Red Letter Day + Moses + Not Advised + Lee Cooper - Messclean, Portsmouth. 09/09/05.

I first caught Lee Cooper performing a couple of acoustic numbers in a pub a couple of weeks back so it was a real pleasure to find him performing tonight with a couple of mates to help out at various points during the evening. Lee performs late night acoustic mellowness with gentle barely there vocals, tonight the additional bass adds a warmth to the tunes while the second guitar beefs the sound up slightly. This is wonderful singer songwriter type stuff that you are going to put on after a few drinks when feeling a bit down and just chill out to. A rewarding set and a pleasure to see perform again.

Not Advised, from Southampton, soon shatter the gentle vibe with their energetic blend of emo-pop-punk. But don't runaway just yet, for while they may be kitted out in the latest Macbeth clothing there is something special about Not Advised; the gut wrenching bass, the energy, the well written songs and the humour, it all adds up to an impressive sound that I really enjoyed despite not being an emo fan, it has that slightly dirty edge to it and an extra heaviness that makes it stand out which would be why they are picking up gigs all over the place and I believe that Not Advised are going to be on a few peoples' lips in the coming months as this is a cracking outfit.

Some bands look like they eat rock n roll for breakfast, others, like Moses, make it look like a fashion thing as they take to the stage in their expensive looking jeans and very white trainers, a mirror image of their fans who look like they'd never set foot in such a pub under normal conditions. They play inoffensive indie rock, Stereophonics lite that appeals to the masses but is ultimately just a little dull so we shall move on quickly.

Veterans Red Letter Day are out to promote their new album and it would appear that their usual loyal crowd are absent but that doesn't stop RLD from performing a solid set. It looks like they may have had a few beers before hand as Ade looks a little worse for wears but he still manages to perform his usual array of high kicks and friendly banter while onstage these days there is a certain amount of chemistry that allows the newer songs to sparkle while some older tracks have been dusted down, spruced up and once again sound sprightly and fresh. Working with a stand in bass player due to Steve Marsh having recently left, they still sound vital and still have something left to say as they continue to evolve their sound and move forwards; while tonight may not go down as a classic gig it is a reminder of just how good RLD have remained and what an important part of Portsmouth's music scene they remain.