The Sunbirds with Strate Edge and Mahatma.

The strange reason why I was disappointed that No Ride Home pulled out, wasn’t because of the fact that I think they are a good band and wanted to see them, it wasn’t because I was late arriving because I wanted to play their C.D. before leaving the house either. It was because their web site is really good and professional looking…. Which makes me think that No Ride Home are more of a web site than a band!

A hasty replacement was added in the form of MAHATNA (Loveburger and Pandemonium were in the run up at one point). They were a bit worried that it wouldn’t fit in, being an acoustic act, which if this night was publicised as a punk or extreme metal gig then they probably wouldn’t, but there didn’t seem to be any clashing differences here. The guy obviously had a great deal of talent and stage presence, looking as if he was born to the stage, taking to it with a natural ease, with his acoustic guitar sounds with some Spanish influenced edges at times and additional guitar work from the front man of the band that followed. -

STRATE EDGE moving around much more for his second stage appearance fronting this band, making for a lively entertaining gig. You could just tell that he likes the type of music that they do and you couldn’t help noticing that he seems to be enjoying being up there.
A few minutes in to the gig I suddenly remembered that this is the band where their singer always plays barefoot on stage, so I made a point of peering over the crowd to see if this was still the case, a subtle trademark almost hidden under his huge flares, barefooted again, he lolloped round the stage like a pantomime horse on acid, keeping in tune with the rest of the band.
There’s some really good guitar work going on here, adding extra subtlety in not arrogantly posing and striding round the stage but seeming to hang in the background, ensuring precision in with the talent. They have a kind of rock/indy/blues edge and probably played hoping the sound would be O.K. – not guaranteed as their sound check was all to short.

Most of the sound check time was given up to THE SUNBIRDS who sounded great, well rehearsed and professional on the night…. Bloody right n all, their sound check went on long enough! Well there was a lack of sound engineers and mic’s adding to the reason for the later door entry. The Sunbirds are the real deal when it comes to live bands, they play an almost hypnotic blues orientated sound, quite cool people as well and in no way big headed or arrogant to their approach, you may remember them from the ‘Battle of the bands’ nights earlier this year. (See Interview section as well). I seem to remember them playing harmonica in some of their other gigs, which appears to have been dropped for their newer songs.
The lead singers mic. had a mind of its own and moved at will on the stand, keeping their front man on his toes trying to guess what direction it was going to go in next! His vocals are like a musical instrument in itself and go well with their type of music.
I have to say I think the band would be lost with out their excellent guitarist, playing detailed technical riffs although again not moving round much on stage – just blending in to the back ground.
Not a bad turn out on the night and I’m sure a much heavier line up with boisterous mosh pit would have been less welcomed on such a hot stuffy night – Right I’m drifting off to listen to their C.D. – see www.TheSunbirds.com

Review by Keith www.bedfordmetal.tk