Gig reviews for January 2011
The Stiggz at the Assembly Rooms, Derby, 15th January
I was really looking forward to this gig, after being off the road for a bit, mainly due to university commitments, the Stiggz, a four-piece from Coalville, are back.
The Stiggz © Kevin Gaughan
Before the gig, there was lots of whispering and they took delight in telling me there's going to be a surprise!!! - I thought, well it can't be them playing naked as I've already got a photo of that on my kitchen wall! - all in the name of the Musician's charity calendar, of course (still on sale from the Musician in Leicester).
It was a Saturday afternoon, and a big venue, so, understandably, it was fairly empty. However, the Assembly rooms didn't hold back in giving them the full production, the light show was fantastic, and the smoke machine was puffing away like there was no tomorrow.
The Stiggz © Kevin Gaughan
Then the band came on, opening with the classic City View, the sound was good, the atmosphere, they made all their own, and the signature, guitar-based, ludicrously catchy indie tunes were all Stiggz. I don't know how they do it but they come out with song after song that hooks onto your musical umbilical chord and doesn't let go. Time and time again, guitar riffs that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, melodies that you can't help but dance to and lyrics that you simply HAVE to sing along to. Utterly compulsive.
The Stiggz © Kevin Gaughan
Half way into the gig they revealed the surprise - it was a new member, a fifth Stigg, the band has given birth to a new guitarist, Christian. What a great surprise, I thought, and a thoroughly good move. He's an old friend of the band, a good guitarist and a really nice chap. Along with the new guitarist was some new material too, every bit as good as the old classics, some have instant appeal, and I think others will be growers. For me, Indie Disco was a grower, I heard it two or three times then it was love, the long-lasting kind!
The Stiggz © Kevin Gaughan
Indie Disco tonight had a long, super-sexy intro with pulsating guitars echoing all round the room adding to the anticipation of the fantastic song itself, what a way to start a song, what a song, if that's what effect the extra guitarist has, then OH MY GOD!
Just cannot wait to seeing the new, five piece band again at the Musician on 12th February, there should be a 'magic' bus going to the event from Coalville, tickets will sell fast, contact the band for details.
Click here to watch Indie Disco or here to watch a new song or here to watch Sleeping on Your Own recorded at the gig.
The Stiggz on MySpace
