Breaking Satellites / My Vote of Confidence at The Sugarmill 6th July 2012

Review and photo by Robert Egan

Arriving to a darkened room with a generously sized crowd, My Vote of Confidence opened with a suitably inspiring intro which breaks into a driving rock number. It's immediately apparent that there seems to be a hint of the balladesque stadium rock from the mid/late 80's and early 90's here although not too much to be fair and as more and more crowd seem to be appearing from somewhere like moths to a flame; the question is, will they get burned or dance into the light? The answer is the latter.

The second track which begins with a Slash like guitar solo & pacey tempo. Their third number 'Holding Fast' changes the mood slightly as it holds within a darker & drier sounding menace than the preceding tracks and the guitarist/front man has a style, ability and experience to draw from than I would normally associate with a guy of his age. The drummer is certainly enjoying himself, providing such an amount of energy to the performance that I'm jealously wondering how he is able to play like that & not be dripping with sweat. 'Demons by Design' is a new track with a gorgeous bass line that winds around your ears as if tapping in to your body’s' rhythms. I have to say that I was left wondering where the grungy, heavily distorted guitar was; I’m tantalised & expecting it, but it doesn’t come; perhaps it's the mix levels tonight? Not that its absence detracts from the sound at all as this 3-piece are definitely whacking it out, just that in other bands with a similar sound, there's another guitar complimenting the bassline and providing a driving grind which I think would add effect-but that's my opinion.

'Hand Full of sugar' comes after an impromptu interaction from the singer with the crowd and they give thanks for the preceding band which is always nice to hear. Overall My Vote of Confidence are tight sounding and professional, the guitars are slick and imaginative, the drums are energetic and driving and the basslines are to die for, which given the volume of the Mill's sound system, could cause bodily dysfunction...I did note a lack of variety in their set however, but if you like indie/rock with a hint of grunge then you will get it more than enough if it. My Vote of Confidence are definitely worth catching, especially as they announced that their last Stoke gig was 12 months ago, the brevity of their appearances locally is surely a motivation to catch them when you can...

Headlining tonight's showcase is Breaking Satellites, by which time I was hanging around the balcony like a shadowy phantom, waiting to capture some images of their opening track. Instead we were greeted with a pre-record intro that shook the room if not the soul like 5.9 on the Richter scale. This band wants to make an impression & an entrance and by the time they emerge from the green room, the crowd are chomping at the bit.

I was caught on the tidal wave of the first two tracks 'Spilt Ink', 'Take Flight' as I certainly did not expect this kind of audible assault from them. With 5 members on the stage, they have a big sound and a big presence to go with it, people are hugging the stage like it is their last chance to get on to the evacuation ferry and holding on to the rails just as tightly. Their third track 'Bang Tidy' has the front man screaming out at an impressive larynx shattering level at times & although I can't hear him, the 2nd guitarist seems to be belting it out just as much on backing vox. Of particular note to me was the intricate & unusual drum pattern which gives a hint of their potential although at times it did sound as if there was a slight delay between the synchronisation of the rest of the members playing along with it; not that it was that noticeable to be fair.

There seemed to be some issue with equipment by this point & I was not surprised given the level at which it was coming out-I've seen bass amps on fire whilst being played a lot quieter! But the drummer filled the space with an impressive solo. The variety between tracks is of note and it is not easy to categorise them, especially as the front man announces that the next track is a 'slow depressing' one, which it certainly isn't. It does have a story however which seems quite dark & the singer's vox are gravelly at times; he definitely doesn't have a voice that you would expect for someone so young, nor do we have a lot of in Stoke, he sounded like a younger version of Translucid's front man-which is not a bad thing at all.

The crowd are certainly kept involved throughout the set & the front man engages with them at every opportunity which not a lot of bands do these days and it does seems to be appreciated. For me there's a little punk, a little emo maybe and a developed sound, which can be a little loose at times, but nothing that detracts from the enjoyment. An example is the new song '3/4' which as the name suggests, has a nice 3/4 timed intro which seamlessly develops into a 4/4 which I was massively impressed with and there is a sizeable amount of people dancing away, absorbing the energy. 'Nothing to Hurt You' has a high pitched guitar over a tom-driven drum beat & the singer is straight up onto the stage riser to entice the crowd further. Their encore 'Sleeping Alone' gave a fitting finale to their set and left everyone satisfied with the experience.

Breaking Satellites are young, energetic with a large sound. They already posses a quality repertoire and this hints at how good they could become as they develop musically.

The Situation First Birthday all-dayer@ The Central Club, Leek 27th May 2012

Review by Charlotte Lunt

Photo by Robert Egan

There aren’t many things that could drag me to Leek of a sunny evening; however The Situation celebrating their first birthday with an all dayer has proved to be one of those things, at least for a couple of hours.

Arriving just in time to catch the last couple of songs from Cherry Lightening, I was honestly disappointed to see how few folks had made the effort to come down to the Central Club to support the event. But nevertheless this didn’t seem to have put the band off their stride as they finished their set with a high speed cover of The Wombats ‘Let’s dance to Joy Division’. This provided the opportunity to speak to one of the organisers, Simon Edwards, who was brimming with enthusiasm and clearly enjoying the evening.

He explained that The Situation run 2 monthly nights in Leek, usually hosted at the Foxlowe Arts Centre, and that over the year they’ve been able to spread their wings and have been attracting acts of great calibre not only from the local area, but also the wider environs.

The first full set I saw was from The Taskers, who did a stripped down session for the radio show earlier this month, so this proved to be an ideal opportunity to hear their ‘plugged in’ sound.  I wasn’t prepared for the rawness in both sound and delivery, and always liking it when a band surprises me, this was a good thing. Tearing through a set of clever melodies and syncopation that were coupled with prophesising and contemplative lyrics they provided a solid set of quality tuneage.

It’s refreshing to see a band that rely solely on the quality of their song writing rather than persona – perhaps this unassuming approach is because as a two piece they are quite exposed, with little to hide behind.

In addition to the Pearl Jam influences they cited on the show, I’m hearing a tad of Frank Black, and a trace of Eric Clapton amongst others, which in combination work well and provide a swath of different approaches and delivery from the band. My favourite song of the set was ‘Itch’- which features on their brand new album – full of juxtaposition, contradiction and friction, it keeps you on the edge of your seat like a good psychological thriller.

Next up were the recommended Gravity Dave, who started out on a set of solid rock. At this point I must confess that I was having reservations about them, that is until they threw out ‘Let’s pretend’, which tore along at a cracking pace with vocals and lead guitar challenging each other for the spotlight. Moving swiftly into ‘Romantic Comedy’ I’m more than pleasantly surprised as having judged this book by its cover, this was a more edgy, contemporary composition than I’d expected, so apologies to the band and hats off for keeping me on my toes.

I have to say that whilst this was not a visually dynamic performance, it was slick and they consistently delivered solid well crafted songs, and anyone who can write a song called ‘Cattle’, can’t be doing too much wrong in my book. The ‘Steps of Heathrow’ was reminiscent of the erstwhile Red Wedge movement in its social commentary and edginess, and that drew their set to a close.

Although, I was only able to stay for a short while, this showed that the hard work that The Situation are doing to bring quality artists to Leek, is paying off. I’d really recommend having a trip out to some of their forthcoming gigs – which having had a sneaky look at the rosta – will be well worth it.

The Way / Likely Lads / Translucid @ The Sugarmill April 28th 2012

Review by Kirsty Underwood 

Any half decent music fan knows that we owe a lot to the 1950’s and this shouldn’t just be from watching the odd rock-umentary. Stoke’s The Way revel in this musical past and wear it on their sleeves, which happen to belong to T-bird style leather jackets. Their influences read like a school of rock history lesson, checking off the best genres to have popped out of each decade from the fifties onwards. As the first band to take to the stage on a Saturday night at The Sugarmill, The Way began educating the audience by smashing together old and new. Not to be ignored by those for whom this may have been wasted on, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Stef Smith requested enthusiasm with a few simple words; “Come on you f***ers!”. Single One Time Round harked back to the heyday of The Jam and no doubt touched a chord with more than a few audience members with its down-to-earth lyrics “I only work because they tell me to…you shelf stacker…you only get one time round”. The realism almost hurts. Cracking on through a set encompassing a cover of Ed Sheeran’s The A Team and something that sounded suspiciously like a Ramones mash up, The Way’s unique energy visibly spread across the room. 

York based band Likely Lads were the northern filling in this Stoke sandwich of a gig. They may have only been together a relatively short time, little over a year, but time wasting has not been on the agenda. September 2011 saw the release of Likely Lads first untitled EP which was followed up in February of this year with an album entitled Melrose Yard Demos. Their debut single Observations is due for release on May 7th on Right Track Records and the band has supported Chingford’s best output of late The Rifles. Good effort! Likely Lads set comprised a reel of tracks that told it like it is, and they certainly had a lot to say about the need to get away from a mundane existence in “a little city”. Their upbeat indie rhythms, not a million miles away from that of The Kooks, coupled with insightful lyrics were received with more than ample appreciation from an audience potentially hearing these tracks for the first time. Get yer sens back to Stoke soon boys! 

Translucid, a mysterious name suggesting everything is not quite as it seems and they were just that. Their talent spoke for itself from the beginning. Formerly known as The Riots, who have seen a few line up changes since their creation in 2007, the band on the stage were electrifying. Front man Dan Watkin, with his Parka and tambourine, was completely at home giving us all something to marvel at. Guitarist Steve Pye was implausibly mind blowing and let’s be honest, with a Hendrix tattoo and a Dylan t-shirt he would have been taking the Michael just a smidge if he hadn’t have been. Translucid’s classic rock influences showed through in Pye’s bluesy strings and you can’t say no to a bit of wa-wa. There was so much going on in terms of influences from classic rock right up to Kasabian in the present that their set, including tracks Tripping Lilly, The Mind is a Temple and personal favourite Blow Out, was impossible not to appeal on some level. The band also had excellent support from what were assumed to be family members; you don’t see enough air guitaring these days. All in all, a delectable array of talent and style; definitely worth witnessing at The Full Moon on May 11th if you had the misfortune to miss this gig.

Sleep In Promotions presents The English / Holy-esque / Camp Stag @ Fat Cat, Hanley 26th April 2012

Review by Charlotte Lunt

Photo's by Robert Egan

Opening with their current single, The English are instantly reminiscent of Echo and the Bunnymen, whether this is just an influence of theirs or a deliberate move, in my book it isn't a bad thing.

As their set progresses it is a little pedestrian in places but as the lads have clearly put the hours in to produce a solid performance this could easily be attributed to  nerves. 

I have to admit that I'm not as familiar with The English's music as perhaps I should be, and in fact was looking forward to their set tonight on the basis of their current single alone. They don't follow the well trodden route of so many bands in Stoke and they clearly know what they're about, confidently striding in to a Ramones-esque cover of 'Be my Baby' which has saw a number of the audience prick up their ears. 

Clearly there is much use of effects pedals, but there is an over arching simplicity to their approach and this shines through on a 'take it or leave it' kind of way rather than with an arrogance that is oft' too familiar. 

Admittedly I'd not heard great things about this band before tonight, but there is something about their music and approach that really appeals to me - even if I can't quite put my finger on it.

Holy-esque, a four piece from Glasgow have come hotly tipped for this evenings show. Again (a small cheer here) they have a slightly retro sound, this time bringing us closer to the end of the 80's with leads from both synth and drums. There is a familiarity to their music, perhaps the obvious Glaswegan link to Glasvegas, although I'm inclined to believe it is something more subtle.

For me, their set never quite took off, which was a shame, however this isn't to say they'll disappear from my radar.

The headline tonight was the first performance from the hugely anticipated Camp Stag. Benefiting from having a number of members who have already made their names on the local scene, the troops were out in force to support Dan, Rich Chris and Ade. 

Instantly bringing us crashing into the 21st Century, not only with their sound but with their political observations, they introduced their third number as 'Big Society' - with tongue firmly in cheek. Punchy delivery and swaths of synth and guitars is definitely what Camp Stag are all about, as they move effortlessly to their current single Sirens. This has a more moody and driven sound than previous songs, and coupled with a understated desperation really has a strength about it.

Introducing their last track, which came far too quickly, the keys lift a song that lyrically comes from a far darker place. Looking round the assembled audience they really have people in the palm of their hands, and hopefully this is just a taste of things to come.

This is definitely a muso's crowd here tonight, which is hopefully a reflection of Camp Stags promise of things to come. This was a brief set that left you wanting more. 

Catching up with the band after the set, they said that tonight was about keeping it simple, and following a recent line up change was about powering through their set with confidence, which they undoubtedly did.

I'd make a note in your diary of the next few gigs for all the local guys on tonight's bill and see for yourselves, and keep an eye on Sleep In Promotions as they appear to be a step ahead.