Deap Vally & Drenge

Artists: Deap Vally & Drenge
Venue: Queens Social Club Sheffield
Date: 23 February 2013

Line up : Swanton Bombs, Deap Vally, Drenge

Second gig of the week this time in a new venue the Queens Social Club in Sheffield, never been here before and didn't know what to expect but I had visions of this....

And I wasn't far wrong they even had the same style glittery things at the back and wooden walls but saying that it seemed to have great acoustics and they seem to be putting on a few decent bands with the likes of Foals playing last year and artists such as Palma Violets, Ghostpoet and the mighty Bo Ningen booked this year.

After finally finding the venue the first band Swanton Bombs were playing and they were pretty good although what's with pre recording guitar solos? and then hitting a pedal.... not sure about that.

Next up Deap Vally... I love a two piece rock band and they seem to becoming more and more popular the likes of The Black Keys, Japandriods, Blood Red shoes, Two Gallants and of course Deap Vally and Drenge.

Two piece bands are straight to the point, no filler, no messing just straight up rock n roll. For me me it's Guitar and Drums anything else is just excess baggage in some bands.

This isn't the first time I've seen Deap Vally and I saw them upstairs at the rescue rooms when they filmed some of the end of the world video with an old dude at the front loving it and rocking out! anyway for some reason I didn't make the cut and don't appear in the video, potential claim to fame taken away.

They play some of the heaviest dirtiest blues rock and I love it!

note the dodgy glittery banners in the background

I had a great view until about half way through the set the biggest giraffe ever decided to come and stand right in front of me, must have been about 7ft 2 and probably blocked the view for half the crowd! seriously the top of my head wasn't even level with his shoulders.  He wandered off to pastures new after about 10mins though.

Anyway Deap Vally are ace and will not be playing venues this small for long, since the last time I saw they have developed a real buzz and and array of new fans.

Not the best venue for photos, the insane background glitter acted as an anti photography scre en

They played for about 45minutes including some new stuff that sounded ace. Some of the riffs are awesome, so dirty it's unreal. Lindsey knows how to make that Mustang sing and together with Julies drums these girls are gonna fly this year

Next up Drenge...

Local brothers also a two piece, being honest I didn't really know much about them it was Deap Vally playing that made me get the tickets in the first place, BUT since I booked the tickets they have released the awesome Bloodsports single and I have become a big fan.

Saying that I have been reliant on the Bloodsports single and Youtube/Soundcloud clips so wasn't 100% sure what to expect but WOW they ripped the place apart, some bruteifull (yes that's beautiful and brutal combined) riffs especially with the Danelectro guitar which sounded epic, which always surprises me as they are basically made of paper mache.

Another band with a big future ahead and I will certainly be following these and can't wait to see them live again.

Solitary Drenge photo due to anti photography glitter things.

The Bronx rescue rooms

Artist: The Bronx
Venue: Rescue Rooms Nottingham
Date: 20 February 2013

Lineup: Axis of, Single Mothers, The Bronx

This isn't the first time I have seen The Bronx although the last time they were in their mariachi guise.  The time before that was epic with Mariachi and pulled apart by horses in support with Tom from PABH parting the crowd with the most horrendous projectile vomiting I have ever seen before James Brown started playing guitar on the bar.

This time no Mariachi and 2 bands I haven't heard of in support. First up Axis of. The problem with early curfews at the rescue rooms is that support bands go on really early and I didn't make it in time to see these guys.

Next up was Single Mothers as they kept informing everyone from London Ontario a straight up Hardcore band with a vocalist who's style reminded my of Keith Morris from Black Flag, Circle Jerks etc.  Really enjoyed them came home and downloaded their ep (legally) well worth a listen.

Now it was time for The Bronx as the background stated.... The Beat that kills

You know exactly what you are gonna get from The Bronx, straight up rock n roll played fast and hard, They came on and ripped the place apart. They played an 80min set, no encores, no messing about just BOOM!  Whatever guise The Bronx are in they look like a band that loves what they do.

Singer Matt Caughthran obviously didn't read the signs placed around the place stating that anyone caught crowd surfing would be kicked out, it would be a pretty odd show if the lead singer got kicked out after 2 songs!

Matt took every opportunity to get in with the crowd, if you look closely you can see the top of Matts bald head in the middle of the pit!

and enjoying the ride back to the stage!

Someone posted this video on Youtube, this is what it was like!!

Lovely stuff!

Setlist for the night was:

1. The Unholy Hand
2. White Tar
3. Shitty Future
4. Under the Rabbit
5. Rape Zombie
6. To Many Devils
7. Pilot Light
8. Six Days a Week
9. Youth Wasted
10. False Alarm
11. Knifeman
12. White Guilt
13. Ribcage
14. They Will Kill Us All Without Mercy
15. Valley Heat
16. Heart Attack American
17. Historys Stranglers

At the end of the set walking back through the bar, People were watching the Brits on the big screen why anybody would choose to watch James Corden and the rest of that rubbish when The Bronx were doing their thing 20ft away is something I will never understand.

The History of Apple Pie

Date: 02/02/2013
Venue: The Old Vic Derby

The Old Vic in Derby is a proper old school venue that has seen some great bands over the years and they have the posters to prove it all over the wall including this one from the legendary Million Dead!

Unfortunately they also have posters for Snow Patrol......

One thing about The Old Vic is that they seem terrible at getting suitable bands onto the bill and often have bands that don't match the style of the headliners. The last time I went to the old vic I saw bo ningen and they basically reduced my IQ by about 20 with a brutal yet beautiful noise.

First band was called The reckless thieves they were about 15 years old and doing Oasis and Kasabian covers fair play for having a go and everyone has to start somewhere, but the band name is terrible.

Next up was a band called Crystal Seagulls another crap band with a crap name, nondescript blandness.

The Harmonics followed, what is it with rubbish band names, anyway seemed to have a big local following and were pretty tight however they did a cover of I'm a believer describing it as a cover of a song from Shrek..... minus points for that one.

The History of Apple Pie were the headliners and the reason I went and from setting up with this sexy array of effects pedals the signs were good!

The history of apple pie are the result of growing up listening the likes of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, The Pixies, Belly etc of which i'm a big fan of and they have just released their debut album.

3 Guitars playing a swirling soundscape of fuzz backing some soft female vocals is a great mix. I'm sure they are gonna have a big year.

It's love this kind of music and The history of apple pie are well worth seeing.

Next up The Bronx!!!

Fighting Evil is Cool & Last Edition

Date: 01/02/2013

Venue: Bodega Social Club Nottingham

Ska Punk was massively popular a few years ago but seems to have tailed off a little and isn't as cool as it once was. However it's still a big underground scene and is always good for a laugh and can't help but make you smile.

The night started off with support band Mr Wolf who were like an amalgamation of every late 90's punk band with a bit of NOFX, Rancid, Snuff etc all thrown into the mix and the result was a pretty decent sound.

The next band up was Last Edition from Leicester and the main reason I went, they played a great bouncy set and it was nice to see my old Guitar in action on the stage!  Some great bands have played on the stage at Bodega including The White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes so it must be a real buzz to play there.

Knowing the guitarist I may be biased but I thought they were the best band on the night, I always think music is best when it's kept as simple as it needs to be, don't try and complicate it too much which can be a common mistake that many bands make.

Any way check them out

http://www.facebook.com/lasteditionuk?fref=ts  

Headliners where a band called Fighting Evil is Cool it was a gig for a new EP release and they had managed to draw a pretty decent crowd, They were OK but going back to the complicating things to much it seemed a little disjointed to me, with a bit to much going on at times.

People should get out more and check out local unsigned bands this gig was £2.00 to get in and all the bands provided something good to listen to.

Anyway that's the first gig of 2013 in the can