SO.... today brought about the start of middlesbrough music live, an annual , free festival in my home town. For those of you unfamiliar with teesside, this is one of only 2 highlights of the year (musically at least) for the inhabitants of our conovation. (the other being stockton fringe).
MML is now in its 10th year, and how its grown , this mini festival is a rareity, a governmet funded, cutting edge music festival, and the council deserves some credit for this, although i assume it is the input of its partners that keeps this festival valid, fresh and drawing evermore praise and people every year.
This year the festival has a warm up, a pre show if you will, 3 days of gigs and comedy to awaken the tastebuds ready for the feast that is sunday's main event.
Now as with any festival, you cant see all of the bands, as things run at the same time.. the case more than ever this year as it has reached the 10 stage mark. Anyway,... tonight was day 2 of the build up, and i had the choice of 3 venues, and 3 very different evenings.
On a grey and wet friday night, i headed to UNCLE ALBERTS , not a relative, but a venue on the outskirts of town. I entred purchased an ice cold coke (hardcore i know), and took my seat on an elongated couch with the rest of my party.
The couch i feel i should mention was like something you would expect to see in the parlour in some period drama or other, and was, for a reason that still illudes me parked i front of a piano that matched its length.
I was just thinking how odd it was to be sat this close to a piano, drinks on its top, and to not even open the lid, or tinkle the ivories so to speak, when i heard the opening licks of a bass guitar....our evening was about to begin.
ONE NIGHT STANDS
A 5 piece indie set up from billingham,
Although these lads cant have been more than 19, they exuded the confidence of a band who knew theyre identity, knew theyre music, and knew it was worth a listen at least.
With intensity, and purpose that was almost tangeable they belted out track after track of high tempo catchy indie. The frontman knew the rules of being a frontman within his genre, (sound good and be dramatic) he carried out his duty with noteable merrit.As a sidenote the bassist was top notch, picking out tunes like a modern day peter hook. what a start to the evening.
One night stand- think high tempo indie with a light seasoning of angst.
only a 5 minute set up and we were ready for band no.2 ... but the 5 mins is noteworthy, for one reason, the dj on the night in that short time, started a vexing trend that was to last the whole evening, wev'e all suffered at the hands of doils like this dj, he doesnt want to play what the crowd wants to hear, he doesnt even want to play music that coresponds even mildly genre wise with any of the 3 acts, what he does want to do however, is play what he wants to hear, in this caseanything ranging from alt/hardcore to metal... not really koshure when your so obviously playing to an indie/ rock crowd.
COMETS
A 3 piece hailing fom boro, i took an interest in these lads when i spyed the listing in the programme for this weekends festivities, it read " support from boro's answer to LCD soundsystem" Being a fan of the LCD i was excited, and im happy to say my excitement wasn't in vain. This was just what i was hoping for, synth and bass heavy tracks, with genuinely amazing vocals ,This though wasnt an lcd sound- a -like, and to be honest, the listing should probably have read" post punk for a new generation" Granted there were salutes to more modern synth led bands... but on tonight's gig , they would be much more comfortable in company such as joy division, the fall, and maybe a hint of a more understated newman ( gary not paul). As i said although influenced by that golden post punk era, this was something a little different... the synth was heaven, the bass was thumping , and the vocals moved between apparent despair and someting aproaching joy.. though we all know open happyness is not permited to true followers of post punk.
comets- think post punk manchester (with a modern twist)
This leads us to the final gig of the night.. the headline act!!
THE FELLONS
They list theyre influences as bands like the Doors, The Byrds, and the Rolling stones, and were recently praised by the NME , here's what they had to say : "With their huge melodies and a front man gifted with the presence of a young Jim Morrison, Darlington boys The Felons play ear splittingly loud rock n' roll, birthed in a pool of beer soaked blues riffs."
As you may imagine, after listing such influences, and getting that kid of write up from the NME, i was hoping for, nay! expecting someting at least a little special, and by golly i wasnt dissapointed! what followed was a 40 minute lesson on how to write timeless rock, how to perform in a way that doesnt make your stated influences a laughable read, how to be the ultimate frontman, not necceseraly in that order. This was indeed the young jim morrison, the beer soaked blues riffs and the ear splitingly loud rock and roll the NME had promised, but it was bigger than that. What hadnt been mentioned was that every man on stage was massively gifted, that our young jim morrison, shared more with his ill fated influence than presence, this was also a voice on par and not dissimilar to the voice of the lizard king himself. One word of Warning. For those of you who are atention shy.. dont frequent the area stage front.
The fellons - think 60's rock and blues at its finest!
Back later in the weekend with saturday's write up and sundays offerings!
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