Gig reviews for November 2011

The Moderators, 4th November

Kevin Gaughan reports.

There was a buzz in the crowd tonight at the Music Café. I had just come out of a pub which was full of people wearing Moderators t-shirts and talking about the band and how they had been following them for years.

After all the buzz, I was expecting big things from a BIG night of cover bands.

no idea
No Idea © Kevin Gaughan

The audience were mainly young, enthusiastic, vocal, and a large number were friends of the first band, No Idea, a one year old, four-piece covers band from Leicester.

No Idea hit the stage to some jovial heckling from friends in the crowd, all in good humour.

Covering classics from bands like The Undertones, The Buzzcocks and Oasis, the four musicians did a good job at recreating the sound and feel of the original songs. They upped the tempo with songs like Valerie by Amy Winehouse which had no problems at all in getting the ladies up for a bit of a hip-wiggle.

no idea
No Idea © Kevin Gaughan

Dusty on lead vocals and guitar did a good job of performing both roles. I particularly liked the way that he didn't seem to make much attempt to mimic the voice of the original, but rather, sang in his own voice. Thereby adding his own sound to the songs Sometimes mimicking the sound of the original voice just doesn't pay off, especially with songs like Valerie by Amy Winehouse!

All in all, No Idea did a good job, and I would have no problem in booking them for a party if I needed a general covers band.

No Idea on Facebook.

Next up, the band I had been hearing so much about tonight, The MODerators, an eighteen year old, nine-piece (!) covers band also from Leicester. The MOD part of their name cleverly emphasised as that explains the influence for their music.

The audience, as well as the bands, did a complete turn-around - the youngsters that were at the front earlier moved to the bar and were replaced by their more mature, largely follicly challenged, counterparts. However, there were a lot more of them this time. The Music Café was packed, both upstairs and down.

The Moderators © Kevin Gaughan

The The Moderators hit the stage and the Music Café erupted into a dancing, moshing, crowd surfing frenzy. The atmosphere was P A R T Y !!!

The Moderators played all things Mod - The Specials, Bad Manners and The Jam among others, and played them well. I could see why they are one of the most popular covers bands in Leicester.

Without doubt, they are a big band with a big reputation and a big following. They could easily have filled a much bigger venue, but you would have lost the more intimate experience the Music Café has to offer. Although the Music Café isn't tiny, by any means, with a three hundred person capacity.

Front man, Jim 'The Daddy' was confident and charismatic, making him a formidable front man, animated and clearly enjoying himself which all helped to get the party going.

Arms, legs and feet in the air, the crowd absolutely loved them. It was obvious how they'd been going for eighteen years and why they have such a big following, the crowd just couldn't help but have a great time, and Mods know how to do that alright!

Click below to watch them perform on the night:

Start (The Jam)
Lip up Fatty (Bad Manners)
Down in the Tube Station at Midnight (The Jam)
A Message to you Rudy (The Specials)

The Moderators web site.