Leicester rock gigs - and band news 2008
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ROCK NEWS
Download Festival
The legendary, multiple award-winning Download Festival , crowned Top Festival of 2007 by Billboard , is to return for its sixth year with rock legends KISS , chart-topping Californian skate punks The Offspring and Welsh nu-metal kings Lostprophets set to headline the Donington Park event over the weekend of June 13, 14 and 15.
Other bands confirmed to play are UK rock gods Judas Priest and Mötorhead , Finnish sensations HIM and Chicago rockers Rise Against. More bands will be announced soon. Download 2008 will be the ONLY festival to see these world-renowned acts in one place – but of course, the complete, now fully established Download experience is about far, far more than just the music.
Download Festival REVIEWS
Tankus The Henge at the Shed, Monday 29th April 2008
I walk down to the Shed, a cold wind biting my face out of a slate gray sky. I have to go there only to deliver a listing for a forthcoming gig. I arrive, intending to deliver my list and head back home and am persuaded to stay to see a band from London with a strange name. Reluctantly I squeeze into the hot, crowded room. Life begins to turn around. Tankus the Henge "Street urchin purveyors of bohemian rags, ballads and polkas", the band that introduced the Waltz to the Shed, begin to play. The four members of the band proceed to fire up the Shed, get the whole audience on its feet and dancing and invent a new genre of live music. So, at the top of its Myspace page the band should write: "let's-get-everyone-up-and-dancing-like-mental" genre. The party bursts into being. The audience get up and dance like nobs. None of that typical Leicester let's-stand-here-like-mannequins-and-look-cool crap. The Tankus audience are up for a good time. Soon the floor is crowded with bobbing heads and waving arms. Even case hardened punks from downstairs join in.
The great thing about the Shed is that, when ever you go there, you never know what the expect. On stage are a group of individualist musicians and an upright piano that occasionally belches out vast clouds of smoke. On to the stage come a sax, a trombone, an accordion and a variety of other instruments. They play a set that mixes rag, jazz, the waltz, folk, funk and songs I will be left signing all week. This is the performance band par excellence. This the band that makes an audience dance. This is the band that makes the party. Song follows song and the audience fail to tire. This is one whole show; more than the sum of its parts, Tankus turns a gig into a show.
The Tankus engine disappears only to be replaced by another music phenomenon: Egészségedre. Leicester's answer to the Henge. The eight man band with the name few people can pronounce and a bevy of lovable, bohemian sounding songs, laced with sax and violin, keeps the concert going. Changing tempos, lilting Hungarian rock riffs, hip hop and rap vocals blended with lyrical gypsy violins, parodying ska ... a cross-over between Western and Eastern European musical styles. But still rock though not as "we" know it. Its not for those who are trammelled into convention or comfortable traditions. This is exciting stuff for musical explorers.
I walk back from the Shed, happy, energised, feeling like I have a good night out, eager for the next bout of music. One good night at the Shed, dude. "Smiling makes the day go quicker". Dancing brings the night to a good close.
Tankus the Henge |
Egészségedre
The Heroes, The Midbeats and the Chairman at the Y Theatre, Saturday 26th April 2008
Reviewed by Jenna Bowman
 The All Sparks Disco Party returned for the first time this year to showcase three important local bands, The Chairmen, with their support The Midbeats and The Heroes. A pleasantly surprising evening ensued.
The Heroes’ frontman Alex Totman looks like Paul Weller after he went paddling in the fountain of youth, and developed a bit more spunk. Their dance-floor-worthy tunes, such as ‘The Rave’, paraded their tight chords and irresistible speed (very Arctic Monkeys, not a bad thing) to a hopeful audience.
Awfully impressive for such a young band, whose egos don’t seem to have taken over just yet. A dramatically brilliant finale meant they definitely secured themselves some new fans. Probably a lot of female admirers too. [The Heroes went to to win the OBS heat at the Shed the next day - Ed] The Midbeats are a completely different type of band, and admittedly had a hard act to follow. Their Liverpudlian influences were very obvious and therefore they were at risk of seeming slightly dated in comparison. But they managed to hold the attention of the crowd by providing them with the classic equation of good powerful vocals and poppy 60s melodies which were hard not to enjoy, as the crowd proved by bopping along with them.
So on came The Chairmen, with a theatrical entrance worthy of Queen. They sound like a grown-up version of The Heroes, who look up at them from the crowd like cute little puppies in awe, singing along in unison. The Chairmen certainly look the part, and have the correct insatiable energy to make them an unmissable indie band. Lead singer Jonny Gavin swaggers about barefoot like a true mental rock star with a good, solid Kasabian-esque voice that asserts his authority very well.
Their MySpace page provides fans with a few of their songs, but also provides a spiel, justifying their claim that they are “turbo-folk pioneers”. This resonates badly, like they’re clinging to something to distinguish themselves from the average indie band, the genre apparently being the next nu-rave. I find this slightly unnecessary, as its very obvious that they can actually stand their ground without having to create a genre that doesn’t always seem to really fit (at first mention of ‘turbo-folk’ one imagines Joni Mitchell accidentally being played at 78 rpm with hilarious chipmunk consequences; and on further investigation, the genre turbo-folk was originally a 1990s Balkan pop movement. NB: neither of these images reflects the gig I saw last night). But maybe I’m just nit picking.
Full marks during the performance for use of percussion and tambourine, constantly punctuated by screaming girls (and boys) and the odd wolf-whistle. During ‘Fat Tom’, Jonny dons a pair of unflattering retro sunglasses and a promotional badge, and in response to the wills of the crowd takes a handful of his bandmates sweat and flicks it on to the audience, as they practically lick it off the ground.
The penultimate tune of the night is the Pigeon Detectives-sounding single ‘A Week Long Romance’, which was the perfect vehicle to exhibit the true extent of their Mick Jagger-ness, tambourine skills and fancy footwork to boot. This song is so good live that half the audience are so busy dancing they’ve actually stopped watching the band.
The song quickly speeds up to a climax, in a long-awaited ‘turbo-folking’ manner that leaves you feeling slightly out of breath, a feeling that cannot be replicated upon first listen to the record, but once heard live it’s another story.
They saved their best song till last, however, with the brand new ‘20/20 Vision’.
An upbeat, emotional, sometimes epic song that proved that, however sceptical I was at first, The Chairmen have me at their mercy now. Their Futureheads-inspired vocals and their authority over the room mean that when they hug it out at the end, we all know they have really proved their rightful place as one of the most exciting new local bands of the year. And maybe they aren’t ‘cool as folk, turbo-folk’, they’re just cool. What’s so bad about that?
The Chairmen + The Midbeats + The Heroes
Set in Stone at the Pavilion Venue, Saturday 26th April 2008
I am a fan of Set In Stone, I have to say. The guys played at the Pavilion as the headline band - it was very late and we had all been waiting around for hours for the chance to see this great band perform. They are not a band with a huge gigs list, so getting a chance to see them live was well worth waiting for.
What makes this band stand out is both the vocals and the backing. Lead singer Steve Faulkener is one of the best singers in Leicestershire, if not further afield. He sings with the full band but also has a solo career as a singer/songwriter. Set in Stone is at the harder, heavier end of the rock spectrum. Whilst other bands engage in screamo/roaro stuff, this band has an ace vocalist who well out strips most other bands for pure vocal strength and clarity. Steve can sing the nuts off most other bands.
This is not a band that is into attitude and posturing. They are into music and the best quality music they can achieve. Their work is mainstream within its genre. Four really sound and nice guys, they are overly modest about what they do. For me, it's a band whose performance makes the hairs stand up on the back of my kneck. A good alternative to wanting to stick my fingers in my ears. Their influences stem from Tool and Black Sabbath. To be honest I'd rather listen to songs by Set in Stone; it's a band that could really go a long way. Three very skilled and tight musicians add expansive and brilliant backings. What a band!
Set In Stone
 Aikon at the Charlotte, Tuesday 22nd April 2008
I see dozens of bands per week. Forgive me if I get a little hard to please about bands. Once in a while however I see a band that never fails to excite me, a band that always makes me dance and whose gigs I go to as a real fan rather than just as band whore.
Aikon have never let me down. After half a dozen times of standing in front of these gods of rock and loving every minute of it, I am still eagerly awaiting their next appearance on the Leicester rock stages. Their latest songs have got a little harder, developed a little more of that cutting edge that the earlier, dance-club verging on pop songs lacked. But hey - these guys know how to make progress. They are not, like some bands, stuck in a rut of their own making. They know how to keep up with the times.
You go to an Aikon show, not just to listen to them, but to watch them. This is one performance band, par excellence. Five guys perform rock music. They don't just stand there and play their instruments. From the amazing virtuoso guitar gymnastics of Jack Jordan through to the stick twirling fireworks of drummer Jamie Bennett, Aikon are a visual exhibition of what rock bands should look like on stage.
Dale Taylor, lead vocalist, has made his own unique image:at each show he looks like he's just walked out of a very boring posh do at the Grand Hotel and has come on stage to sing, cool, fired by the music and always with that undone black bow tie that is his hallmark. Backed by vocalist James Dillon, between songs they do a double act with the audience.
Clearly, I love Aikon. They make a gig into a party. What ever position they play in a lineup, they are always the headline band. Join me at the front of the crowd for their next gig - you so won't be disappointed.
Aikon
The Utopians at the Firebug, Monday 10th March 2008
One Leicester band is surging upwards at a strong pace: The Utopians.
A constant supply of new songs, strong live performances, publicity and promotion which really works,
makes this a band which is clearly on the way up.
The Utopians fired up the Firebig with a set of catchy songs that hit a bullseye with the
audience. Much loved songs like "There's a train" and "Pissed up in Prague" were interspersed with new
songs such as "Boys in Black and Gold" and "Sort your rates out". This is a band that stands out for their ability to
write stunningly good tunes and edgy, challenging lyrics.
Lead singer Jason Westall's vocal style marks him out as future star and his performances get stronger each time he appears on stage.
The Utopians are to support The Futureheads at Leicester University's The Venue on May 11th.
The Heroes and Naked Gravy at the Shed, Saturday 9th February 2008
 Mention has already been made (see below, 17th January) of Leicester's extraordinary young bands. The "Brat Pack" bands are a collection of talented kids - aged mostly between 16 and 19 - who regularly play the local venues and pull in huge crowds of their mates to their shows.
Differentiating between them is no easy matter; as for ranking them, I would not dare to judge. The central core of bands bear an almost clone-like similarity, as tonight's gig at the Shed ably demonstrated.
Leader singer and rythm guitarist Alex Totman works alongside lead guitarist Alex "rooster" Van Roose to weave the vocals of the Heroes, with a stuccato style, almost speaking rather than singing the lyrics. The band lists amongst their numerous influences, The Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, The Fratellis, the Cribs and so on. So, here is a four member band with two lead singers, making catchy dance songs and busily touring the local gig haunts, after only a few months of being on the road. The Heroes ooze with stroppy talent and meticulous hairstyles but with a few more playing hours under their belt they will undoubtedly head for the big time.
Tonight's Heroic set began with their newly released song, as yet unchristened, which set off at a brisk canter, vocal interludes being interspersed with long instrumental passages. Not the most herioc performance tonight but bands can have their off-days (mainly after a long on-night).
Most of the audience was at the Charlotte yesterday, going crazy with the Revenue and the Dandilions; they must have exhausted themselves because tonight they stood turgedly like a set of mannequins. Ok, towards the end of the Elite set, there was a bit of half hearted moshing and crowd surfing but nothing like last nights rugby scrum at the Charlie. Several august looking parents stood at he back of the room anxiously watching the tightly packed crowd of teenagers lift up a lad towards the spinning fan which was wobbling precariously under the ceiling.
Naked Gravy. So, here is another band with two lead singers and matching set of indie style sounds. Brat Pack bands tend to stick to what they have (so far) learned to do well and avoid being overtly experimental. NG bills itself as a "Tango Ska" band and yes you can hear that in the relentlessly catchy rythms. Clearly these guys enjoy what they do on stage; it might lack the charisma and sex appeal of more mature bands, but it has a clean enthusiasm and devotion to fun that carries over to the audience. NG though are the more musically adventurous of the Brat Pack bands. They have a wry sense of humour in their songs and an appealing tongue in cheek attitude to their arrangements.
Despite a lack of originality in their material, we shouldn't be too critical of what the Brat Pack have achieved; after all, there can't be many towns that have given birth to such a large number of musically excellent offspring.
The serious bands of the night closed with the Elite - an even younger looking bunch of kids than those who had been on before. Suddenly the audience sparked into action. Young bands don't spend time meticulously sound checking; they just switch on their amps and go for it. Hence, their vocals are frequently lost in the boom of the backing and these are not singers with massively loud throats. The two lead voices blended well together, with more duo than most of the others. The Elite were a band playing to a crowd of their mates. Playing at the Shed is, after all, little different to jamming in a school hall or youth club. Would one of these bands put up a respectable act in a massive theatre in front of a crowd of 1,500 people? Well one of them has that experience in front of them.
The Heroes, Naked Gravy, The Elite
Haich and Lux Mundi at the Sun Bar, Wednesday 6th February 2008
Sometimes you go to gigs in Leicester and think "why did I bother?". Then, a gig comes along that really works: great bands, great crowd, a night to remember. Two of the best rock bands in Leicester played to a packed house, with support from two new but admirable acts. The Sun Rock got off to a cracking start with Melton Bands Haich and Lux Mundi showing us all why our local live music scene is just so rich.
Progressive rockers Haich delivered a set of powerful and passionate songs, bristling with energy and exhuberance. Dramatically driven by lead singer Howard Rose, who gave it one hundred percent, the songs jumped and danced from sweeping vistas of classic riffs to sweet, reflective passages of feely melody. A band with a vivid style of performance, they demonstrated their mastery of song writing, in a style that is best described as epic, almost symphonic.
One amazing vocalist and two outstandingly gifted guitarists, supported by tight drums and bass, Haich is a band clearly at the top of its league in this neck of the woods. A modest band that is not widely kown and not given to promoting itself, Haich has been on and off the road since its inception but is now (hopefully) set to make a long awaited come back and certain to climb up the ladder swiftly, if tonight's show is anything to go by.
Indie gurus Lux Mundi similarly showed what vocals are all about.
George Simpson's distinctive voice, easily soared over the backing. The mercurial melodies attest to just how musically sophisticated this band is. Lux Mundi inhabits a world that ignores the boundaries between pop and rock, one in which musical creativity can flourish. Despite their mastery of composition, this is another band that is not banging its own drum. Whilst lesser bands are trumpeting how good they are, these two promotionally reticent bands have avoided spin in favour of letting their musical excellence speak for itself. But they can't hide their light beneath their respective bushals for long. Let's hope this band will start lighting up the music world very soon.
Support: Indie grunge Team 12am and blues rock band Smoke Stacks Haich, Lux Mundi
 Fire Fall Down and With A Story, The Musician, Tuesday 5th February 2008.
Put two excellent bands together for a double bill at one of Leicester's finest venues and you get one great evening of live music. Fire Fall Down returned to Leicester from London to once again enthrall rock enthusiasts with their inspirational talent for making sounds that thrill. The London trio played their Leicester debut on 3rd of November last year and received acclaim from gig goers and band members alike.
Unlike many bands, FFD offer a delightfully varied set of songs, ranging from fast, stomping anthems through to poignant lyrical ballads. No two songs are the same but the whole set works like a carefully construed plan. It is amazing what a huge and strong sound three people can produce. Yet, they can drop down to a soulful ballad before pounding back up to great arch of triumphant rhythms.
Many of their songs have stomping beats and intricate string passages which reflect the sounds of much bigger classic bands. They are not however just another throwback to the golden era of classic rock; FFD have brought an entirely fresh and original approach to mainstream rock, something which is new and very exciting.  With A Story have one great asset: a lead singer who stands out as one of the most characteristic voices you will hear on the Leicester scene. Ross "The Boss" Wimperis is Leicester's answer to Bruce Springsteen; that deeply colourful, gravelly-toned voice is unforgettable.
A powerful singer, backed by accomplished musicians, with songs that have that magic quality, is what makes WAS stand out from a crowd of impressive young Leicester bands. This a band that can make hit songs: "Memories" has all the hall marks of a classic anthem: lyrics that speak to the heart and a melody that you can sing on the way home.
The band's new EP offers a richly enjoyable package of songs that will have wide appeal. A compelling beat, expressive solo passages and some ear catching phrases, "Fistful of Sky" is yet another WAS hit which will add much to their already growing reputation. A band with a maturity of sound beyond their years and an ability to combine classic songwriting with bluesy, evocative arrangements - this band will go a very long way. Fire Fall Down, With A Story
 AutoHype at the Maze, Sunday 3rd February 2008.
Leicester indie band Autohype put on a beltin'ly good show at the Maze in Nottingham. Playing a heat in the Mindvox Battle of the Bands, the indie kids played their latest songs, including their dance anthem "Any Chance" and recently recorded "Stronger than Anyone".
Sparkling stage performance, well blended guitar riffs and synth sounds, created a characteristic sound which will mark out the 'Hypes as being one of the leading proponents of the art of indie.
Throwing themselves into the challenge, the five lads mopped the floor with the other bands. Only a few days earlier, AutoHype played Yates in Nottingham and clearly outshone all the other bands for originality and x-factor star quality. Watch their MySpace for new releases as a string of new songs will be coming out over the next few weeks. AutoHype
Martyr de Mona at the Shed, Saturday 19th January 2008.
 Have you ever been to one of those tedious gigs where bands seem to have been selected at random to play in a line up? You know the ones I mean: a punk band followed by an emo band followed by a death metal band followed by some ska, followed by a dreadful headache ... a senseless jumble of musical idioms and large variations in quality of musicianship.
The hard rock line up at the Shed, headlined by Dudley band Martyr De Mona demonstrated what a good show is all about - five well chosen, musically balanced bands all of whom were excellent at what they were doing - playing great rock music. With hardly one cover all night, we were treated to some amazingly good songwriting.
Martyr De Mona made their debut in Leicester last year, drawing an enthusiastic response from the audience. They came back last night and showed everyone just what a superb set of artists they are. MDM have some songs which are clearly hits, just waiting for a chart. They have a strong stage presence and their music is well rounded and professional quality stuff. But setting aside all the well earned plaudits about their technical finesse, we can just say this is one hugely enjoyable band. If you go to a show to hear good rock music, well played and well performed, this is a band to look out for.
The lineup worked: the evening began with a bang - Deceptikon's set of metal songs brought cheers from the audience who clearly appreciated the local band's roaring base riffs, skillful guitar work and engine-like drumming.
Negative Brody - also from the Dudley area - offered a fine selection of rock songs ably performed by front man Dean Stevens.
Set in Stone from Leicester gave us the awesome vocals of Steve Faulkner backed by a powerful group of well talented rockers.
The night ended in great style. Leicester's ace disco rock band Aikon, pulling people on to the dance floor with their set of almost manically catchy tunes, with strong vocals and performance from lead singer Dale Taylor. If you want to party, this is the band to see.
Five top bands of equal quality, a well balanced selection of complimentary musical styles (enough variation to be enjoyable) and a crowd who stayed together throughout the night - why can't all gigs be like this.
Bands in order of play: Deceptikon, Negative Brody, Martyr de Mona, Set in Stone, Aikon.
 Silent Devices, The Shed, Thursday 17th January 2008
Leicester seems unique amongst English cities in having more rock bands per head of population than anywhere else. Not only that, it is also continuously producing new bands, some of which are very good indeed.
There is a clutch of young Leicester bands who often play together: Naked Gravy, Taste the Chase, Forty More Autumns, M48, For the Record, The Heroes, The Elite and so on. All about the same age (17-19), all about the same ability (good) and playing fine original songs.
I met the Silent Devices guys before they went on and they said "look don't take too much notice of our set tonight because we're playing a new drummer for the first time ..." and went on to explain that this was not an opportunity to see the band its at best. Well, their stage performance was a bit of a shambles to be honest.
But if this set was Silent Devices not at its best, what are they going to be like when they are at their best? I would say, truly amazing! Catchy tunes, expert playing, excellent vocal work from lead singer Josh and tighly executed arrangements. This is clearly a band that has bright future, one of the most promising young bands in Leicester and a really enjoyable set of well written songs. They are soon to embark on a tour of the Czech Republic! We will be watching this band with considerable interest.
Silent Devices
Steve Faulkner: "More than love you"
 Ok, so this review isn't actually about a gig but is about a song written by Steve Faulkner, one of the most talented singer songwriters in Leicester/shire and lead singer for the rock band Set In Stone.
Steve's new song can be heard on his MySpace page (link below.)
"More than love you" is an evocative and moving ballad, with a subtle and catchy guitar backing. Sung with passion and conviction, it's a song that will appeal to a wide audience.
Well recorded, it's one of those love songs that brings a tear to the eye and lump to the throat, but that is what great music is all about - songs that we can all relate to, songs which move us.
A touching but powerful ballad that has words which mean something, solid, poignant lyrics which bear many replays.
Songs we might send to someone we love when we want to say something that our own voices cannot express.
Steve is one of those talented vocalists who can perform equally well in an intimate setting with just himself and a guitar as well as being one of the most tuneful and powerful rock singers in the mammoth rock band Set In Stone.
Steve Faulkner
Pressure, The Shed, Sunday 6th January 2008
 Derby band Pressure played at the Shed and put on a strong, energetic performance to bring out their set of catchy, idiomatic songs.
Pressure gives us a very characteristic sound, the lead guitar having been replaced by an Saxophone, expertly played by band member Rebbecca Liverman.
A band that has been playing for over 9 years, Pressure's polished live act has been dubbed as "Sax Rock", and in the hands of this band, this really works.
Weaving Sax in and out of songs, with attractive melodies and clear, crisp vocals, the driving, crunchy guitar work pushes ahead with a pounding rythm.
A rounded mainstream rock sound with a punky edge and the red and black colour scheme of the band members, make this a visually and musically exiciting band.
Passion and vigour in copious quantities, Pressure brought a great set to the Shed and left the audience wanting them to come back again soon. Pressure
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Gig Reviews 2007
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