Thirst Club Esquires Bedford. Saturday 30th April 2005.
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Review by Dan Barrett (danskate@gmail.com)
Normally, being the first band on stage on a night such as this would be suicide - not everyone has arrived yet, most people are just settling into a pint, and haven't yet warmed to the night: So the fact that Henry And The Bleeders chose to go first led me to think that they were either clinically insane, or had something to be very confident about. Fortunately for both of them and those in attendance, it was the latter. Their set played at a break-neck pace with almost no breaks, these old-school punks were the perfect wake-up call for the crowd, launching straight into a fast and furious feel-good anthem. The rest of their set was surprisingly diverse, with both 50's rock n' roll parts, and the occasional flourish of a solo or two, which were very fitting in style to the rest of the music. Drumming was spot-on, and the bass was great also. Their movement on stage was full of attitude, and crowd response was excellent, with moshing/skanking/dancing all encouraged by their mohican'd singer/guitarist at various points, and constant chants of 'Bleeders!' for the rest of the night. A very refreshing and genuine punk band, who not only dress but act the part, as well as play the music they love - and a great attitude toward the local scene, it's always encouraging to see a band member encouraging their supposed rivals!
Summerfall must be the unluckiest band in the world - had they grown up in California, they would undoubtedly have been signed to Drive-Thru/Victory by now, and playing sell-out shows to huge American and Japanese audiences. How gutted they must be to be stuck in Bedford! Thankfully for us, we have them here though, and I'm sure that the break they've been waiting for (and deserve) is just around the corner. On to their set, it was a little more chilled-out than that of the previous band, though moshing continued during heavier passages, and much head-swaying was apparent during the slower, clean parts. Opening with a new version of old favourite 'Satisfaction Through Solitude', both heavy and melodic guitar parts, multiple vocal harmonies, funk-infused bass, and solid drumming throughout intertwined to form a high-class, trademark Summerfall set. Most of note is the diverse range of vocals available to them in having all four band members (even the drummer) mic'd up - from sweetly sung melody lines to emotionally-charged screams, shouts, and quiet, almost whispered sections, these tie the songs together, and give the band a unique sound. New song 'Shootout At High Noon' was received well by their slightly smaller than usual crowd, and it was a bold statement to include new material in their set for the final - but I feel it was a good move. Sadly, there were no covers this time around, something I've always greatly enjoyed, but their original material more than stands up for itself, so this wasn't a problem. They've always been a hard band to pigeon-hole in terms of the genre of music they play, but like every previous reviewer, I?ll have a bash: melodic-screamocore (you heard that from me first, before it was popular!). And by the way, since when was 'emo' a negative term?
Loud. Imposing. Technically astonishing. Fell Silent are all of these and so, so much more. I hadn't really 'got' them the last couple of times I saw them at Esquires, but I sure as hell did this time round! Trust me when I say, this is the sound of Math/Metalcore to come, in the MK/Bedford area at very least. Musically, they don't hold back anything. At all. Guitar riffs and bass-playing are heavier and more crushing than an anvil dropped from space, and the (mostly) screamed vocals are very reminiscent of The Dillinger Escape Plan - I was left wondering whether they were a genuine cry for help, at least until I saw the smile on their vocalist's face later in the evening. Drumming? Wow, it's fast, brutal, and flawless, despite the complex polyrhythmic timings - and the double-pedal use was almost painfully good, and never monotonous, no mean feat indeed. Their set never wavered below 'great' and the songs played were nicely punctuated with slower, more melody-driven sections, which gave the singer a chance to show his vocal range, and gave a genuine sense of the impending doom that were the riffs to follow. As a band, they're extremely tight, and the vocalist had an iron rule over what was easily the biggest pit of the night. I can't wait to hear the results of their studio time!
Following the onslaught laid upon by Fell Silent, Blackout had a mountain to climb if they were going to top them. A mountain of dead bodies in the moshpit, which were miraculously resurrected with some intense riffing and guitar solo-ing skills, sharp bass-playing, top-notch drumming skills and some black magic in the form of some well-growled vocals. The appearance of Blackout on stage was like a gallon of Red Bull to the moshers, and within seconds the pit was back with renewed vigour. Their set checked all the boxes on a metal fans wish list, and their trademark System of a Down cover (this week: 'Suite-Pee') was superb. Their vocalist had a very good connection with the fans, who looked up to him, and the bassist/guitarist leaning over them in awe. 'Inside The Man' was the best I've heard it, and drove the fans almost to the point of explosion. Deserving winners I thought, and their generosity clearly knows no bounds (freebies for the first few, again!). I wouldn't be surprised to see these guys playing some festivals in the not-too-distant future.
The result was as follows: Blackout won overall - 3 days studio time, and Fell Silent + Henry and the Bleeders each won a days studio time. Summerfall won 'most original band', and a prize fund of ?250-odd. A good result for all involved, all four bands now have free studio time to look forward to (Summerfall had already won some for coming runners-up at the Cambridge BotB). Please return with C.D.'s for everyone guys, ASAP! Many thanks to everyone at Esquires and Planet Clothing for running the whole thing, and also especially to all the bands involved for such a great contest, see you all soon!
Battle of the Bands final - Review by Dan Barrett (danskate@gmail.com)
REVIEW TWO
Reviewed by Martin Stapleton
So, after all the heats, all the qualifying rounds and all the bands who have played, we are down to the final four who have worked their way to the final.
As in previous years the venue is absolutely packed. It is mayhem outside and a frenzy inside and all the signs are there that we are in for a cracking evening!
The finalists tonight (in playing order) are; Henry and the Bleeders, Summerfall, Fell Silent and Blackout.
Having seen all the heats and bands in this years competition, I found it very disappointing that we have not heard a more eclectic selection of music from the entries, or a more diverse makeup of the bands. We have seen very few bands that attempted anything other than metal or punk and very few female band members.
For me, the one redeeming thing to come out of the competition has been Henry and the Bleeders. They have always been refreshing and original and tonight they are up against three bands with a very similar 'heavy rock' feel.
However, tonight's eventual winners are Blackout, although for me the real winners we the audience. Having, at time, been critical of the competition, I have to admit tonight was brilliant and the highest praise I can give is that it felt more like a proper gig featuring established groups rather than a competition.
Well done to all the bands tonight and good look for the future!