The Strange Death Of Liberal England + You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons + Big Squirrel - The Thursday Thing @ The Registry. 02/03/06

What more could you ask for on a Thursday night in Portsmouth than a friendly pub, beer and three excellent bands; two with ridiculously long names and one who make far too much noise than is humanly possible for two people to make so let's start with them shall we?

Big Squirrel are first up and if you've bothered reading any of these reviews before you will know that I love these two ramshackle practitioners of stripped down rock n roll, so it's hard not to repeat myself but they are fucking excellent. I've seen full bands make less noise than these two, who manage to squeeze every ounce of life out of an acoustic guitar and a drum kit. Steve spends half the night doing battle with the wall behind him as it encroaches on his wild arm movements while Tom could be doing anything as I can't actually see him, for as usual he is sat on a chair and such is their pulling power that it is impossible to get near enough to see past the sea of bodies or get close enough to take a decent photo. But whatever he is doing it sounds good because never has an acoustic guitar sounded so loud, so raw and so rock; Tom must have some kind of secret black box to plug in to, either that or he has fingers of electric because that knackered old guitar really shouldn't be throwing out such sounds but I'm glad it does as it makes Big Squirrel one of the hottest rock n roll bands out there at the moment. Just about every track has some kind of big hook that is strong enough to rip the flesh from your face, instantly addictive and highly memorable, so do yourself a favour, next time you see a gig with Big Squirrel on the bill, grab a big bag of nuts and get yourself down the front for the best rock n roll action you will see from a duo, just watch they don't bite you.

You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons are legends round these parts and quite rightly so with their spectacular tunes that draw on the legacy of Sabbath, Stooges and MC5 then fuck it over with rock n roll attitude and alcohol fumes. Tonight they are decked out in colourful robes, it makes them look even scarier as they deliver a crisp set that lacks some of the more discordant elements that sometimes take over their sets; it's about good, heads down rock n roll that piles through the throng like an express train waiting for no one. Yeah, there are a few minor gripes such as the drums being too dominant tonight or perhaps the guitars just need to go up a notch; perhaps the venue gear just couldn't cope with the black hole of noise that The Demons often conjure up and the swirls of feedback they emit as they wrangle with their instruments but even on a night when they don't leave you with bleeding ears and an exploding brain they carve a dark mark on each and every person present and poke a big stick in it. In some ways it is a pleasure to actually get to hear a few of the tunes for a change but that is the beauty of The Demons, you never quite know what to expect but one thing is for sure, they never fail to disappoint.

Having caused quite a stir with their recent demo, this is my first chance to catch The Strange Death Of Liberal England live and despite the limitations of the venue I'm not disappointed. SDOLE are one of those bands without a central focus point, members drift around and swap instruments, it works perfectly with their shifting tunes that come and go, in and out of focus. It's an ever changing landscape as glockenspiels tinkle, flute weaves in and out of crashing guitars and anguished wails drift from the front. They are a serious looking bunch, a band at odds with current trends, that follow their own path in their own little universe and it is a pleasure when they burst through into our world for brief glimpses of beautiful soundscapes and floaty angst. Tunes tend to drift into one another, expand and contract as light turns to shade, these are not tunes for the MTV generation who like a quick sugar fix; this is a band to contemplate, you need to let them soak into your skin, let it wash over you and around you, feel and taste the textures they create. Only then will you enjoy it, if you want something quick,easy and throwaway then look elsewhere but if you want something with substance and depth then SDOLE are just the band you are looking for.