Speed Beaver Music

Some bands really know how to throw you a curve ball and Great Imitation are without doubt experts in this field.  Opening the Musician Stage at Leicester’s Summer Sundae Weekender, they started out with some funky mash-ups of well known tracks such as MC Hammer’s Hammertime and Kanye West’s Goldigga with a style that falls somewhere between camp vaudevillian comedy and  rap/rock crossover with a good sprinkling of R&B to confuse anyone foolish enough to think they know what’s coming.

It was all good light-hearted entertainment, perfect for a sunny start to one of the most relaxed easy-going boutique festivals around.  Then lead singer James Scott announced there were just two songs left and that the next song would be a little different.

“Real Men Hit Things” was indeed different, a bleak story of domestic violence performed with an intensity that left people gobsmacked and more than a little choked as the story reached it’s predictable tragic climax.

A band that can play with an audience’s emotions to this level are surely bound for greater things than simple imitation.

BANDS: Great Imitation – Images by mike gatiss

Sometimes my heart sinks a little when a mate says “come along and see my brother’s band. Uh, OK. We turned up to the Water Rats a tad late due to some preparatory beer over the road and I immediately ducked downstairs to get rid of it again. There, I heard a very reassuring not at all straight 4 kick drum beat pounding through the ceiling. Things were looking up! Once upstairs and camera set up, I still took the time to enjoy some really nice proggy indie-ish rock. Maybe with some catchier hooks and populist songs they could take another step up. Nice one.

More pics
Myspace

I love shooting bands who put on a good show! Yes, it’s hard work and actually quite difficult, but the results can be awesome!

Last night I went to the Barfly to shoot Aussie rockers Shake and it was possible the best gig (resulting in the best pictures) I did all year! The band rocked so hard that the singer ended up cutting his face and had to be taken to hospital covered in bloody by ambulance. Now that is Rock n Roll! What is it about the Aussies that makes them so special?!

Shake have moved to London about 6 month ago to broaden their fanbase (and possible horizons). Last night was their last gig with the current line-up as sadly two of the members are going back to Australia. I can’t wait for a new Shake line-up to get ready and back out there!

The lights at the Barfly have been hit and miss lately and last night we had everything good and bad lumped into the bands 30 minutes set. I ended up trying lots of different thing with and without the flash. In the end Shake made it easy for me by just being energetic, posing nicely and just being incredibly brilliant! Thank you!

I didn’t even notice that Sam was bleed while I was taking these shots. When I checked the pictures on my camera on the way home, I actually clenched my fist and let out a little “YES!” I think it came out a bit louder then I anticipated because when I looked up, people where looking at me funny :$

More pictures of Shake
Shake on Myspace