Month: March 2018

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing – Sunday 18th March 2018

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After IDestroy it was back to the bar for more refreshments before the main act and the reason we have come along. We stumbled across The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing (phew) at Camden Rocks a few years ago and have seen them several times since. This time they are out promoting their new album “Double Negative” an album much darker than the others before it. However, we nearly didn’t get to see them at all after their almost disastrous journey down the snow covered M1. They eventually arrived several hours late on the back of a tow truck and this late arrival may account for what I perceived to be an out of whack sound system, but I’m prepared also to believe that the first act had simply blown it up!

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing

The room is now full of steam punk devotee’s complete with long coats, hats and various leather accoutrements, I perhaps should’ve asked my friend Lewis to run me up something suitable. “The Men” are a Victorian steampunk outfit and write clever, witty historically based songs. Their previous albums blended fact and fantasy but not “Double Negative” and as we find out when they launch into their first punk heavy song “Supply & Demand” all about Burke & Hare! The crowd are into it immediately if a little sedately with bobbing heads rather than full punk thrashing. They play their new album in its entirety interspersed with suitably humorous songs from previous albums.

The crowd gets livelier by the third song in because it’s one we know very well “Charlie” all about Darwin and the atmosphere is now more good knees up which continues with “Margate Fhtagn”. I recently played this to my young daughter who quite astutely pointed out that it starts with a lively punk rock melody but transitions to black metal for the chorus, oh and she did find it funny 😊

After that cheery interlude we are slammed to the grubby floor with the next song from their new album “Baby Farmer”. We’re given a taste of what lies in store with the introduction “you’ve warmed up now so how about a song about killing babies”, that stopped a few of us in our tracks. Based on fact with no redeeming fantasy or quirky lyrics this is as dark a song from them as I’ve ever heard, about a woman I’ve never heard of Amelia Dyer. By the end I’m feeling disturbed and I suspect they’ve deliberately left out the humorous moments from this album because Victorian Britain was a very harsh time to be alive and perhaps reflects our own current global situation in some ways.

The band are very adept musicians as we witness them switch from thrashing punk to music hall sing-along effortlessly. The three front members, Andrew lead guitar, Andy vocals and saw! And Marc bass guitar are backed by drummer Jez and literally because the drum set is way at the back, but his playing adds layers to the harmonies the guitars (and sometimes saw) is making and when they switch to frantic punk mode he transforms into a maniacal hair flaying beast. Andrews guitar playing is sublime, the melodies he conjures are transfixing at times and coupled with Marc’s subtle, rhythmic and, at times, triumphantly deep bass they enhance the quality of the lyrics. Unfortunately, with this sound system most of the time those lyrics are lost, and I come to hear them especially from a band like “The Men” who write such good lyrics.

It may have been at this point when Marc’s wireless guitar pickup failed. In this brief interlude some pillock queried Andrews choice of lipstick! Echoing a line from one of their songs “votes for women fucking get over it” Andrew responds that it’s “its 2018 fucking get over it” and Marc comes back with his pickup failed because of the “trans phobic in the room”. All of which the crowd took in good humour and I had to wonder what the bloke had been thinking but then he was probably one of the main ones who’d been dribbling over the last act.

Also, as it’s about half way through Andy needs to sit down for the next one called “Moon”. It is so he can play the saw, yes, a saw played with a bow is an eerie sound to hear and quite suitable for some of their songs. The follow with “There she Glows” which, as you might guess, is about Marie Curie and possibly the most “jolly” songs on the album given that all of them are about death in some form or other. “Disease Control” sees an exquisite interplay between Andy’s melodic voice and Andrews screams.

The final 3 songs of the night (except encore of course) are politically charged, the 2 off the new album especially, and are infused with a fury in lyrics, delivery and music which when experienced is menacing in its quality. There’s a lot of pent up rage being let free in heavy guitars with feedback thrown in to let us feel that rage and fury. The songs were “God is in the bottom line”, “Doing it for the Whigs” and “There’s going to be a revolution” which featured Jez on guitar as well.

The encore was almost a second half featuring 5 songs and completing the playing of “Double Negative”. The crowd has really warmed up by this time and it’s almost breaking out into a riotous rampage of a proper punk gig, but it never manages to. Their final song is a brilliant witty piece about Isambard Kingdom Brunel and a chorus where we can all shout “Brunel”.

Their new album may be dark and foreboding and they manage to portray that on stage with their persona’s, outfits and presentation. Yet there is also humour amongst the horrors and these guys know when to let the steam off. I believe they are a band that you must see live to “get them” because you need that experience, the interplay between them and the audience, to fully appreciate the message they deliver, it is not something you can get from your HiFi in the comfort of you own home. Next time they’re on tour go and see them, be horrified, be surprised but I guarantee you’ll be entertained and leave feeling good if a little disturbed.

My review score: 9

IDestroy

IDestroy and Jonny & The Mental Breakdowns – Sunday 18th March 2018

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Our last rock concert was during the “Beast from the East” so perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise to find this next one was during the “Mini Beast from the East”! This caused a change in plans because it was so cold and a Sunday we didn’t fancy hanging around in Milton Keynes until the gig start. So, after a pre-gig meal at home we set forth to MK. As you’ll see in the next blog the headline act, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, also struggled to get there although it wasn’t as bad for us as it was for them.

Arriving at the splendid Craufurd Arms in time for the first support act we found the venue a tad chilly and unfortunately there weren’t many others there to help warm it up either. With cold beers in hand we got stamped on our way in.

Jonny & The Mental Breakdowns

After a quick check of the merchandise we settled near the front of the virtually empty room for the first band. A local 3-piece I think and they kicked off in frantic 70’s punk rock style and were LOUD. Too loud I felt so we moved to the back but because of the lack of warm bodies to absorb some of that sonic boom assaulting our ears it was still too loud. The music sounded all the same and the lyrics were indistinguishable. After a couple of songs, the bassist announced they were supposed to be a 4-piece, but the real bassist had left, and he was playing bass for the first time in years. To be honest I couldn’t tell but then I couldn’t discern any individual parts from the black noise emanating from the distortion heavy speakers. The final song we endured I thought was entitled “Brexit Windows” but was in fact “Broken Windows” and I’m pretty sure if the venue had windows they’d have been blown out by now. We left part way through something I only do when I really can’t stand it.

My review score: 3

We returned to the relative tranquillity of the bar where a tall lady dressed punk style was commanding attention from the mainly male clientele. I figured she must be from the next band to play and if the attention she was drawing was unwelcome it didn’t show. We got more drinks, still cold, and sat down at a table to let our ears recover. We noticed that the venue has a crowdfunding site to raise funds to upgrade it, well after that session I hope they put in some decent speakers and an improved PA. I’ve said it before but will say again, louder is NOT always better just as sometimes less is more.

IDestroy

We wandered back in to the venue in the hope that this was not going to be round 2! Noticeable fuller now with mainly a male audience, why is that? I wondered. Next up are IDestroy a 3-piece all female band from Bristol are on stage setting up with the tall lady on bass as I thought. Boom they are straight into it taking me by surprise as there was no announcement and immediately it is much better than the previous act. The sound isn’t as loud, is softer and you can actually hear the harmonies and at least some of the lyrics. There’s still some distortion and I’m no convinced this is more to do with the PA system than anything the band requested.

Their songs are punk rock with attitude but also at times with a softer edge. On stage the lead guitarist, Bec, was full of energy and when not singing was flying about reminding me of the anarchy of the punk era. Becky, on bass guitar, was a little more sedate and grabbing lots of attention from the crowd many of whom seem to find their mobile phone camera’s a lot more interesting than before. At the back of the stage was Jenn quietly getting on with setting the rhythm and, like most drummers, looking slight unhinged!

I’ve no idea what the setlist comprised but I do know they sang songs from their new EP (which I purchased at the end of the night). From that EP we had “Milkshake Sky” which sounded as though they were singing about having a sugar rush and indeed were bouncing round the stage. “Lemons” is a very attitude layered track featuring a wonderful bass line and a chorus of “you ain’t no fun” and I thought “well I’m having fun” and looked around but we all seemed to be having fun and even the cameras have been put away. In fact, that’s what I got from this set, a feisty group with attitude dripping from every lyric and chaotic guitars blending into wonderful harmonies backed by that slightly unhinged drumming, it was riotous and was warming us up very well indeed. Occasionally the tracks veered slightly towards a more pop party feel but this usually didn’t last too long, and they were back spitting venom as on “Alcohol and Vitamins”.

At the end the crowd was very appreciative and I’m sure we’ll see more of IDestroy, in fact I will see them again at Amplified!

My review score: 7

PS. There was quite a few tall blokes in tonight hence the image!!

Commotio – Saturday 10th March 2018

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Sometimes in life it’s worth just seizing the moment and my partner had noticed Commotio had an upcoming concert but the weekend they were performing was also the weekend her mum was coming to visit. However, it was also Mother’s Day weekend and I thought we’d just ask her and then go from there. On the Saturday morning we discussed it and bought the tickets which would’ve been easier if the check out actually worked! It refused to let my partner check out without a PayPal account even though it clearly said one was not needed. In the end I completed the check out process. All sorted of we went, including partners son, to Oxford.

The journey in was uneventful meaning we had quite a bit of time on our hands before a meal and then concert. So we had a lovely walk round Oxford visiting some parks and bypassing the more touristy areas. Arriving at that Portuguese chicken and chips restaurant we realised we still had time so walked round the block which was very interesting. Along the way we passed the track where Sir Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile which was poignant considering he’d died that week.

On arriving at restaurant we took our time ordering partly trying to decide whether to share a massive platter or go individual. During our meal it was interesting to see the mix of people coming and going and also those who just came for a take away. Suitably fed and watered we left to go to the venue which was St John the Evangelist’s a church now also running as an arts venue. Partner and I had been here before to see Commotio about 3 years ago. We were in plenty of time for the start and so had a wide choice for seats and chose the second row, the first being reserved.

I find it intriguing that this is a church still in use today and yet has been completely rejuvenated by it being the home for SJE Arts and a fair number of concerts are held here. Despite being a church the pews have been removed and comfortable seating is available. All the usual church trappings are present, altar, chancel and screen, cross, stained glass windows and a large effigy of Christ which looked like it needed a good dusting! The other odd thing is that they have a stall selling CD’s and a bar in a side part of the chancel. I find it odd because, although churches have often been used historically for markets, Christ did throw out stall holders from “His Fathers house”. However, drinking alcohol is fine because the priests give you that during Holy Communion!

Drinks in hand we are in our seats ready for the choir to appear. The programme lists each piece with a bit of history to it with writer and composer and the choir members. Typically with a choir they file out in order they’re standing in so basses first to sopranos at the front and finally the conductor. He walks out in just his socks, good job they were plain black and matched. I heard later that his shoes squeaked so didn’t want to ruin the performance with an ill-timed squeak.

The lights dim and they begin with “O misera d’amante” by Michelangelo Rossi which washes forth over the “congregation”. It’s tempting to watch each person in turn but I found that became distracting from the performance and oh how wonderful this was. Their voices blend perfectly none is too strong for another and when I turn to look at a singer their individual voice becomes clearer. Letting myself drift I can discern the various parts of the harmonies and as their voices grow these blend beautifully together to caress my ears, bathe them if you will in honey. It’s not just the ears that are being cared for I also find choral music, when sung well, is tonic for the Spirit in a similar yet fundamentally different way to Rock, Pop or Metal. All touch the Spirit and Soul, all lift it up but each in their own unique way.

At the end we applaud and from the reaction of the conductor I really think he forgot we were there! I have experienced how he might’ve been feeling, you are so lost in the music, the majesty of it that all else fades to nothing and most of the performance tonight did just that.

The third piece is “Heyr pu oss himnum a” by Anna Thorvaldsdottir for which there is a handy translation in the programme. However, as with all other pieces, Commotio sing it in the language it is written, Icelandic. This in itself is outstanding, yes choirs sometimes sing in Latin but that is almost expected given the vast religious archive of material, but here they sung 4 different languages and not a stumble, mutter or missed note throughout.

Next up is a World Premiere performance of Francis Pott’s “They that put their trust in the Lord”. Commotio have a lot of World Premier’s because they choose the more eclectic or obscure choral pieces that other choirs shy away from. Here they deliver a stunning performance and the composer, who is opposite me, appreciates it enormously.

There are no microphones or speakers and yet their voices carry and ebb and flow with each piece. At one point they were so loud I reached for my sound meter and it topped out at 100Db!! Metal concert territory and they’ve got amps with banks of speakers.

They complete the first half with “Miserere” but not the “famous” Allegri version this one was by James MacMillan. To me it seems to start in a similar fashion but soon takes wing on its own. It is different but also beautiful in its own right and I can see as well as feel the passion being put into it by each chorister. Unfortunately, a cough caught one of the choristers and being there without protection of guitars etc. it is apparent, and I felt for them as they were clearly embarrassed. However, the soloists were sublime especially the tenor whose voices envelopes our ears like a comfort blanket, soft and soothing to calm all our fears. The soloists remain within the main body of the choir, but this adds to their parts lifting them out reaching towards us on a wave of angelic voices.

At the interval another visit to the bar was in order which strangely has what looks like confession booths next to it! I’d also noticed, in contrast to my other recent concerts, that there was very little black well except for the choir who were all in black, what a role reversal!

The second half starts in the same way as the first and the conductor is still shoeless. They begin with a piece by Gustav Holst using the poem “A song of the new Jerusalem by Digby Mackworth Dolben. This is quintessential Commotio performing a little known, little sung choral work with such outstanding musical brilliance it may be little wonder why others don’t attempt similar works but there in also lies the reason. The works themselves require a musical ability that is above most amateur choirs’ abilities and yet Commotio show that with dedication and hard work you can achieve the necessary harmonies to perform such works. This dedication and hard work shines through in all the pieces they perform, their cohesion provokes harmonies that are both sublime and divine that defy any soul not to be uplifted.

Next we have Vaughan Williams musical setting to John Bunyan’s poem about the journey of one’s soul to the “other side”. It was written after the death of a friend but as it was 1940 the text and the music is apt to the dark years of WWII. Given the nature of the text Commotio’s performance is once again nothing short of rapturous. Their harmonic evokes that soul’s acceptance of fate as they sing, almost triumphantly, “Death, where is thy sting?”. As we’re in church this seems appropriate and the acoustics are perfect for such a performance. Churches were built to resonate the priests voice out over the congregation and now Commotio’s passionate cries are resonated out towards a different type of congregation listening, some with eyes closed to more fully appreciate the sound including myself, in rapturous wonder.

The penultimate work was “One foot in Eden still, I stand” by Nicholas Maw and unfortunately for me at least it didn’t work. Immediately prior to the start four soloists rearranged themselves to stand off to the left, a bass, tenor, alto and soprano. A departure from previous pieces where the soloists were incorporated within the main body of the choir. I believe the difference here was that the 4 soloists and choir act almost as a call/response which is often used as a basis in jazz. Now I admit I don’t like jazz as probably the only musical form I can’t get my ears around and that is perhaps why I feel this piece and performance jars. This dissonance continues throughout and I find myself turning left then right as though at a tennis match to keep up with the exchanges between players: the 4 soloists and the choir. Only at the end does it end in unison and once again Commotio come together to deliver the harmonics only they are capable of.

The final piece is the second movement from Marten Jansson’s “I Guds Ijus” and once again sung in the native language. The soloists have recombined with the larger orchestra and it’s almost as if a rift has healed as they begin singing. It’s a short yet beautiful piece about a father and son and sung magnificently.

At the end there is long applause and the conductor takes at least two “curtain” calls and then we gather ourselves together return the empties to the bar and set off on our return home past the stadium again. We take with us memories of a beautiful uplifting night of choral music by a choir who I heartily recommend to everyone.

My review score: 9

Apocalyptica

Apocalyptica – Friday 2nd March 2018

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The worst snow storms since 1981 hit the country this week as “The beast from the East” met “Storm Emma” right over our heads. Fortunately, by the time it comes to leave for the gig and travel to Cambridge the storms have eased and driving conditions are not too bad and got better the closer we got. However on arrival in Cambridge it did start snowing so we checked into our accommodation and played Scrabble.

It was an average walk to the centre from where we were staying yet walking was made difficult by the snow/slush combination on the paths. Rush hour was calming down but there were still lots of people about including very hardy souls on bicycles but then it is Cambridge. Crossing Parkers Piece you could appreciate the snow in all it’s Christmas card glory. Still on my restrictive diet and not the weather for a salad we ventured into that Portuguese chicken and chips place 😊

Once at the venue security checks were restricted to bags and we headed straight to the bar. I had a pint of flat and cold Old Speckled Hen whilst my partner opted for Ice Cream, FFS it’s -4 outside and you want ice cream how old are you? 😊😊 We had front row seats upstairs, in fact it was all seated, and making our way there I noticed the crowd was an eclectic mix in both ages and styles. I’d say the youngest I saw was about 10 and the oldest over 60 and possibly sitting behind us. Interestingly the Cambridge Corn Exchange website billed this gig as “Classical” so I’d half expected seeing a couple in black dress and morning suit!! But alas I didn’t.

Taking our seats I noticed that the stage was sparsely laid out with 4 boxes and microphones on 4 pieces of carpet with a separate back drop for each. Clearly this was for the 4 cellos and the main backdrop showed “Apocalyptica Plays Metallica by Four Cellos”. Billed as the 20th anniversary of “plays Metallica” is a little odd considering the album was released in 1996 but they may have been touring it for 2 years already. As we’re settling in the chap behind us returns having visited the disabled facilities, well he was talking so loudly it seemed rude not to overhear him. In fact, by the end of the night he was seriously getting on my nerves more for the fact he seemed to belittle his partner at every opportunity. He tapped me on the shoulder to explain that he was leaning his walking stick behind me and didn’t want me to think he was poking me. I considered telling him I’ve had worse but really didn’t want to engage so just said OK. Fortunately the lights also dimmed and out came Apocalyptica.

The 4 cellists simply walked to their respective spots, plugged in, sat down and were straight into the opening strains of “Enter Sandman”. First thing to notice this was all acoustic and not too loud either, you could tell it was “Enter Sandman” and I found it striking the way the 4 different cellos sounded. They blended very well but the notes were subtly different representing the different variety of cello. Perhaps also the sound represented the way each individual played his cello. It is a beautiful sounding instrument particularly so when played by a virtuoso which Apocalyptica almost are. Sorry but they don’t compare to Jacqueline DuPre but then she doesn’t compare to Apocalyptica either!

They follow with two more Metallica covers before Eicca takes the microphone to welcome us all to Cambridge. He chats briefly saying how great it is to see us all there and I must agree given the weather there were very few empty seats. Eicca tells us this is an acoustic set with no singer and so is inclusive because we have to do the singing. He also states there will be an interval “just like a proper concert” and they’ve got good merchandise to sell including some hoodies which will be invaluable now we’re having a “proper winter” 😊😊

Of course they restart with more Metallica but that is what this gig is all about. The song is “The Unforgiven” and acoustically on cello is hauntingly beautiful you can feel and hear both the passion and sorrow. This acoustic section is well balanced and has everyone rockin’ along although being a seated gig there’s no moshing but the guy over the aisle from me is doing some serious head banging. It’s noticeable the distinctive style each cellist has from the sedate and seated throughout style of Antero, Mr Cool, to the more flamboyant standing up hair thrashing styles of Eicca and Perttu. Unfortunately, Paavo, on the bass cello, is incapacitated with what looks like a broken leg but does his best to get into metal mode with some head banging and occasional standing. Mr Cool completes his look with dark glasses and when introduced bows to the wings, but I suspect this is a deliberate joke as Eicca apologises saying the lights make him blind.

Musically this is very good and I would say very Mozart like because Mozart probably was the metal musician of his age. What I do notice is that Antero’s style appears to be much more classical in approach down to the jacket and shirt he wears but this may be due more to the musical parts he’s playing as the others perform the oomph bits that require a more fluid approach. When they sit the lights cast a shadow on the back drop and each player appears to have a cross over their left shoulder. This reminds me again of being in a church worshipping and yet here we’re paying homage to very talented musicians.

They round off the acoustic set with aplomb and I head to the bar for more flat beer, but they must’ve changed the barrel because this time there was a head on it. Returning to my seat we get chatting to the lady sitting next to us about Apocalyptica and when we discovered them. Old guy behind returns and yet again begins pontificating on some rubbish but he’s soon drowned out by Apocalyptica’s return.

For the second part the stage has been tweaked and now includes an impressive drum set with spiral cymbals and what I can only think was an upside-down milk churn. They begin with “Fade to Black” and follow that with “For Whom the Bell Tolls” which includes a bell tolling which may well have been that milk churn get a thwack. The audience has come alive a bit more and either because the interval has loosened them up or because these songs are more known or even because they felt they had to resist getting too involved in the acoustic set they’re now singing along proper karaoke style. This is especially noticeable on “Fight Fire with Fire”. Apocalyptica have also raised the tempo considerably and the three more regular members are on their feet (although there’s still a stool for Paavo to sit on if needed. They are also into full head banging mode and it’s a wonder they don’t lose half their hair in the strings. Mr Cool remains seated throughout however and it’s noticeable that this creates a kind of separation between the band members which I feel detracted from the whole, it felt as though it was 3+1 cellos plays Metallica. During one song, I forget which, Mr Cool is given a cello which lights up inside giving the impression he’s playing an illuminated skull.

It all ratchets up further as the set progresses with the drummer switching between minimalistic and full banging styles in keeping with the music. He too is on his feet at times matching the 3 main members. The half comes to a head with “Battery” and finally “Seek and Destroy” as the audience are now into full throttle matching the antics on stage as Perttu is in full shredding mode on his cello. The speed at which he is playing, with fingers ablur, hair flying around and bow sweeping majestically back and forth is awe inspiring. They also include some cello playing whilst lifting the instrument off the ground over their heads!!

The applause at the end doesn’t let up and of course they return to play an encore of “Nothing else Matters” and “One”. It’s a fitting end and the audience are on their feet. Down in the auditorium they have been for a while but with the chairs present there’s no mosh pit. As they take the final applause the drummer reveals his Union Jack pants which leaves me wondering if he has a pair for each nation they play.

A stunningly good show for four brilliant expert cello players who, hopefully, are finally receiving the accolades they deserve. I’ve noticed for too long how their imitators have been played on classical shows but now even Classic FM in the UK has woken up and plugged them.

My Review Score: 9

King 810 – Saturday 17th February 2018

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Afterwards we move away to let the King 810 faithful have their turn at the front and we find the merchandise area. Courtesans are there and as always have time to chat and take selfies and I also speak to Howard about the set and things in general. These are genuine people who believe in what they are doing, and it makes a refreshing change.

King 810

They too announce their presence on stage with a tape playing and straight away launch into their first number. We’re stood on the platform at the back and the one thing that stands out is how huge the 2 front guys look! They appear to be massive compared to the crowd beneath, what a strange perspective we have here. That perspective gives their performance an edge. It’s clear early on they are angry about something, the way they spit out the lyrics, the rippling undercurrent of bass and the ominous stage persona they are projecting. The crowd go mad for it although it’s not a full-on pit more just large sections jumping and thrashing in time.

The one thing that did strike me as a bit odd was there appeared to be no guitar. There was a bassist, singer and drummer yet I’m sure I could hear a guitar. Perhaps he/she was hidden behind the massive 2 frontmen!

Being an underground club and standing towards the back I don’t think gives the best acoustics for any set. So some of what King do appeared at times to be the same as before but I’m sure that isn’t the case. I’m grabbed by some of the songs and melodies and catch glimpses of lyrics that are thought provoking and this turns out to be driven by their home town roots. These roots also explain the violence you can feel in both the lyrics and delivery which seems to fuel the seething mass below us.

By mid-set I’m beginning to get a feel for King 810. They’re angry about various aspects of life back home and that can lead to a life of crime. Another way is to express that anger through music or words and King 810 do both. It’s tough, it’s gritty and there’s a simmering atmosphere yet it never gets out of control and no bottles are thrown. It’s infectious in a way and whilst it doesn’t completely grab me as Courtesans do I am drawn in.

They play a brief encore which I think is dictated by the club curfew and the lights come up.

My Review Score: 8

Looking at the crowd now you see they’ve clearly had fun and small groups hug, shake hands and go on their way. We say goodbye to Courtesans and decide not to stay for the rock night which judging by the waiting people outside may well have been for people 1/3 my age!!

Courtesans – Saturday 17th February 2018

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For my birthday, of many years!!, my partner and I set off to Leeds specifically to see Courtesans. Their latest tour is in support of King 810 who I’ve not heard before, but it is Courtesans I want to see and I’m a bit disappointed by the set times which appear to have been set for yet another “club night” to begin after the bands.

After arriving early, we set off to spend some Xmas vouchers and claim my free socks from M&S!! I wonder if the gift is age related or because they’ve over ordered on socks. Finding somewhere to eat for our pre-gig meal was tricky in part because I’m on a new restrictive diet but also because many restaurants had valentines offers still on. It’s a shame Gregg’s don’t do late nights as there were more Gregg’s in one square mile than I’ve ever seen outside of Newcastle 😊 I counted at least 12.

We got to the venue in good time and descended to the cavern without any issue and the first thing was a visit to the facilities which were back up different stairs! The venue itself is compact consisting of stage, bar and sound platform which doubles as the merchandise area. It’s dark and made darker by the swathes of black clad people mostly wearing King 810 attire. At the bar it was a big surprise to find they sold the beer in bottles, glass bottles too, so hopefully everyone will be sensible if a pit begins.

I pushed my way through to be as close as possible to the front and got a great position centre stage only for a guy over 6 foot to come and stand in front. Whilst we wait for Courtesans we get chatting to three others who are also there to see them. The big guy’s girlfriend returns with beer and grabs his bum, so he turns around and, of course, he sees me first. I smile and there’s a glimmer of a frown on his face before he spots his girlfriend and then it’s all smiles again. The outcome got better as he moved slightly to allow her space so I got a great view.

Courtesans

They announce their entrance by playing from tape before plugging in and Agnes strikes up the bass. Unfortunately there’s been a hitch with Saffire’s amplifier but unless you’re up close like me you’d never have known, and it’s fixed quickly enough for there to be no pause before they blast into their first song.

The stage is cramped but it doesn’t cramp their style and you can FEEL the chemistry between each member as they feed of each other. I’ve said it before but once again I notice that this chemistry ensures that the whole is much greater than the sum of its’ parts. I can’t see Vikki on drums as she’s squeezed in at the back but that doesn’t prevent her being a part of the entity that is Courtesans.

Looking around at the start there is a sense of “endurance” in the crowd, they’ve come for King 810 and to get a good place have to sit through the support. However, by about the 3rd song Courtesans have gripped them by the balls and woken them to their melodic eerie doom world view. I feel that change in the crowd not least because the bloke behind is now strafing me with his hair 😊 and the guy in front has started paying attention. That’s what I love about Courtesans they enrapture you into their world and for however long their set is you are at one with them and the music.

They belt out some of their “classics”, if you can call them that after only a year or so, which includes “Mesmerize”, “Feel the Same” and “Monkey Logic”. Throughout Sinead’s vocals venture from rap to hard rock, from sweet melodies to gravelly rock tones and seamlessly Saffire, Agnes and Vikki underpin those lyrics with wonderful harmonies.

I’ve seen Courtesans 3 times before, but this set has raised the bar to a new level and it’s only been 2 months since I last saw them. I’m digging deep to find words to convey the awesome set they delivered, how professional it was and yet how they are able to make it seem like a private gig. They are completely at ease on stage in front of the large crowd, Sinead commands our attention and looks relaxed flanked by Saffire and Agnes both of whom at times look menacing but in a good way. At the back is Vikki who I can hear but alas can’t see.

The set is well thought out with the song choices and seamless interchange between them. It builds in energy throughout to a thunderous rendition of “Monkey Logic” when all their pent up anger burst forth over the crowd as they lead us through some serious head banging madness, oh and Saffire looses her hat 😊 There’s no fluff or bluster between songs, no wastage, they’ve set their hook and are reeling us in. They end with “Little bit of luck” but there’s no luck with Courtesans they have earned their place and deserve the bigger things that will come. They have a passion that’s infectious and a desire to succeed that’s already evident. What a birthday party!

My Review Score: 10