Photography Award

All of the photos taken at the first round heats and semi-finals were entered for the competition to find the best band photographer.

 

 

The crowd at the Pavilion moshing to Slaine. Photo © Tom Ogrodzinski

And the winner was ...

The winner of the Jessops award for best band photographer was Tom Ogrodzinski

Best Musicians

Several nominations were made throughout the competition for best vocalist, best guitarist, best drummer, etc. and the winners of these awards for personal excellence were announced at the Grand Final.

Results

First round heat held on Friday 10th October, 2008

The first heat of the competition showed just how amazing Leicester is for star quality young bands. This was one of the best shows ever at the Pavilion, pulling in the cream of our local young bands - a really great night, thoroughly enjoyed by the huge audience.

Five bands took part (in order of play):

Naked Gravy (Leicester)

Naked Gravy played a nicely balanced set of songs and attracted a big crowd of fans in front of the stage.

Their set of iconic indie songs were characterised by style and panache. A set of energetic songs with foot stomping beats and rhythms.

Well blended instrumentals and good vocals gave us engaging songs that were delivered with a bit of punch and edge, avoiding being cheesy. A band with a characteristic sound.

Naked Gravy © Trevor Sewell

Toxin (Leicester)

One of two metal bands they put in a strong performance, their songs pushing out edgy, compulsive beats with some frenetic guitar work.

Good to watch on stage, these young guys gave their all and were good at interacting with the crowd.

A group of solid musicians, their tight work showed that thrash metal can be exciting and skill full.

A band weaving catchy and intricate guitar riffs into vigorous songs, delivered with passion and commitment, to produce a bright, rocky metal sound.

Reece Sherwood on vocals and Matt Coleman on bass from Leicester band Toxin.

Photo © Tom Ogrodzinski

The Lowrys (Leicester)

An indie band with a set of catchy, enjoyable songs, sung with clarity and commitment. The drummer played a prominent role in the vocals. Good memorable songs with the lead singer also playing the bass. Their strong songs with compulsive rhythms kept the momentum going. Whilst playing a set of their own songs, they also launched into Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog'; clearly a band that likes to have fun and enjoyment. Despite being a little weak on stage craft, they captured their audience and set a high standard of playing.

Slaine (Leicester)

Slaine came on and it was time to mosh. A thrilling set of metal songs, delivered with passionate intensity, driving out walls of sound, interlaced with seriously good classic rock solos on the guitars. The infectious songs ignited the crowd and the band members put on a great show, with lots of head shaking and hair twirling. A group of guys who really know how to rock, they created an exciting atmosphere and fully engaged their audience. Another bass playing singer, well supported with some skillful guitar playing, they poured out a heady cocktail of metal and rock 'n roll, but ably capturing the spirit of the best metal bands. Their last song was a metal rendition of Chuck Berry's 'Go, Johnny Go', a real crowd pleaser.

Photo © Tom Ogrodzinski

Hazardous Materials (Leicester)

Not their best performance (we have seen them do better) but nevertheless an enjoyable set of covers, well performed by lead singer Ryan Rawlings, backed by some fireworks from drummer Josh Seville.

Their version of Greenday's 'American Idiot' went down well with the crowd and got them on to their feet. They worked their crowd well and proved not just metal bands can ignite some serious moshing. Another band that likes to have fun with music, they did a punk version of Judy Garland's 'Over the Rainbow' - and it worked, as the crowd broke into a frenzy of dancing.

They also did a Guns and Roses type cover of the Dylan Classic 'Knocking on heaven's door.' and ended up with a stage invasion.

Results

Three bands won the audience vote and will go through to the semi-finals

Naked Gravy, The Lowreys and Slaine

Nominations

Best Guitarist

Lewis Bramford from Naked Gravy

Best Drummer

Dan Wright from The Lowreys

Best Vocalist

Ryan Rawlings of Hazardous Materials

First round heat held on Friday 17th October 2008

Bands in order of play

Hotel Zulu (Nuneaton)

Strong clear vocals from front man Dom Rye, well balanced instrumentation and solid drumming from Aiden Randell gave us a classic rock and roll set which bounced along with some good stomping beats. Nicely tuned backing vocals and songs played with passion and vigour were highlighted by some dexterous finger work from Aaron Carrington on lead guitar. Good melodic songs and tight playing were features of a song list that was well constructed, with numbers of varying pace and intensity. Huge sounds poured out backed by some tribal drumming and many songs had an iconic quality. A solidly good band that knows what quality rock is all about. Only down side is that they could improve on their stage presence which tended to be a bit lame at times.

Penny Hangers (Leicester)

Thumping out a fast and raucous sound with powerful vocals from James Percy, we heard some prominent drums and tightly knit songs. Loudly supported by their ardent fans, the band gave a strong set of songs with commitment and a polished performance. Creditable song writers, the songs had dynamism and energy and had their own distinctive style and sound. Stage presence was a bit lack lustre but they still put on an engaging show with good work from drummer Jonny Wells and bassist Paddy Steel.

Smoking the Profit (Leicester)

A set with some pulsating rhythms and catchy hooks and penetrating vocals from front man Tommy Bee, their set was funky and iconic. Memorable songs and a storming stage presence are what make STP stand out as a great performance band. Bass player Andy Morgan danced around the stage and all four band members contributed to the vocals. With an emphasis on belting beats and foot tapping sounds, they certainly got the crowd dancing. This is a band with an x-factor quality and an awesomely good set of songs.

Smokestacks (Leicester)

The blues rock trio features vocals and scintillating guitar work from front man Raj Mohanlal, tightly woven with the drums of Dan Drage and the quality bassing of Joel Hanson. The band played a set of bluesey rock songs with fire and commitment, providing classic sounds with conviction and marvelous interaction and co-ordination between the musicians. Masterful guitar work and virtuoso drumming brought forth deserved adulation from fans and other musicians alike. It's a shame however that Joel and Dan didn't contribute to the vocals.

Screaming Eagles (Leicester)

Powerful vocals from Sam Kilby were complimented by fervent drumming from Ray Strach and bassing from Rob Bemrose and some wicked guitar solos from from Sam. This is a band with a good stage presence and some monsters of rock songs. With all the characteristics of great classic rock, the band worked the audience and they all looked like they were having a really good time on stage. Good thumping songs played with passionate intensity and total enthusiasm, some great sounds were weaved together by the instrumentalists. High on entertainment, the band captured the crowd and projected a since of fun. What live music is all about.

Based on the audience vote the following bands won through to the semi-finals

Hotel Zulu

Penny Hangers

Smokin The Profit

Smokestacks

Nominations

Best bassist

Andy Morgan from Smokin the Profit and Joel Hanson from Smokestacks

Best guitarist

Raj Mohanlal from Smokestacks

Best vocalist

Sam Kilby of Screaming Eagles

Best keyboard player

Joe Smith of Screaming Eagles

 

First round heat held on 24th October 2008

Bands in order of play

The Procession (Leicester/Birmingham)

Marty opened the first song with his distinctive gravelly voice, with guitars blendingh in well to give a distinctive sound to the band. James took over the mic for the seocnd song, at times sharing the vocals with Marty, their vocal harmonies contrasting well. They interacted with the audience, drawing them into the music. Paul joined in with some of the vocals Putting out some stromping beats they clearly portrayed their enjoyment of the set. Good on vocals, they played together well as team.

Pluto (Stoney Stanton)

Some astonishing guitar work and strong vocals characterised Pluto's set. Fireworks on the strings of lead guitarist Chaz and some tight playing from the 3 members of the band gave us a set of powerful rock and roll ballads. A band whose members get together and who exhibit some quality musicianship make this a memorable band.

Formal Warning (Leicester)

Although FW is a new band that has only been gigging for a few months, their performance was really astonishing. Pop ballads such as The Boys of Summer and Summer of 69 are not the usual run of the mill songs played by rock bands, but FW pulled off one hugely enjoyable set and gave both the audience and themselves a very enjoyable half hour of live music. Although their instrumentation is rough around the edges, they put on a top class, high engergy show, with lead vocalist Ash singing out some storming songs. This is a band that knows how to work a crowd and get a party started when ever they play.

Armson Blues band (Leicester)

The band played a selection of well known covers. Comprising three experienced musicians, lead by lead vocalist Chris Armson, they gave the audience an enjoyable set of well known songs, with Foss on the saxophone and Chris on the bass.

Based on the audience vote the following bands won through to the semi-finals

The Procession

Pluto

Formal Warning

Nominations

Best Guitarist

Chaz from Pluto

Best Vocalist

Ash from Formal Warning

First round heat held on 31st October 2008

Bands in order of play

The Truth (Leicester)

Chrissie on lead vocals, Deven on Rhythm guitar, Zak on lead guitar. Nick on bass and Siobhan on the drums, gave us an entertaining set of reggae songs, some of which they had written themselves and some of which were covers (e.g. Bob Marley's No Woman, No Cry). Zak's solid guitar solos were echoed by Siobhan;s tight pace on the skins. The band's own songs are becoming favourites with their followers, who love the conviction and voice of the band's lyrics.

Gone Feral (Leicester)

Old school punkers Gone Feral feature strong vocals from singer Kaye Butler and a set of good riffs from lead guitarist Dean Ellis backed up driving bassing from Mark Gannon. The songs had push and momentum, inspiring a lot of enthusiasm from the audience. A set of belting songs that avoided feeling 'samey' and which were often more melodic and mainstream in sound than most old school punk bands.

Project Notion (Melton Mowbray)

Whilst not every one loves the complex and sophisticated music of Project Notion, those that do idolise this band. The virtuouso guitar work of Ben Books and Dorian Meadows is amazing and most people will warm to the beatiful vocals of attractive lead singer Tori Maries. The only band to appear in a set of matching costumes, PN presented a set of songs that fused rock, jazz and progressive genres into a set of delightful songs. Alex D'Ath kept time with his unusual 6 string bass and Adam Stapleford contributed some sophisticated drumming. Tightly co-ordinated, the quintet has carved out a niche for itself in the music scene, the band members feeding off each other to create its amazing collective presence. More backing vocals would add yet another layer to the rich musical feast that is Project Notion.

The Shipping Forecast (Leicester)

Having only just started gigging, this ambitious young band set themselves against some of the best bands in the city. The five piece scored on strenuous drumming from Tom Ainsworth and some gutsy, Oasis style vocals from lead vocalist Tom Keene. They were hoewever very flat on stage and clearly need to work on their stage craft and audience engagement. Their drummer also needs to lighten his touch when playing in small venues as he tended to drown out the rest of the band. Having said that, they delivered a strong set of modern songs, reflecting their influences from Oasis, Kasabian and the Stone Roses.

The Steptoos (Hinckley)

After a long instrumental introduction, the Steptoos launched into a stomping song, with vocalist Ollie Charles showing off his talents as an acomplished singer. Characheristically their songs often slowed down, only to burst forth into an almost frenzied crescendo, sometimes fronted by both Ollie and Craig Moore, driven onwards by the feverish drumming of Chris Hackett. Catchy melodies were accentuated by Ollie on the harmonica to provide a set with a lot of vitality. The Steptoos would go down well in a stadium and their memorable songs are hit material waiting to be discovered. Despite their musical maturity and talent, they failed to win enough votes to get through, partly due to having played last on the line-up.

Based on the audience vote the following bands won through to the semi-finals

The Truth

Gone Feral

Project Notion

The Shipping Forecast

Nominations

Best Drummer

Chris Hackett from the Steptoos

Best Guitarist

Ben Brooks and Dorian Meadows from Project Notion

 

First round heat held on 7th November 2008

Bands in order of play

The Jacaranda Chaos Band (Leicester)

Former members of Quaternery Limit, James, Tom, Kevin, and Keiran played a set of rocky, rolly indie songs, fronted by the passionate, stylish of James Robinson. Playing with lotsof energy and showmanship, the band put up some thrilling songs, executed with cart loads of effort. Sizzling performances were accentuated by dazzling guitar work from Tom Ugli and some athletic bass playing from Kevin, including some tight staccatto passages. The JCB demonstrated that they can dig deep to produce some amazing sounds.

Captain Thunderbolt (Leicester)

Another young band, these garage, grunge kids have been very busy lately since their formation only a few months ago. Sterling vocals from 16 year old Tom and some dancing bass action from Matt were pushed along by relentlessly vigorous drumming from 16 year old Marlon. The band's set of short pop punk songs reflected Blink 182 and Sum 41, combined some of their own material with some well known covers. Their raw, attitudinal set was full of punky dudeishness, which they delivered with vigor and commitment. Fun and showmanship are the band's hallmark and they evoked a joyous respose from the crowd. They attested that if you don't break into a sweat you'r not playing hard enough. And if even if the bassist knocks the high hat over you keep on playing. Fun and enjoyment - they got it sewn up.

Dead Cowboy Culture (Leicester)

Sax Player Andy brought a new sound to the stage, with the DCC's funky alternative set. Scotts lead vocals were ably assisted by Kevin on Lead guitar and Michael on the drums. Ideosyncratic songs were plied with obvious delight by the more mature members of the band, with some animated moves from Scott at the front of stage. Great Saxonography gave their set a jazz, folk, rock fusion which they turned out with oodles of style and panache. A band that does its own thing never goes amiss once is a while and they gave the audience a dose of something distinctly different and unconventional.

Team 12am (Leicester)

The Team gave the night their selection of catchy, memorable songs, beginning their first one with a long instrumental intro. Strenuous drumming from Chris, the newest member of the band, was complemented by strong vocals from front man Ben (who could have done with some backing vocals but sadly none of the others helped him out). The Team produced their set of good modern indie songs with lots of punch and stompy beats, backed up with some solid guitaring from Theo. A band with a distinctive sound and memorable tunes, they were perhaps slightly let down by a rather dull stage presence.

Sugarsnatch (Leicester)

Moving on from the world of rock into that of pop electronica, Sugar Snatch took to the keyboards and synth to delivery a set of foot tapping rhythms that combined convetional guitar work and vocals from Pete Ross and the sticks of Neal Wakeman with the keys and electro sounds produced by Andy Frierson. Their set of dancey, almost disco music captured the mood and atmosphere of the Pavilion's mirror ball lighting. Engaging melodies and convincing vocal lines brought the audience a new musical experience which clearly they relished.

Juke Box Junkies (Rugby)

The four rock and roll junkies from Rugby brought the evening to a beltin' close with a performance laden with energy. Their set of classic rock sounds and thrilling stage craft, mark the Junkies out as a band that don't just play tunes: they perform a show, drawing in the crowd and getting them involved in their world of enjoyment and fun. The JBJ show was a satisfying climax to the night with Stix 13 doing some wizardry on the skins as well as backing Simon John's rock star front of stage work. A band that knows what rock 'n roll is all about.

Based on the audience vote, the following bands won through to the semi-finals

Captain Thunderbolt

Dead Cowboy Culture

The Jacaranda Chaos Band

The judges also decided that Sugarsnatch and Juke Box Junkies had achieved enough votes to go through.

Nominations

Best Drummer

Stix of the Juke Box Junkies

First Semi-finals heat, 14th November 2008

The first semi-finals heat was a great night of live music, with bands playing a wide variety of styles from blues to metal, to a large audience who clearly got in to all the bands and showed their appreciation of the wealth of talent that took to the stage. The audienced was an all ages group, with people from 2 to 80 but everyone seemed to enjoy their night of musical entertainment.

Bands in order of play

Naked Gravy (Leicester)

Naked Gravy started the night off with a set that got the crowd going, drawing them into the music and with lots of movement on the stage. They brought in their own stage lighting set too. Steve and Lewis did a good job on the singing and opened with a well constructed modern sounding indie song, backed by strong, thumping riffs that moved forward with momentum and pace.

The band worked the audience, who crowded round the stage to support their favourite band. Their second song had a faster rhythm and a bouncy pace and they played with commitment.

The set featured pounding drumming from James and complex guitar riffs weaving instrumentals into the well balanced vocals.

The third song saw Lewis get going on the keyboards with the synth sounds soaring over the backing, the audience clapping along and the band really getting into their stage presence.

The songs gave us brisk rhythms and catchy melodic phrases which drew the crowd into the action. An excellent set, well played and clearly enjoyed by the fans.

Photo © Trevor Sewell

Slaine (Leicester)

Changing style from indie to metal, Slaine gave us their set of fast paced songs with Alex putting in some strong vocals and, with Tom, displaying considerable dexterity on the strings.

Ollie kept the beat going with some fervent drumming. Working the crowd into a frenzy, a mosh pit soon erupted as the kids got into the music, long hair started twirling, heads began nodding and a forrest of horns went up.

Passionate and committed, it was a storming set of quality metal tunes and a sterling performance from the lead vocalist, interspersing some intense solo passages on the guitars.

Even with a new band member (Chris) they put in a superb performance and some stunning instrumentation. They ended with an offering for non-metal fans in the audience, a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johhny Be Good", which they delivered with gusto.

Photo: © Trevor Sewell

Hotel Zulu (Nuneaton)

Hotel Zulu launched into their set with a powerful instrumental intro followed by some rippingly good vocals from Dom, giving forth a solid melodic line with some great backing riffs. The band drew the audience into the music and got them clapping along with the infectious beat, ably pushed along by some tribal drumming from Aiden. Their second song began with a metal strength intro, giving the crowd a vibrant vocal line, tighly backed by the instruments. Matt and Aaron pumped out some amazing guitar work which soared over the backing. Song three was a homage to Biffy Clyro, which set off at a lovely pace with shared vocals. A well executed song that danced along. The band gave us a varied set list including some iconic rock numbers which kept the audience engaged. HZ gave a solid performance with stylish vocals and tight backing from the instrumentalists.

The Armson Blues Band (Leicester)

The ABB comprises three talented musicians - Chris Armson, John Page and Lee Happs - who gelled together to produce a set of quality blues rock songs. Chris improvised some slides with a drinks glass (empty of course) on his full electric guitar (rather than his familiar travel one.) Playing some familiar tunes, they kept the audience's attention and demonstrated their experience of playing, both as individual musicians and as a group.

Formal Warning (Leicester)

FW launched into their set with rendition of "Boys of Summer" which was covered by DJ Sammy , who made it a top 10 hit worldwide in 2002. FW's fans responded riotiously and the band belted out the track with phenominal energy. All members of the band exhibited their total involvement in the songs and had the crowd jumping up and down. Although a new band with relatively little experience, FW always put on a performance full of enthusiasm and bursting with energy. They have a varied set of songs that are not in any way samey and have developed a sound and stage presence that is distinctive. They performed both their own original songs and some covers (e.g. "Summer of 69"), delighting their following and impressing those in the audience who had not encountered them before.

Results

Based on a ballot of the audience, Formal Warning and Slaine got through to the finals, having secured the highest number of first and second votes. Naked Gravy came a close third and the judges offered them a place in the playoff gig in recognition of their excellent performance.

Second Semi-finals heat, 21st November 2008

Bands in order of play

The Truth (Leicester)

The Truth gave the audience a fine melodic start to the evening, with funky rhythms and engaging melodies. They opened their set with a Bob Marley classic "No Woman No Cry", led by lead vocalist Chrissie. They followed this with a song of their own composition, delivered by three singers, which they harmonised with well balanced voices. For the third song, the band performed another of their own works, a song led by Zak, lead guitarist, with lyrics about life. The band members clearly enjoyed what they were doing and Zak played some excellent solos on the strings. The Truth is  a band of accomplished musicians and singers who work well together to produce a set of enjoyable songs and well known ballads. Their one world outlook on life reflects their liking for songs that are reflective and have something to say. Their final song was a cover by the Long Blondes which got the audience tapping their feet and singing along. A fine performance by an accomplished band which clearly pleased the voters.

Pluto (Stoney Stanton)

Pluto began their set with an edgy song, delivered by bassist and singer, Bilby, suppoted by Chaz who contributed some vocals and firey work on the strings. The pace quickened and the song led into some jagged phrases, culmintating in a sharp finish. Song two saw Chaz doing some deft work on the guitar pedal, showing off some his remarkable guitar techniques. After slowing down to a soulful passage, the song burst into a display of fireworks. Their style is alternative and progressive, as well as being taughtly delivered, but always thrilling to listen to and the guitarists were able to demonstrate their considerable skills on the strings. A band with a hallmark sound, they used their skills creatively to produce a set of songs that were ideosyncratic and engagingly impressive.

Nomination: Charles Wren, best guitarist

Penny Hangers (Leicester)

Introducing a new member of the band, the now four member Penny Hangers delivered a fine set of modern indie songs. They set off with a lively pace and catchy melodic line, pushed along by some stomping rhythms. Convincing and memorable songs, the band demonstrated their talent both as musicians and song writers.  Song number three commenced with a restrained instrumental intro leading in to a memorable melody. The pace quickened and instensified, ably supported by the solid vocals of James, the front man. A contemporary sound, reflecting their influences. Song four had an iconic feel and included some catchy hooks in the vocals. The band soon had the audience joining in, always a good sign that they have a song that really works. The set established Penny Hangers as a band with a considerably talent for song writing and we note their growing reputation amongst the local musical fraternity and their dedicated following of fans.

Nomination:   Johnny Wells, best drummer

Smoking the Profit (Leicester)

Smokin the Profit play dance quality songs and a have a strong stage performance. This has earned STP a loyal following and a strong reputation. The band has a distinctive sound and delivers its set with passion and commitment. Their second song "U cant catch me because I quit", had the quality of an iconic hit. When ever they play, a section of the audience always gets up to dance. Crafty melodic themes and songs with momentum and variety make the band stand out. All four members of the band contribute to the vocals, giving their songs an unusual degree of richness and depth. They performed a brand new song. After a series of fanfare chords on the guitars, the band broke into a bouncey ska beat, and then Tommy took off with a rollicking melody backed by complex bass riffs from Andy. An instrumental interlude kept the crowd dancing before recapitulating to the opening subject. A well crafted song and an impressive stage performance.

Nomination Sam Best drummer

Juke Box Junkies (Rugby)

A band that has been giving us some splendid sets of rock and roll recently, the Rugby quartet certainly did not let the Pavilion down, bringing the evening to a headline quality finale. Junkies are a band that always gives every performance one hundred percent, drawing the crowd into the action and treating every gig as though it was a real occasion. They show great enjoyment each time they play and are always rewarded by an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

Results

Based on a ballot of the audience, The Truth and Penny Hangers are through to the grand final on 12th December.

Smokin the Profit failed to get enough audience votes but the judges decided to offer them a place in the playoffs.

Third semi-finals heat, Friday 28th November 2008

Bands in order of play

The Steptoos (Hinckley)

Oli and Craig did a beltin job on the mics, vigorously backed on the skins by Adam, to present a set of engaging and memorable songs. Their songs chance pace, slowing down only to burst into a furious beat and crescendo of throbbing sounds. Peppered with catchy hooks and tantilising riffs, the band carried the crowd along at a stomping pace to win the audience over. A band with a modern indie sound, compulsive rhythms and intriguing lyrics, The Steptoos were enthusiastically support by a crowd of fans who had come down to support their set, including some members from one of Leicester's top bands. Adam joined them on the keyboard for the last song, which was a class, hit quality number. A mint set that was slightly let down by a stage presence that could have been better and a lack of backing vocals in some of the songs, it was nevertheless a thoroughly enjoy performance from a strongly up and coming band.

The Procession (Leicester)

The band opened with a punchy song, led by James and backed by Martin with his unmistakable vocals and a formidable array of guitar pedals. The second song began an attractive introduction before progressing into a catchy melody. A solid performance although the stage craft was a bit flat.

Captain Thunderbolt (Guthlaxton)

Three lads from Guthlaxton took to the stage to give the audience a rip roaring set of fast and furious nu-punk songs. Strenuous vocals from Tom and some audacious dance moves from Matt on the bass, contributed to a set that was as passionate as it was engergetic. Although they have been gigging for only a few months, the band has clocked upa phenominal number of gigs. Their set of short, intense songs had a raw edge and fervent drive. All three members of the trio gave it their total commitment. They tend not to be adventurous in their compositions, prefering to cling to their familiar musical formula, which makes their set a bit "samey", but what they lack in compositional flair they ably make up for with the electicity and vibrance of their performance.

Project Notion (Melton Mowbray)

In a complete change of mood and style, the virtuoso experimental folk band Project Notion took to the stage to present a set of their marvellous lakescapes of complex and sophisticated songs. This high talented quintent played progressive songs, ably vocalised by lead singer Tori. Weaving exotic tapestries of intricate melodies, the band performed a set of engaging peices. A very tight ensemble, they provided the house with some bouncy songs that were much like modern jazz. The guitarists stood out for their techical brilliance and the band is a hall mark of originality and distinctive style.

Dead Cowboy Culture (Leicester)

A set of distinctive character was presented with wry humour and and laconic wit, by the quartet who enjoy making music in a way that is engagingly unconventional. Vocals with delivered with panache and lyrics with meaning, the Dead Cowboys cut a bohemian slice of the action. Bassist Doc Scott sand the vocals and Andy produced a healthy helping of saxography to produce a set with a jazzy, folky feel

The Lowreys (Leicester)

The Lowreys set off at a brisk pace with their three vocalists and sax player and Dam on the drums doing somer forthright work with the sticks. The vocals had some corking melodic content, well enhanced by Daniella on the Sax, interlaced with some catchy riffs from Nick's bass. A set with springy rhythms, the songs were well crafted and the music tightly executed. A band with a great sense of beat, they ozzed talent and and presented well on the stage. "Caroline" was well received by their enthusiastic fans, an offering with some natty lyrics and a jaunty melodic line. A good helping of vocals came from Dan Wright on the drums - singing drummers are always impressive. A band with an A+ for musicality, they are serious contenders for the top.

The Shipping Forecast (Leicester)

The Leicester five piece are redolent of the infliuences of Oasis, Paul Weller and Kasabian and whilst they are yet to look completely confident on stage, they delivered a set with presence, backed by a solid backline. Some dexterous stringing and ace vocals indicate lots of potential that will be realised when they discover their own sound and a style that is unique to themselves. Their fans are enthusiastic about them and they picked up an astonishing number of second votes, so they clearly went down well with the audience.

Results

Based on a ballot of those present, two bands with the highest number of votes won places in the Grand Final:

The Lowreys

The Steptoos

Fourth Semi-finals heat, 5th December 2005

Bands in order of play:

Smokestacks

Sugersnatch

Gone Feral

The Procession

Pluto

Smoking the Profit

Naked Gravy withdrew due to the illness of a band member.

Based on a ballot of the audience, the two bands with the highest number of votes won places in the Grand Final

Gone Feral

Smoking the Profit

Smokestacks

A quality blues rock band with accomplished vocals, superb bass playing and tight drumming from three musicians who clearly enjoy what they do and engage in a high degree of synergy between themselves.

They display considerable aptitude on the strings and play a combination of their own songs and some classic blues covers. Amongst Leicester's fraternity of young musicians, these three stand out. Joel (bassist) has been acknowledged by other musicians as being an expert, Raj (lead vocals and guitar) displays virtuosity in playing and sings well and Dan (drums) holds the pace together with sensitivity and authority. Their set is admirably tight and well paced, adding to a band that has musical maturity well beyond their years.

The only weakness with this band is that Joel and Dan do not contribute to the vocals, which would have added an additional richness to the sound.

Sugarsnatch

Electronica came to the stage with the electro-pop sounds of three piece band Sugarsnatch. Reflecting the distinct musical style of the late 70s when techno pop was at it hight. Computer generated backing tracks, Andy on Keyboard and synth, Neil on drums and Pete providing the vocals and standard electric guitar lines, they held it all together and produced a set full bodied tunes with catchy hooks and infectious dance beats. They kept pace with the backing tracks, no mean feat, and it all synchronised together nicely, generating a rich tapestry of sound. They successfully evoked a convincing and enjoyable mood and delivered a faultless performance. Neil kept the drums to exactly the right level to blend in with the harmonies and the three musicians produced an engaging set of songs.

Gone Feral

The post-punk four piece was front by Kay Butler, vocalist, backed by Dean Ellis on guitar, Mark Gannon on bass and Ess Aylett on drums. Kay's voluminous voice carried the songs forward, delivering a set that was more in keeping with mainstream rock than old school punk. Their set of well paced songs delivered vibrant beats, punchy riffs and a relentless momentum. Playing with energy and total commitment, the songs were driven forward by Ess Aylett's drumming and Kay's powerful vocals. Rather than cling to punkish traditions, the band produced a set with a respectable degree of originality, showing that this is a band that has found its own sound ... solid and engaging songs with an immediate appeal. It would have been good to have included some backing vocals to some of the choruses for added colour.

The Procession

The four piece alternative rock and indie band was a guitarist short tonight but the other three produced a solid set of songs, led by James Best on vocals, tightly backed by Paul Richardson on the bass and Nicholas Buzzard on the drums. A band with a sense of humour, they interacted with the audience and each other and played a nicely varied set, which included a slow, melodic number. Although their performance was solid, it lacked the iconic song writing of Smokin the Profit, the virtuosity of Smokestacks or rawness of Gone Feral. In this respect The Procession were somewhat overshadowed by the rest of the line up. Their stage craft tended to be a bit limp and uninspiring but this was balanced by the creativity of their song writing and dedication to their work.

Pluto

Another three piece took to the stage. Pluto comprises two powerful vocalists, Chaz and Bilby and Ben, a accomplished drummer. Pluto is a band that has a distinctive style of music, a set of powerful and evocative songs backed by some sparkling work on the strings. Three well synchronised musicians who played a set of amazingly tight and virtuosic pieces, feeding off each other and producing angular and jagged riffs cleverly blended together into songs that were polished and taught. If Pluto were a car they would be a Rolls Royce. A band that exudes inventiveness and creativity, they gave us some mesmeric iconic tunes. A performance by Pluto is always thrilling and totally captivating, for both the spine tingling exuberance of their songs and the scintillating work of Chaz on the guitar. They are to classic rock what Smokestacks are to blues, splendid exponents of the art of the trio.

Smokin The Profit

The Leicester quartet stood out, for having four microphones on stage. Tommy has a distinctive voice, Andy (bass) dances around throughout the set, Hilary (guitar) also sings and Sam engages in amazing gymnastics on the skins and the audience always gets up to dance to the infectious and foot tapping rhythms and beats of this lively and funky band. Each performance is a show. The band owes it influences to nu-rock, post-punk, pop, ska and indie and even some riffs that would not be out of place in metal. The songs often break into compulsive beats and are studied with more catchy hooks than Tommy's trousers. A headline quality band, they have some of the most iconic songs on the local circuit. Their set projects considerable passion many of their songs stick in your head on the way home from the gig. Foot tapping passages that explode into exhilarating walls of the sound, Smokin is a band that gives every show a one hundred percent commitment. Despite playing last they were able to bring freshness and vitality to the stage. A thoroughly enjoyable band with four strong personalities, and the ability to write one hit song after another, puts them high up in the league of Leicester's top bands.

Photographs

Several poeple took photographs of the bands playing at the first round heats and semi-finals. These submitted a sample of their photos and we selected what we thought we the best.

These are displayed on this page and on the other page concerned with the competition.

We will announce the winner of the Jessops Award for best band photographer at the awards ceremony at the Grand Final show.

We would like to thank Jessops for the kind donation of the prize for this award.

Alex Jones of Slaine Photo © Tom Ogrodzinski