Post by limur on Nov 14, 2005 18:58:03 GMT
New School Of Rock Tour - Rock City - Nottingham - 12 November 2005
After planning out meeting point at the Tap and Tumbler for 8:00 our plans were thrown into initial disarray by finding out that the first band was to appear at that time. This meant bringing the meet forward by half an hour to give us time for a pre-gig warm up drink.
Finding the bus stop empty was the second problem as the timetables had changed (again) and we were left standing at the stop for 20 minutes. You don’t want to hear me rant on about public transport for hours so, suffice to say that when the bus eventually came, it was closely followed by another one who’s driver obviously wanted to go home early and we had to wait while all his passengers were forcibly evicted from that bus on to ours and we were packed in like cattle for our twenty minute journey of hell into town.
The Tap proved a great choice of meeting place with the loud pumping rock music easily getting us in the mood for the gig to come. After playing spot the tune you recognise for twenty minutes (and coming out with a total of two - showing my age here) we ventured up to Rock City for the first band.
Our timing was brilliant. We’d just got the first cans of Red Stripe in when the first band appeared.
Lost Alone are a three piece made up of Mark Gibson (drums and vocals), Steven Battelle (vocals and guitar) and Tom Kitchen (bass and vocals) who provided and opening act full of energy and power. With their matching black hair the band reminded me of a negative version of the wonderful Birdland who had a brief career as speed-indie-rock kids in the late eighties/early nineties. The band’s energy certainly matched Birdlands, although the music was far from indie with some delicious riffs and one particular number which featured a particularly good chugga-chugga running through it.
They looked like they were having a thoroughly wonderful time and I was particularly impressed with the drummer (and drummers never impress me).
With barely a pause between numbers, except for a brief “Thank you” at the end we were whipped through a brief set that contained “Blood Is Sharp” (the soon to be released single), “Flower”, “Execute”, “Gospel”, “Make Me Rhyme”, “Long Awaited Melody” and the last number “Music And Warm Bodies”.
The lead guitar and vocalist made the most of the stage swinging the guitar around and bouncing all over the stage and the bassist was far from motionless as well, banging his head along to the beat.
During the second to last number the vocalist got into a conversation with a very drunk chap in the audience. We weren’t let in on what it was all about, but the next song was dedicated to “My new found best friend in the crowd, who thinks he’s a comedian”. A nice put down.
They left the stage to applause from the crowd and I found myself quite disappointed that the set was so short, but I suppose that’s what happens when you’re the first band of the night.
I’m still not sure what the bald chap hiding at the rear corner of the stage was doing. We initially thought he was a shy keyboard player, but eventually decided that he was the guitar roadie and general plectrum and random guitar bit catcher as he certainly caught a few bits and pieces chucked at him by the guitarist during the course of the set.
It was now time for another can of Red Stripe.
(over to you Simon...)
After planning out meeting point at the Tap and Tumbler for 8:00 our plans were thrown into initial disarray by finding out that the first band was to appear at that time. This meant bringing the meet forward by half an hour to give us time for a pre-gig warm up drink.
Finding the bus stop empty was the second problem as the timetables had changed (again) and we were left standing at the stop for 20 minutes. You don’t want to hear me rant on about public transport for hours so, suffice to say that when the bus eventually came, it was closely followed by another one who’s driver obviously wanted to go home early and we had to wait while all his passengers were forcibly evicted from that bus on to ours and we were packed in like cattle for our twenty minute journey of hell into town.
The Tap proved a great choice of meeting place with the loud pumping rock music easily getting us in the mood for the gig to come. After playing spot the tune you recognise for twenty minutes (and coming out with a total of two - showing my age here) we ventured up to Rock City for the first band.
Our timing was brilliant. We’d just got the first cans of Red Stripe in when the first band appeared.
Lost Alone are a three piece made up of Mark Gibson (drums and vocals), Steven Battelle (vocals and guitar) and Tom Kitchen (bass and vocals) who provided and opening act full of energy and power. With their matching black hair the band reminded me of a negative version of the wonderful Birdland who had a brief career as speed-indie-rock kids in the late eighties/early nineties. The band’s energy certainly matched Birdlands, although the music was far from indie with some delicious riffs and one particular number which featured a particularly good chugga-chugga running through it.
They looked like they were having a thoroughly wonderful time and I was particularly impressed with the drummer (and drummers never impress me).
With barely a pause between numbers, except for a brief “Thank you” at the end we were whipped through a brief set that contained “Blood Is Sharp” (the soon to be released single), “Flower”, “Execute”, “Gospel”, “Make Me Rhyme”, “Long Awaited Melody” and the last number “Music And Warm Bodies”.
The lead guitar and vocalist made the most of the stage swinging the guitar around and bouncing all over the stage and the bassist was far from motionless as well, banging his head along to the beat.
During the second to last number the vocalist got into a conversation with a very drunk chap in the audience. We weren’t let in on what it was all about, but the next song was dedicated to “My new found best friend in the crowd, who thinks he’s a comedian”. A nice put down.
They left the stage to applause from the crowd and I found myself quite disappointed that the set was so short, but I suppose that’s what happens when you’re the first band of the night.
I’m still not sure what the bald chap hiding at the rear corner of the stage was doing. We initially thought he was a shy keyboard player, but eventually decided that he was the guitar roadie and general plectrum and random guitar bit catcher as he certainly caught a few bits and pieces chucked at him by the guitarist during the course of the set.
It was now time for another can of Red Stripe.
(over to you Simon...)
