The Aviators + Bluesky Research + Flesh + DNA - Messclean @ The Frog On The Front, Portsmouth. 21/10/05.

How time flies! Tonight is the 1st birthday of Messclean and to celebrate they have invited old friends back to party. First up are DNA who feature Messclean mainman Nikolai on bass and if it's your party you can do what you want so tonight they strip away their prog tendencies and concentrate on more direct funky rock numbers and have a blast. DNA are a band who love music, they don't pander to what is trendy, they just let the sounds spill out naturally and have a damn good time doing it; all are excellent muscians and they craft well written tunes that come alive with their energetic performance. It's a fine way to start the party and now they can relax and let the beer flow.

Flesh have appeared at Messclean several times and whilst I've always enjoyed their mix of classic glam tinged rock I always had the feeling that they were not considered a proper band but tonight sees them transformed, with the addition of a new bass player, into a band that may start to attract a crowd. It's still the same raucous Stones inspired rock n roll but it comes over as less centered around mainman Charlie and you begin to see them as a whole band which is a good thing and not before time. Tonight is the best I've ever seen Flesh and it will be interesting to see what develops from this foundation building performance.

Business as usual for the Bluesky Research boys and their epic floaty indie songs. With their heavenly soaring vocal melodies and mesmerizing tunes it's hard to dislike BSR; they are just a little different to your normal run of the mill indie band, perhaps a harder Keane or Elbow but definitely with their own sound and they always sound impressive. One wonders how long it will be before they get really noticed as they certainly have that crossover appeal that could lead them to be chart botherers in the future. Another fine, if a little short, set of quality tunes.

The Avaitors are similar to BSR in that one can easily see them taking off big time if they get that lucky break; they are more direct in musical terms, a little harder around the edges but they still have that floaty quality and a couple of real classic tunes that just stick in your brain. At times they can just wash over you but if they get the same quality throughout their set then they will be unstoppable; tonight they are on top form and are shown to be at their best when they slow things down and go for that real epic building of sound that then swamps you with layers of guitar. Again, a fine set and a pleasing way to close the first chapter in the history of Messclean.