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I can be a creature of habit, so again it’s a fry up at the Calvary café and a trip to the Forum Tunbridge Wells. On offer new fare from a Mk4 Joeyfat `hardcore heros’ return with flying V’s to test new material, as one insightful lady observed `you can’t dance to it’. The 45’s put in a definitive industry pleasing set. Clearlake headline, the promoters dad turns out to be a big fan and a lovely chap…can I buy you a beer? Psychedelic pop bringing generations together.
Another hard rock Sunday, Day 13 get us underway, rifola, baseball caps and a cover of Aha’s Take on me. Some can be a little reluctant to rock, not Mathias, chest-beating metal from the dark side with no apologies. I ‘m trouble that a rock act should have a name that rhymes with trouser, but Frowser turn out to be an unusually dynamic band. Some satisfying hooks, the odd engaging twist and an inventive drummer. A bit more focus in performance could go a long way; you want to see them play like their lives depend on it.
Andy -Tuesday 4th Dec
A brief diary exploit for me this week. A one nightstand and then off to
Estonia (don’t ask!) for a stag do.
Zipeix have reportedly been hard on the flier campaign. 5000 glossy ones
dished out at Camden tube at Camden gigs and on Camden’s streets. Nine
people turn up. It’s a thankless task but shows Zipiex’s dedication to the
cause. They make a spiky sounding Gothic/Grunge noise and deem their
contribution to the evening a success. Fair play to them. The Cherubs hit
the stage second. Their fliers list The Velvets and The Stooges among bands
that if you like, you’ll like us. They do rock a bit, they have the rawness
of the MC5 and belt out a very energetic set. Twenty Six Feet are next, and
I have to own up to losing my notes at this point and writing this after the
before mentioned stag do, I can’t remember a fucking thing, sorry.
Sol
(Sound Of London) were good in a light, trippy, space rock kind of way
though, and entertained a sizeable crowd for a good 30 minutes before
bedtime.
Now I hand you over to our guest diary jot-spotter, Brian. Armed with a note
pad a biro and some very strong skunkweed, it would seem, to review matters
in my absence.
Brian – Thursday 6th Dec
Spiky, malevolent, encased in leather and dripping with rock ‘n’ roll
attitude…but enough about Andy and Phil. Tonight’s first band Kid Zero
hail from the international school of King Kong, or something. The bass
playing lead-singer likes strums chords and stamps on 15-year-olds till they
have breakdowns.
With their final note, the bass shatters into a thousand pieces along with
the audience’s hearts as they bay for more – the impossible encore…
Next up are Scintilla who kick in with a heavy-as-lead zeppelin bass riff. I
walk in to see a blond Robert Smith on vocals (female), and a still-blond
Steve Severin (also female – ask your gran) on bass, both born out of a
bottle. Lot’s of rock ‘n’ roll endings on show tonight (note to
bands:resist/desist).
Dustball seem to have a chorus that goes “thank god I wank a lot…” and
also sing about either beautiful love or paedophiles (but what a rock
voice!). Quiet/load dynamics happening, you know the score, some vicious
repartee about the singer’s hair – looks like we might have another
candidate for the B&G;’s very own visiting Christopher Walken (who said yahoo
serious!?!).
International Harry, top a killer-diller bill. I come in to a song made out
of old Jimi Hendrix bass lines.
The next one’s called “flowers in your garden” the only flowers in my garden
are weeds.
All the lead-singers tonight are wearing ties, and all the drummers are
wearing their wife’s panties (including the men). Keep up the good work.
Saturday 8th Dec
I just about catch the end of Retrafit’s set and one of them is wearing a
retro-fit moog t-shirt, well you bought the t-shirt, where’s all the synths
lads?
Superpop play slashes of slow moody ‘rock’ theres a very nice drum sound
tonight.
I’m a bit busy on the door tonight, can u tell? It’s mostly because of
Airman, four very smartly turned out young men all wearing ties, but sadly
no cummerbunds. This bodes well for the mooted new ultra-strict door-policy
at the B&G; of smart black shoes, suit and tie (top button not undone) for
the gents, and evening wear for the chicks, with or without corsage
depending on the quality of their date.
Nice little backdrop too for Airman. Silver Tongues feature a smooth
criminal on keyboards. I don’t get to speak to them after so never find out
if they’ve actually got silver tongues, but they manage to persuade the
audience to hang around, which is nice.
Phil Dec 10th – 16th
Some of you may have noticed that we’ve been away for a while, so apologies
to those who have left twenty seven messages on the answer phone. Doing a
four day stag do in the former Soviet Republic of Estonia, is not for the
faint hearted.
Mon 10th Dec
Shifty disco are getting up to there shifty disco thing at the B+G, two
absent promotors crawl into an Irish bar in Talin, the Estonian capital,
accompanied by the stag elegantly attired in pink brides maid outfit .ten
black Russians please.
Tues 11th
Normal, I Own Kings and Mister Hall put on a reputedly top night of
entertainment, promoters make a hairy landing at Stagnated.
Wed 13th
More than a little blurry eyed back on duty. Maz and Hilde look familiar, a
little like a couple of the B+G door staff. They trade in accomplished dual
harmony songs that wear their hearts on their sleeves. Broken Stars generate
music that glides off the stage.
The ranks of Butt -Terry seem swelled by a number of foreign imports, even a
drummer aiding and abetting the Casio clatter. `Old school new school, no
school ties. we’re never going to play this fucking song again’ spit the
vocalising duo, though you suspect they can’t help themselves. Dalliances
with technology continue with Pablo Sylvette. There’s a four on the floor
dance thud, a vocalist who writhes about the stage stricken and howling and
a glamorous accomplice who coos nonchalantly. An odd marriage but perhaps
the best ones are?
Sat 15th
Guided Missile have a long and honourable tradition at the B+G, their
Christmas special brought together some venue favourites. Local resident and
Country Teaser, The Rebel gets us underway, his twisted tales delivered
deadpan. There’s a bloke in the Beale who careers about the stage smoking
tabs and playing maracas, rarely have I seen a man so happy in his work.
More Rock than a stick of rock playing `let there be rock’ at monsters of
rock, I think that’s what Rock of Travolta promise us. They make a hell of a
racket. All in black and intent on turning post rock inside out. They use to
enlist the help of the grim reaper, but it seems hell ain’t a bad place to
be come Christmas.
`Okay, Japanese hardcore version of Rudolf Red nose Reindeer Mikabomb know
what time it is.
Sun 16th
There’s a few The Transmission’s doing the rounds at the moment, but this
incarnation aren’t bad. Clipped 60’s guitars and songs that get straight to
the point. Sonor make a stab for the epic indie stadia big league. More back
to basics with The Halcyon Band, gritty stabs of R&B;, a vocalist with a
proper holler and a touch of Love style harmony all played with reel
urgency. Not a bad little gig.
So what’s the music scene like in Estonia? Could we recommend Club Depeche
Mode, the club that, yep, only plays Depeche Mode? Watch out for Club Fall
coming to a venue near you very soon.
Phil 27th Dec
Christmas over, new year on the horizon..endless reruns of reruns, rerunning
the best days of your life. remember Spacedust, Evil Canevil stunt bikes and
falling in love with David Cassidy .?
Phil -Fri 28th Dec
Jove, Factions, Taro and Smallville Flash combine for a packed venue and a
top night by all accounts.
Rumours the B + G promotors were seen at a wedding reception strutting their
stuff to Bucks Fizz’s Making Your Mind Up are utterly with out foundation.
Sat 29th Dec>/b>
A hangover from Hades, I probably deserve worse, and what better to aid my
boss-eyed agony than a night of rocking guitar action. Cape get things off
to a fine start with some melodic indie rock action. White Man Kamikaze
snatch T-shirt of the year with a late Ted Nugent entry. Local Boys The
Voice gaining confidence and band members remind us of the great English
maximum R ‘n’ B tradition.
Cheers, a marvellous contribution Brian, or should I say a killer-diller
contribution?
Got any of that weed left mate?
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