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Gig Reviews 2009 - January to May

Saturday 5th December, The Shed

Martyr de Mona is one of my favourite bands and I have seen them play live in both Leicester and Birmingham and in my view they are one of the best rock bands in the Midlands. As soon as they began to play the opening riffs of their first song, a tingle went down my spine and a hair bristling shiver made me ready for the thrill of seeing this band again. MDM play hard rock, a bit metalish in some respects, somewhat classic in others but a massive sound that pours off the stage in great waves, sparkling with complex guitar arpeggios and driven by the vibrant voice of front man Louis Hale, tightly supported by the backing vocals of guitarist Simon Blewitt, with Stephen Williams (bass) and Jay Miles on drums, pumping out the backing.

"this is rock music at its best."

MDM know how to write crisp and compelling songs that throb with big irresistible beats. Their songs have remarkable dynamics; one song began with an eery, evocative intro, the lead guitarist producing a strange, ethereal sound by picking the strings of the headstock. The song then exploded into a rolling burst of thunder and lightening. This band produces grand music that glitters with presence and huge majestic swathes of sound, ranging from irresistible primevil beats through to great mountains of music. Taut razor-edged playing, strong vocals and powerful high-octane songs, this is rock music at its best.

Sadly MDM do not play in Leicester very often but if your musical choice is for bands that are not just good but totally thrilling you will want to see these guys the next time they come back.

Some people scoff at tribute bands and regard them as inferior because they are simply emulating a big band, without being as good.

Leicester band Enraged demonstrated tonight that there is another side to tributing. Enraged put on a performance that was simply stunning. An astoundingly talented lead singer and three top class musicians turned a tribute into an accolade.

Enraged put on a performance that would put many original bands into the shade. Their act was mesmerising; brilliant in its own right. I have seen Rage Against the Machine play live and have listened to several of their recorded tracks and, like may of those in the audience tonight, am a great fan of this band.

"one of the most exciting new bands"

What Enraged succeeded in doing was no copy-cat set of covers. They have taken the work of a seriously huge band and made it their own. In doing so they have become one of the most exciting new bands to break on to the Leicester scene this year. They are passionate about the music they play; they clearly regard it as being more than just entertainment.

Front man Richard Tweed gave a spectacular performance. At the start of the set, he crouched at the front of the stage, an intense look on his face, breathing deeply, psyching himself up liked a coiled spring, while the opening bars of the first song built to a pitch and then he sprang to the front like a Puma going for the kill, surfing on the swell of the song. Throughout the set this guy produced one of the most impressive performances seen on that stage in recent years. His intense expression and great gymnastic leaps portrayed an artist who was 100% engaged in the song; he stood at the mic shuddering, squeezing every last drop of energy into his voice. It was a totally exhilarating show and afterwards the other musicians were full of tributes to the members of Enraged, commenting on how good they all were, including guitarist Charlie Shelton (ex Set in Stone), drummer Matt Frewin and bassist James Midgley

A superb performance from a top class band.

Friday 4th December, The Regent

The Regent is a Social Club in Regent Road Leicester and has a large hall at the back which Silver Bullet Promotions is now using to put on live music. The venue has a pleasant atmosphere and the bar serves some nice real ales, which is always a good change from the usual mass product keg. So, this was the first night for live bands at the Regent and all the acts were good. Some bands enjoy playing at a new venue; it makes a change from the usual haunts.

The night began with Leicester Band The Cutt. The four band members played a set of enjoyable melodic songs lead by vocalist Olly Bennett and backed up by Hannah Henson on the drums with Andy Moloney and Simon Mayfield on the strings. Pleasing, well-crafted songs.

It was great to see Awaiting Approval again; the Birmingham band has been playing in Leicester recently and has added their musical sparkle to our local rock scene. The band has recently won itself a place at the Glastonbudget festival, having performed a storming good set at the Shed auditions. The guys were on good form tonight, delivering a set full of passion and energy, laden with compelling beats and magnificent singing from Stewart Jackson, combined with some marvelous guitar work. Their dynamic and powerful music is top notch and seeing them play is always a rewarding experience.

White Ashes is one of Leicester's young bands and, although there are many good ones, this indie/pop punk foursome has achieved much acclaim from the other bands, of all ages, and are now in demand at the best gigs. Great vocals from Joe Walker (and including a singing drummer), tight playing and thrilling songs make a White Ashes set entertaining and enjoyable. A dedicated bunch of teenagers, they often can be seen in the audience at gigs, seeing what the bigger bands are doing.

Another young band Seventh Empire played an entertaining set of their own songs and some engaging covers. Although they had to wait a long time to get behind the mics, they put on a good set, played with commitment and vitality and got an enthusiastic response from the audience.

The finale of the night was Loughborough Hip Hop Rappers Shelly Soljaz. A totally different musical experience (drawing on Eminem, Dr. Dre, Lethal Bizzle, Dizzie Rascal, etc) from the rock bands, the four rappers and their DJ put on an exciting show, enthusiastically supported by their pack of fans. They stand comparison to The Rugged Sound System and Megadub, performing with a strong presence, sense of fun and with lyrics that had message and meaning. It all came together - the compelling rhythms, infectious rapping - into one gloriously happy ending to an evening of good live music which kept the crowd on its its feet and their hands in the air. To top it all they won the night's competition (Winner Takes All) and went home with a cash prize and recording contract with the Paddocks.

Friday 29th November, Sumo

This gig looked like it was going to be a sell out success. Two of Leicester's top bands playing together on a Friday night had all the hall marks of a great evening and those of us who opted for Sumo were not disappointed. Spotted several band members in the audience, including AstroManiacs, White Ashes and Razmataz (good to see our rising young bands coming down to see the top bands play.)

The night was launched by unusual Welsh band Gallops, the gig got off to a flying start. The four piece electro band is unusual in not featuring vocals; it's electro and instrumentals only, with the strings being supported by an Apple Mac and a keyboard. Full of startling electro beats and post-rock sounds, the other bands said they were really good. Just the right support for our two local big bands, the four musicians drew in a crowd who loved what they did. Laden with flavours of Foals, Pivot and Battles, they pulsated the room with some really compulsive music.

It's always good to see Autohype, one of our top local bands. Playing to a packed floor at Sumo (unusual in my experience!), the five piece indie electro disco gods mounted yet another electrifying show. After a blistering intro, they captured the audience, with lead singer Seb hanging off the top of the stage and then leaping into the audience. Intricate lead-in passages explode into huge rafts of dance. Martin was wearing his now customary glittery top and as usual drummer Ed had stripped down to no top. Bassist Mason and Synth player Nikki remained more sedate, anchoring it all down with their usual composure. Autohype pumped out their set of characteristic sounds and memorable songs. A band strong on widely appealing entertainment value, their performance bursts with energy and passion. "Disco Below" and the newer "Unison" and "Running" have a compelling foot tapping, lets-get-up-and-dance fervour that has won this band such a large and enthusiastic following. The crowd got moving and the show turned into a party. Martin and Nikki backing up Seb's lead with some classy singing, Seb took his drum into the crowd to bash out even more beats.

As the lead singer explained at the start of their gig, Minnaars have been racing round the nation's piss-hole venues making a name for themselves, so it was a rare treat to get to see them in their home town of Leicester. Whilst this is a band you can happily listen to, you cannot download the live experience of a Minnaars gig. It's a band you have to experience to get the full effect of what they are about. Reminding me of Tired Irie, Beunos Aires, Foals and These Furrows, the indie-punk electro band have achieved a great deal in a short space of time. Winning the support of some top names in the music industry, the band have notched up an enviable record of achievements, including an appearances at the 2009 Reading and Leeds Festivals. Armed with a strong front man and solid backing vocals, they mix conventional instrument sounds with sparkling electro noise. The crowd responded with a frenzy of dancing and arm waving, as quantities of beer were thrown over them. The last time I saw a crowd with this level of movement was when Arms of Atlas played here; a different musical niche from Minnaars, who have gone in for something altogether more experimental. Experts at mixing complex sounds and rhythms, the five guys set off a string of musical fireworks. Technically very clever, they put on a show sparkling with energy and style. A band that works with a crowd, it's a total experience.

Thursday 28th November, The Mandarin Lounge

Arts in Leicestershire likes the up-market ambience of the Mandarin Lounge so we decided to put on a couple of gigs to showcase a few of Leicester's talented singers. First on stage tonight was Gemma Hextall. She used to sing in a band called Fatal Error and tonight she presented a selection of her own songs, accompanied by Duncan. With a clear and well articulated voice, her melodic, folksy songs went down well with the crowd. Tuneful and atmospheric, the songs were beautifully crafted and pure pleasure to listen to.

Ben McLeod gave us a selection of well known indie covers, delivered in a rich, fulsome voice, accompanied by skillful guitar picking, the result was very impressive. A good selection of songs well suited to his voice, the set was enjoyable and entertaining. He also did a duet with the bassist from Leicester band Kicking Habits, who was in the audience and borrowed a guitar for the occasion. Nice one!

The headline act of the night was rising star of the acoustic circuit, Danny Doney. Singing discovery of the year, he is very busy now touring the music spots of Leicester, sometimes playing two gigs a night, so it was really good that he stopped off at our show. An act with plenty of personality and presence, Danny offered a set of robust and appealing songs which he delivered with a goodly whack of passion. His fine voice has depth and character and he does some skillful work on the guitar. Singing his own songs, he demonstrated that his skills as a vocalist are well matched by his ability as a song writer. Above all Danny is an entertainer; he works the audience and his warm and appealing personality comes through, both on and off the stage. Kayla Baston said: "Danny Doney is such a down to earth lad. He's got a great personality and is the funniest and most honest person I have ever known." Abbey Smith told us: "What you see is what you get. His songs are so good and his lyrics too - you can relate to them." Clearly Danny is attracting an increasing following and is working hard to get his name known. A first class act.

The next Mandarin Lounge showcase is on Thursday 3rd December, when we feature three of Leicester's most accomplished singer/songwriters. Details in our gigs list.

Saturday 7th November, Abbey Park

Leicester band Autohype played to a crowd of 20,000 at the Abbey Park Fireworks, making this the biggest live music event in Leicester this year. Headlining a variety of acts on the main stage, the indie, synth dance band enthralled the multitude with their set of new songs and re-mastered old numbers, fronted by the incomparable Seb who gave an even more dazzling performance than usual.

Sunday 1st November, The Musician

Happy Skalloween everybody! On the 1st November the Musician hosted a Halloween fancy dress ska gig featuring Better then a Kick in the Teeth, Last Edition and Phase 4.

Anyway First up we had Better then a kick in the teeth rocking the venue, and I must admit they are a lot better then a kick in the teeth. Their set list played some good ska tunes and some banter and jokes in between setting everyone up for a nice chilled out evening of ska and good times. At one point a guy called Ash took to the stage and sang for Aaron the normal vocalist as he was handing out candy to the crowd. The other reason Ash sang the next song was as Aaron put it “I can’t sing this cover, because I have testicles.” And soon Ash was singing away to a ska cover of Lily Allen’s Smile. Now Ash I don’t think is a singer for a band as this hilarious cover he sang like a drunk middle aged man at karaoke, also with “Aaron 2” on lead guitar screeching the la la bits in the song the cover had everyone laughing and joking with the band.

Next up was Last Edition who opened up with a good Halloween tune, a brilliant ska cover of Ghostbusters. Later the bassist randomly playing the theme song to king of the hill must to his band member’s confusion. After playing more of their songs they unleash their secret weapon, a cover of Sugar Hill Gang’s Apache with the Last Edition Famous dance. Also the set continued the heat in the Musician slowly got to the trumpet player Azz who started the set with a full suit on but ended in trousers and his shirt completely undone, what a nice little strip tease. More Banter was had between their amazing set list of songs to get everyone in the mood.

Before long we had Phase 4 on stage and ready to play. Who had a strange set as they lost the set list and this was only realised when Joe saw the next song to play was Ghostbusters! So with a set list being made up on the stop and requests from the crowd the gig went on. There was one impressive cover by this band Bob Marley’s 3 Lil Birds which got the crowd dancing and skanking to the beat. However this band showed they aren’t just any old ska band from Leicester and they focus of top political subjects when they played their song, suck on this Griffin, attacking the BNP and all their ridiculous ideas. Later in the set more disaster occurred leading to more laughing and good humour when they tried to get in to the Skalloween spirit and covered Monster Mash with everyone singing along and dancing, that is till everything beyond the first few verses and choruses was forgotten leaving Aaron asking if anyone in the crowd knew these lyrics and wanted to sing. Also if there was an inter-band costume competition these guys would win it with a trumpeter as a corpse in a body bag, a lead sing mummy and guitarist vampire.

This gig was more sort of a jam session between mates where music is played, laughs are had and beer is drunk. A nice mellow feeling filled the musician that night and everyone walked away giggling with a smile on their faces which in my eyes is a result.

Thursday 22nd October, The Charlotte

By Thomas Spinks

The Charlotte hosted a 14+ rock gig playing some of the best local bands including Arts in Leicestershire’s band of the month, The weekend schemers.

The first band to rock the charlotte was White Ashes. They played a good set and played a variety of their songs. The guitarist showed the crowd his skills and played wholeheartedly and really enjoying the moment. However the one thing i feel let White Ashes down was that the singer seemed a bit off and seemed to struggle holding notes. However I’m sure they will fix this minor problem as they go.

Next up was Formal Warning - one of Leicester’s best pop punk bands. They received great feedback from the crowd who sang along with their songs. The power pop guitar riffs hummed and echoed around the Charlotte as one of Leicester’s favourite bands played their set. Ash, the singer belted the vocals too and showed his skill. It’s safe to say it is hard not to enjoy them playing all their songs.

After Formal Warning, The Dobsons came and continued to rock the stage, with more good songs filling the Sharlotte. The band expressed how glad they were to be back on the music scene. They all showed this with the passion and excitement as they played.

Soon the Weekend Schemers played and showed they know what to do on stage and proved why they are our band of the month. This alternative indie band played all their good songs including, Just a Game and 10 more steps. They are simply mind blowing and should be seen. If you are a fan of Vampire Weekend I think the Weekend Schemers sound very similar and are a must see if you are in Leicester.

Saturday 10th October, The Shed

By Thomas Spinks

On the 10th of October the Shed became the venue of the great guitarist Roddy Radiation and his band The Skabilly Rebels. Roddy started his career playing guitar for The Special AKA, one of the most well known Ska bands of the 80’s. The first support band was MEGADUB. Playing DUB/Ska songs including covers of Come Dance Wiv Me by Dizzee Rascal and Man eater, they guaranteed to get the crowd dancing to their chilled out rhythms from the word go. With John laying down the strong lyrics and Lex dancing around the stage working the crowd into a frenzy. If you live in the local area and like a bit of Dub then this is definitely a band you have to see.

Next on the stage was the Celtic punk band Tommy’s Heroes. This band has masterfully combined traditional Celtic music with punk rock. The front man Andy Hero playing the mandolin and singing passionately, gave the crowd a real sense of the Celtic punk sound, all grit and swagger. Andy’s Mandolin and Tommy’s Guitar riffs complement each other beautifully. If you’re a fan of Dropkick Murphy’s, The Pogues or any other bands like that this is a band you can’t miss.

The third band to rock the shed was The Pressure Tones, a third wave ska band from Northampton. The bands traditional ska beat and easy to pick up lyrics meant that the crowd continued dancing and singing along with Phil. However it wasn’t till The Pressure Tones played Little Sister that the crowd really exploded into Skanking Frenzy.

When Roddy Radiation and The Skabilly Rebels came on they played a set of their own songs and Classic ska songs such as hits from Bad Manners and The Special AKA. Roddy Radiation showed all his experience with a guitar with jaw dropping riffs and solos. By the end of their set Roddy played The Specials song Concrete Jungle. In The Shed Roddy and The Rebels showed the old dogs still had a bite and still know how to please their fans.

Friday 9th October, The Pavilion

A thoroughly enjoyable night of good music. A line up with enough variety not to get boring but not so much as to drive people away, this was musically one of the best Friday evenings at the Pavo for a long time.

Despite the crap sound system, the initmate atmosphere of the Pavo lets you get up close to a band and really get into their music. As I have said before, it's a proving ground for bands; if they can shine in the Pavo, they will be good in the permanent live music venues with professional sound systems.

The City Lightz. The young Wolverhampton four peice gave us a pleasing set of funky songs, fonted by leader singer Matthew Barnett and backed by bassist Luke Henry, they produced a captivating blend of funky, poppy rock laced with rap.

A band with a strong sense of complusive rhythm, their vibrant, stylish songs were beautifully played and sung, supported with well blended instrumentation and firm drumming. An engaging cocktail of musical flavours, convincingly blended together and delivered with a confident presence on stage. Most enjoyable.

Dudley trio The Fat Bwoi 5 gave us a set of pacey numbers led by the characteristic voice of front man Dave backed by vocals from the bassist.Their set of foot tapping rock n roll songs were entertaining and delivered with a good deal of panache. Traditional rock, energetically played and full ofconfidence, from a group of experienced musicians.

The highlight of the evening was an exhillarating performance by young Leicester pop rock stars, Neon Sarcastic. They put on a sparkling show of their own songs with a couple of nice covers thrown in. In a city renowned for its rising young bands, Neon comfortably stands out from the pack, due largely to the iconic image of front man John, ably backed vocally by guitarist Adam. Tonight they were joined for the first time by their new bassist Joe, who played well but clearly has not yet got into the swing of the live show. Their set of dance songs, throbbing with style and energy, was supported by a throng of enthusiastic fans. They always put on an enjoyable show and present ther music with passion and commitment. The music of Neon reflects the idiom of Blink 182 and Sum 42, updated punk pop, re-eningeered for the dance floor and strong on character and image, a band always worth seeing and never short on sparkle.

Read our review of Birmingham band Awaiting Approval on our discovery page.

Leicester's The Cutt brought the evening to a close with a set of soothing but scintilating melodies sung with charisma and character by guitarist Olly and underpinned by a fulsome backing from the rest of the band. Resiliant drumming and a well blended strings section, belied the fact that they are new band still finding their feet. But they have improved a lot since I first heard them a few weeks ago and if they continue to develop at this rate, they will have a bright future ahead of them.

Thursday 8th October, The Charlotte

The Charlotte has re-opened.

The first band to play at the restored venue was Leicester's premier young band, Razmataz. With solid vocals from lead singer Nathan, backed by Chris on lead guitar, Dan on bass and Jake on drums, the band played some of their established favorites and some new material. It was all good. Their modern sound, appealing stage presence and fine style of playing certainly went down well with the audience and kicked the opening night off to a resounding start.

Upbeat tempos, luminous guitar riffs and melodic lines you wont easily forget, make Razmataz one of the leading bands in Leicester for this style of music. Songs that sparkle with vigor and verve and their confident, workmanlike approach to music are qualities that have awarded them a positive reputation on the local music scene. Tonight's performance was excellent and pleasurable. They might lack the attitude and swagger of other bands of their generation, but their endearing and engaging personalities give them a broad appeal.

Some bands produce a set of songs and then spend the rest of their music careers playing them. No so with Autohype. They are constantly generating new material and updating old songs. With each performance from the powerful five piece, you can expect something new. They have one of the most extensive track records of gigging of any band from around here. To their repertoire of established crowd-pleasing, floor-filling songs, they have added some new material which pushes at the boundaries of their idiom. Instead of lamely following the trend set by other electro-indie bands, Autohype has formulated its own, distinctive style, using the synth as an integral musical instrument, cleverly deploying it to add depth and co lour, without ever dominating the sound. A set that was satisfying and enjoyable.

Back in their spiritual home, The Screening showed us their new stuff. Having moved on and given their sound a makeover, their new songs went down a treat with the Screeningcore. The new raunchier sound, vibrant rhythms and punchier material hit home well as the crowd got into some energetic dancing and arm waving. Now with added synth, their sound has a richer feel, whilst retaining the same vibrancy and buzz. One of Leicester's most popular bands, the band has settled into a comfortable position on the local ladder. Their set had a goodly mixture of variously paced songs, ably delivered with a strong dose of verve and panache by lead vocalist Tom Nurse. They have a knack of producing what a lot of people want to hear.

So, did the Screening headline this show? I was left wondering, as the Boobytraps took to the stage and closed the night off with a rollicking good set of traditional rock. True the audience changed over as the core of Screening fans streamed out into Oxford Road, the crowd in front of the stage becoming somewhat older but it was nevertheless still a respectably large gathering. Traditional rather than contemporary but nonetheless enjoyable, the 'Traps delivered a rock solid set of funky and compelling set of rock 'n roll songs. Pumped up by the powerful vocals of front man Jamie Williams, assisted by guitarist and singer Scott Laywood, the band glistened with reflections of Oasis, Kasabian, the Pigeon Detectives and the Stone Roses (all of which have played on the same stage in times gone by.)

A resounding conclusion to the opening night as the crowd downed their final pints and headed home feeling that they heard some of the best that Leicester has to offer.

Monday 5th October, The Shed

A massively good night of live music with a varied line up of musical styles, a large audience and a good atmosphere, began with Mas Fina. Fronted by the quality vocals of singer Karishma and backed by the polished performances of a set of very able musicians, the four piece band played a solidly agreeable set. The sparkling guitar work of Liam and the energetic drumming of Stefan produced an engaging and listenable backing to Karishma's fine vocals and kicked the evening off to a good start. The fulsome songs were driven along by compulsive rhythms and accomplished song writing, producing a classy sound and beautifully polished performance. The musicians gelled well together to deliver a delicious set of jazzy, funky songs that was very agreeable.

In a complete change of musical mood, Loughborough hardcore band Full Circle took to the stage next to give us another of their spine tingling sets of supersonic, maximum energy performances. With stunning vocals from the heavily tattooed James and the tightly executed backing of Karl and Tom on strings and the ferocious drumming of Danny, Full Circle pumped out an exhilarating set of sounds, weaving together metal, grunge and punk into a riveting body of hardcore songs. I have never been able to figure out how these guys produce such a fast and complex wall of sound but the stage threw out massive showers of sparks and fireworks as they thundered through their set. Totally thrilling.

The agenda changed dramatically again when Last Edition came on to the stage. The five piece ska band played a dance laden set, with Sam on Sax, Azz on Trumpet and vocals and Matt leading on vocals and guitar, to produce a big sound that got the crowd on its feet. With lots of stage craft and audience interaction, the band worked the audience into a party.

All this was a prelude to the main act of the night, as the mighty Sonic Boom Six came on stage to give us a performance that will long be remembered. This a band that is great to listen to but amazingly good to watch. They don't just play tunes, they put on a show and they are one high caliber act. Whilst their offering of punky, hip-hop, ska-ish songs is not musically exceptional, their massive stage presence certainly is. Fronted by the storming Laila K, SBS delivered a professional sound that throbbed with passion and energy. They brought the packed Shed to life with a set that bristled with energy and compelling beats. They look like five iconic rock stars and everything about them exudes that big band image. At the end of the set they played a poignant farewell song to "Ben Boom" , their guitarist who tonight played his last appearance with the band. Many people left the Shed at the end of the show thinking, as I did, "I was so glad I was there". The Shed is full of surprises.

Friday 18th September, Sumo

After a long hard week at the office, I was more than happy to descend into the bowels of Braunstone Gate to see a lineup of my favourite bands.

I have always been a fan of Roxum, even when they were called Aikon. Their show is exciting and they feature some top class musicians, an x-factor lead singer and a set that bursts with passion and fireworks.

Even though their bass player was at home nursing a broken hand, the four band members took to the stage and gave it their all, guitarists James and Jack taking it in turns on the bass. Despite being a man down, they still put up a good set; because they are skilled musicians, dedicated bandsmen and have a set of electrifying songs that never fails to please. Their third song 'Body for a bullet' is on their Myspace. I see it as being a well crafted song with solidly good instrumental arrangements that hops along at a bouncy pace and is topped with some amazing guitar solos from the great Jack Jordan. Their set ended with 'Same old things', also on their Myspace. Roxum - a band it's easy to get passionate about.

I must have written quiet a few reviews of Autohype over the past couple of years, so sitting down now to have another go, I am thinking 'well, what more can I say'? I am not sure that I can say much that is new but once in a while it's good to re-state the obvious. This is one of our top local bands within their genre: well written songs, polished performances and a lead singer who blends together Mick Jagger, Suggs and Freddie Mercury. Their first song opened with a pounding intro that led into flashing synth lines from Nicci. It then took off at a brisk canter, as Seb disappeared into the crowd, still clutching his cordless mic. Red shoes to the ready, the band members continued from the stage, playing faultlessly constructed songs, Martin and Nicci backing up the vocals. What makes this band exciting is their absolute command of song writing. The dynamics are razor sharp and the rhythms completely infectious. They have their fingers firmly on the pulse of contemporary dance music and their set is always evolving with new takes and slants on their well established hits. New songs are always coming out from a band that is on the move, never satisfied, always wanting to do better, perpetually inventive.

Autohype was our band of the month for September

The icing on the cake was the final band to play on this well satisfying evening of good music: Kids in Cars. The Hinckley quintet have some new members and spent some time recently, writing new material. They have a distinctive 'own sound', coloured by the smooth and polished vocals of lead singer James. Songs laced with captivating dynamics and woven with nicely balanced harmonies, they produced a well rounded set, full of subtle changes of mood and colour. Like many other bands, they have re-engineered their sound, making the delivery stronger and more fulsome, as the vogue for indie settles into the horizon. A band with technical excellence, these commissars of cool have a natural grasp of melody and rhythm, and brought us songs that had a freshness and crispness that was tantalising. Superb!

Roxum | Autohype | Kids in Cars

Thursday 10th September, The Mandarin Lounge

Battle of the Bands at the Mandarin Lounge in Charles Street.

The stage might be small but the venue is stylish, smart and clean and there is a warm and attractive atmosphere and comfortable seating.

Leicester band Smokin The Profit were on first and lead vocalist Tommy, with support from guitarist Hilary, launched into a song bouncing with pleasing rhythms and catchy vocal lines. Here is a band that has its own distinctive sound, is laden with style and cool; a band with character, whose songs are peppered with scintillating guitar passages, engaging beats and played with passion. Their set has variety. Each song has a distinctly different tempo and mood, powered by first class vocal lines and beautifully crafted guitar work, pushed forward with an Olympic level of work on the drums. A star quality band that makes any gig they play worth going to.

I had not seen Loughborough's Full Circle in a long time but remember well those thrilling performances I witnessed and so tonight I was well pleased to see them back in action. Previously I used to think of Full Circle as a punk band, but now I think they have evolved into progressive hard rock with a punk edge. Even though the band members told me after the set that they had not rehearsed well enough and were not pleased with their performance tonight, I still think it was a marvelous half hour of spine tingling music. They produced a cocktail of hard core riffs, ear bursting thrash metal sounds and kalashnikov drumming that was extra exhilarating. It was like a musical jump into hyper space. Lead singer James gave a one hundred and ten percent, adrenalin dripping performance as they all fired out a brilliant wall of throbbing sound, with enough energy to power the whole of Charles Street. And, you know, they didn't even break into a sweat! Totally intoxicating. Makes Kasabian look flaccid.

Smokin the Profit | Full Circle

Saturday 5th September, Pride

Leicester bands The Heroes and The Vinyl Throwbacks play at Leicester Pride.

Saturday 5th September, The Y Theatre

A big Night at the Y with a line up of top bands and a large audience to support them, made this night a significant event in Leicester's rock calendar.

The keynote of the night was The Chairmen, making their come-back gig, after several months off the road. During their sabbatical, occasioned by one of their number leaving the band and the lead singer's throat problem, The Chairmen have recruited a new musician in the form of a synth player and have written a set of new songs, as well as re-engineering their sound. The band proved that they have not lost their magic and armed with their fresh new sound, fully intend to regain their previous position as an elite act.

Lead by lead singer Jonny, who had to retrain his voice following the problem with his vocal chords, the star quality performance and charisma has by no means waned. Last year the Chairmen triumphed at the national finals of the Surface Unsigned competition, beating thousands of other bands from across the UK for the coveted first prize, as well as playing the main stage at the Summer Sundae festival. Now, under their manager Richard Wheatcroft, they plan to re-climb the ladder and, as tonight demonstrated, they have got what it takes.

Their set of revamped songs still includes their hit single Twenty Twenty Vision, re-arranged to suit their new style of playing. The new sound is laden with compelling rhythms and pumped full of exciting dynamics. A set of powerful anthems, made more contemporary, with rich, intense harmonies and driving beats.

There was a capacity crowd packed in front of the stage, with everyone dancing and clearly having a wonderful time, similar to what we saw in front of the main stage of the Carling Academy, last year. A more mature band than The Heroes, with a more charismatic offering than that of Autohype, The Chairmen are poised to launch an attack on the top slot of the Leicester band scene. Many Leicester band members had turned up to the show to witness the comeback for themselves and to size up what they are now up against.

The band clearly has retained a loyal following but will their new sound attract new fans or even win new ones over from other bands? Will they neglect Leicester stages for bigger things out there in London, Leeds and Birmingham? Will they now get spotted by a prominent label, snapped up and whisked away to national stardom? We will be following their progress with interest.

Supporting The Chairmen was These Furrows. Starting out as Twenty Below Zero, this is another band that has had a musical make over and moved on to better things. Their jagged, angular sounds fracturing into razor sharp stops, connected by intense passages of infectious beats, brought the moshing crowd to a frenzy. Said to resemble Buenos Airies and Biffy Clyro, the band has a markedly different style of music from the mainstream. Crackling with static electrcity, their work was distinctive, creative and at times playful, leaving you wondering what is going to happen next. What happens is not what you'r expecting. A thrilling set that left the fans gasping for more.

M48

Tonight they played a top class set, with lead singer Jordan Birtles throwing himself round the stage in a performance brimming with passion and commitment. This band is noted for having three beautifully harmonised vocalists, playing a set of very engaging songs, which tonight were given a rockier rendition than usual. A popular band that always turns out quality performances, they have worked hard over the past few years to add something really sound to the musical life of Leicester. A superb performance from a great band.

The third markedly different style of the evening came in the shape of The Fazed, who opened the show. Not everyone's favourite band, they are nevertheless respected for their polish and professionalism and I have always been an admirer of their pleasing songs. Their offering of melodic and memorable indie ballads was expertly delivered by the fine vocals of Dave Sherratt. A band with standing and solidity, they provided cool, well crafted pieces that are broadly appealing. No mosh pits but just an attentive audience, appreciating the pleasure of a good band. A quality mainstream set.

Given the all too frequent poorly attended, crap gigs in Leicester, it is a freshing change to go to a big night with a capacity audience and an exciting line up of excellent bands.

Friday 5th September, The Shed

One good night at the Shed! A line up of top notch bands and a goodly portion of audience made this a worthwhile night out.

Braunstone band Formal Warning treated us to one of their brilliant shows, in what was one of the best performances I have seen them play since I started following their progress in 2008. FW is a pop rock band that plays a set of highly entertaining songs, many of which are anthemic dance numbers. The songs were delivered with a luxuriant dose of 'x factor' style and presence by lead singer Ash. The FW show now includes a smoke machine and laser lights. The band was assisted by their fans who added mass backing vocals to most of their songs. These guys don't just play; they put on a show, to which they give 100% commitment. Excellent entertainment.

After a break from the live stage to write some new songs, Neon Sarcastic took to the stage to present their set of powerpop ballads. Keeping alive the spirit of Blink 182 and Sum 41, The Neons gave us half an hour of enjoyable, up-beat, fun-filled songs, delivered with megawatts of energy. Together with Formal Warning, they turned a gig into a party. Let's hope we see a lot more of NS on Leicester's stages. This is a band with its own distinctive sound and image.

Leicester is noted for its up and coming young bands and one that is receiving a lot of admiration at the moment is White Ashes. This band oozes potential and it is easy to see them rising to the top of the tree in the not too distant future. Their stunning performance reflected their influences, including The Arctic Monkeys and the Libertines. They have mastered the idiom of modern indie and laced it with their own style of pop punk. They knock the socks off bands twice their age.

In these troubled times of economic doom and gloom, it's good to see that the Shed is still there, providing a platform for both up and coming new bands and established acts, including those at the very top of the Leicester scene. Once in a while you can escape the storm clouds of daily life and escape to a really good night of fun and music in Yeoman Street.

Thursday 3rd September, The Mandarin Lounge

I used to drink at this venue when it was called The Show Rooms and liked it then. Stylish decor, pleasing lighting, comfortable seating and reasonably priced pints make this one of the most attractive venues in the city. Now under new management, The Mandarin Lounge sits between the old Charles Street police station and the Ale Wagon pub and is opposite the Charles Street Baptist Church!.

Now running a battle of the bands style series of gigs, where the audience can vote in tandem with judge's opinions, the first night started with an intriguing three piece Moto N'dani (which is swahili for The Fire Within.) The unusual combo of two singers and a guitarist launched in to their first song which grabbed the attention of the audience. The band's lead singer had a fine baritone voice, full of character and colour, who delivered the more melodic line, whilst the second vocalist had a rap-style delivery, almost speaking the lyrics. The trio put the whole thing together with considerably style and panache, to produce a lively, bouncy set that was fresh and original. Top marks for originality and creativity.

After slagging off the Utopians for failing to appear at the show, The Renegades set off at full pelt with their vibrant, swinging set of fizzing songs (as one band member commented "They fuc*ing did it and they did it well"). Tightly played, the foursome got into a set of fiercely awesome songs balanced with some more reflective numbers. Good rocking sounds, lead by the rich tones of lead vocalist Joe Santos, and backed by the well balanced, skillful strings of Matt Bale and solid basing of The Bean, and driven forward by the skins of Rob Law, they played a set of infectious, compelling rock songs. Sternly good rock music laced with a dose of rock-star attitude.

Stepping in at the last minute to fill the slot vacated by the Utopians, newby art rock band The Final Coil, playing their first ever gig, brought the night to a pleasing finale. The five piece, included a female vocalist (who spent most of the show hiding behind a speaker at the side - it was a rather small stage for such a large band), three string players and a drummer. The opening number was a song that crackled with atmosphere, having a heavy rock flavour and some feverish guitar riffs that soared over the backing. Poundingly good beats were richly ornamented with colourful guitar tones to produce a nu-rock sounding set, slightly reminiscent of early Linkin Park, Pearl Jam and Mogwai. With an appetising stage presence and considerable commitment to acute guitar work, this was a stunning performance from a band making its live debut and thrust unexpectedly before an audience. Wonderful stuff and well worth seeing again.

Tuesday, 1st September, Walkabout

The Australian theme bar in Granby Street has been putting on live music nights since July and has secured a reputation for being one of the better free gigs in the city. The large venue offers a stage, good production lighting and a quality sound system. Cheap drinks are available at the bar and the audience comprises both fans, regulars and those who walk in from the street when they hear the bands playing.

Leicester band The Stiggz opened tonight's show with a set of very well crafted modern sounding songs that had an iconic feel to them. Tight musicianship and the strong and characteristic voice of lead singer Richard Elderton, results in an engaging set that really works. In fact the band's songs were so good I was asking people if they were playing covers, but no, all the songs were the band's own original work - that's how good they are. It was a highly creditable performance from a band that is, as yet, not widely known but very much deserves to be. In a city where young bands proliferate, here is one that stands head and shoulders above the crowd. A delightful band that deserves a following.

Hailing from Stoney Stanton, the trio of musicians that is Pluto, is a band I have seen play many times before, both in Leicester and Birmingham and I have always been a fervent admirer of this group of highly talented rock maestros. Their set filled the room with a moody, cool atmosphere, the lead vocals of Chaz blending skillfully with co-guitarist Bilby and ably backed by Ben on the skins. The band has a well-rounded sound reflecting long experience of live music but having an experimental, almost jamming-like edge. The three guys love playing live and for them making music on a stage is great fun. You can always feel their great enjoyment of playing. Chas displays his virtuosity as a guitarist and the three of them have that rare commodity - genuine creativity. The tautly strung songs have an admirable power and presence and they are never afraid to leave behind the confines of their comfort zone and try something challenging. A genuinely fine band.

The Waits are another trio that have made a considerable impact on the local music scene. The set was not just about being able to play tightly, not just about being able to sing in tune and not just about looking like a serious rock band but also about being able to present a series of well-crafted, memorable songs that make an audience want to come back for more. The Waits have always been warmly commented on by other band members at every performance I have been to. Justifiably so. Lead singer David Hammersley stands out as being one of the best band vocalists in the county.

Thursday, 20th August, The Lansdowne

It's nice to go to a new venue to hear live music and as The Landowne was just up the road from the office, this seemed like an ideal opportunity. Added to that the Pennyhangers were opening the show, so it was a must see gig. The masters of melody were on first and opened the show with an excellent set of their memorable songs.

These indie stars know how to make good music that really works, music that captures those who have not heard them before as well as delighting their seasoned fans. The well crafted songs, backed by beautifully harmonised guitar sounds, were ably delivered by front man James, backed by string players Paddy and Andy, and ace drummer Jonny. The Pennyhangers have created a portfolio of top notch songs which they have wrought with instantly recognisable riffs. It was a great start to the evening. The only observation I would add is that they all looked rather glum this evening. Perhaps the beerometer was a bit on the low side.

Next on was the band with the longest name ever: "Wife divorces man accused of hotel leap". A massive name for a very small band: only one guitar vocalist (Dave) and a drummer (Owen). Ah but I remember a similar duo, who got really big: "I was a cub scout". Not having seen them before, I didn't know what to expect but it wasn't long before I realised that I was sharing an engaging set of atmospheric songs with a fairly large group of their fans. Whilst this one might have been a connoisseur's choice for a band lineup, their remarkable set of creative and original songs got my attention. By the end of the set I was applauding as enthusiastically as every one else, so these two guys have won people over with their different approach to what it's all about. And Owen did backing vocals, so that clinched it for me. Quirky, unusual, creative and original, the odd-named band was clearly a winner.

The third band was also one I had not seen before, Leicester blues rock band Stephen and the Heathens. The trio launched into a commanding song featuring strong vocals and stomping rhythms which soon got my feet tapping. By this time there were more people outside the bar than inside, but hey that's summer gigs for you. Their set of compelling rhythmic songs had a trad feel and were delivered with gusto and commitment, backed up by some thumping, rolling bass lines, jabbing phrases, and bedded down with vigorous drumming. The rocky songs had a blusey undertone, threaded with some attractive orchestral colours and the whole thing came together remarkably well. Tightly knit musicians, the threesome gave us some engaging songs, laden with mood, imaginative lyrics and nicely balanced dynamics. A solidly good band with a set of quality songs.

Another trio followed them: The Furies. I had heard good reports about them from top bands in Leicester and I certainly was not disappointed. They launched into their opening song with a large slab of raz, laced with some lovely twangy riffs and driven along by infectious beats. The songs had a crisp, contemporary sound and they played with passion and style. Lead singer Alex Beattie was backed by vocals from ace drummer Neal Hill (brother of Skam's lead singer) and riveting basing from Alex's brother Dan. This band of brothers lived up to their reputation as a group with an exhilarating set of songs and enthralling presence. Piling out volumes of sound, laced with delicious chords and pulsating beats, it was sharp, tight, occasionally darkly coloured and massively engaging. A remarkably good band full of dynamism and energy, their razor sharp delivery, sizzled with modern idioms and sparkling guitar solos, anchored down by the virtuoso drumming of Neal Hill. A splendid performance by a band with a oodles of potential.

The night was rounded off by the inappropriately named Dead Slow - there is nothing dead about them and they are definitely not slow. They played a storming set, even better than when I heard them last. They can master fresh upbeat songs and moody numbers delivered by vocalist Joel Evans who has an uncommonly characteristic voice. They have worked out how to deploy glittering guitar sounds, with glowing harmonies, into captivating melodic structures, moved along along with compulsive rhythms. Let down only by their third song, which was introduced as "about my ex-girl-friend" - how many times have I heard that old one before - Dead Slow brought the evening to a suitably mint finale.

A round of applause please for the promoters of this amazingly good night - Melting Pot - who have brought us one quality gig after another, are top at spotting class acts and who have made a valuable contribution to the local live music scene.

Tuesday, 18th August, Walkabout

Two of Leicester's established bands put on a storming set at Walkabout. Melton Mowbray trio Breek started the evening with a exhilarating set of their rock songs, led by vocalist Ady, with Karl on the bass and backing vocals and Russell on the drums. Powerful and passionate songs poured out, backed with expansive sounds, the music was rooted in nu-rock, with lots of high energy drum parts from Russell and some sizzling guitar passages from Ady and steady basing from Karl. Breek are a set of excellent, well experienced musicians who have been playing together for a long time, as a band Breek has been going for about six years. Musicians with maturity and stature, their set was as exciting as it was accomplished. Large sounds, thrilling phrases and compelling rhythms are what makes this a band that outstanding and wonderful rock music. They played an almost new set of songs and are about to go back into the studio to play down their new album.

Maybe we should be putting on more lineups with three really good bands who play for longer; if a band is really good they should be able to play a 45 minute set or longer. If a band is excellent at what they do, maybe people do want more than just a 30 minute taster. I think people could happily listen to bands of the quality of Breek and Smokestacks for up to an hour and really get into the soul of the music.

Breek were followed by another of Leicester's established bands. Smokestacks, another trio of accomplished musicians, featuring Dan Drage on the drums, Joel Hanson on the bass and the lead vocals and guitar of Raj Mohanlal. The band's distinctive blues rock style sets them apart. They are a joy to listen to, playing moody and atmospheric songs. Their version of blues rock is not what you would expect. Some of the songs were as powerful as those sung by Breek, whilst others had a more traditional feel to them. They are the complete opposite of samey; they offered a tantalising cocktail of musical styles, marking their virtuosity as musicians. These guys have an extensive repertoire and could easily play a one hour set, if time allowed. The three guys are just as at home with Jazz as they are with heavy rock. The band members are on each other's wavelength, weaving their instruments into one rich tapestry of sounds, feeding off each other's inspiration. Smokestacks have built up a strong following and quite a crowd turned out to see them tonight. Quality music played by expert musicians.

The two bands had distinctly different styles but this added to the enjoyment of the night. They represented some of the best musical experiences that Leicester has to offer. Putting them together on the same lineup worked well. Listening to two bands in a way was more enjoyable than sitting through a much longer lineup. For once it was a warm, dry evening and the doors were flung open and quite a few people stopped by to see what was happening in the bar. The bar's central location brought live music to the ear's of people who might not otherwise have sought out the opportunity to see what Leicester has to offer. Those who chanced on the gig were clearly not disappointed.

Thursday, 13th August, Musician.

More of a concert than a gig, The Musician chose three distinctly contrasting acts to commence their lineup tonight.

Jann Klose from New York opened the show with an acoustic sets of his fine acoustic songs. On tour in Europe, Jann has supported legendary acts such as The Strawbs, Roseanne Cash and Renaissance. Born in Germany and raised in South Africa, he is a truly International artist. Jann opened the night with a set of beautifully sung, atmospheric pop rock songs. A vocalist with a rich, soaring voice his soulful songs are full of creative image-laden lyrics. He ended his set with a moving tribute to guitar legend Les Paul, who died earlier today at the age of 94. Jann had met him and sang a heart-felt tribute to his memory.

The Utopians came on stage. James and Jason are a thread running through my life a live music follower, since I walked into the Shed one night and discovered them on stage, at that time playing with Nocturnal. Lead singer Jason Westall has Pete Docherty as his idol and is a strong admirer of Ian Brown of the Stone Roses. James Shaw, ace guitarist and Neil Grey on the drums have been joined recently by bass player James Robinson (ex Jacquaranda Chaos Band). These bad boys are a great song-writing team and have composed some of the best songs to come out of Leicester in recent years. Something of Babyshambles, the Clash and the Libertines has rubbed off on them, and far from being sycophantic to musical trends, they stick uncompromisingly to what they believe in. Raw, edgy, attitudinal and cocky, committed to having issues worth singing about, The Utopians have a presence lacking in more flaccid bands. Tonight's performance was 100% Utopian, with top notch numbers such as "Pissed up in Prague" , "Jason only knows", "She's had enough" and "Come and Get it " from their Dance for Romance Album. Mint!

The whole show went off in a totally different direction when Dumfound took to the stage. The Leicester trio put on a musical treat that stands comparison to Radiohead. These three musicians are intriguing to watch, working closely with each other to weave spell-binding songs with sophistication and delicacy that is outstanding. Playing together like a well-oiled Jazz trio or even a chamber ensemble, the three guys produced a enthralling set of fine-quisine songs, offering tantalising flavours of sound. Dumbfound have established a reputation for being unique, creative and richly deserving of the acclaim they have received from the musical fraternity in Leicester.

Thursday, 13th August, The Shed

Review by Nick Furlong

I am certainly not alone in saying that as soon as Megadub opened their set my eyes lit up and my eyebrows shot up towards my forehead in sheer delight and anticipation at what I was about to hear. I could go on all day about how technically proficient and musically sound their set was; which would be no word of a lie, but for me this set was about much more than that.

To see anything any more reggae influenced than ska punk at the shed is a rare treat so megadub certainly had a lot of hungry ears to impress. As the saxophone revealed itself, the dreadlocks were paraded on stage and the rhythm blessed front pairs bodies’ swaggered into an uncontrollable beat fuelled groove. To my delight this slightly modern edge to the Jamaican sound was maintained from start to finish!
This 6 piece band produced a very funky reggae sound with a great dance feel to it. The vocals however, stole the show for me, craftily bringing a slice of hip hop into the equation with the brilliantly tasteful rapping.

No doubt a fantastic way to open this amazing weekend showcasing Leicester’s current thriving multicultural music scene. And is the perfect example of the fact that Leicester currently can provide not only a representative, but a top notch band from every possible genre of music you could imagine! Megadub should be rammed down the throats of any narrow minded music go-er that has not yet bared witness to the irresistibly good sound that is produced whenever they play!

I would firstly like to make myself clear that I am a great admirer of quirky and unique sounds and ideas, especially when it comes to music and live performance. Coming from a band that certainly doesn’t shy away from turning heads at live performances myself I was initially intrigued and filled with a large amount of optimism at what immediately appeared to be a piece of theatre accompanying the live music as opposed to just boys in skinny jeans nailed to the spot.

However, Fists did prove how hard it is to experiment with wacky stage gimmicks and be taken seriously and liked by a very varied audience. Top marks to these rockabilly guys for really pushing the boundaries of what music audiences are used to seeing; if nothing else they kept the entire crowd visually hooked.

The atmosphere was then shaken up further when guitarist James Finlay whipped out a megaphone to create a completely different vocal sound when directed into the mic. Sections of the audience questioned whether this, coupled with the washboard used in some songs, was a bit too odd; however there is no avoiding the fact that these audience members still couldn’t resist but to continue watching on for more and sure enough, the feet kept tapping and waists kept swaying. I felt a certain sense of responsibility to fight the urge to stick with the mundane, jump out of the shed usual comfort zone and join the wacky spirit of this band, and when that happens the sheer performance magic is there for all to see.

Not once did these guys forget they were on stage in front of a huge expecting audience and so in turn we were treated to a great spectacle, each and every member with their own stage persona and throwing themselves into every song. This attitude should definitely be adopted by more bands!

Thursday, 13th August, The Shed

Moving from the refined atmosphere of the Musician into the sweat dripping press of the Shed, the rammed-out venue was what the other side of rock music is all about. Tonight The Heroes and Autohype strove for the fame academy position, playing to a riotous throng of tightly packed fans, oozing with perspiration and excitement.

The Heroes took to the stage, with new drummer Liam Atkins, taking over from the lovely Craig Blockley. The teenage foursome worked the dancing pack of fans into an immediate frenzy with their chart-topping set of punk-edged indie rock ballads. They put on a rather dressed-down performance, not wishing to peak before their second appearance at Summer Sundae the next day. Reminiscent the birth of the Beatles at the Cavern Club in 1961, here is the band most likely to follow Kasabian to national stardom, sweating it out on the stage of a legendary dive to unbounded adulation of a mass of young fans. Their thrilling "Blue Rave" and sing-along ballad "Flowers in Golden Times" have marked them out in both Birmingham and Glastonbury.

The strongly contrasting musical style of Autohype offered a totally different experience but the crowd was no less densely packed. Bodies were flying through the air, forests of arms were waving and mosh pits were forming like vortexes in a twin-tub washer. The bar walking antics of lead singer Seb, who dived off the stage to do a bit of crowd surfing whilst still singing away and not missing a beat, is all part of the theatre that is Autohype. It made the Heroes look rather tame by comparison. Autohype's compelling dance songs have established their reputation as both highly entertaining and as skillful song composers. The five band members clearly enjoyed playing to the packed house, not something they have always enjoyed in the past. These two bands are well able to catch the essence of what a go-mad gig is all about and its great to know that such events still happen in Leicester. Being packed in with a band in the close confines of the shed is altogether a different experience from the vast expense of an open-air festival or the expansive spaces of the 02 Arena. These bands can play either with supreme confidence.

The Heroes are appearing at the O2 Academy in Birmingham on 30th August. Autohype are playing Rosie Malones in Coventry on 7th October.

For more coverage of Fringe gigs see our Gignotes page

Wednesday, 12th August, The Musician

Get Your Band On's night at the musician opened with Leicester band Deadslow. Despite arriving late and breaking down part-way into their set, they pulled off a good performance. The band traces it's influences to Radiohead, The Muse and Pavement. With the strong vocals of Joel Evans, they poured out some well articulated beats and nicely rounded and moody songs and a well balanced set list full of glossy phrases and clearly made themselves a hit with the audience.

Smokin the Profit are a well loved and well established band that everyone likes. Rolling rhythms, stomping beats and a fizzing stage presence adds up to a superb live music package. Well constructed songs delivered by front man Tommy and solidly backed by Andy on Bass, Hilary on guitar and Peri on the drums, they have a well polished sound that is edged with a tantalising dash of rawness and large dollops of fun and energy. The kings of cool have moved into a harder, darker sound this year but occasionally they reference back to their funky, ska days with some great dancy passages. "You can't catch me because I quit" is their flagship song that brings it all together and marks them out as a band badged with true originality.

The audience reacted positively to The Waits, even if they had not heard them before. Congratulatory comments were made by fans and music aficionados alike. The prize winning Coalville indie band is lead by star quality vocalist David Hemmersley, backed by Jake Morreta on the bass and Scott Powell on Drums. Adhering to a modern style, they echoe with contemporary bands, none of which they sound like because they have carved out something that is truly their own. An engaging and likeable set, edged with sparkling riffs and full of glorious statements, the band evoked genuinely enthusiastic applause, richly deserved. Inspirational.

When there are so many young bands around, it's good to find one that not only stands out but plays with a maturity beyond their tender years. The Stiggz are a band that never fails to please and they have put the rock back into indie rock. This busy band has clocked up a number of success stories since they started to play back in February 2008. Good, strong vocals from Richard, and a tight ensemble of musicians, they have an ear-grabbing set list. Vibrant backings and well articulated songs, their performances are alike and kicking.

The night was headlined by Primal Device, a band that everyone agreed brought the night to a really thrilling climax. The hard rock progressive band from Milton Keynes blew the roof off. I had waited two years to see this band live and I was not disappointed. From their recordings I knew they had some top class sounds and a set of songs that makes your hair stand up. On stage they are no less spectacular than on record. Lead by guitar vocalists Joe and Nick, the guys performance glittered with taught playing and operatic level singing, with Bud Clark doing some feverishly good work on the skins. A well seasoned powerful rock band, Primal Device, they have brought out an album produced by the legendary Tom Joyce and have been signed to a record label. National and European reviews have acknowledge them to a band of superior quality and strength. It's is easy to see why critics have described them as an "arena band. Their song "Automatic Fear" stands out as a great iconic anthem that deserves national recognition. It was wonderful to have this band here in Leicester and we plead with them to come back again soon.

A good balanced lineup of solid bands with a thrilling climax.

Monday, 10th August, The Shed

London band Minus IQ took to the stage to set the night off to a brilliant start. They gave the crowd a five star set of powerful and vibrant songs, packed with engaging beats and captivating vocals. After launching into a big bouncy intro, they decorated their songs with colourful guitar riffs and scintillating keyboard passages. Lead singer Charlie Allen delivered his vocals with passion and drama and the band pumped out big thrilling walls of sound with an 'x-factor' level of stage performance, ably drawing the crowd into the action.

If you wanted to compare them with the nearest equivalent local band, this would be Autohype. You could see a visible level of enthusiasm from the mainly young crowd during this set and I thought, "it would be wonderful to put Minus IQ and Autohype on to the same stage one night". The MinusIQ guys were wearing black shirts and sparkly ties - a nicely added touch of professionalism. They were great to hear and good to watch.

I saw MinusIQ for the first time at the Fly in London when they played with the Heroes and the Rugged Sound System; that was a magic night and it would be great if we could gather that group of bands together here in Leicester to recreate that event.

Next on was young Leicester band The Pickpockets with their brand of fresh and updated funky rock and roll, full of gloriously infectious rhythms and catchy guitar riffs. A wonderful cocktail of rock styles, nicely blended together and skillfully orchestrated by the guitarists and drummer. With their well crafted songs, lead by vocalist Omar Adam, the Pickpockets have come on strongly since they started gigging last year. With a load of new songs they are proving themselves to be a growing presence on the local scene.

Astromaniacs are another rising young band to have hit the local scene and made a name for themselves. Originally a four piece, tonight they played as a trio and are now trying to figure out if it would be better to stay this way. The three lads worked well together to pump out a set of strong, rocky songs, punctuated by razor sharp stops. Rather than being slaves to indie, this band has worked out how to make a truly contemporary sound that stays loyal to the roots of rock. The resulting set was grounded in canononical rock and they have the raw energy and total enthusiasm for their work to appeal to a wide cross section of people. Able song crafters, they gave out some captivating melodies. Another young band with a shed load of promise.

Screwloose are from Stoke-on-Trent, a small town with a number of excellent bands, they have played in Leicester before a few times. So, it was good to see them again. They deliver pounding hard rock sounds with angular beats that break into pulsating pop/punk style passages. Creative and original, their throbbing songs and massive vocal lines and tinged with glittering riffs and head banging beats that would make a few metal bands envious. A delicious sundae of idioms, expertly crafted together into a crackling performance, this is one seriously good band. Interestingly, they have played with signed Leicester band My Awesome Compilation and have published a number of EPs over their four year career. We hope they will come back to Leicester regularly, as they are a band that is really worth seeing.

Headlining the night, Razmataz took to the stage to deliver a set of their massively well crafted songs. Here is a young band that has put together a highly successful career for themselves: a massive fan base and a respectable gigs programme, culminating in their opening the main stage at the Summer Sundae festival. So, tonight's performance was ace. A thoroughly enjoyable set of quality songs, expertly played and fronted by Nathan Lord's captivating vocals.

Seen by some as following hard on the heels of the Heroes, they collectively have a bucket load of talent but their career has been dogged by age discrimination and misguided indifference on the part of some of the local industry chiefs. But tonight they proved what they can do and their fans loved it and so did I. They gave us a star quality finale to a strong lineup of good bands and that is what a good gig is all about.

Saturday 8th August, The Shed

Leicester hard rock band Roxum played at the Shed. As always their set was electrictrifying. Playing the headline slot that was supported by some solidly good bands, the five musicians turned out a set of their hard, dance rock songs, with energy and precision.

Previously called Aikon, this band has always lent towards a dance-floor filling stye of music but, following their change of name, have powered up theirs sound to bring them closer to the harder end of the rock spectrum. They have however retained the captivating rhythms and frenetic energy of their earlier days.

Tonight's performance bristled with fireworks and colourful flashes of song and guitar work. As always, Roxum is a natural headline band - one that can bring a night of good rock music to a spectacular close. Their migration into progressive hardcore has made them even more thrilling than before. Here is a band that can easily claim its place at the top of the tree in the months ahead, even though they face stiff competition from Autohype and the Heroes and a posse of other bands that are creating an awesomely good scene here in Leicester for live music.

Tuesday, 28th July, Walkabout

LE1 LIVE is a new night of live bands running every Tuesday at Australian theme bar Walkabout on Granby Street. Hitting the stage tonight were Leicester band Product Recall, Jet Set Disco from Derby and Leicester rock duo The Daisys.

The Derby four piece set off at a brisk pace with some energetic vocals and ear grabbing guitar riffs, blended together into a engaging sound. The bass playing lead singer led the Jet Set Disco guys through a set of engaging songs that got people's feet tapping and made the room sparkle. You could hear shades of Kings of Leon in there and the guitarists were stringing up some really ear pleasing chords, backed up by some really strong drumming. A band not short on vitality, their contemporary style of music got the night off to a good start.

Jet Set Disco are playing at the Shed on 6th September.

The music took a complete change of style when Leicester band Product Recall took to the stage. The Tuesday nighters don't normally feature bands as heavy as this one but hey its good to make an exception to the rule once in a while. This heavy rock band came to Leicester from Surrey and have quickly established themselves as the leading edge of heavy, metally music. Superb screaming and roaring from lead vocalist Andrew Larkin is redolent of the nu-rock style that was in vogue in the states when I went to the Reading festival. So I was hearing echoes of Staind, early Queens of the Stone Age, Fear factory and certain passages from Boy Hits Car. All wonderful, this band pumps out some hair bristling sounds that really make you want to get down the front and do some hair swinging. A band laden with passion, huge walls of sound and storming rafts of high-intensity rock, Product Recall will appeal to those who want something strong and meaty in their musical diet.

Product Recall are playing next at The Sun Bar on 6th August and then at the Shed on 18th August.

The Daisys played as a duo comprising Luke Austen and Michael Walton, guitarists. Luke's vocals were powerful and the guys gave us a firm set of modern sounding songs, feeling like the Verve, Stone Roses and Oasis. Despite not being able to summon up a full band lineup for tonight, it was a solidly good finale to a good night of music, which, in contrast to the weather outside, was warm and sunny.

You can hear the Daisys at the Shed on 20th August.

Saturday 18th July, The Shed

Arms of Atlas headlined a good show at the Shed and they were wonderful. No other word for it - just "wonderful". They rounded off a night of musical magic with a performance that was a classic demonstration of what rock music is about.

Arms of Atlas includes three members of the late lamented Free Fall Felix. So I went down to the gig expecting something rather good and I wasn't disappointed. Their set had a rock/metal feel to it - combining all the hair-raising thrills of metal with a heavy rock idiom. The band has really got going, given that they haven't been together very long and tonight were making their debut at the Shed.

What is so special about Arms of Atlas is that they don't just play songs, they perform them. They put on a show, and one that sparkles with passion, energy and electricity. Their set reminded me what live music is about and how important it is to create a performance that pulls in and excites the crowd. I think with some bands I have seen, they might as well sit on chairs, like a string quartet, to play. This band is top quality and knows how to make a great live music event.

There were the little production extras - like plunging the room into darkness at the start, the band members come on stage (all dressed in black shirts) and then the lights go up and huge cheer explodes from the crowd packed in front of the stage.

The massive set bursts into action and the crowd begin to riot with bodies flying everywhere. This is a big band with a huge sound, fast, exhilarating and a total experience. Having seen them once you are itching to see them again. I think they will attract a massive fan base, as did FFF. For one song they were joined by members of Exit Avenue who added to the vocals.

Arms of Atlas are appearing at the Shed on 31st August.

Naked Gravy are a young band that have established themselves in Leicester on the circuit and we have reviewed them before. They played a strong set of well paced songs and have clearly developed their music style since they first started. Their two lead singers carried the songs forward with fulsome vocals, putting out music that glowed with life and enthusiasm. The guitars produced a well blended sound and the playing was tight. They got into some lovely jagged phrases and their offering was well balanced. NG have come a long way since they started and clearly is a band with a lot of talent, so I was disappointed when they told me they plan to split up when some of the band members head off to Uni in September. Its would be a shame if they couldn't find a way to keep going because they are a group with a lot of potential.

Sandwiched between the bands was a set by drum and bass vinyl spinner DJ Pdex. A brother of one of the band members from Enter Shikari and a mate of Exit Avenue, he got up and played tracks on his decks. I don't understand this kind of stuff so I cant say if it was any good or not. Some members of the audience clearly loved it and told me how good it was whilst others went outside for a smoke. I didn't get to find out whose music he was playing but I think there's something on his Myspace about what he does.

One band from out of town have built up a following in Leicester and have played the Shed and other venues around here many times. Exit Avenue are one of the best pop/rock bands in the region and tonight's set was stunningly good. Their brand of high energy synthy pop rock performed with considerable energy and quality vocals is always an exciting experience. Expert song writers, they played some of their well-known classics, laden with memorable melodic lines and intense thrashy beats, they worked the crowd into a frenzy.

To cap it all they covered one of my most favourite songs - DJ Sammy's Heaven - which they rocked up well good, and I totally loved it.

Capture the Flag gave us a rich blend of rock and ska, beefed up with brassy trumpet and trombone sounds and three good vocalists. A set of solid dancey songs which went down well with the crowd, the set was lively and exhalation, and you so can't download a live experience like that. A set that bristled with energy and had those lovely clappy bits that bring up a forest of arms, it was all good. The band plays, the crowd dances, everyone is having a great time and that's what it is all about. They have a presence on stage and give their stuff total commitment. "Stickers on the car" is one of the iconic songs of the Leicester bands scene and if we had a local "top ten" chart, it would be in it.

So, all in all, a really great night at the Shed. Massive bands and a great crowd - much more a party than a show. I think we all went home very happy.

Wednesday 15th July, Sumo

Leicester indie, electro, pop band Autohype headlined the gig at Sumo and the quintet brought some sparkling songs to the stage from both their established repertoire and also some new songs. The uninspiring gloom of the Sumo basement was brought to life as the band launched into their first song. There is a magic when this band takes to the stage to play songs that have their own characteristic sound. Scintillating and colourful sounds backed energetic lead singer, Seb, ably supported by guitarist Martin and synth player, Nicci, while at the back Ed did some Olympic work on the skins. They dedicated their song "transmission" to the late Tired Irie, a band for whom they had a lot of respect. Autohype dedicated their final song "catch me " to Swine Flu!

Autohype are an outstanding band; always creative, ready to move on, leaving even much loved classic songs behind in order to keep their set list fresh, this is band that polishes their work and puts on a shiny performance every time. Whilst crowds have got up and danced at previous gigs where the band has played, the rather sullen Sumo crowd remained motionless, keeping a large space between themselves and the stage. Shame - Autohype gigs are so much better when there is a party atmosphere. Autohype are a top band with a set of quality songs and stage presence to match.

Tuesday 14th July, Walkabout

The new season of live band nights at Australian theme bar Walkabout kicked off to a good start with three Leicester bands.

First on stage was the band that won the WTA competition at the Shed, Kill the Batman (above) . The four lads played a solid set of their rock songs, led by front man and bass player Stuart James.

Signed Leicester band The Utopians (above) took to the stage and played some new songs, revealing the band's emerging new style - rougher, punchier - but with the swagger and attitude a-plenty from lead singer Jason Westall. The Utopian's set proved that they are still one of Leicester's top bands and able to produce quality songs like "Sort your rates out" and the new releases "Dance for romance" and "Come and get it".

Rounding off the evening was young Leicester band Weekend Schemers, another winning band. The indie pop quartet played a bouncy set of indie pop songs that got the crowd down to the front and many feet started tapping to the energetic rhythms.

All in all, a good night - with three bands it's not a mission and it's free to get in (although you need to be 18+ and have id for this city centre venue.) The sound system, provided by Leicester Audio, was pretty good and an engineer was present throughout. Despite the downpours outside, it was a good night to start the new music season at Walkabout.

Friday 10th July, The Shed

Arts in Leicestershire put on a show at the Shed, featuring five excellent Bands.

The show kicked off to a fine start with Bristol band Teller. Having been together for over ten months, the indie/pop rock foursome have just completed their debut album, quite an achievement after a relatively short period of time. The band has played several top notch venues and appeared with songster celebrity Frankmusik when he was in Bristol on his much publicised UK tour. The band plans to tour Europe soon having gained connections in Germany, France and Spain. Lead vocalist Stuart stands out as a fine guitarist/singer with a voice full of quality and character. He is backed by three expert musicians who can pump out some solidly punchy sounds. The band played a set full of compelling rhythms and convincing melodies. Tuneful and listenable music poured from the stage and other band members were clearly listening intently to this quality set. "Fight Fire" is on the band's Myspace and is well worth a listen, to get a flavour of this accomplished and mature band. The songs were well constructed and the set as whole a delightful half hour of quality music.

Young Leicester band Astromaniacs took to the stage next to give us a plentiful dose of engaging and confident vocals from Nik on guitar and Ryan on lead guitar. Their set of upbeat, scintillating indie pop punk songs glowed with vigor and enthusiasm and catchy riffs. The three string players blended their instruments into lovely grindy, crunchy sounds, driving the songs forward with a great deal of bounce and weaving in some shouty, clappy bits that got the audience's hands going. Dynamic, fulsome tunes rendered with genuine vitality made the lad's set welcome and enjoyable.

Another solidly good set followed from Leicester band The Stiggz. This young band stands out by having an amazingly good front man in the shape of Richard Elderton who led the songs with a good deal of presence and maturity. Strong infectious rhythms and foot tapping beats are the hallmark of this indie/pop rock band and they always put on a stunning performance. In a city where there are just so many young rock bands, you can get jaded by the endless procession of groups of guitarists who take to the stage. Happily once in a while a band gets up to play who will stick in your mind as being a cut above the rest and certainly The Stiggz falls easily into this category.

A slight change of musical style came with signed touring trio Modern Cliches, from Oxford and London. There was no let up in the quality of the music, however, as the band played a superb set of songs, full of vigorous melodies and punchy back lines. Yet another strong lead vocalist and guitarist, Phillip, tightly backed by bassist Ollie and Andy on the drums, their spell binding set lit up the room. The songs had an edge and rawness, underlined by beautifully rounded chords and compulsive beats. Trios often play the best music and this band was no exception to that.

The night drew to a triumphant close with headline tourers Reload the Radio from Bicester in Oxfordshire.. Having played Leicester before, it was good to see the four dancey pop rock guys back in the city. Reminiscent of Exit Avenue, their energetic songs and stage performance crackled with sparks and electricity as they rocked their way through a glorious set of well-written, tuneful and jumpy songs. Taking the night to a new level, the band pumped out a super-charged set of high octane songs, fueled with thumping, energetic rhythms and enthralling melodies, punctuated by anthemic choruses. A set full of passion and commitment, the band gave a fitting finale to a night of top quality music.

Friday, 26th June, The Shed

The Kidderminster quintet has played the Shed before and they have put on ace sets each time they have come to Leicester. Their brand of rock has metally edges and classic sounds, and with lead vocalist Carl Wilkes, they play a great set of pleasing songs. A band with its own sound and a strong presence, they brought the night to superb conclusion, as the headline act. The band has clocked up an impressive track record of gigs and they are so good live that it hardly does justice to their recorded tracks, fine though they are. But then you can't download the live experience and this band has to be seen more than heard. They don't just play, they perform and this is what makes them a band that many people want to go out to see. They demonstrate that rock is not just about the music, its also about the show and this is one of the better show bands you can see around the Midlands. S.O.B. performed at this years Glastonbudget festival, where they put on a storming set, as well as doing a sell out gig at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool. Full marks to the band for bringing a whole coach load of fans down to the Shed.

Sons of Beaches

Also playing at this gig were Portsmouth band Tiny Spark and, I have to say, they were solidly good. Five musicians including a keyboard player, their indie sounding songs were well crafted and melodically pleasing and well lead by vocalist George Lenton. A set of majestic songs that had presence, they poured out some good music that had character and the vocals lines carried well over the fullsome backing. Steady, engaging rhythms and tight playing, this was a band with maturity and experience and well worth listening to. Tiny Spark.

Tuesday 9th June, Birmingham and Saturday, 20th June, The Musician

The Heroes won their place in the finals of the Original Bands showcase with one of their best sets. It was magic. This is the one Leicester band most likely to break into the big time nationally. Launching their set with their iconic "Blue Rave", they soon had the densly packed crowd in a frenzy of excitement. They broke into "Wake up Radio" in spectacular style. Seeing this band playing in front of its highly enthusiastic fans gives you a feeling that you are in at the start of something very special, rather like being in the Cavern Club in 1962, watching the emergence of the Beatles. This band has three very strong lead singers, three distinctive personalities and complementary voices, including Alex Totman who is tipped by some to be the successor to Pete Docherty. They work well together as a team. The new song "My fault" is electrifying, edgy, fast and crackling with sparky riffs. "Flowers in Golden Times" is one of those iconic anthems that gets everyone singing. The band members dance around on the stage, living every twist and turn of the music. The Heroes music is what its all about, rock with strands of punk and infectious dance rhythms, laced with high energy performances and melodies and lyrics that stick in your head long after you have forgotton all the rest. At the end of the show lead guitarist Rooster jumped off the stage to do a bit of crowd surfing, still playing his guitar. It was a thrilling set.

Leicester's rising stars, the Heroes played their Surface Unsigned heat at the Rainbow Warehouse in front a crowd of adoring fans, some of whom had recently discovered the band and decided to go over to Brum with them.

Half way through their set the PA system failed at the beginning of "Flowers in Golden times". Undaunted the band continued with the song a cappella with the audience joining in with the lyrics. So good was the performance that some failed to realise that the mics had in fact gone off, due to a blown fuse in the power circuits to the stage. The song has evidently made an impact on some of the top DJs at Radio 1. We were told that Jo Whiley personally called Dean Jackson of the4 Beat programme to say how good she thought the song was.

After a strong performance by the four lads, they found themselves through to the next round, having picked up an unusal 60 votes from the judges, and so are playing the Midlands semi-finals, to be held at the Asylum on 31st July. We hope they are following in the footsteps of the Chairmen and get through to the national finals.

The Heroes

Friday 12th June, The Shed

Loughborough's 7 piece super band - The Rugged Sound System - played at the OBS heat at the Shed and gave us a thrilling performance. The band blends funk, hip hop and rock into a tantalising cocktail of highly enjoyable music. The three lead vocalists are top quality and add a fine layer of sound to the rich rhythms and riffs of this unusual and thoroughly entertaining band. Their set buzzed with energy, a big set of sounds and a scintillating performance, that gets audiences moving. A first class band with songs that stand several repeat hearings.

Rugged Sound System

Coalville trio Third Time Lucky are a new band trying to find their feet but put on a sterling performance of thier happy, catchy songs. They worked the audience and gave them a lively stage performance. All three band members contribute to the vocals at some point in the set, so that's good. The band's bouncy, upfront approach promises much.

The Essentials delivered their songs with a good deal of momentum and commitment. Their tightly played set was led by their front man vocalist who could well grow into a mature band singer in a few years but for the time being lacks the charisma that his role requires.

With their set of mainstream rock songs, the Boobytraps are a pleasing band to listen to and their work has a feeling of genuine authenticity. The band produces a strong presence and creates a buzz with the audience. A convincing performance from the lead signer and some backing work on the mics from the lead guitarist gave us an enjoyable set.

Thursday 7th May, The Sun Bar

Mansfield band Abandon have played Leicester venues several times now and they always put on a stunning performance. Having seen them a few times now, they are for me an outstanding band. They play quality canonical rock, great to listen to and good on stage, Abandon are a prize band and well worth seeing if you get the chance.

Abandon

Friday 15th May, Leicester Square

The Semi-final heat of the Empire Band of the Land was held at Leicester Square and the lineup included four good bands.

Paris Revolution opened the night with a set of cool songs delivered by their two lead vocalists Robin and Kalada. Well blended voices were strong and delivered a set of engaging and pleasing songs. Well orchestrated instrumentals and nicely balanced acoustic and electric sounds made this a band that has an enjoyable set.

Launching their set with a bouncy song backed by thumping beats, Wayward Trippers front man Alex Brodella got the band off to a strong start. The five member band delivered some scintillating and punchy sounds to the crowd that had gathered in front of the stage. Fulsome mainstream rock, the Trippers gave us a set of of varied musical styles with a lot of creative verve. This was probably the best set I have seen from this band, which comprises a solidly good group of musicians who work well together.

Coalville indie trio The Waites, have been making their mark recently and tonight they gave us a great set of dancey songs, with some ace vocals and compelling melodies. Modern sounds and catchy tunes, this is a band with an appreciative audience.

Paris Revolution

Wayward Trippers

The Waits

Saturday 10th May, The Arts Centre

Last time I saw Tired Irie play live they were on the main stage of the De Montfort Hall in front of 2000 people at last year's Summer Sundae Festival. Since then have played only a couple of shows locally. Tonight they made a stunning comeback, with new drummer Jamie Ward (previously in Kyte). Their set was exciting - this is one of Leicester's top bands - their music is infectious and captivating and their stage performance entrancing. Even members of other top bands were singing their praises at the end of the set. I look forward to seeing Tired Irie again because what they do is a top class musical delight and a rare treat for someone who usually sees only unsigned bands - this is yet another Leicester band that urgently deserves national recognition.

The show was support by Leicester band Autohype, play some of their solidly established songs and some new numbers. A quality performance, memorable and engaging songs marks out Autohype as a band at the top of the local tree. The five piece electro indie band are well established both as support and headliners and have a following that loves their characteristic sound and compelling songs.

New band Deep People features lead guitar and vocals from Mikey Shine (Happy Mondays) and the drums of JJ (Ego Armalade) and the trumpet of "G Funk", supported by Lee Spreadbury on Keyboards, Na'im Cortazzi on Bass Guitar and J Kenna on Drums. Given this lineup of experienced musicians, we were expecting something very special and we were not disappointed. This band added another enthralling set to the gold edged lineup and gave the audience a set of dancey, jazzy, rocky songs, that sounded not only totally delicious but also unlike anything we have heard elsewhere. Absolutely first class music. A tour de force set from a strongly rising band.

What an amazing night: three contrasting bands, playing awesomely good music with a full audience. Makes up for all the rest I guess. Someone said to me that the music scene in Leicester is dead. They obviously don't go to as many gigs as I do and with exciting new bands and singers popping up all the time, may be there is a new scene on the horizon and if there is I for one am looking forward to it. Tonight's show was a taste of good things to come.

Empire Band of the Land, at the Musician, Thursday 30th April, 2009

Reviewed by Dan Turnpenny

The final heat of Speaks Volumes Events Empire Band of the Land competition, boasted a strong line up of recognisable Leicester names. Hosted this time by The Musician; a crowd of Leicester's fairest and finest made their way through the grim back streets this thankful little oasis.

First up were Twenty Below Zero, or These Furrows as their Myspace now says (or Burrows as I was convinced I heard them say during the set). Perfect as the opening act, as they stormed through a set of hard, thrashy songs, it was difficult not to pay attention to them . A band with great stage presence, they are rooted by songs of intelligence and ingenuity. This is made all the more visually engaging by the fact that they are great musicians, with particular mention going to their one-hell-of-a drummer. It is perhaps only because of the strength of the subsequent bands that they were unlucky to not go through.

Razmataz followed with a youthful set of jangly indie songs full of decent hooks. A band of considerable promise, it will be great to see the progression they make in the Leicester scene over the next few years.

Despite being young and remarkably fresh-faced, M48 played like a band wise beyond their years. A short yet fun set, including some new songs, M48 were well drilled and full of character. Tight harmonies and gorgeous choruses flowed effortlessly, and watching the constant grin of lead singer Jordan, it became hard not to love this band. Deserved winners on the night and hard to see these not making it on the national touring map.

Another set of stars in the making were Charlie and the Martyrs. Charlie has made quite a name for herself as a solo acoustic artist, and in recruiting former Ego Armalade members as her band, she has managed to transform her songs into bigger, fuller works. Charlie remains the focal point however and is in turns sweet and cheeky in performing her impressive modern pop songs. As usual, a brilliant set - the fact they did not win makes no matter as Charlie and the Martyrs are confirmed as wildcard entries for the Semi-final.

Chris Armson Band delivered an enjoyable set of classic rock laced with self deprecating humour. Despite some brilliant musicianship they were unlikely to progress over the other bands on this bill.

Final act and runners up on the night were Deap People, a new Leicester band containing a few familiar faces. With trumpet, keyboards and percussion alongside the usual guitar, bass and drums, Deap People delivered an unusual sound with twists and turns when least expected. Striking quite a sight on stage possessing the passion and swagger of seasoned pros, they claimed their place in the semi final, and will no doubt be seen around the Midlands scene for a some time to come.

A memorable night in one of Leicester's top historical venues, and a nice lead into the semi-final and final that will see Carl Barat and Steve Lamac DJ respectively.

Empire Band of the Land at the Donkey, 23rd April 2009

It's always nice to get out to a new or unusual venue, so going to the Donkey in Welford Road made a wlecome change. I hadn't been there for a very long time: in fact the last time I can remember going there was to see the Displacements playing an acoustic set. Prehistoric!

This heat in the Empire competition featured five very good bands and the evening was marvellous, despite the room being like a cross between a Sauna and Turkish bath. Fortunately there was a delightful decking area to cool off on, between sets.

The night was launched by blues rock band The Smokestacks. They started their set with a vigorous song which got the ample crowd enthused. The trio produced an excellent lineup of numbers, blending blues/jazz sounds with rock, led by Raj on guitar and vocals and backed by the clever bassing of Joel and the tight drumming of Dan. Three musicians who work harmonsiously together, feeding off each other musically and creating some deliciously pleasing music which has some scintillating passages.

The next band was a complete contrast; Paris Revolution started their set with a classic rock cover and followed it with a set of their own songs. Rhythmically solid, giving a fullsome and convincing sound, their two vocalists worked well together and a well varied set avoided the sameyness that often is the hallmark of musically less adventurous bands. Although not pulling a substantial crowd like the other bands (their strong student following being away) their offering was a musical treat.

Yet another complete contrast was offered by Electro rock band Sugar Snatch. They started with their flagship song "Electra Glide" which amply characterises the sound and musical style of this trio, with Andy Frierson on keyboard, Pete Ross doing the lead vocals and guitar and Neal Wakeman on drums. The result is a set of atmospheric, dancey tunes, with compulsive rhythms and sounds that make them stand out from most other bands you can hear around here.

Young Leicester band The Lowreys enjoy an enthusiastic following and have a some attractively memorable songs and are no strangers to competitions, having won the Pavilion Battle of the bands last year. A good lead vocalist, backed by vocal supports from the bass player and the drummer, not forgetting the female sax player, this band scores a hit with me for teamwork, musical richness and artful song writing. Stylistically modern, they weave together a luxurious tapestry of indie riffs and phrases, and the packed throng in front of them bore witness to their popularity.

But the big surprise of the night was Holy Bones, a five member band I had not seen before but they walked away with the winning title and a good swathe of favourable comments from fans and musicians alike. Strong vocals from the lead singer and engaging beats in the songs, drew the enthusiastic crowd to the front of the stage.

The result of the audience vote: The winner was Holy Bones and The Lowreys came second.

The Heroes and The Rugged Sound System at the Fly, Monday 20th April 2009

The two bands took down a coach load of fans to the Fly in New Oxford Street (part of the Barfly group) and it was a superbly good lineup of bands. London support bands and headliners Fearless Vampire Killers and Minus IQ were terrific but the best band of the night was The Heroes. The Leicester indie kids put on a storming set, one of the best they have played, they were on top form and played a set of their hit songs. The Heroes are securing their place as one of the top bands in Leicester and are also making sure that they get their music out to the places where they are most likely to be discovered.

What makes the Heroes stand out is their aptitude for writing solidly good songs, full of catchy hooks and memorable lyrics. They gave the London crowd their new song "Blue Rave" and their classic "Wake Up Radio" and the audience loved it. Industry reps were glowing about how good it all was.

Before the Heroes took to the stage, the party got into gear with Loughborough Band The Rugged Sound System. Their unusual set of hip hop and RnB style songs got the whole audience on their feet for half and hour of vigorous dancing. The nine member band was crowded on to the tiny stage but, with their three lead vocalists and double set of drummers, it was all a crazy and thrilling set of compelling dance songs. This is another ace band that is attracting an enthusiastic following of Leicester fans and they always put on a great show.

It was really good to see our local bands getting down to London and making a big impression. Getting to play at decent venues in the capital is not easy but these bands made a success of it. Well done The Heroes and the TRS.

You can see the Heroes at their Overdrive show at the Y Theatre on 8th May.

You can see the Rugged Sound System at various Leicester/shire dates soon.

Screwloose, Everything on Red and Pickpockets at the Shed, Thursday 16th April 2009

Three good bands played at the Shed and gave us a night of top quality music. Stoke on Trent band Screwloose put on a storming set of high energy pop punk songs that bristled with compelling beats and invigorating melodies. We heard some awesomely good sounds from this accomplished band. The guys were on their 'Screw everything tour', traveling around the UK with tour buddies Everything on Red and playing gigs night after night. Matt, Andy, Rob and Chris put on a strong performance, demonstrating that Screwloose is a well experienced band with much musical talent. The songs had a vibrancy and edge to them, a lot of presence and were completely infectious. The young audience clearly loved them and after the set, everyone was complimentary about the band. A really first class set from a fine band.

Next on were Midlands signed band Everything on Red. With beltingly high octane vocals from Alex James, very ably supported by singer and Keyboardist Thomas Brown, the band gave us a thrilling set of rock songs with some tasty electro and keyboard sounds woven in. Several musicians in the audience noticed the incredible drumming of James Rathmell, and the quality basing of Sam Brown, all adding up to a very tight performance, laden with passion and fireworks. You could hear all sorts of idioms in their set, thrash metal, heavy rock beats, delicious punk riffs, a feast of musical goodies all brought together into spectacular songs, played with lashings of skills and commitment.

The gig was completed by Leicester band Pickpockets, only just back from their night at the Brixton Jam. The four lads put on an energetic show for the audience, made up mainly of their now large following. Omar Adam led the vocals, well backed by Glenn Waters and Jon Glew with Dave Swirls doing some excellent stuff on the skins. A set full of vitality, these lively lads are doing well since their launch in October last year. The newbie band has put together some good songs and although looking rather tentative on stage (compared to the bigger bands before them), they all look set for a bright future.

You can see Screwloose in Leicester again when they play at the Shed on 13th August. Pickpockets are playing at the OBS competition at the Shed on 9th May.

Capture the Flag, Naked Gravey, The Shed, Monday 13th April 2009

Good set by Leicester's Capture the Flag, a band that is going from stength to strength. Have really warmed to their song "Stickers on the Car", the recording of it on their Myspace is awesome. It's the brass section that brings it all to life, with Nik on trumpet and Matt on Trombone, including some good vocals from two or more band members, this adds up to a fullsome and vibrant sound to brace their punchy rock songs. They have moved away from being a band that just does Ska to one that is developing its own sound of more agressive and exciting rock. An impressive set of songs from a band that is really putting some effort into getting somewhere - so well done guys! It's all good and let's see you get your stuff out there.

It's always good to see a band that is capable of reinventing itself and giving its set a complete makeover to keep up with what's happening and this is what Naked Gravy have done - to their credit! The band has written a new set of songs, that sound totally different from what they were doing before and its a good change of direction that they have pulled off well.

Formal Warning and M48 at the Flapper, Sunday 12th April 2009

On Sunday, two more Leicester bands won through to the second round of heats in the nation's biggest band competition - Surface Unsigned. Last Thursday The Heroes and Mango Mafia got through. Leicester stands out as contributing a significant posse of good bands to 300 or so bands playing in the Midlands Region alone.

Formal Warning's set was another set piece of large power-pop songs delivered to a tightly packed throng of singing and dancing fans. Over 40 fans had traveled across to Birmingham to support the band to which they are fanatically devoted. Even before the band had struck up their first note, the fans were in full cry, chanting "da da da da Formal Warning". When lead singer Ash took to the mic to launch into their first high-speed, high energy song, the crowd erupted into a riot of dancing and jumping. If there had been a vote for best audience, the squad from Braunstone would have won it. FW's songs are big on passion and laden with intense sounds and beats and delivered by singers who perform with massive bursts of energy. It works with a crowd that reflects back and complements what is happening on the stage. It would not work half as well with a passive, quiet audience. FW have written many of their own songs but no set would be complete without their club classic "Summer of 69" and last night they provided a superb rendition of it, rendering a rock version that worked as well as the original. FW's set lasted only 20 minutes (there was a 7 band line up) but it was their 20 minutes of glory and they rose to the challenge very well. A thrilling experience.

You can experience Formal Warning at the Shed on 1st May when they headline the LOROS charity gig.

M48 by contrast played a set of mainly ska and reggae influenced songs to an appreciative but rather more restrained room. One very notable characteristic of M48 is the beautifully harmonised sound of the three lead singers Jordan, Nile and Brydee. Add to that is the band's impressive technical command of their musical idioms. Their finely tuned vocals and tight orchestration have won them prizes in the past and no doubt will carry them through the various competitions they have entered this year. A thoroughly enjoyable band.

M48 will be playing on 30th April at the Empire band of the Land at the Musician.

Formal Warning | Photos of FW at the gig | M48 | Photos of the gig on Facebook

Soulsmith, Phase 4, Smokin the Profit, The Truth at the Shed, Saturday 11th April 2009.

What a great night at the Shed! A line up of good bands playing set after set of quality music. Everyone walked away from the venue at the end of the evening, feeling that they had been well entertained and invigorated by a night of top class live music.

It was really good to see Swindon band Soulsmith back in Leicester. They have played here several times before and our previous review of Soulsmith reflects how good we find this band to be. The Art of the Trio is as technically demanding as it is exacting but these three artists ably demonstrate how it's done. Accomplished musicians, playing together with extraordinary tightness and brilliant techniques, their set was both dazzling and thrilling. Ant produced some astonishing fireworks on the drums, Paul maintained a metronomic timing on the bass, and lead vocalist Mike played some stunning guitar solos in between his vocal pieces.

Technical wizardry aside, what the Soulsmith sets adds up to, is half an hour of sheer enjoyment of the finest quality rock music you can hear on a live stage. Their repertoire is canonical rock; it might be said to lack whilstleable tunes or catchy hooks, but it is as fine an exposition of rock as you will find.

Phase 4 is a band made up of young musicians who have been practicing for about four years and although they have played in Leicester before, this was my first experience of them. Last night they won me over with their set of well orchestrated ska songs that got the audience skanking in the front. The sax, a trumpet and a trombone added that characteristic brassy layer of sound to the strings and they pumped out a set of highly enjoyable tunes with a big dose of enthusiasm and energy. A large ensemble, they have been playing since at least 2007, have attracted a large following and have now established themselves as a very welcome addition to Leicester's significant ska tradition, alongside the late Taste the Chase and the contemporary Capture the Flag. They recently won a place in round 2 of the Surface Unsigned competition..

Another excellent addition to last nights lineup was Smokin The Profit. This popular band plays a set of cool, funky songs, delivered with uncompromising panache by lead vocalist Tommy. Hilary was there on guitar, Andy was again striking some cool poses on the bass, Sam doing some strenuous work on the skins but the newst member -keyboard playing Peri Birtles - was away working with his other band. Even so, they put on another fine set. Smokin's songs weave together heavy rock riffs, some punky driving phrases and sounds with ska beats but it all works together to conjour up one joyous output of ear-pleasing, foot-tapping music. STP have established themselves as popular band with a loyal following and their tunes have placed them in the top ten of Leicester bands. STP's reptutation is anchored in songs such as the very funky "U can't catch me because I quit" and the rip-roaring "Smoke filled lungs" which fuses punk and metal.

Reggae/roots band The Truth have been dismissed as being just another bland covers band but last night they showed how unjustified this is. Thier storming set of songs led by lead vocalist Chrissie - supported by singing string players Zak and Deven, Nick on the bass and Siobhan on the drums - was a sheer delight of good music which got the audience to their feet and dancing and which impressed other musicians and music afficianados alike. An impressive performance by an accomplished band, The Truth proved last night that they have what it takes.

Soulsmith | Phase 4 | Smoking the Profit | The Truth

Razmataz, The Swiines, The Heroes, at Sumo, Friday 3rd April 2009.

Overdrive is a club night that has become well established in Leicester, alongside Porked and All Stars Disco Party. When one of these nights happens you can be sure that the bands will be good and that there will be a big crowd to support them. So when Leicester indie rockers RAMATAZ hit the stage at Sumo, there were a lot of kids in front of the stage to support them.

Playing to a packed throng of bobbing heads and waving arms, the young musicians put on a strong set of first class modern songs, ably delivered by front man Nathan Lord and backed by energetic peformances from Chris Merriman on lead guitar and Dan Holyoak on bass, with Jake Domingo doing some athletic beats on the skins.

The fans loved the songs and there was a lot of backing vocals from the audience and clapping along with "Cold Shoulder", "Catfight" and "This situation". This is a band that knows how to write crowd pleasers and there were a lot of kids in front of the stage who looked very pleased at what they were hearing. Razmataz have forged an identity in their songwriting and created a fresh sound that is unmistakenly their own.

Next up were Nottingham indie band The Swiines. They played a set which kept the momentum going, kept the dancers in motion and gave us something to stomp our feet to. Strong on vocals and good on backing rhythms, The Swiines have their own distinctive sound and what they do is thrilling, quality stuff. A band with an imposing identity and enough gusto to play out of town and win new fans.

Headliners The Heroes have just released a batch of new songs and everyone is raving about "Blue Rave" which has all the hallmarks of an iconic indie classic. People are saying that this is the Libertines reborn and updated for today. Fortunately they havent dropped their established hits and "Wake Up Radio" continued to draw an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Now sitting at the top of the Leicester bands tree, The Heroes is enjoying popularity and critical acclaim and if any one gets signed this year its most likely to be them.

Heat 2 Empire Band of the Land at Sumo, Thursday 26th March 2009

It looked like a promising lineup when it was announced. Some of the top bands playing together and we were not disappointed. But we had no idea who would win. When the result came through it was a big surprise!

The Empire Band of the Land round 2 was kicked off by Leicester band The Fazed. Lead was ace singer Dave Sherratt, the played a set of their modern indie songs. Infectious rhythms, memorable melodic lines and a singing drummer resulted in a fine set, despite the band being one guitarist short. This is a band with its finger on the pulse of good song writing. Their set of well crafted songs was appealing and made a superb start to the evening.

Next on came The Heroes. The four teenagers sparkled with megawatts of energy and belted out a set of high energy indie songs. Seeming to be the Libertines reborn for modern times, they sizzled their way through their set, many of the songs being newly written. Lead by front man Alex Totman and backed by Alex Van Rooste and Alister Lee, they sang some quality vocals, ably backed by the beats of drummer Craig Blockley.

Mas Fina offered something totally different musically. Graced by Karishima, a strong lead vocalist with lots of bounce, the five piece band turned out some very funky songs. James worked the decks (an unusual addition) scratching some interesting effects from the vinyl, whilst Stefan did some great work on the drums. Including some slower numbers, they presented a lyrical set, though some would said it was a little samey. Clearly the audience appreciated it because they voted the band into first place.

As if things could get no better, The Pennyhangers came on with their set of iconically memorable ballads and wowed the audience with some musical magic. Good solid song writing and pleasing riffs, combined with foot tapping beats, this is what the Phs are all about.

The evening was rounded off by gods of rock Roxum (recently renamed from Aikon). Still the same dazzling vocals from Dale Taylor and the even more dazzling guitar playing of ace string player Jack Jordan. Their set is still thrilling even though it's now rockier and more modern than their previously clubby dance stuff that I loved so much. With new shiny sounds and tingling beats, they still are an awesomely great band.

By the end of the evening everyone was left wondering who could win out of this glowing lineup. and the winner is ... Mas Fina Well done them! Pennyhangers went through to the playoffs. Startling result!

The Foxes and Page 44 at The Shed, Friday 13th March 2009

Outsider Promotions put on a show at the Shed, featuring London band the Foxes. They were out on their UK tour honouring "Bill Hicks".

But the band that really stole the show was Page 44. The four Brummy lads scored a bigger hit with most of the crowd, who were gushing with enthusiasm over their well played and definitely get up and dance set. And ... the gig treated us to a thrilling set by Leicester's rising band Shortwave Fade.

The Foxes played the headline set. The sparse crowd by then had dwinded. So many times, touring bands get to headline at the Shed but don't always fill either the room or the floor, let alone the ticket desk till.

Photo (c) Sam Norman

What the Foxes did was good music; well played, well sung by Lead vocalist and with a richly fullsome sound. The songs were vibrant, full of compulsive rhythms and catchy hooks but none of the songs had that stick-in-your head memorability that would have really made this band stand out.

The show was opened by singer-songwriter soloist Paula Driver. Everyone said she was really good so we have decided to make her singer of the month.!

The indie foursome Page 44 did well. Three vocalists, a set of strong dancey songs and some vigorous drumming soon got a few girls bouncing around in front of the stage.

The pop-punkish indie songs were performed with rafts of energy, perdiocially interspersed with clappy bits. Belting rhythms and well harmonished vocals produced a sound that would have worked deliriously well in front of big crowd.

Every so often they broke into floor filling passages; you can image them in a rammed venue, exciting a seething mass of moshing and crowd surfing fans into an ecstatic riot.

Well crafted songs, finely tuned vocalists and exhillarating beats added up to an memorable time spent with Page 44 (a band that has supported The Dykeenies, Joe Lean and the JJJ, Esser and The Rise.

You can see Page 44 at the DMU gig on 3rd April in Leicester where they are supporting The Heroes (unsigned but the biggest crowd pullers locally).

Standing out from the roundly indie offering of the rest of the night, was electro alternative band Shortwave Fade. Complete with synchronised light show, they gave a tight and engaging set of songs, solidly fronted by lead singer Chris Holloway. This signed band does not play in their home town very often so this was a notable occasion. Having supported Keane and The Subways, these guys are breaking into the big time.

The Foxes, Page 44, Shortwave Fade

The Screening and Razmataz at Sumo, Friday 13th March 2009

It was another fun-filled night in Leicester tonight as Razmataz and headliners The Screening took stage at the Sumo, which is looking like an extremely good venue for bands to display their expertise. Razmataz took the stage playing to a packed out crowd, displaying their all rounded skills of musical prowess and ace vocals. Surrounded by a throng of their fans it was certainly a good night to have come out.

Second on was The Screening -- a band that is now so strong and established on the Leicester music scene that even rumours of them playing will send fans wild. All the songs in their set rung out, though the set - with their catchy melodies and fantastic instrumentals displayed by all of the members of the band. For this truly gifted band, every song was greeted with a sea of young fans dancing to their favourite tunes such as 'You look much better in the dark' and 'Diem'. In my opinion this band should have been signed years ago, it is hard to find better than these. I can only fault these guys in one way and that would be that they stopped playing! Razmataz and The Screening are defiantly a great combination for a night out.

Declan Bennett at the Musician, Tuesday 10th March 2009

Declan Bennett is a singer-songwriter with a set of hard hitting, witty and poetic songs, a unique take on life that reflects unashamed and honest tales of life, love and sexuality. As a teenager, he was spotted on national TV and persuaded to join a pop band called Point Break, (a trio that included two ex-members of the cast of Byker Grove and was signed to Warner Music), who went on to have four top-20 singles (including Freaky Time, 2000) in the UK and a number one album in various countries.

After his boy band experience he went on to pursue his own solo career appearing under his stage name "Sumladfromcov", a reference to his home town of Coventry, publishing his songs on his own label Covboy records.

He was given a part in Boy George's groundbreaking West End musical Taboo. In 2007, he went to New York to star in the Broadway rock opera "Rent"; while he was in the show he also produced an album of his own songs, releasing his album "An Innocent Evening of Drinking", to critical acclaim. He toured the states with his new set of songs, receiving enthusiastic responses. In 2008, Declan returned to the UK to support Boy George on his 30 date UK tour.

I first saw Declan in Leicester about five years ago; performing a set at an acoustics night, I recognised that I was seeing a star quality performer. So, when I spotted him on the programme for the Musician I decided I had to go and see how this amazing singer had developed. He gave the Leicester audience a set of sheer magic, songs full of striking lyrics and sung with lots of expression, at times almost acting his words. A voice full of subtlety and many changes of mood and tone, he has a unique style as a performing artist.

More poet than singer, he acts his stories, giving songs of bitterness and experience which mellow into stories with a wry sense of humour. Declan accompanied himself on the guitar, producing some scintillating techniques with the strings.

Here is a great performance singer; in the quiet ambience of the Musician, his audience was utterly spellbound, totally engrossed in a set that bristled with feeling and often crackled with electricity.

Declan is a very real person, both on and off stage; what you see is what you get. The songs reveal Declan the man, the genuine article. Those that were there wanted to be there; his audience was not just a crowd; they were his fans. But he engaged them like a group of old friends; it was almost as though he was performing a set at a private party in someone's lounge.

His single "Therapy" is due to be launched on 23rd March and will be available on iTunes. Earlier in the day, Declan appeared on Radio Leicester.

I for one hope that he will come back to Leicester and that by then his reputation will have spread and many more people will want to see this amazing performance artist.

Declan Bennett on Myspace

Dan White's Comedy Night, The Shed, Friday 6th March 2009

The Flamonics put on a funny and lively set, combining well delivered songs with their map cap sense of humour.

The three lovable loonies gave us a set that was musically very polished; but which included three changes of costume on stage, ending up with them in their pajamas.

Lead singer George played the Ukulele and pumped out a series of highly engaging songs, supported by Tom on keyboards and vocals and Nick on the drums. Very humorous, highly entertaining but also technically very proficient, The Flamonics are a true music comedy act of ever increasing quality.

Dan White appeared in full costume for his set: well that meant taking off quite a lot of clothes. Dan is famous for his half-painted face but now he has taken to wearing nipple tassels and fish net stockings. His appearance was as outrageous as his songs. Bawdy content and some hilarious flashes of imagery add up to an act which is unique.

James and Ryan of the Great Imitation have established themselves as an iconic act which is attracting a loyal following of fans. James does the rapping, accompanied by Ryan on the guitar and melodic backing vocals. With sharp edged lyrics and flamboyant action from James, they are an amazing double act.

The night was rounded off with an acoustic set from Zak and Deven from reggae band The Truth, singing some Caribbean melodies that embody wry reflections on life with the infectious rhythms of reggae songs.

This was the second Music Comedy Night and the next one is set for Friday 17th April, again in the lower bar of the Shed. The nights have established a reputation for being something different, very enjoyable and are attracting a goodly crowd.

Dan White | The Flamonics | The Great Imitation | The Truth

Live bands at the Superfly, Thursday 5th March 2009

Not only was it a well attended night, not only was there a competition amongst the bands for a cash prize - but also it was an awesome experience! And, there were The Golden Girls ...

The Superfly show was launched by the Utopians, playing in the level 1 room. The signed Leicester band had not played locally for some time, so it was a great opportunity for a bunch of their fans to come down to see the guys playing their much loved songs. A set of stomping beats and energetic rhythms, delivered with sparkle by these four cool dudes with a good slab of attitude. Mint!

Natalie Squance put in a good set; the solo singer performed her own songs, a bit drowned the racket coming from the audience and sitting the floor so no one could see her. Even so, she got an enthusiastic response from those who were listening. Would love to see her in the peace and quiet of the Musician one day! A good singer with an attractive of pleasing songs. Sweet!

Members of the Radio Collective put on an acoustic set in the ground floor bar. Good songs performed excellently by gifted singer musicians, from a band you wished you could see more often. Engaging!

Fazed played another storming set; one of Leicester's best indie bands they have a great set of modern songs and a top vocalist in the shape of Dave Sherrett. They captured the audience and proved again that they can deliver a first class set. Lovely!

The Midbeats played a good solid set of funky dance tunes, indie sounds beefed up with infectious rhythms and lots of catchy riffs. But with their feet firmly in the 60s. Dancy!

The the live part of the night drew to a rapturous finale with the Pennyhangers. These guys have crafted some top class songs, combining strong and distinctive sounds with memorable, iconic melodies and some cracking choruses. They can weave some fine moments of mood and then launch into a coda of foot tapping intensity. This is a band with presence. Masters of building up a well crafted song. Delightful!

As if all this were not enough, once the instruments and mic stands had been cleared away, the amazing Lisa Lashes took to the DJ booth and soon worked the throng into a frenzy with her rip-roaring set. Considered to be the one of the finest female DJs in Europe, Lisa can pump out sets that are absolutely top. Magic!

Full marks to the Pennyhangers and managers of Superfly for putting on one totally awesome night.

Thursday 5th March 2009, launch night at the Sun Bar

Reviewed by Nick Furlong

In the month that Churchgate said goodbye to the Zavvi music store (previously Virgin Megastore), live music was welcomed in with some style further down the street at The Sun Bar.

I don’t blame anyone for saying they’ve walked down one of the most central streets in the city centre hundreds of times and have never noticed The Sun Bar. I won’t lie to you, from the outside it does seem to blend in to the mass of uninspiring shops and local pubs. Even so, the Sun Bar has been hosting live bands for about three years now, so you would think people who know about it by now!

Perhaps its location was the reason for the the disappointing audience turnout, especially for the first couple of hours. This being said, anyone who has not yet discovered this venue has certainly made a big mistake. The opening night for The Sun Bar (now under new management) as a music venue, revealed a pleasingly high quality establishment, espically for bands used to playing in much darker, less clean cut places.

So is this a welcome difference? Yes, I think. Surely even the most hardened local rock fans will grow to enjoy the light, refreshing ambience created by the large open plan room, looking freshly decorated, with a warm colour scheme running throughout.

The first band of the night to hit the stage were The Flamonics, the refreshingly silly electro folk act that can’t help but win over crowds at every gig they play. Their flamboyant, theatrical stage show was somewhat hampered by being first to play, a lack of audience numbers and still subdued atmosphere at this early stage in the night. Even so, the Flamonics's set ran faultlessly and certainly without reason to complain. However it was clear that the set lacked the magic that they have grown to love from more populous crowds.. That being said, from a musical point of view, the Flamonics were certainly spot on, and fully intended to not be beaten by circumstance.

Audience numbers now building, we were then treated to a set by The Renegades. Instantly the confidence of lead singer Jose Santos shone through with a bullish and imposing prowess, commanding the mic like he owned it. The Renegade's indie sound was coupled with a softer, more easy listening feel brought by the sensitively drummed grooves of Rob Law. Special praise goes to these guys for the way they handled the playing of two very sensitive, emotional songs, mid-way through the set. As we were introduced to each song by a brief outline of its inspiration, I could feel a short thoughtful silence sweep through the crowd in anticipation of how the mood of the songs would be portrayed, and to my delight they were so much more than just a moany, tear-jerker played in slow motion, that some may have feared. These two songs captured me with the way the guitars effortlessly blended together allowing the powerful vocals to really take you on a journey through the story of the song. The set ended in a similarly sharp and technically sound way. With a notably accurate and precise togetherness throughout the live set this band have most definitely ticked many of the boxes a lot of local bands struggle with.

Without doubt, this night has shown great promise. The Sun Bar could well build a reputation for being a good place for a local music. My advice is check out the Sun Bar and see for yourself. With its sunny ambience and charm, I can guarantee tahts it has a future as a place for good night of live music. As long as audiences keep making the effort, the SUN BAR will certainly keep delivering!

Mesh-29 at The Shed, Wednesday 4th March 2009

Mesh 29 are, personally, one of my favourite bands, so to see them live again at The Shed was a treat. Hailing from Peterborough, they are a band that has never failed to engage me, whether live or via their albums. They write massively good songs - passionate, moody and enchanting. In my view Mesh 29 is an outstanding band and songsmiths of the highest quality, having produced several albums packed with top class songs. Very good singers and excellent musicians.

Tonight we saw them on stage as a four piece (though they haven't always had the same numbers in the band) plus guest electric violinist. The key to the quality of this band is lead singer Adam Mezzatesta: a singer with a truly characteristic voice, with the instrumental sound being enriched by pianist Anthony Shields (who also contributes to the backing vocals.)

Mesh 29 is one of those rare bands that has developed a sound of its own; they consistently produce new songs and through their repertoire there is that unmistakable sound. Some of their songs are iconic pieces of work, with lyrics having striking imagery, albeit often somewhat dark and anguished, but that's where the depth and poetry comes from.

Many of their songs have stuck in my head over the years that I have known them, glued there by evocative lyrics and compelling melodies. "My brand new lullaby" and "Cigarette" ("cornered in the room you light a cigarette and leave ... throw it on the ground and let it burn") from their 2006 album Dead Machine are for me iconic and moving songs that I play over and over again - not many bands do that for me.

Mesh 29

Autohype at The Firebug, Wednesday 4th March 2009

Five musicians who know what its all about, the members of Leicester band Autohype make marvelous music. Their songs are full of life and energy - just as much as their act on stage. I've seen them play many times before and last night's set was just as thrilling as all the others. No matter where they are, no matter how huge or modest the audience, this band gets up on the stage and gives it their all. You walk into the middle of one of their sets and right away you just want to dance. Infectious happiness, compelling melodies and right on tunes. That's what Autohype is all about. They want to have fun when they play and they want to their fans to have fun. And yes, it does work that way. They work hard at what they do; the loony action on the stage belies their strident commitment to perfectionism; they will rehearse a song over and over till they get it right. Even so, when they do it live it has a vitality and vigour that many bands would just dream about. Autohype's sound has a richness and fullness, given to it by the iconic vocals of front man Seb and backed by Nicci's keyboard and the technical wizardry of string playerss Mason and Martin, while Ed sits on the skins and drives the whole thing forward with blistering energy. What a sound band!

Autohype

The Pennyhangers and Beechwood at the Shed, Friday 27th February 2009

Reviewed by Nick Furlong (The Flamonics)

The Pennyhangers make no secret of the fact that they are riding on the crest of a wave that is the Leicester indie scene. You bet they do it with some immense skill and conviction; whack on your skinny jeans and get down to topman, these guys are gonn’a trendy up 2009, I guarantee you that!

From the opening chord of their set there was no doubting we were witnessing a sure fire commercial hit for the near future. The modern music doesn’t over-complicate anything, while at the same time retaining an intriguing feel that keeps you hanging on every note.

Without doubt this band as a whole package some up the phrase “social acceptance”. You can’t miss the style and grace they posses on stage, this coupled with a sound most definitely in fashion at the moment, “the pennyhangers” have the perfect recipe for success in the age we live in. Great praise must be given to the part the drums play in keeping the heads and feet tapping along to the modern rocky beats throughout. They’ve thrown their amps at the audience in some kind of dancey fashion with this faultless performance.

“Dude, where’s my car?” It’s a given with these chirpy rockers, Beechwood, that you WILL feel the wind through your hair like that of a ride through the open roads of the U.S of A. Take the magic numbers indescribable charm and throw them way back into the 60’s. Aided by bouncy drummer Pete, the inevitable foot-tapping qualities of this band have reassured me that a blast from the past is most certainly something to cherish and is certain to hold a good night out as these guys show that experience is an advantage with some convincing abundance; notably the skilful guitar that could most certainly marry the groovy, stomping bass if this were to be legalised. There is no avoiding the 20th century influence, whether you are a fan of the beach boys or the Beatles.

To the crowds delight this is a refreshing listen for a Friday night in an age of chart clogging power chords. Furthermore the harmonic 3 piece vocals could dazzle any modern music ear. “Beechwood” put on an honest performance which the audience revel in. There’s a clear sense that they are not pretending to be anything their not, which makes their guitar strings raise your face into an uncontrollable smile at seeing this band live, which obviously mirrors the happy go lucky entertainment taking place on stage.

The Pennyhangers | Beechwood

The Eaves, Fazed and Charlie Jones, Firebug, Friday 27th February 2009

Formed in 2006, The Eaves now only has only one band member who was in the original line up: Nick Thornton, the lead singer. Having lost their keyboard player they are now a trio again. With some memorable songs in their discography, they have graced the stages of almost every venue in Leicester and a few festivals.

Playing tonight with their new drummer, they launched their set with a rocky song, with bassist Jim Coltman backing Nick's lead. Nick is a fine singer and has a reputation for his solo acoustic appearances. Nick is also an accomplished guitar player and gave us some deft finger work on the strings.

A solid performance of an equally solid set of melodic indie songs. Tight musicians with a genuine love of live music, the Eaves always put on a quality set. Their songs represent canonical rock, very mainstream, deeply rooted in the rock traditions of the past few decades.

You can see the Eaves at the Looking Glass on March the 6th when they will play an 18 song set! Not quite their entire repertoire but most it.

Well established band, The Fazed, have gone through a number of transformations and name changes since they started, but they have now settled into being one of Leicester's most enjoyable and successful bands.

Lead singer Dave Sherratt, like Nick Thornton, is both a strong band singer and celebrated solo artist. Both guys have fine voices and sure know how to sing. Maybe this is why members of other bands often turn up to hear their sets and tonight was no exception, with a good posse of musicians in the Firebug audience.

Despite being bereft of their guitarist, Fazed put on a strong set which included some memorable songs and a crop of scintillating rhythms and catchy riffs. Very modern, very now, The Fazed produced a nicely mixed set of well crafted melodic indie songs.

Charlie Jones played a storming set. The opening song was the excellent 'Kenny James Tale', a real stomping bluesy number. Every song in her 30 minute set was top quality. Charlie's vocals were brilliant, very clear and melodic and sung with great delivery. Her band 'The Martyrs' were also excellent, very tight and played with great presence. A really great set that left everyone wanting more.

The Eaves | The Fazed | Charlie Jones

Formal Warning at Leicester Square, Friday 27th February 2009

Club Panic has returned to make Friday nights special again; the crowd at Leicester Square was reminiscent of Mosh in it’s hey day. Three floors packed with our local rock fraternity drawn from all genres, and dotted with music celebrities, this is clearly the right place to be on a Friday Night.

So it was good that young, newbie band FORMAL WARNING got to play there. They were the only band tonight but they livened up an already lively night in the ground floor club bar.

Formal Warning are a performance band: they don’t just stand there and play their instruments, they put on a show and it’s all the buzz and wow of an X-Factor spectacular. Not many bands can equal their total commitment and energy on the stage. They played their much loved club classics “Summer of 69” and “Boys of summer” in amongst their own songs. That got their army of fans moshing.

The band's front men - lead singer Ash, bassist Leon and guitarist Kyle put on a storming set, bursting with exhilarating songs and playing, ably backed up by drummer Zoe and Guitarist Alun.

Formal Warning

Blue Root Zoots at the Shed, Sunday 22nd February 2009

Four young guys from Stevenage put on a set with a lot of razz, mixing funky sounds with raw edged vocals and compelling rhythms. The rappy songs were a bit reminiscent of Rage Against The Machine backed by Hendrix on lead guitars. Marching beats and exhilarating sounds and a lead singer with swagger and presence were backed by band members with oodles of energy. An usual and distinctive sound, they have been playing to packed crowds in their native Hertfordshire.

These teenage rock heroes are well rooted in strong musical traditions that are brought right up to now, elements of rap being honed by razor-sharp riffs and some amazing bass playing. Fine melodic phrases are cut through with angular, jagged riffs. Its fresh, its new and its full of drive and dynamism. Very now and very exciting - the Blue Root Zoots are a band that is on its way to the top.

Blue Root Zoots

Neon Sarcastic and Ictus at the Flapper, Sunday 15th February 2009

Following on the heals of Paris Revolution, Leicester bands Neon Sarcastic and Ictus won through to the next stage of national band competition Surface Unsigned.

The "happiest band in Leicester", Neon Sarcastic were the first band of the night to take to the stage at Birmingham's Flapper venue. They wasted no time in warming up the crowd as they launched into their pop-punk songs, starting with "Geekage". Lead vocalist John looked every inch the pop star, and the lads gave him a strong and vibrant backing as they stormed through their set. Ending up with their characteristic song "Cheer up emo", they soon had the crowd bopping around. Our two local bands were easily the best bands of the night.

Power Punk veterans Ictus are now a four peice, with a new drummer, allowing Adam Gent to leave the back of the stage and get up the front with his great voice, supporting vocalists Aaron and Chris and to celebrate the new lineup, Ictus has a new sound, a rockier and more modern set of songs. It was like listening to an altogether new band but with the vintage quality of a band that has been playing for over 8 years now. Performing a great set, Ictus showed once again that they are still force in the local scene.

Hopefully more Leicester bands will be joining the three that are already through to the Rainbow for stage 2, as they fight it out for a place in the Semi-finals. Next up: Breek from Melton Mowbray and The Waits from Coalville.

Neon Sarcastic | Ictus

The Heroes, The Shed, 14th February 2009

It's Valentines night; it's the Shed and the Heroes are headlining. The Shed is rammed with young fans. There's a party atmosphere. Everyone is exicted and happy. Lots of people are going round saying hello to each other. The band members are out there greeting their fans and generally being the centre of attention.

It's five minutes before the Heroes start their set and already there is a packed throng of kids in front of the stage. Alex, Rooster, Ali and Craig are getting ready on the stage.

The Heroes launch into their first song and the fans start moshing and dancing around. It's an exciting experience. Everyone is having a good time. The songs are great, lots of people join in with "Wake up Radio" and there's huge applaus and shouting at the end of each song.

The Heroes are riding on the crest of a wave, enjoying a level of popularity we have not seen since just before the Displacements got signed. The four guys have produced some excellent songs, they are awesome on stage, are an amazingly well organised band and their army of fans love them to bits. The Heroes are the band of the moment.

Indigo Slam, yet another band from Melton Mowbray, played the first set. A nice tight trio with some appealing songs, and some strong singing from front man Nick, they are producing some agreeable music. Whilst Nick is a good singer, its still more like Nick the solo artist with a couple of backing musicians. Come on Andy and Gary - get those vocal chords into action.

The Last Few are another trio, from Leicester, and I had not seen them before. But on the basis of their set last night, I'd be up for seeing them play again. They have a very now set of post-punk, indie songs, sung jointly by Josh and Zak (nice one lads, always good to have more than one singer in a band.) Don't know anything about them but if they get themselves going they could become a welcome addition to the live scene round here. They are playing with Autohype on 14th March at the Shed.

The Pickpockets played the main support slot. A new band, they have been busy on the local circuit, getting their name out there and picking up some supporters along the way. Songs have a raw, cheeky edge and three out of four contribute to the vocals. Gives depth and vitality to the music. A lively and pleasing performance from a band that suggests a lot of potential.

The Heroes | Indigo Slam | The Last Few | The Pickpockets

Formal Warning and The Lowreys at the Loaded Dog, Thursday 12th February 2009

The story of how Formal Warning came into existence is an interesting one. The five band members come from two families who live in the Braunstone Estate. Before they became a band, they were getting into trouble on the streets of their neighbourhood and a school. One or two of them were given formal warnings about their behaviour and that's where the name came from.

To give their lives some mission and engagement they formed a band. Some time after they got together they were joined by Ash, the now lead singer. After only a few months of gigging them now have a big and loyal following, a set of remarkable dance songs and a boisterous act which makes them stand out as one of the more enjoyable of Leicester's young bands.

Ash's performance is always full of passion and sparkle, backed by Kyle and Leon on bass and guitars, the guys dive and duck around the stage, whilst drummer Zoe holds a steady beat, aided by guitarist Alun. They work as a team but each band member has individuality. FW doesn't just play a set - they put on a show and one which always scores a hit. when FW come on you know its time to party. They love their iconic dance anthems: "Last boys of summer" and "Summer of 69" are great dance classics and they work so well in FW's rockier versions.

By contrast The Lowreys lack the fizz of Formal Warning but their songs are both memorable and well crafted. Catchy songs coloured with the sax of Daniella Dobrijevic - this is also one of the best young bands on the circuit. They won the Battle of the Bands at the Pavo last year and will be joining FW on the mainstage of the Glastonbudget Festival in May.

Only two bands at the Dog - but what a good night of music.

Formal Warning | The Lowreys

The Glastonbudget auditions, The Shed, 9th February 2009

For months now the organisers of the Glastonbudget Festival in May have been auditioning bands for their "New Acts" stage, at Leicestershire's biggest live music event.

Bands from both Leicester and other parts of the country have been heading into Leicester to play for the festival selectors and tonight it was the turn of a number of bands from far and wide to take to the stagte to impress the judges.

First on was one of two bands from Middlesbrough: Everending Music, a hardcore band metal band drawing its influences from Alaskan band " 36 CrazyFists", Australian heavy hardcore band "Parkway Drive" and San Diego metal thrashers "As I Lay Dying". The five peice North Easteners poured out a set of pounding, heavy sounds, fronted by deep throated agro screamer Ste Tyreman, assisted by clean singer and bassist Ross Wilson. Kyle Bennett bashed out some powerful beats on the skins, with Luke Martin and Paul Kitchener adding some scintillating work on the strings. Their set included a metalised version of Pachelbel's Cannon in D, made famous by South Korean guitarist Jeong-Hyun Lim and also used by local metal band Smoking Kills. They worked the audience well, getting them down to the front and clapping along.

The band that almost stole the show was My Kid Brother. Formerly known as Kid Vicious, the band comprises two sets of brothers from 9 to 13. The bassist is hardly bigger than his instrument. They played a set of well known covers and the crowd loved them. They put in a performance full of skill and confidence that would put some older bands to shame. With synchronised vocals and tight playing, they caught just the right sound for their set of iconic rock covers. They have some brilliant recordings on their Mypspace page.

The other Middlesbrough band was Sound the Sirens, who have played in Leicester before. Another hardcore band, the five band members gave a gutsy performance while their fans moshed in front of the stage. Its a clean version of hardcore with some strong metalic elements, a strong set of jumpy songs delivered with gusto by lead vocalist Darren Hough.They put a lot of energy into their set, with the guitarists moving together in a synchronised way with the music, giving the a very credible visual dimension on the stage.

The highlight of the show was Birmingham band Strangle Kojak. They don't just play they put on a show, with smoke and laser lights. SK played at the tiny Pavilion venue on 6th January. I have seen the band play on the massive main stage at the Carling Academy in front of a crowd of over 2,000 but tonight they had squeez down into the little room at the Shed. Having seen them several times playing at large venues in Birmingham, they have always impressed me as being a naturally "stadium" level band. Lead by the "x-factor" vocals of lead singer Omar Elkaseh , assisted by Ashley Neal and Aaron Rigg, the band has a unique sound which blends together hardcore, club anthem, nu-punk and pop rock. They get better with every appearance, putting on one of the most exciting and exhillarating shows you can see of any band in the Midlands. Any SK peformance is a thrilling experience and even in the sombre ambience of the Shed with a small audience, they still created that big band magic.

Strong infectious beats, anthemic songs and an exciting stage presence are brought together in one brilliant and thrilling package.

Let's hope they get a headline slot at Glastonbudget because SK will add a great climax to a day of live music.

You can see Strange Kojak again, this time with a capacity audience, at the Charity Gala show on 1st May at the Shed.

Amifuba are from the Nottingham/Derby area. The four peice band play a set of funky rock songs, lead by frontman John whall who puts a lot of energy into his work. Thier sound is ideosyncratic verging on experimental but grounded into solid rock and roll traditions. You can hear echoes of Incubus and the Deftones.

Everending Music | My Kid Brother | Sounds the Sirens | Strangle Kojak | Amifuba

The Pennyhangers at the Monto Water Rats, Saturday 7th February 2009

The Monto Water Rats is one of the leading live music venues in London and on Saturday night it was rammed. Leicester band the Pennyhangers bagged themselves the opening slot on what turned out to be an awesome lineup of bands.

The coach from Leicester pulled up outside the venue after a sunny journey down the M1. The Pennyhangers were the first band on and I was down the front. After the first song I turned round to talk to someone and saw this huge sea of faces ... amazing. There were loads more people in there to see the band than had come down on the coach.

The band played a really good set: strong vocals from frontman James Percy, star quality drumming from Jonny Wells and great backing from Paddy Steel on the bass and Andy Waterhouse on lead guitar.

But it's the songs that makes the PHs stand out: their new single "Once Before" is a hit song that deserves recognition. It's one of the most memorable songs from all the bands in Leicester ... a great iconic indie song with superb melodies and a gripping backing.

This is what has brought the band up to the top of the league in Leicester in only a few months. They have written some crackingly good songs and have their fingers on the pulse of what makes top notch music.

It was one beltin night out in London; a crowded venue and a lineup of really good bands and a bunch of great Leicester fans going out to support the band they love.

The PHs are playing The Fly in New Oxford Street in April. So, another massive night out in London is in store.

The Pennyhangers

Dumfound at Firebug, Wednesday 4th February 2009

This Leicester trio played an extraordinarily interesting set. Their melodic songs, backed by drums and keyboard, have a character all of their own. This is an usual set of songs and very engaging they are too. Distinctive and alternative in sound, their well crafted songs, ably sung by their lead singer, are carefully crafted. Strong melodic lines are finely backed by snappy drumming and cool keyboarding. The songs create mood and atmosphere, calmly paced or laced with intricate rhythms, their sound is appealing and engaging. They also played at least one purely instrumental track, the three musicians feeding off each other and synchronising together exceedingly well. A distinctive, different and enjoyable band, they offer a quality addition to lineups. Their set was what I would call "concert", very listenable and intriguing.

Dumfound

Overdrive III at DMU Level 1, Friday 30th January 2009

What a massive night! Leicester band the Heroes organised a show at the Students Union and 800 people turned up to it. The gig had been planned for weeks and would have taken place at the Charlotte but it closed. Luckily the Heroes were able to book the hall on level 1 at the DMU Union and that happened literally two days before the show. Despite the change of venue a massive crowd turned up to see the line up of bands and the Heroes.

It was an amazing night; all the bands were great, the crowd was great and the drinks were incredibly cheap. Leicester hasn't seen a crowd like this since the last successful Secret Skins bash at Streetlife.

Autohype opened the show with their set of bouncy songs and the crowd in front of the stage went into action, dancing and waving their hands in the air. Even though they started 20 minutes later than planned, there was a still a huge crowd outside the building waiting to get in. Autohype played a set of compelling dance songs, with lead vocalist Seb looking every bit the iconic rock star. The band launched off the gig to a resounding start and got everyone into a party mood.

The Rugged Sound System is an 9 piece crew who played a eclectic set of songs, drawing on hip hop, funk, soul, reggae and traces of acid jazz. Although not known in Leicester, the crowd on the dance floor in front of the stage swelled to an even bigger size and the kids got into a party frenzy, dancing and crowd surfing. An unusual band but one that the audience warmed to. They certainly got a lot of people on to their feet and moving about.

The Fazed are a band that has been around for a while, but they have become stronger and even more accomplished than before. Having dropped out for a while, played around with different names, they are back with a set of quality songs. Lead singer Dave Sherratt is one of the best band singers in Leicester and a really good soloist too. The band delivered some fine melodic songs, highly listenable with some catchy beats and riffs.

The Heroes headlined the night with a resounding set of memorable songs. This band is heading in the right direction and reminds me of what the Displacements achieved in Leicester shortly before they got signed to Stiff Records. The Overdrive nights (this was the third one) have a reputation for being top shows that large numbers of people want to go to. Comparable to the legendary Porked shows, it is likely that Overdrive 4 will attract an even bigger crowd than last night. The Heroes are masters of song writing; they turn out solidly good hit songs, such as Wakeup Radio which are massive crowd pleasers. Their songs are not however candy floss; they have an edge and vitality which is totally now and they have that star quality on stage that marks them as a breaking band that is following in the footsteps of The Displacements and Kasabian.

The show offered a strong lineup and its no wonder that so many came to it; we look forward to the next Overdrive on April 3rd, when The Heroes will be joined by The Chairmen and Razmataz. If several hundred fans turn out for that, Overdrive can seriously start recruiting big bands to their shows.

Autohype | The Rugged Sound System | The Fazed | The Heroes

Skarots, The Pavilion, Saturday 24th January 2009

Leicester five piece band Skarots have been working hard to develop a set of indie songs, augmented with a touch of ska. They started their set at a brisk pace with a catchy song led by lead signer Rob Beardsmore. Following this the second song was at a slower pace but with a solid melodic line and infectious rhythms. The song featured strong melodic phrases and some soaring guitar lines to add emphasis. Indeed throughout the set the string players produce some impressive sounds that added depth and character to the music. They like to add some long instrumental passages in between the vocal parts. At times the drumming could be overbearing, especially in this small venue. The band produced some foot tapping beats and songs varied in tempo, which was good. The guitarists kept the songs moving. They are beginning to find their own sound and are not obviously like some other band. Overall a good solid set of original songs. Sadly they still lack the depth of backing vocals but the band said they were working on this. A band that is intent on achieving quality, Skarots look set for a bright future on the Leicester music scene. They have already proven their strong potential for solid song writing.

Skarots

Fire Garden, The Pavilion, Saturday 24th January 2009

This five piece band from Sheffield is amazing; probably not everyone's choice but musically their set was a virtuoso tour de force. Rooted in the idioms of Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, the band put on a masterful set of astounding songs. Their music is strong and heavy, with unusually long pieces, often displaying complex solo passages from various band members, including a spectacular solo by master drummer Ashley Tuck. Harry Sadler is a vocalist with considered presence and style and the songs drove forward with passion and energy. Their songs are memorable and absorbing, often big, grand, storming pieces, coloured with scintillating guitar work and massive drum beats. Keyboard player Andy Gotteri is busy throughout the set, not just playing background chords but adding an integral layer of depth to the whole sound. They have that stadium quality feel; you can easily image them head lining in front of some vast festival crowd. They have a sound that is massive and monumental, producing sets of musical drama that conjure up expansive landscapes and images. They are adept at dropping in quiet moody passages between mountainous peaks of sound. They carry mood and atmosphere very well, slow and moody passages, echoy guitar parts and elaborate riffs producing an almost Arabic feel, in one of the songs. A mature band with a well rounded experience, they have an established reputation and have supported Slade, The Levellers, Thunder and Budgie. Firegarden are what I call a concert band; you need to sit and listen to them, as you would an orchestra. They represent the mainstream traditions of rock. This was a rare experience; there is no other band remotely like them in Leicester, so it was great to see them coming down to play in one of our small venues. Exciting and brilliant, they concluded their set to sustained applause from an appreciative audience.

Fire Garden

Music Comedy Night at the Shed, Friday 23rd January 2009

Music can be fun! The evening was warmed up by the legendary blues singer JJ Manning, who played a set of songs using his 1923 metal guitar. It was a great treat to see this veteran acoustic artist at work. Blues on a comedy night!! As JJ explained, blues songs often have a laconic irony running through them.

The Flamonics are three lovable nutters with distinctly different characters. Dressed in black fedoras, the Flamonics looked decidedly '20s and gave us a set of entertaining numbers laced with a good dose of jovial banter. A theatrical group with considerable charm, their unique act is always great fun, which they exude throughout their performance and this draws the audience into their show.

Singer/songwriter Dan White is easily recognisable -he's the guy who paints his face in black and white and sings very rude songs. He has, for example, a cutting song about Chavs which has some hilarious lines in it. This time he weas joined on stage by a bass player, who also painted up for the occasion.

The show was completed by The Great Imitation, the duo comprising wild front man James, accompanied by the more sober Ryan on guitar and backing vocals. James raps his way through some engaging songs, with his flamboyant antics, reminiscent of Mick Jagger on speed. It's old skool rap, rich in humour but with an edge that can be even aggressive in places. Ideosyncratic and decidely alternative, the GI is an act that has attracted a devoted following. Pumpijng out megawatts of energy but with considerable music skill, this is one act you will not forget easily. Crazy, funny but always entertaining, we got quality acts and an equally good audience. So yes, one ace night at the Shed.

JJ Manning | The Flamonics | Dan White | The Great Imitation

The Get Your Band On indie showcase at the Musician, Wednesday 21st January 2009

Five of Leicester's top indie bands were brought together in a lineup at the Musician. Sadly, The Chairmen were unable to play as the lead singer was indisposed but Kids in Cars, Razmataz, Autohype and The Heroes put on a really great show.

The Get Your Band On agency that organised the event were delighted when five of Leicester's best bands agreed to play at the show. The night was well attended and now the Leicester agency plans to hold a series of nights over the year ahead to showcase the best of our city's rising bands.

These five bands have some of the best songwriters in the county and the audience were treated to a night of first class music. It was good to see members of some of our city's other top bands in the audience including The Screening, Formal Warning and the Dobsons.

Kids in Cars from Hinckley played a set of their characteristic songs, including the hit single "From Pyongyang with love", with its memorable chorus "your a tourist in your own back yard". A band that carefully molded its own sound, KICs have achieved a polished performance for their set of engaging songs. The Kids are supporting Ra Ra Riot in Birmingham on February 11th and The Volt in London on February 13th. We reviewed their gig at the Fly in London last October.

Razmataz are a young band but they play with a maturity beyond their years. They have a superb set of really good songs and a confident presence on stage. Their songs are very modern, melodic and memorable. Thought they have been playing together for only a short time, their achievement has been to produce a set of songs and quality performance which is truly remarkable.

Autohype are a signed band that have produced a strong portfolio of songs, and the recent addition of two new band members - Nicci and Mason - has strengthened their lineup. They rose swiftly last year to become one of the leading indie bands on the Leicester scene and have played gigs in various cities including London and Birmingham, at some prestigious venues.

The Heroes have a set of very now songs and many of them are hits waiting to happen. If they were signed and nationally known, at least one of their songs would be in the top 40. Whilst still young they are at exactly the right age to become a breaking band. They opened the main stage at Summer Sundae last year with an amazingly confident performance and their set tonight was no less impressive. The band has one of the strongest followings in Leicester for an unsigned band and they are currently definitely following in the path previously trodden by the Displacements. Our prediction is that they will get signed to a decent label in the year ahead.

The Chairmen are one of Leicester's leading bands, having won the Surface Unsigned competition last year. Their performances are always thrilling and their songs iconic so it was sad that we did not hear them at the show, though all the band members turned up to support the other bands.

The night was an Oxjam Music festival benefit and over £50 was raised for Oxfam. So many thanks to all those who bought raffle tickets and to the companies that donated the prizes.

Kids in Cars | Razmataz | Autohype | The Heroes

Sound bites

Stokoz to Moscow, The Shed, 18th January 2009

Deeside Band Stokoz to Moscow played at the Glasto auditions. The welsh trio had a set that included some angular songs with a raw, aggressive edge and all three shared the vocals. They thumped out some big statements, fast furious and rugged. Songs fuelled by sweat and adrenaline, albeit counterbalanced by some quieter melodic passages. A bit on the experimental, alternative side at times, resounding, vigorous and full of passion and energy. Sound stuff.

Saturday 17th January 2009, Charlee Drew at the Shed.

Charlee Drew launched his solo career with an unforgettable night at the Shed. The young singer presided over a crowd of adoring fans giving them a set that was a tour de force. Accompanied for some songs by a pianist, guitar player and the bassist from Exit Avenue, Charlee played guitar himself, sang his own songs and delivered a couple of covers, including Lionel Richie's "Easy" and a number from the Jackson Five. It is as a songwriter that Charlee stands out; he knows how to craft a good song and he gave the delighted rowd a number of songs from his old band, Freefall Felix.

It was a night of pure magic, with Charlee getting into a bit of jolly banter with the audience between songs, at times giving the impression that he was following in the footsteps of the legendary talk and sing man, Miles Hunt.

Charlee's set was the climax to an amazing night of quality music, supported by a crowd that most artists would die for: responsive, enthusiastic and totally involved, they sang along and clapped in time with the songs and burst into appreciative applause at the end of each number.

Charlee Drew is a star performer: a fine voice, an engaging stage presence and a set of songs which he delivers with his own distinctive sound and character put him at the top of the league of Leicester's roster of quality soloists.

There are few solo artists locally who can boast a large and dedicated following, who can put on a show that can be remembered for a long time to come and who can send an audience home feeling that they have experienced a night of top quality entertainment. Charlee Drew is one of the few - and he pulled it off magnificently.

Charlee Drew

More reviews of this night coming soon

The Heroes at the Dublin Castle, Monday 12th January 2009

Top Leicester indie band The Heroes played the legendary Dublin Castle in Camden, supported by 40 of their fans who went down to cheer them on. The DC has been the birthplace of several top bands including Blur, Madness and Amy Winehouse, and Supergrass, Travis, The Cardigans, Kula Shaker .. and now The Heroes have all played there. They played a really good set and won favourable comments from the other bands on the lineup and from the industry guests who joined the crowd to see them.

The four band members and their coach load of Leicester fans enjoyed a hugely good night out and their performance was so good that they have been invited back to headline a weekend gig later on in the year. Now that really is an achievement.

The young band are making a mark for themselves in Leicester and are now heading on out to get their music out there, around the UK.

As a band wanting to get signed to a good label, they realise the importance of playing key London venues, frequented by A&R from the major labels.

The Charlotte, Friday 2nd January 2009

First on were Go Team Go who deposited an earful of noise and then went. Thunder without the lightening. Things improved when they were followed by Dead in the Queue, from Derby. Led by the bass player, backed up on the mics by two lead guitarists. The more vocals the better, I say. Their first song set off at a brisk pace with shouty vocals delivered from the front man, backed by the two guitarists and some vigorous drumming.

The second song was belted out to some fast and furious backing, in a style of what I would call 'heavy rock'. In fact it was stylistically Ska/Punk, sometimes referred to as "Skunk" (well better than "spunk" I suppose). The vocals were interspersed with some instrumental passages so the string players could show of their skills. Things on stage went a bit pear shaped when some technical issues presented themselves. While one of the guitarists fiddled with his amp, the second guitarist played the theme from Zorba the Greek, just to keep the crowd amused.

Song three eventually got going with some hard riffs and shouty responses from the backing vocalists. The drummer continued to rattle out notes like a high powered machine gun. It was a vigorous set, dripping with adrenalin and testosterone, but not necessarily graced with too much musical cunning. Big warlike statements from the band, peppered with a lot of kalashnikov drumming, failed to excite the audience, who stood statically observing it like generals on a safe hill top.

Just as I was beginning to think it was all a bit samey, song five launched into a noticeable change of rhythm as they produced a song with some punky edges. Indeed, towards the end of the set they ventured away from their opening trajectory to treat us to some almost ska like beats. Not a band to wander too far out of its comfort zone. In another venue with a more attuned crowd it would have worked a lot better, but, in the frosty gloom of the Charlotte, "battleship rock" went down like a lead balloon.

In a complete change of style, Neon Sarcastic took to the stage to present their familiar multi-coloured pop rock show. The "1, 2, 3, 4 go" band evoked a little bit of dancing from the throng at the front, though I suspect many were still weighed down by too much Christmas pudding.

Blond bombshell front man John energetically strived to work the crowd into a frenzy though many still had not recovered from their new years eve revelries. Even so, the band enjoyed themselves on stage, with some pogo-ing up and down as they delivered their Santa's sack of glow-stick songs. I've seen them in action at other venues and its all worked feverishly well, earning them a justified reputation as being one of the best party bands in town. On a miserably frosty January 2nd, however, it was rather like a Christmas Tree without the lights switched on.

Neon Sarcastic are playing at the Glastonbudget Festival in May 2009 and are playing Surface Unsigned on 15th February.

Drop Out Theory is a band signed to Lemonyte Records and the bandees hail from both Leicester and Leeds. No they are not a metal or experimental alternative crew, despite the name. In fact they play pop-punky rock. A set of punchy, fast beat songs reflect their love of Fall Out Boy and New Found Glory. Their tight set included some catchy choruses and some fiendishly good string work by guitarist Matt and strong vocals from front man Tommy.

The only song I could remember from their set was their idiosyncratic rendition of Venga Boys' hit "Boom, Boom, Boom". A rather macho rock band covering Venga Boys !! Whatever next? How about Method In Madness doing their own version of Abba's "Gimme Gimme Gimme". I jest. Of course.

The night drew to a close with Capture the Flag. I've seen them play several times before but I would say this is the new, much improved Capture. Featuring Nik Young on the Trumpet and Matt Horton on the Trombone, the band worked their way through some big, brassy punk ska songs, occasionally iced with reggae beats and a bit of rap vocals. I also appreciated the clever harmonisation of the lead guitar with the Trombone.

Unfortunately Nik and Matt cant sing and play their instruments at the same time, so there were frequent changes from brass to vocals, often with both of them putting down their instruments at the same time. Well I know its not easy to carry a voice over a brass backing, especially in small venues. I've seen plenty of other bands do much the same thing.

CTF have written some compelling and memorable tunes. Sticky melodies highlighted with some good riffs on the brass or trombone, startlingly counter pointed with some expansive rock phrases (e.g. "Stickers on the Car"), helps this band to stand out for its creativity. They have achieved some remarkably good recordings and are due to go back into the studio again in February. Given the popularity of ska in skanky Leicester, CTF is a band that could well see the top of the ladder over the year ahead.

Where the batteries of the Charlotte's sound system running low? It seemed the night's vocalists had to belt out their songs at the top of their lungs, or is it just that they always do that? No wonder some lead singers have stepped down from bands, fearing irreparable damage to their larynxes. CTF put on an exhilarating set which was enjoyable and entertaining but, in common with the other bands on the lineup, committed to belting it all out rather than thrilling the audience with the quality of their work. Is that why it sounds so much better recorded?

Dead in the Queue • Neon Sarcastic • Drop Out Theory • Capture The Flag