Muse. If the next tour is still in venues this size I will be very surprised.

Setlist:

Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies
Saturday Superhouse
A Whole Child Ago
Get Fucked Stud
Joy.Discovery.Invention
The Ideal Height
9/15ths
27
Semi-Mental
Convex, Concave
Folding Stars
Machines
Glitter and Trauma
Justboy
Love Has a Diameter
Who's Got a Match?
Only One Word Comes to Mind
Mountains
---------
Now I'm Everyone
As Dust Dances
57
Now the Action is on Fire!

Review - Dave Musson
Photography - Steve Gerrard (Biffy Clyro) + Dave Musson (Frightened Rabbit)

I arrived very early at the Wulfrun Hall so it was a nice surprise to find there was an extra support band playing - local band Mr Bones and the Dreamers. I hadn't encountered them before but certainly plan to again. Despite being a young, and relatively new band, they played an impressively tight set - and with seven band members that's no mean feat. The stand-out song of the evening, 'Lend Me A Looking Glass', will be featured on their new EP, planned for early next year. Keeping an eye open for them is highly recommended.

The billed support band, Canada's The Mark Inside, played another razor-sharp set - although it felt like they took a couple of songs to warm up and start enjoying things. Once they'd got started, though, there was some serious noise coming the crowd's way, with frontman Chris LeVoir's voice going from powerful to damn near knock-you-down rawness. I have to admit that at the start of their set I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it as much as I did; the relative quietness of the crowd to begin with would have surely put off a lesser band, but The Mark Inside drove out any doubts with a strong, sure sound. For me the highlight of the set was 'Shots From A Broken Bottle', with beautiful layered rhythms and surging energy from Chris's voice. It's one of the tracks on their forthcoming new release, Nothing To Admit, and if that's anything to be going on it promises much. They certainly deserve to be playing to some bigger audiences over here, and soon - and hopefully with their new CD scheduled for release in early 2009 that shouldn't be long in coming around.

From tonight's headliners, The Hold Steady, I had hoped for a bit of a revelation - appropriate enough, given the undercurrents of religion and salvation running through their songs. The tour, promoting their fourth CD, Stay Positive, had been rescheduled from October following Tad Kubler's bout of pancreatitis, and it was worth the wait. For fans, the setlist was a well-judged mix of new and old material, with crowd pleasers 'Chips Ahoy!', 'Stuck Between Stations', 'Your Little Hoodrat Friend', and 'Chillout Tent' all getting an airing. As for the band - well, enthusiastic doesn't really cover it. The Hold Steady play the kind of music that demands to be played with quite a definite sense of purpose, and that was certainly present tonight.

Standout tracks from the new CD included opener 'Constructive Summer', all energy and excitement and positive sentiment, and the catchy 'Sequestered in Memphis'. 'Lord, I'm Disheartened' - with its beautiful guitar and piano parts - was as gorgeous as ever, with Finn's delivery of the final, heartbroken lyrics. The final two songs of the evening were perfect - 'Stay Positive', with its infectious, upbeat refrain and 'Slapped Actress', with its powerful vocal harmonies, ended the set on a high. Listening back to the new CD today I definitely like it better for having seen them play it, so I guess that's something positive indeed.

So - was it a revelation? Was there salvation? Well...kind of. They were great. The songs were great. I really really mean that - as someone who has to reign in fangirly glee, it was all very exciting, but on another level the atmosphere was very slightly off. Perhaps it was the contrast between the stubbornly quiet crowd and the extremely enthusiastic band; who knows? The Wulfrun Hall is a relatively small venue, which sometimes works so well in a band's favour - and particularly for a band like the Hold Steady, where Craig Finn's style of delivery is so intimate and intense, I had expected the atmosphere to be more electric somehow. It had started to get there by the end, but I had to wonder if the bands were more excited about playing than the crowd were about watching last night, which is kind of a shame - there is a lot to be excited about here. Anyway the main point is, if you can go and see them, you should. The Hold Steady are something different and interesting, and the storytelling in their songs is something you won't get tired of anytime soon.

Review - Gill Duckett
Photos - Steve Gerrard

So I'm off to my favourite venue in Birmingham, Academy 2, to see Toronto's Cancer Bats. Except the gig's been downgraded to my least favourite venue in Birmingham, Bar Academy. The signs aren't good...

The venue is not very busy - 70 to 80 people there max. - which explains why it's been moved. The only problem with this venue is that only the front row will be able to see the band, as the "stage" is 6" high at most. Oh well, guys - good luck!

Luck is one thing they don't need - smack bang on 9:30pm they take the stage (extra points for being prompt) and their attack begins. Singer Liam Cormier, possibly realizing that no-one will be able to see him tonight, takes his position standing on the barriers separating the crowd and the band and the show starts - and that's the only band member that I'll see all night.

Canada's Cancer Bats are here to promote their latest album "Hail Destroyer" - their blend of hardcore and punk, but with a groove - and the few fans that are here seem loyal, knowing every word for every song they play, punching their fists in the air and even attempting the world's smallest circle pit!

Starting their set with "Shillelagh" from their first full length release, 2006's Birthing The Giant, the band machine-gun their way through their set, only taking a breather]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:12:43 -0800 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/984188 http://virb.com/brumlive/posts/text/981221

Kentucky four-piece Black Stone Cherry have been on quite a journey since the release of their debut album in 2007; going from small clubs to headlining a near sold-out Academy in the space of a couple of UK tours is one hell of an achievement. Throw into that mix a stonking second album - 'Folklore and Superstition' - and you start to understand why there is so much demand for these young rockers right now.

On paper, having Sevendust open this show seems like a strange choice given their more nu-metal orientated sound, but they put on a great performance and get a very surprising but very well deserved reception from the already massive crowd. Guest vocals from BSC frontman Chris Robertson did them no harm whatsoever either.

Second, yet another Brum gig for Stone Gods - tonight being their third since September. Just as with Airbourne here last month, they put on a superb set rammed full of great songs like "Burn the Witch", "Don't Drink the Water" and "I'm With the Band". However, the highlight tonight was without doubt the sight of singer/guitarist Richie Edwards climbing up one of the massive speakers, going into the balcony, running all the way round, down the stairs, through the pit and back on stage - all whilst still playing his guitar, followed by simply saying "It's nice up in the balcony isn't it?". Brilliant. Also, Edwards' insistence on referring to the Academy by its former name of the Hummingbird struck a chord with older members of the audience. Surely now, Stone Gods have served their apprenticeship, and come 2009 they should be ready to come back here as headliners.

The headliners take the stage to the chugging intro to "Rain Wizard" and immediately launch themselves into their excellent brand of punchy, riff-driven rock. Frontman Chris Robertson's live voice is superb, while his lead guitar playing is effortlessly smooth and he directs his band as they rattle through songs old and new such as "Backwoods Gold", "Long Sleeves" and "Hell and High Water". But BSC are about so much more than one member, every guy in the band is a bundle of energy, and you just don't know who to follow - the two headbangers of Ben Wells (guitar) and Jon Lawhon (bass), or the larger-than-life drummer John Fred Young who, behind the mass of curly hair, always sports an ear-to-ear grin. John Fred is one of the few drummers who could easily be a frontman as he oozes personality and rock-star cool. This is evidenced when he and Robertson change places during "The Key" for John Fred to belt out a harmonica jam, before taking his place back behind the kit for a gut-wobbling drum solo. Wonderful stuff.

One thing that was surprising was how much new material gets an airing, and just how good they sound in the live environment. For example, "Please Come In" and "The Bitter End" are taken to another level on stage, while "Peace is Free" is refreshingly uplifting with an almost gospel-like quality. While "Lonely Train" probably gets the loudest cheer of the night, there are large numbers of the audience singing along to every word of every song, and the band ride this wave of admiration with a performance that is loud and tight. They are also overflowing with confidence, and throw in a wonderful run through of "Voodoo Child" to round off final number "Maybe Someday", which culminates in the whole band being on the drum rider, triumphantly accepting their applause. There's no encore, but it simply isn't needed because that 90 minutes will take some beating. There's already talk of them returning to these shores next year, and with a live show as good as tonight's, they will most certainly be welcome. The sky really is the limit for these guys from a small town in Kentucky.

Setlist:

Rain Wizard

Backwoods Gold

Blind Man

The Ghost of Floyd Collins

Hell and High Water

Long Sleeves

Please Come In

The Bitter End

The Key

Drum Solo

Reverend Wrinkle

Lonely Train

Peace Is Free

Shooting Star

Maybe Someday

Review - Dave Musson

Photos - Lucy Pryor

It takes a very special act to open for The Wildhearts and have the whole crowd dancing and singing along but tonight I witnessed that very feat being accomplished.

If you've never heard of Tragedy, let me enlighten you. Invited onto the tour by none other than Ginger from The Wildhearts himself, they're an 8 piece band from New York City who have tapped into a niche market - as the world's best (and probably only) Heavy Metal Tribute to the Bee Gee's. I shit you not!

Romping onto the stage in glittery sequined spandex hotpants that would make The Darkness blush with embarrassment they kicked off with a rendition of 'Saturday Night Fever' in a short set which included hits such as 'Tragedy', 'How Deep Is Your Love' and 'Stayin' Alive' all done with screaming guitar solo's and 3 backing singers (with fairy wings).

It was amusing to see the couples in the crowd, the girls were dancing away and singing loudly, the guys looked like they wanted to but didn't want to look like they were enjoying themselves, this was supposed to be a hard rock gig, after all!

In the end Tragedy left the stage to massive applause. I got the impression that it was the sort of act which either got clapped off loudly or bottled off in the first song but their energy, humour and skill in turning disco classics into stomp-along rock anthems saved them.

Following that would be a challenge for the best of bands, and one which UK rockers "A" had to manage and manage it they did. Back after their 3 year hiatus, the Leeds 4 piece look just as comfortable here as they ever did at their best and sounded no different for being a little older, despite Adam saying that various body parts now sag a bit more than they used to. Luckily, his voice hasn't suffered and hit the high notes with ease during 'Nothing' and 'Starbucks' - which he introduced as "The song which paid our mortgages".

They played a good 45 minute set which included enough favourites for the crowd to be reminded that at their peak, this was one of the best live bands around. If "A" are serious about a comeback they need to get some new tunes out and there are plans afoot for a new album. Time will tell if they're still relevant in the music industry, but on the showing tonight they'll have no problems filling venues with people eager to see them.

The Wildhearts have always offered value for money in terms of their set lists, and tonight was no exception. Still, value for money or not, tonight's gig was shifted from the Civic Hall into the Wulfrun Hall due to lower ticket sales. This didn't go down well with those who had balcony seats in the bigger venue and now had to stand on the floor-only venue next door but that was the only grumble I heard all night.

What can't be complained at is a 19 song set list which featured just about everything that any die-hard fan wanted to hear. Smashing their way through 'Nita Nitro' they kicked off the show with their trademark snarl and followed straight into 'Vanilla Radio' which had the first 6 rows bouncing like the teenagers they were when they first started seeing the band here some 18 years ago.

The whole set was delivered with aggression and Ginger's typical attitude, not even his sore throat could stop him. During the mid-song conversations with the crowd you could hear his voice was cracking up badly but he didn't pull out of any of the songs' high notes and still went for it in his trademark balls-out way.

A little over half way through the set the band left the stage for what was either the biggest encore I've ever seen, or a half time break, I'm not sure which it was. Five minutes later Ginger re-appeared to huge cheers and performed a solo version of 'Geordie In Wonderland' which had everyone in the place singing their hearts out. I wondered if any of the crowd noticed that he did so swathed in red and white lights, which as any self respecting football fan would know is Sunderland's home colours - Newcastle's bitter rivals!

The rest of the band came back on and they ran through the last 7 songs in their inimitable juggernaut style, mixing crunching guitars, sweeping melodies, smartly written lyrics and a lot of jumping around.

Running over the curfew time by a good 10 minutes they left after lifting the roof of with a high-tempo rendition of 'I Wanna Go Where The People Go' which reminded everyone present that good honest music played loudly will never go out of fashion.

Review & Photos - Matt Pargeter