Dave Jackson Band - Blues at the Farm - Saturday 23rd March 2013

I went to Barleylands' weekly Blues at the Farm for the first time in about 2 years and saw a band called the Dave Jackson Band, bringing something they call 'Doom Blues'.

Dave Jackson Band stepped in front of a merry group at the football club in Barleylands. Saturday afternoons is 'Blues at the Farm', featuring a different band each week. This week would prove to be something that would steer off the traditional blues tracks.

Early on in the set the band claimed they had been tagged as 'Doom Blues', which was intriguing to say the least. Worryingly a bit of concern set in during their first number which sounded a bit 'hippy protest' rather than 'rib crushing doom', but the down tuned guitar and bass soon kicked in as the set rumbled on like a heavy laden freight train. Really low and dirty guitar tones mixed with some good technical bass-lines and solid drumming gave the band an edge that is often lacking from most 'blues' bands that stick to, what usually sound like, reworded covers.

An obvious comparison is a Black Sabbath one, partly triggered by front man Dave Jackson's long black hair and interesting take on the newer song titles, including 'I'm not sure what this one is called'. But it wasn't all 'doom' as a few songs off their first (and currently 'only' album) nodded towards a Robin Trower or Thorogood style, with rumbustious riffs and brilliant vocals twinned with the excellent drumming and complicated bass sections.

Mesmerising guitar solos were in abundance as some songs took on a life of their own, continuing well into the 6 minute mark and the whole set tickled the 2 hour mark as the band didn't stop, not even for a break. One set, no nonsense and it may have not been everybody's cup of tea but it was certainly how I like my live music; heavy, low and then a bit lower and heavier.

Dave did begin to tell a great story of his past life at one point. He began his tale of living rough in New Orleans, playing gigs just so he could sleep on the floor of a bar, alcohol being a big problem... before cutting the story short and playing some more doom blues. He definitely seems like an interesting character with great guitar playing talent and a great rock/blues voice. I did have a short chat with him after the gig, where he gave me a flyer for a free download of the band's first album. I'd have liked to do a proper interview to find out more about his hard times in New Orleans, but I'll save that for another day.

Ending the set with a Buddy Guy song and then Sweet Home Chicago reminded us that they are a blues band and that 'the blues' is a broader spectrum of music than many are prepared to admit. I can't wait to hear more 'doom blues' from these guys as it is a sub genre I am intrigued by.

Want to hear some Dave Jackson Band? Get to davejacksonband.com
Want blues on a Saturday? Get down to bluesatthefarm.co.uk

Sonic Boom Six, 12th February 2013, Chinnery’s Southend

Southend-on-Sea on a cold Tuesday in February is not known for being a hive of activity, but in Chinnery’s an established ska/punk band were ready willing and able to warm Southend seafront up a bit. Manchester’s Sonic Boom Six are a band I have known of for a long time, but only recently really got into. They lean more towards the heavier side, with a bit of angst, a few heavy bass lines and driving guitar moments cut in amongst the bouncing reggae rhythms normally expected from a ska band.

There were four bands on the bill tonight, first were Killatrix. Opening the festivities at the early time of 7:30 is never easy, the crowd was a bit cold and sober but Killatrix got a few hands raised. It’s hard to pin point their style, which is a bit of a pain for a reviewer, so I’d describe them as an electro-breakbeat-house-metal-goth-punk band, with some strong female lead vocals. The use of pre-recorded samples sounded pretty good, but it does mean the band have to stick to the song and not go off on a candid jam session like some live bands. Vocally strong with some booming beats and a nice use of slide on a double bass for one of their more banging tracks showed that Killatrix have the skill to be a well rounded band.

Norfolk/Essex band, Under the Influence, were next up. Young and energetic they blasted onto the stage without introduction, which caught a few of us off guard. They had a kind of nu-metal feel to them, but the MC was trying to hype the crowd up a bit like the drum and bass MCs from a few years ago. Hardcore style tracks with shouty vocals, these youngsters were making me feel a bit old, angrily bouncing all over the stage with a bit of head banging in-between.

The front man really was working hard to get the crowd going but the crowd wasn't quite young or angry enough, undeterred they managed to slowly get some of the crowd onside with a massively aggressive cover of a Chase and Status track and they showed promise and if Chinnery’s was a bit busier they’d probably have gotten a stronger response.

The LaFontaines, Scotland’s finest hip hop band, have been the main support for Sonic Boom Six on the current tour and they got the crowd moving a bit with some great tracks. Managing to get the room warmed up a bit with their mash-up sound of indie rock, ska and drum and bass flair, plus some full on rap with a side of well tuned singing. A few jokes and some cheerful banter between songs cemented the care free feel I was getting from the group (even with the odd social commentary style lyrics). Plenty of head nodding and good fun and as the venue started feeling it The LaFontaines got better and looked like they were enjoying themselves as they ended the set with ‘Shark in the Water’. I met the front man as I bought an EP of theirs, he seemed up for a laugh, plus he liked my jacket, so he obviously has an eye for good taste. A short break and we were suitably limbered up for a good old skanking!

Sonic Boom Six have been around since about 2002 and still know how to get people moving. Heavy skanking down the front and lots of crowd participation, getting down, jumping up, hands high and spirits higher, SB6 really worked those in attendance well. A cover of The Streets’ ‘Push Things Forward’ got pretty much everybody singing along and even a couple of scuffles in the crowd did little to dampen the party mood SB6 had brought us on this chilly Tuesday. Playing a good selection of classics and newer tracks from their latest self titled album, SB6 accounted for all tempos from the slow and melancholic ‘Gary Got a Gun’, the skank-tastic ‘Piggy in the Middle’ all the way up to the leg kicking partner flinging almost metal tracks from along the band’s back catalogue. It was great to see a band that was willing to change the intensity so readily and do it well. We were treated to a very early SB6 song, ‘People Acklike They Don’t Know’ which was good for the old school fans (of which I spotted a few) and relative newcomers to the band like myself.

It almost felt like a greatest hits show, the crowd loved every song and I couldn't stop grinning and head banging as they nailed every drop and every rhythm change, but ska punk is an excellent genre, even more so for me when you aim towards a heavier sound. SB6 have built up a loyal fanbase, for ten years they have been working away, creating social commentaries and unique tracks and haven't changed too much, just enough to keep things fresh and that is a very difficult thing to do. (Also they don't over load on trumpets like most bands in the same genre, but that's more of a personal issue I’m trying to get over.)

I had a great time, a proper good knees up and my mates and I managed to say hi to a couple of band members by the merch stand. Really nice guys and very appreciative to those that came out to see them, which is always good for a fan to see.

Get some SB6 here - www.sonicboomsix.co.uk

Or some LaFontaines - http://thelafontaines.co.uk/

Under The Influence can be found here - http://www.undertheinfluenceofficial.co.uk/

And Killatrix are here - http://killatrix.bandcamp.com/

Scroobius Pip presents We Are Lizards, Saturday 9th February, Sunrooms, Southend

Saturday night in Southend, Essex poet Scroobius Pip took up the role of promoter/DJ upstairs at the Sunrooms. The bill was packed with acts but I had no idea what to expect as all the ticket said was ‘Scroobius Pip presents We Are Lizards’.

High/Low were the first band in the tiny room and I’d never heard of them before, so I wasn’t ready for the loud thrashy bass-lines that they delivered. The reminded me of early Feeder, with the punk style songs but with vocals that are sung not shouted. It felt like they were on a mission as they barely stopped for breath between each high energy, fast paced track. As High/Low powered through their set-list I noticed hints of Nirvana in their sound, especially the vocals, but when paying attention to the drummer I could hear some great technical moments that contrasted well with the simple chord based guitar and after paying attention to the individual components of the band I started to get a better idea of what they are about, not just thrashy angry punk-style rock but maybe something a bit more thoughtful, but I’ll need another listen to be sure (good thing I got a free EP from the band).

The second band was FutureAges, I’d describe them as a ‘prog-esque’ band, disjointed rhythms at times and changes in the entire sound mid-song sounded very much like what I’d expect from a typical prog band, but FutureAges had something a bit darker about them, a bit more serious than I was expecting. Brilliant lead vocals from the girl with the microphone really impressed me (although the volumes didn’t sound quite right at times as the vocals sometimes sounded a bit faded) and the guitarists’ effects pedals managed to transform the songs at every progression from prog to metal to punk. There was a technical problem with the bass that gave guitarist a few minutes to go full prog with a nice impromptu solo distracting crowd from bassist fixing the technical hitch. The vocals almost sounded like a pop style, clear and clean without the growling I would expect, even in the heavy bits. The distortion contrasted well with the clean vocals to create a great sound and the packed room seemed as impressed as I was.

Scroobius assumed the role of DJ, playing a very eclectic mix of old school rap, R&B and a few indie mash ups in the break…

Oh wait, that wasn't a break, it turned out the bands were done and the rest of the packet list were DJs, which was a shame because I was hoping Scroobius Pip was going to do an actual performance of some sort. Still the two acts that weren't DJs were very good and after a bit of reaching for the lasers in this tiny room of house and trip-hop (with a bit of drum and bass) it was time to call it a night. Well worth the £5 ticket price though, especially because I now have two new bands to keep an ear out for.

Get some High/Low - www.facebook.com/wearehighlow

And some FutureAges - www.futureages.com/

Undiscovered Live! Heat, Chinnery’s, Southend

Undiscovered Live! is a competition, there are heats and finals and all that but I can't find out anything about it online so I reviewed the bands I saw on Thursday 31st January 2013and ignored the poor marketing of the contest. 

This should be on Grapevine soon.

Thursday night and the seafront was quiet, fortunately I knew about a competition at Chinnery’s featuring four acts from various parts of Essex. I think it was called Undiscovered Live, apparently there have already been a couple of heats in Essex and tonight was another heat to find one band that will progress to the next stage of the competition.

I like Chinnery’s, over the years they have played host to some great bands, but tonight’s event wasn’t exactly well promoted. I didn’t know about it until one of the bands told me it was happening, but even they weren’t sure what was going on. But I’m not here to talk about the venue/competition’s online presence, I’m here to review some bands.

First up was a solo singer song writer type named Alex Fox.  Upon first hearing him I was impressed, with only a keyboard and a microphone Alex managed to perform some macabre songs that maintained the attentions of much of the audience. Vocally I’d immediately jump to Morrissey or Editors’ lead singer Tom Smith as a lazy description of Alex’s voice, but there was a uniqueness there that intrigued me and the occasional grin suggested he was enjoying himself. A couple of well worked covers including a simple staccato version of Wild Cherry’s ‘Play That Funky Music’ gave a break from the minor chords and sombre tones that Fox’s own pieces focused on. A nice bit of banter between songs kept the attendees on side as Alex came across as a nice guy doing what he likes to do. A good act to ease us in, but I didn’t know what the judges (whoever they were) were looking for so it was hard to tell if Alex had a chance of going to the next round, but I was impressed and look forward to hearing a bit more from Alex Fox in the future.

The second act was pop band Emy’s Parade. Key changes and upbeat tunes were in abundance as the four piece bopped through their set. With youthful enthusiasm from the lead singer keeping the happy pop vibe going but maybe the crowd wasn’t quite as up for it as the lead singer tried to get some crowd participation but it wasn’t really catching on, fair play for trying though. I’m guessing the likes of Avril Lavigne and Paramore are influences and like those influences Emy’s Parade’s songs were simple and a bit formulaic. The last chorus going up a key and the little break down sections before a crescendo ending are basic pop music 101 and they come across as a band wanting to have fun, which is fine by me. It was young and fun with all the associations that come with it; optimistic, confident but ultimately not mature or special enough to really wow me, a bit too much Radio 1 rather than the Radio 6 feel that is often expected at these kinds of gigs.

Calico were the third act on stage. I know Calico well, I’ve seen them many times over the past few years and although I know them I am always critical, probably more so tonight as this was supposed to be a competition. With no real following crowd to cheer them on, Calico had a room with about 30 potential new fans to convert. A strong start with a couple of jumping ska influenced tracks with some angst lined vocals and punchy rhythms. Calico are obviously a vocally led band, with two female lead singers, and there were many moments in the set that capitalised on that with some great harmonies ensuring Calico got their unique vocal style across. Some grungy power chords and almost ska-punk flourishes were well received but with limited banter between songs there were a couple of awkward quiet moments as guitars were swapped, which weakened the otherwise solid performance. Plenty of reverb and distortion with enough volume to match gave Calico the best chance of the evening so far, but there was one act left before finding out who won this heat.

A good following greeted The Ends, a bunch of lads having a bit of a laugh and there was a great energy on stage. Like early Arctic Monkeys without the social commentary, The Ends used their jangly guitar sound and splashy symbols to full effect. The laddish banter between songs matched the fast and loose sound that ran through the set. A few rhythm changes didn’t really deter from the simple shouty vocals that would suggest punk influences but the angst that one would associate with punk wasn’t there. A good fun band playing some good tracks and having the strongest following of the evening meant they got a bit of atmosphere in the crowd and even a sing along moment in their set. A very good way to finish the competition and after the uproarious finale it was time to announce a winner.

Apparently it was close, with the top three acts only having two points between them... But The Ends came out on top and go through to the next round, wherever that is, it’s difficult to find out anything about this Unsigned Live thing because there are a few competitions with similar names, but if I do find a link or something I will update this review, but for now here’s a few band links if you fancy finding out a bit about them.

Alex Fox – facebook.com/alexfox

Emy’s Parade – facebook.com/emysparade

Calico – facebook.com/calicox

The Ends - www.myspace.com/astheends

UPDATE: That Undiscovered competition does have a website, http://www.undiscovered.org.uk, and the final of the competition will be at Chinnery's... not sure when that is though.

Classic Rock Show @ Cliffs Pavilion, Southend

Classic Rock Show, Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Thursday 25^th January 2013

I got two free tickets (courtesy of Grapevine) to one of the best tribute bands in the country/world, Brit Floyd, but not on one of their usual Pink Floyd tribute tours, this time they were doing stuff by other bands like AC/DC, Springsteen, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Fleetwood Mac. So here's my review of The Classic Rock Show. (This review is also on GrapevineLive.co.uk)

At the risk of creating some sort of ‘ode to cover bands’ I am going to start this review with a personal belief... Cover bands are important. There are people that see the word ‘covers’ as a derogatory term, suggesting that a musician is somehow not very good because they choose to play songs previously recorded by others. However, without performances like Thursday night’s Classic Rock Show at the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff I would never had experienced some of the best songs ever recorded being played live by expert musicians with the production values to match.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to the Cliffs, but it wasn’t long before I was settled in for a huge set of Classic Rock tracks. I picked up my two complimentary tickets (courtesy of Grapevine) at the box office and it wasn’t long before my buddy and I were sitting in row G as the opening notes of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ chimed from the stage.

The set list was based around the ten biggest selling albums of all time so each song was going to be a favourite, but amongst the Back in Blacks and Money For Nothings that have been performed by many of the cover bands I have seen in the past there were some songs that very nearly surpassed the originals and are seldom heard in the pubs and clubs on a Saturday night. This is mostly because of the eleven singers and musicians in the show, with the line-up changing from song to song to give each track that unique and definitive sound, which is quite an achievement when the set list features so many different styles, like the simple heavy rock of AC/DC to the much more complicated ensemble required for ELO. Of course having that many talented individuals on stage can often be a double edged sword, yes you get the ability to perform complicated, multi-layered tracks live with two keyboards and three guitarists, but sometimes having that many instruments on stage at once can be too busy as each instrument competes against the other. Fortunately the level of professionalism on and off stage meant the sound was spot on for every song they played and that became apparent when the band played Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell (the full version, none of that radio edit nonsense) which received a rapturous applause as all eleven performers were on stage for the first time that evening.

The final performance of the first half was Comfortably Numb, from Pink Floyd’s The Wall album. I didn’t realise at first, but much of the band play in Brit Floyd, the Pink Floyd tribute band, and after seeing that performance of Comfortably Numb I would say I would very much like to see them as Brit Floyd. It was, without a doubt, the highlight of the evening. The extended guitar solo was epic and the whole theatre loved it.

A short break to reflect on the first half and the thing that seemed to intrigue me most was the production valOf course, finding out the band are mostly Brit Floyd explained why there was such a big production laid on for us but I was still amazed by the lighting, projections, roadies, musicians and number of guitars. It was a proper show for people (like me) that will probably never get to see the original artists performing live.

Second half was much like the first, brilliant. More excellent songs done excellently and even a quiet moment for Dire Straits’ Romeo and Juliet which, amid the bright lights and guitar solos of the other songs, gave everybody a chance to really appreciate the level of quality on stage as each little detail was performed to perfection, even ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky had all the effects and ELO-ness it required to sound as good as (if not better than) the original.  I’m sure by now you realise I enjoyed myself immensely.

The last song of the evening came in the form of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird, which had the whole ensemble on stage and had plenty of hand clapping and a few sing alongs in the crowd. Having two of the guitarists play ‘that’ solo,in unison, face to face, sounded great and was just another testimony to the quality of guitar playing up on stage. A huge applause followed the band as they left the stage and the applause kept going, morphing into a uniform beat and returning to full on applause as the band returned for an encore beginning with a cover, of a cover, Joe Cocker’s version of The Beatles’ ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’, then The Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ capped off a brilliant night of brilliant songs by a brilliant band.

Well, it wasn’t quite over as our complimentary tickets had an after party sticker enclosed, so after a bit of standing around awkwardly as the band wound down with their friends and family we had a short chat with one of the two lead singers (But it was only a short chat because I had work in the morning, such is my rock and roll lifestyle). He clearly likes what he does and is obviously appreciative of Brit Floyd and their promoters doing the tour, because without a good promoter these kinds of shows just can’t happen, which would be a great shame because it was a fantastic demonstration of just how good live music is, whether it be original songs or tried and tested classic rock tracks.

The Classic Rock Show is still on tour all over the country, more info and tickets can be found here >> http://www.theclassicrockshow.com/tour-dates