Deville + A&E Line + Cool Banana + Aaron Norton - Messclean @ The Frog On The Front, Portsmouth. 21/04/06.

One of those nights where illness has forced changes upon the line-up so it is down to Aaron Norton to ease us into the evening with his rather finely crafted tunes. Aaron is what you would term a singer/songwriter type, not quite sure what that means at the end of the day, but you probably know exactly what I mean and if you picture a young man sat on a stool with an acoustic guitar for company then you are on the right track. A string of mellow tunes are unveiled to us, warm and lush sounding and he has a fine, fine voice that can transform from soft velvety tones to powerful higher levels; he slips in a couple of cover versions for good measure and due to the fact that he has no set list and appears, like me, to find it difficult to make decisions, so has to resort to asking his good lady for suggestions on what to play next which is quite charming and amusing. The covers are "Basket Case" by Green Day and "Stigmatised" by The Calling just to show he has a rocky edge and while they are gentle distractions done with a smile, his own tunes are the real stars of his set.

Up next are some elder statesmen going by the name of Cool Banana, a loose collective of souls who have decided to pay homage to the Velvet Underground. But, as they are so keen to point out, they are not a tribute band; Cool banana have taken VU as their inspiration and do include a few of their songs but these are interspersed with original material that develops the rock template and attempts to take it to new places. The live performance is part of a much wider project that aims to take in a book, film, recordings, computer game plus whatever else springs up on the journey; the gig tonight sees the project in it's early stages and one can imagine that hen it hits its peak it will be quite a multi-media extravaganza.
But tonight we concentrate on the live set-up, five gentleman, a few of whom are probably old enough to know better, so we can rule out 'scenesters' and bandwagon jumping, all well established musicians doing this for the love of it. What does it sound like? Well, those here expecting a Velvet Underground tribute would probably have left disappointed, the covers were good but they shift the tunes into new directions. It kind of feels like VU go new age with the didgeridoo vibrating away underneath everything and the loose percussion straight out of a late night jamming session, imagine a VU born out of a post rave come down rather than dark shades and heroin. It goes down remarkably well tonight and the original tunes are equally as strong as the covers if not better as you can distance yourself from the inspiration and add into the mix the guest musicians they bring along to different gigs and you have the pleasure of not quite knowing what it will sound like. An interesting and likeable project that will be worth keeping tabs on to see how it progresses.

Keeping up the eclectic nature of the line-up tonight are the A&E Line, a seismic duo straight out of geeksville and merging the boundaries between drum machine driven off kilter indie rock and art performance. One of them strangles the life out of his guitar while the other appears as a character that works in a diner complete with paper hat and dodgy glasses, it's hard to make out where character ends and vocalist begins but one can't help but be engrossed by their performance and ever so catchy tunes.


It's eccentric and is not going to be to everyone's taste, but I find them quite fantastic as the drum machine clatters away and they babble away to an audience that treats them like the nutter on a bus where you want to look but you know you shouldn't stare but you can't help it, you smile and nod your head when they talk to you and then you escape as quickly as possible. Someone mentioned Sparks in my ear before they left and I suppose they do have that kind of dramatic edge with quirky time changes bolted on to catchy tunes, you could add in a hint of Cardiacs type madness and perhaps some They Might Be Giants kookyness but at the end of the day they just sound like A&E Line doing their own thing in their own little creative bubble; you are either going to love or hate them, if you want straight down the line middle of the road indie rock then walk on by on the other side but if you want that little touch of something that lurks outside the norm then step right up, they don't bite, well, not yet anyway and look out for a forthcoming release on the quite good Hackpen Records label.

Last minute additions to the bill are the infamous Deville, their reputations go before them like colossal shadows but tonight some of the usual Pompey attitude has been left outside and they launch into a rowdy and sometimes chaotic set that is vibrating and buzzing with energy. This gig is a chance to break in their new bass player and it has to be said that he looks the part and seems to take to the job in hand very well and while the other three members may dominate in character, particularly vocalist Ash, I'm sure he will stamp his own personality on the band in time.

There have been times where I have knocked Deville, sometimes I love them, sometimes I hate them and one can't deny that they wear their influences on their sleeves or in the case of Ash, on his skin! Think Libertines, Razorlight type indie mixed up with punk aggression and some 60s influence by way of Oasis (when they were young and urgent) and you kind of see where they are coming from, but tonight with some of the attitude left outside, we see a more relaxed yet still hyped up Deville that storm through a set of fast paced indie rockers with massive anthems for choruses, it's a chance to concentrate on the tunes rather than attention seeking antics of band and fans and it's a real treat to watch them tonight. This energy drenched set sees them sparkling and kind of has a feel of a rehearsal rather than a full on performance and it is far more rewarding for those of us lucky enough to catch this low key show. So tonight I love Deville and their chaotic bluster, the gaffa tape round the jeans, the stripped to the waist bravado and the dropping of trousers; on their day they can take on anyone with their fist in the air, testosterone filled guitar attacks...I wish they'd leave the baggage at the door more often!

Five Bands For A Fiver - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth. 16/04/06.

So, spring is in the air and it’s a toss up between watching the Kids throw up after their 5 Easter Egg in a row or an evening of top notch Rock n Roll at the Wedge. So, Five Bands For A Fiver it is then...1st up are The Maxis, together for only 3 weeks but oozing slick Garage Rock Cool that comes with experience, they know their stuff these boys.

Next up was Southern Bell, another band playing their debut gig. They certainly brought the crowd with them, there's a definite Kings Of Leon vibe about them, Whiskers included too. Their songs show a lot of promise but would probably benefit from a second guitarist to bolster their live sound.

3rd up to the Plate were The Spinouts, these guys (and Lady) have definitely got it! For starters they look like a Band, loads of confidence on stage, great songs and really tight rhythm section, if all was right in the world, they would be going places but then Chico got to number one, its a cruel world out there!!

Just before the headliners, Thee Outlaws played a cocky set of rock n roll, mixed it with the crowd a bit but just about got away with it.

The Autumn Stone then closed a great Easter Sunday Night of Rock N Roll with a crowd pleasing set of Who, Jam and Small Faces favourites, they have a great authentic sounding lead singer who obviously grew up living and loving this stuff and as the 1st band I saw a the tender age of 14 was The Jam at the Guildhall in 1979, I loved it too...Roll on The 5 Bands For a Fiver summer extravaganza, Beach Part anyone????
Review by Nish

Fear Factory + Breed77 + Misery Index - Pyramids, Portsmouth.16.04.06.

Another gig I would have probably missed if I had not been working it, having seen Fear Factory once before and finding them slightly on the boring side, as was today with around four hours of sitting around waiting for small jobs to do while the bands sound checked. You get to that point where you just want to bang your head against the wall, thank god I don't have to do it every day...no wonder they turn to girls, drink and drugs!

Americans Misery Index are up first and a half hour set of crushing grind core that brings to mind Napalm Death but with slightly longer songs delivered with a vicious vocal attack. No time here for nice melodies, delicately woven guitar lines, oh no, just pure adrenalin driven angry and angular metal that induces headbanging on and off stage. Perhaps a little extreme for half the people in tonight but probably my favourite for their sheer bloody mindedness in not letting up the pace; the kind of band I would love to see in a small venue, The Frog downstairs would have been ideal, as the band whipped up a whirlwind of noise and chaos and fans would have been hanging from the ceiling pipes and wrecking the joint rather than standing nicely beyond the sterile security barrier.

Breed77 have been lurking around the metal scene for a number of years since they released an EP on ORG Records back in 1999 (and very fine it was too) and have recently refined their sound and headed towards the lower reaches of the charts, this is reflected in their well crafted set tonight. They play well but are probably the least exciting band tonight and come across as professional rather than passionate and put me in mind of those bands that have crossed into the mainstream such as Lost Prophets; that's not to say that there are not decent tunes in there, it's just you get the feeling that these sort of big support slots are just a job and a stepping stone and come across as slighlty sterile. Having sat in on the soundcheck it is obvious these guys can really play but all those nice little interesting touches are lost in the big scheme of things tonight; they've always combined a hint of melody with their metal but at the moment the tunes sound like they have one eye on the charts which is a real shame.

Fear Factory are here to plug their 2005 album Transgression and have a run through some of their extensive back catalogue. From opener 540,000'f it's a full on cyber metal attack of the highest order and tonight I'm finding it much more to my taste; whereas last time they looked like they were going through the motions, tonight they looked hungry and sounded impressive as they worked through a set list including Demanufacture, Edgecrusher, Descent, Pisschrist, Linchpin, Cyberwaste and Replica as fan after fan surfed over the barrier. In all they work through a 19 song set complete with an ill drummer while the packed crowd love every note and demonstate that Fear Factory in 2006 are still a force to be reckoned with and if the gaggle of girls hand picked from the audience that are lurking side stage are anything to go by they are still very much living the rock n roll dream!

Carmen Rosa + Earl + Kurt Cooder + Kite Season + Rossco - Messclean, Portsmouth. 14/04/06.

Those Messclean chaps are busy putting their fingers in many pies and on many sausages and one such project is a short tour of the south for the three main bands performing tonight and this very night kicks the tour off on their home ground to a receptive audience that are left drowned in a sea of varying sets and sweat.

First and third on, are the yin and yang of acoustic artists Rossco and that man again Kurt Cooder. Rossco has the short straw of taking to the stage first while people are still arriving and letting the first couple of beers soak in but from the sounds that drifted over to me it would appear we have a decent singer/songwriter in our midst and a none too shabby voice that compliments the well crafted indie guitar tunes. Kurt tonight ditches the electric guitar in favour of an acoustic set and while it softens the tunes slightly there is no escaping the gritty lyrical tales and observations of life, while Rossco makes you feel like whiskey being sipped down in front of a fire, Kurt makes you feel like you have a rabid dog with teeth sunk into your ankles hanging on for grim death. Both are fine performers in their own way and produce strong sets.

Perched somewhat awkwardly between these two are Kite Season who are still searching for a drummer and produce a semi-acoustic set of quirky indie that just doesn't hit the spot for me tonight. The tunes seem to lack a focus and meander along without direction and my first thought is along the lines of 'if they had a drummer and were fully electric then we may have something good to listen to'. But tonight they just sounded a mess and a few people drifted to the bar unable to fully grasp the sounds; I hope that next time Kite Season will be more rewarding as there are some interesting ideas going on but they just need developing a little more with a full band.

Londoners Earl are the kind of band that I fully expect to see gracing the pages of the national music press within a couple of years, they have a fully developed sound and are fine musicians producing a pleasing take on country/folk indie rock with a nice line in fiddle to round it off. Having said that, on a personal level I find it slightly one paced and far too nice in that Keane/Coldplay kind of way, not that they sound like either band, it's just that if you like those kind of big sounding but safe bands then Earl should be next on your list, get in there before they shift bucket loads of cds so you can say you were there. Portsmouth takes to them very well and the set is well received by a decent sized crowd; if they happen to visit Messclean again I would say check them out while you still can in a small venue before they start getting those bigger support slots.

Rounding off the night are local space cadets Carmen Rosa who have a host of fellow musicians in the crowd to watch them including Jim Shaw of Cranes which is no surprise as two of the band have featured in the live Cranes set-up in the past and they have a similar kind of out there appeal to them. The music of Carmen Rosa drifts in and out of focus, gentle waves of guitar and bass create sonic soundscapes that give way to crashing crescendos of intense energy before floating off into the ether never to return. Fortunately they never move into self indulgent mode and each lull and peak is essential to the moods of the tunes; it's easy to lose oneself in the washes of sound and totally forget where you are which is the beauty of Carmen Rosa, it's music for dreamers and drifters, music to transport away from humdrum life and into other worlds. Now that may sound like the wafflings of an old hippy but one look around during the gig and you can see that others are lost in their own little bit of time and space that Carmen Rosa have created for them, just enjoying the ebb and the flow of a beautiful band. An excellent gig for the start of the Messclean tour and I am confident that the Rosa boys will pick up some new fans along the way.

Less Than Jake + Boys Night Out + Bullets To Broadway - Pyramids, Portsmouth. 13/04/06.

In all honesty, this is a gig I probably would have not bothered with as that ska-punk thing really isn't my kind of thing but seeing as I am working local crew at it and have the delight of being the stop-on and having to be here all day, along with taking the support bands gear off stage between sets, I thought I may as well pen a few words. First thing to say is that what a nice bunch of people are involved with this tour, all are friendly and it's nice to get a few thank you's while lugging the gear around the venue and a special thanks to the LTJ merch man who made sure I got a T-Shirt at the end of the night, much appreciated!

Fellow Americans Bullets To Broadway are up first who feature 3/4 of Teen Idols who played sold out shows and had made quite a name for themselves before splitting. With a Uk release of their MCD "Drink Positive" out on the well respected Household Name records (which has been selling like hot cakes on the tour apparently, so much so that HHN had to get more printed) the time is right for the UK to take the band to their hearts and after watching them tonight I'm sure they will. Not only do they look good, they sound fantastic; big dirty punk rock riffs that fly along at full pelt dragging big fat melodies screaming behind them. Vocals are a mix of hardcore brutality soothed with seductive male/female melodies that add some extra spice to already potent tunes; add in the experience of being in successful bands before and you have a band that know how to interact with a big crowd and give them what they want and they deliver it with a confidence and cool punk rock swagger. They hit the Uk again in May for some smaller dates, check their website and if they are swinging by your way I heartily recommend them to you if you like your punk rock big and dirty.

Canadians Boys Night Out are another revelation as I was kind of expecting at least one of the support bands to play dodgy ska-punk, but no, we have another top notch punk band with a nod to emo and the alternative side of things. Positively bristling with energy they have trouble containing themselves in the small section of stage they have to perform in, this is a band who obviously love playing live and feed off the crowd energy as their upbeat and clattering tunes cause much damage down the front. BNO take a brave step of adding keyboards into the mix, the female keyboardist working manically in zero space conjuring up what sounds like Duran Duran cast offs ( and I mean that in a good way!) that are spun round by the guitars and morphed into cracking punk rock. I reckon they may just appeal to the emo crowd but they lack those whiney vocals thank god so it has a fuller sound...perhaps emo with a bit of bollocks, or perhaps just damn good rock music to drink beer to. However you want to describe them, I'm kind of glad I ended up working this gig as it's rare to get two such excellent support bands in one night.

A sold out crowd is in to see Less Than Jake who have been around a while but have passed me by until now, other than the odd song on compilations I have including the brilliant 'Gainsville Rock City'. I have to say that I am totally won over by their set tonight, fast paced melodic punk with injections of ska fuelled brass keep the energetic crowd moving all night while the energy levels the band show are amazing and it's a wonder that there are not floods of sweat flowing from the stage. I have no idea what they played, I believe I missed Gainsville Rock City at the start as we were loading out the gear for the supports and as we came back up in the lift I heard the closing few notes which was a bit gutting but as I said, they won me over so it doesn't matter that I don't know any titles as they left me with my foot tapping, head nodding and a grin on my face. Anyone who missed this, missed a cracking gig by a band giving 200% and the sight of some poor hand picked young lady having the chance to sniff 3 lots of sweaty armpits belonging to crowd members, confetti and fake snow being launched from the stage, rock n roll eh, you got to love it and I'm now wearing my T-shirt with pride!

Contra + The Carter Affair + Underdog + Outbreak Season - Messclean @ The Frog On The Front, Portsmouth. 07/04/06.

If anyone has happened to stop by to see my words of wisdom about the Messclean gig from 31st March featuring The Strange Death Of Liberal England & Dragon Eye Morrison + others...well, there isn't one because I was working 'upstairs' at the In Flames gig so only managed to catch a brief glimpse of the early bands. I can confirm though that it was very busy, one out & one in on the door, very hot and was probably a blinder in terms of music!

But on to the most recent Messclean and not quite so busy, but then I like to be able to get to the bar with ease. First up are Outbreak Season, a trio who are making their live debut tonight; they manage to get a few feet tapping to their funky metal instrumentals that are laced with 60s grooves as if the ghost of Hendrix had filtered onto the stage, at times it feels like a rehearsal jam session as the tunes flow back and forth before a chap from the back shouts "I'll sing for you" and arrives on stage. Set up or random nutter? Who knows, but he does a decent job for a couple of songs doing that mix of singing and barking that metal hardcore types love so much but it injects an extra bit of life into the set. A promising start and it will be interesting to see if the singer travels with them next time.

Underdog are also relative newcomers to the scene and this is their Pompey debut. Underdog are a band who sound like they listen to Motorhead and Sex Pistols back to back and have tried to scrape the grime from under the nails of punk and mix it with a little of whatever keeps Lemmy going. The result is some dirty, chugging rock n roll that leaves a vapour trail of oil behind it; while they may not possess the classic songs of their heroes just yet there is plenty to suggest that they could become a pretty decent band.
In their favour they have one of those frontmen that looks rough as fuck with his shaven head and agitated shuffling around the stage, the kind you don't want to meet down a dark alley but looks good on a stage. Underdog are at their best when they are tearing it up and going full pelt, things go a bit shaky when they try to slow it down as the tunes are not quite epic enough. But for good old dirty rock n roll then Underdog are your boys and with a bit of tweaking, some extra grime and oil added to the mix then we should have a new potent force to reckon with.

It's never a good sign when a band look a bit pissed off before they start and this is exactly how The Carter Affair appear as their keyboard is wiped out before they even start playing but it seems to add fuel to their already explosive mix of angular jabs and swathes of melodic feedback. The Carter Affair are one of those bands that have an infinite number of guitar pedals fixed to lumps of wood in front of them and they are put to good use as they wail angrily while guitars jab and hook from different directions before dipping into a sea of melody and drowning you in a huge wave of feedback. Lurking in the middle of this maelstrom are some fantastic vocals that scream out and grab you before being drenched in noise.
The Carter Affair are a truly fantastic band and it's a shame that a few more Pompey types haven't cottoned on to them as they missed a real treat, anyone with a bent for the stylings of Sonic Youth, The Mars Volta etc would probably have loved the angular shards of noise that this band whip up and with a rather stylish frontman sporting a nice waist coat you know they have that slightly eccentric edge that all genii have. This band go down as one of those you must see live at least once if you like a good sonic attack and I for one hope Messclean have them back soon along with the keyboard so we can see them in full flow though it may just destroy the Pyramids.

Headliners tonight are the equally fantastic Contra who left me gobsmacked a few months back at The Wedgewood Rooms so now was a chance to see if they could cut it in a small venue and they don't disappoint. Contra take a more direct approach with their tunes, massive alt-rock slabs of melody that sparkle and shine before splintering and shattering into dense blankets of noise. The old saying goes that you should never judge a book by it's cover, and it couldn't be more true in the case of Contra, as when they wander on the stage you have no idea of what to expect if you've not encountered them before.
But I think those that hung around long enough were soon won over as the beautiful slabs of power hit them and while the vocalist visually puts me in mind of a mix of Ian Curtis and a young Mark E. Smith, he has a fantastic voice and is mesmerizing to watch without actually doing much. Listening to Contra is like having a room full of black velvet, layered with shattered stars then wrapping yourself up in it and being cut to pieces, beautiful but harsh and a rare treat. For me, Contra were the stars tonight with The Carter Affair close behind smashing away at the trail of stardust and shooting off in all directions. Two exceptional bands to round the evening off and we should consider ourselves lucky to have such talent in abundance.