Speed Beaver Music

Got a soft spot for these guys. First shot them maybe four years ago in the assorted vaults and pubs of Bath back when they were in short trousers metaphorically. With a new album just released, they’ve taken a step forward from the previous over-Buckleyesque stuff finding their voice more. Tonight’s gig even contained cheeky bass and drum solos. Recommended. Sadly the lights were crap and I had to flashy thing them but I think it turned out OK.

TBU visited High Wycombe for the first time last Thursday to open in a great lineup including Melodee Rockmore and Slashed Seat Affair. Both these other bands were great and you owe it to yourselves to go look them up on MySpace and check out their stuff live but for now I’ll just be concentrating on the TBU part of the gig because they’re just too good and time is short.

TBU, if you don’t know already are a 4-piece comprising of Kelly BlowUps on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Arda Payir on Bass, Marc Weber on Lead Guitar and Cem Andre on Drums. Their songs have strong melodies and centre around alternative rock but occasionally dip into oldskool punk.

I’ve been following the band for nearly 2 years and know all their songs inside out but still like to listen to their stuff live a great deal. The set list has changed quite a bit over the last year or so, moving away from their more punky roots and towards a new effect-driven and more contemporary sound although some of the old favourites still remain.

Every set is invariably opened by the 2 minute ‘Black Out’ (their ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ if you like), the opening riff of which could easily feel at home on something from 1977. It’s short, to the point, immediately memorable and utterly brilliant. The next 28 or so minutes are filled with an enjoyable variety of great songs. ‘Without Your Love’, an ode to relationship uncertainty lyrically but which is carried along by melodic and rhythmic optimism is fantastic – Pop-tastic ‘I Don’t Wanna Talk About It’ rocks hard with a big smile and has a great solo – The quiet number of the set ‘Choke’ let’s everyone have a bit of a breather before we’re plunged into the current high-point of the set (in my opinion at least) ‘Stake Through The Heart’ which is lyrically another complicated relationship type affair and musically a barrage of everything that a 21st century rock song should contain. There are other more contemporary-sounding songs in the set, becoming more and more the rule rather than the exception but some punk examples keep sneaking back in, which is not a bad thing at all when they’re as infectious as ‘Yeah Yeah’, which could easily have been lifted of Blondie’s eponymous debut, but wasn’t and the great set-closer ‘Superhero’ which is, after much of the lyrically heavy songs in the set a real tonic, even though perhaps the underlying metaphor is still one of longing.

Sombre lyrical undertones aside, The Blow Ups current set is far from depressing and I would urge anyone who enjoys decent song-based rock ‘n’ roll to check them out as they are, in my opinion, one of the greatest unsigned bands playing this type of music in London right now.

Life may be trying its hardest to be miserable enough these days without we need to wallow in music that echoes this trend. TBU are fun and Kelly as a focal point is amazing to watch, if a little sweary at times.

The Blow Ups are playing next on the 19th June at the excellent Cafe De Paris off Piccadilly Circus.
See you there!

TBU MySpace

My favourite progressive rock band?

Well if you *possibly* remove the ‘progressive metal’ branch of the genre I would say, most probably yes!

Magenta snuck up on me. I’ve been quite into a few bands of this type for a while now and while I’m obviously not die-hard enough to have discovered them until their appearance at The Peel last year, pleasant memories of that performance have stuck with me ever since. In fact I remember mentioning after that gig to a gear-lugging Dan Fry the relatively fresh-faced bass player in the band that I considered that performance to be the best I’d seen there, beating even Richie Kotzen’s electrifying set from a few years back.

Even though I generally live on a slightly edgier side of prog, appreciating the likes of Dream Theater, Symphony X and Redemption far more than the less ‘exciting’ efforts of the likes of Yes and Genesis, and I would classify Magenta, in a lot of cases to be as far from Metal than these bands, I have to say that I never find them to be boring.

I wasn’t mentally track-skipping any of their performance on Saturday night. Sure there are quiet bits but they’re just long enough before a liviler section comes along and before that starts to grate on the ears we’re taking a break again. I realise this level of perfect balance is going to be different for everyone – all I can say is that for me, it’s pretty much spot-on.

Melody is sooooo important to me as well. Hooks are king. I love complex stuff and it’s really rewarding to ‘learn’ to listen to a challenging piece of prog – knowing where all the odd bits are that throw the first-time listener but some bands take this to extremes and forget that a good tune or motif can give an honest ‘life’ to a song and bring it into balance. Not so Magenta.

There are plenty of tricky little bits to keep a moderate prog fan happy but this is tempered by some absolutely gloriously melodic motifs that your granny could join in with. In a good way!

I could go on for a good while longer talking more about this band but I think I’ve done enough here to recommend it to anyone who likes ‘good’ music. Check out their latest album ‘Metamorphosis’ and believe me when I say, they’re just as impressive live. The Peel is a small venue and while it’s got a reasonably good PA, the sheer quality of this band’s sound in a venue this size was unbelievable.

Check them out live or recorded. Believe me when I say you won’t be sorry.

Check out their site here

SoulCatcher FaceBook

SoulCatcher Flickr

SoulCatcher MySpace

SoulCatcher Web

This much talent for 6 quid? Bargain!
As nights out went it was almost an even bigger bargain, with The Loyalties also due to play. Unfortunately transport problems led to an eleventh hour cancellation, leaving us with three great bands, Scaramanga Six, Shush and Eureka Machines (from Leeds, London & Leeds respectively). I was looking forward to seeing Scaramanga Six as I’d heard good things about them, and they didn’t disappoint. I was moved enough to pick up a copy of their recently released album ‘Songs of Prey’. and it’s on repeat play as I write.

Next up were Shush – I will admit to a bias here, they are a great band and getting stronger all the time, with catchy songs and stage presence by the bucketload. Vocalist Milena has a sweet voice that packs a real punch. They put in a typically energetic performance, leaving the crowd shouting for more.

Headliners Eureka Machines were recently described by Classic Rock as “a glorious cacophony of power pop noise”. They have the songs, they have the harmonies, they have the suits, they have the audience in the palms of their hands. I’ve seen this band a number of times and they always deliver.
Honestly, when there’s talent like this available to see on your doorstep for just a few quid, why stay in and watch TV?

These bands deserve to be seen! And for once I’m not just talking about the venue lighting…
Find out more:

www.myspace.com/shushsound
www.thescaramangasix.co.uk
www.eurekamachines.com

What a brilliant night! Run Don’t Walk played a blinding set, impressing the crowed with their sweet harmonies, passionate power pop songs and their rocking riffs.

The venue lights on the other hand…Well sadly, some things never change! One day I will get nice lights for this band!

More Run Don’t Walk pictures
Run Don’t Walk Myspace

The night kicked off with a bang, as Southampton based Shiny Toys stormed the venue, and warmed us all up for what was looking to be a good night of music. Swiftly followed by female fronted Patchwork Grace, who wowed the crowd with their trashy energy and magnificent talent. Both support bands had really impressed me, and definately made it to my “bands to listen to asap” list, a very exclusive club I might add. So by now, the whole place was ready and waiting for the rock god, Acey Slade. I was particularly excited to see what he had come up with after his Murderdolls and Trashlight Vision days. The excitement was even more intense after a good dose of burlesque dancing from the beautiful girls upstairs! Boy was I in for a shock when the man himself took the stage. Where was his presence? Where was the passion? I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. The set was bland, and he really seemed to show no shame in revisiting Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” for the millionth time in his carreer. I really hope he picks himself up, I feel he has much more to offer the world of music than just processed garbage. Come on, Acey, pick up the pace!
Check Acey’s music out here Acey Slade Myspace
Check out Patchwork Grace Patchwork Grace Myspace