30-04-11: Wires Faulty

The Red Lion, Gravesend.

Wires Faulty at The Red Lion.

Of course, not everything is meant to  be, and this night proved that. Unfortunately things did not work in the favour of Wires Faulty at the second weekend-fest of April. Firstly, they were once again NOT playing on the same day as the rest of my favourite "local" talent, and after taking to the [outside] stage, Wires Faulty were not greeted by the same welcoming crowd that has been seen throughout previous shows.

Being a relatively cold day, an outside stage, and the day growing later, they seemed to have been cheated out of what could have been another good performance. Had it been raining or heavy winds, I could have let it pass that the crowd lacked support. The weather was bearable to a certain degree so there was no reason why the people "watching" could not have ventured forward a little further, and given the band a little more confidence.

Bands feel a great responsibility to deliver for their audience, it becomes quite difficult to do so when said audience do not return the favour.

Sunday 24th April, 2011: The Ivys Big Weekend

Thirty-nine bands. Two days.

After a late night, and a collapsed boyfriend, I finally got to sleep. I knew Sunday would be a good day when walking through the alley early afternoon and hearing a cry of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” from female-fronted SiiDE-FX; one of five female-fronted acts to perform at The Ivy’s weekend. Disappointingly the only two songs I caught of SiiDE-FX were covers, Guns N Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Rosie”. With no disrespect to the band, as they were performed well, I couldn’t get a really feel for the band as an upcoming act. In hindsight, this was probably my fault for not being 15 minutes earlier. The day was in for a good start with more of a crowd present to see the first act play. I am fond of female-fronted acts and always excited when the opportunity to see another one play crops up. I found SiiDE-FX to have potential, though one guitarist was slightly out of sight but compensated for by the solo of the other.

The Pantomime Villains were the next act on; another young indie band, with a similar sound to some the bands that performed during Saturday’s line-up. The Pantomime Villains played two covers which I had never heard before, “Quicksand” and “Cheshire Cat Smile”, both by bands that remain unknown. Both songs suited the feel of the band, and sat nicely amongst the original tracks, had they not mentioned they were playing somebody else’s songs, I would have been none the wiser. Their general vibe was suitable for the sunny weather. Disregarding the fact we were in a darkened room, and at no point exposed to the sunshine, unless you took a trip outside, imagination was in order.

Another young indie band took to the stage, and they too played several covers, “Come Together” by The Beatles, and The Arctic Monkey’s “I Bet You Look Good On the Dance-floor”. The Thought Police explained they don’t particularly enjoy playing the second choice of cover material, but they find it fun. Which I guess is a viable reason to perform such a track, though I’m sure in the Arctic Monkeys back catalogue they could have found something both fun and more enjoyable to play. Even still The Thought Police had a youthful energy and a quirky style.

With The Fox Patrol I was expecting yet another indie band, but instead we were greeted to a young individual with another acoustic guitar. Again I thought I could see a pattern starting to develop, but this was not the case. I was blown away by Luke Jackson’s voice, and for the entire set it was not relevant that the rest of the band could not make the event. I later emailed Luke with a few questions about his choice to perform solo and the set-list. The decision to play was to avoid letting people down, and abandoning a slot that could not otherwise be filled. I found myself with a slight smile on my face when I read that The Fox Patrol is second to the solo project, due to living situations making it harder for the guys to perform live. Each song, bar two, are original solo songs; apart from “Hit the Road” which has beautifully crafted elements of existing songs to create a new arrangement.

Enthusiasm is shortly followed by disappointment.

I have a Confession[s] to make. I did not enjoy this band at all, hence the need to amuse myself with wordplay. Confessions must be doing something right as they had a small, but reasonable crowd for the time of day. “Vocals” were provided by Joe Wigg, and at one point another guy who initially I thought was a member of the crowd. Perhaps he was, who knows. For me, the harsh tendencies of the vocals overpowered the instrumental elements. The guitarist’s vocals worked better for their sound. The band did have a lot of energy, which is a good thing I guess?

Like many over the weekend, The Unanswered were a band I only caught sound of through passing. I strive to give bands I have not heard a chance, but with a similar sound to the previous ensemble I was uninterested. The vocals were moderately easier to understand, though it was not something I wanted to stay and be part of, the movement of each member reminded me of, believe it or not, synchronised swimmers, perfectly in time with each other, complete with matching facial expressions.

Now for something completely different…

“Are you watching Avenge Thee + Naime?” “Of course I am”.

These were the words heard in the minutes before the next act of the day. Another new band and an experience ahead of me, Avenge Thee + Naime took to the stage. Kind of.

Notorious for continuous experimentation and never playing on the designated stage, Avenge Thee + Naime caught my attention. The lack of guitarist (who is believed to have had an unchangeable work situation) and two drummers set face to face was an edgy move. Watching the drummers mirror each other with passion and the inability to sit still was really enjoyable as was the vocalist’s connection and drive to make the crowd part of the performance. They had a heavy and at times “dirty” sound. The energy of AT+N was compelling and their need to make a statement is interesting.

Unfortunately the large crowd of Avenge Thee + Naime dwindled, but it made Dirty Vibes appreciate those who stayed more. All I can say is that those who left missed out on some great local talent. Another good set and Kt-Jo gave it her all, despite suffering from a [viral?] throat infection. She’ll be pleased to know that although you could tell she didn’t want to put strain on her voice, it wasn’t directly obvious there was anything wrong. The rest of the band gave her the confidence she needed with their spirited energy. A friend of mine, and vocalist for Shatterpoint, was thoroughly impressed with the set of Dirty Vibes. He’ll be in for a treat when they’re back to the top of their game.

I am unsure who played after Dirty Vibes, but the next band we stayed to support were Then the Wave Came. Though I like to hear, or more so understand, the lyrical content of what I am listening to, Then the Wave Came do have some catchy riffs and I looked past the vocals to find myself tapping along. The lyrical content is, however, quite meaningful as I was informed after their set. This made me appreciate the band on another level. Stereotypically they could be screaming about anything, and you wouldn’t even know.

The time called for a break in the [disappearing] sunshine, and remarks of “we’ll go back in for Callous” were present among many.

Callous were off to a rocky start when technical difficulties proved a stress for their drummer. Fortunately for Callous, the crowd were supportive throughout the whole issue and did not tire of the wait. They seemed content with the rest of the band providing their own means of entertainment but it just so happened that the quickest way to resolve the technical matter was for Shatterpoint’s bassist, Sandy, to step in and endure the set sat in front of the bass drum.

Needless to say, the enthusiasm of Callous’ drummer, Mike, picked up enormously once the guys could really get their teeth into the set. And what can I say? They were one of the best acts at The Ivy Leaf’s Big Weekend. With technical riffs, the bassist’s lack of shoes and the band’s passion and commitment made it hard to tell whether the crowd fed off the bands energy, or vice versa. Either way, it made for an intimate performance. The sweat was dripping and the atmosphere was promising.

The crowd ventured to the main stage to see The James Cleaver Quintet play, but half the enthusiasm seemed to have been left behind. If I remember correctly, the crowd had to be asked to move closer to the stage and from this I could tell the favoured acts of the weekend. While The JCQ had a lot of energy there was nothing particularly enticing for me and I took that time to wait for one of my favourite acts to set up: Shatterpoint.

Now apparently, if you like Elvis then you’ll like Shatterpoint.

These were the words conjured from the alcohol influenced mind of my boyfriend. I would instead say that if you like sweat and emotion you will like Shatterpoint. There was no doubt that Shatterpoint were well received by the crowd and they also outdid any previous performances I have ever seen. A mention must also be given to the entertaining Quo-esque’s similtaneous movements of the guitarist and bassist. Then with 5 minutes left of their set, and in defiant rock n roll tradition, Shatterpoint played a 9 minute song. In about 5 minutes. This particular number, “Falling Away”, was performed with Ben [Then the Wave Came]. During a Shatterpoint practice earlier that week, I saw the guys endlessly rehearse this arrangement in order for it to be note perfect for Sunday’s performance. Suspense is built within the track, as the pace increases half way through and that’s when the strength of the vocals come through. Ben noted he had a lot of fun playing this track, and it is now one of my favourites. You can connect to the song and undeniably hear the emotion in the vocals.

The words “get involved” were my cue to leave during Seven Year Kismet’s set. As a relatively small female at the front of a crowd where even the vocalist’s hair amounts to more than my being, I didn’t exactly feel safe. The large crowd SYK drew in was not going to work well with me caught amidst the “pit”, that I imagine inevitably formed. The band were loud and heavy, but I enjoyed them. Where Confessions fell, Seven Year Kismet excelled. I did not leave because I wasn’t enjoying the Kismet set; I left so that I would be able to write about it afterwards. Having been a band for a while, they have an unmistakable popularity which saw energy and excitement being thrown about.

The same energy and excitement was present when One Day Elliott took to the second stage. Having last seen the band play more than 2years ago when The Wyvern Hall in Sittingbourne was a functioning music venue, I was also excited about this performance. The suspense was built with the classicaly inspired [recorded] intro but once they kicked in, hard beats and repetitive riffs were at the ready. The vocals finally came through and secured everything in place. From the response of the crowd you would have thought that nobody had seen One Day Elliott play in about two years. Again the lyrics were fed back word for word, and a “welcome back” seemed in order. With my heart pounding and bones shaking I knew sitting next to the mass of monitors and speakers was probably not a good idea but I wanted to see firsthand the extent to which ODE made an impact on the crowd.

The impact was close to being “goose-bump worthy”, if that’s even a term. With minutes to spare, the guys of One Day Elliott reminded the crowd the headlining act, Tyrannosaurus Alan, would only play if the crowd remained excitable. Needless to say they did.

The energy was high, the brass instruments were out, and the dancing shoes were on.

Tyrannosaurus Alan are extremely popular, and it seems almost ironic that I had not seen either of the headlining acts perform until this weekend. I questioned whether I had been missing out, and in all honesty I thoroughly enjoyed the set, but not in a way that made me regret not catching them live before. Having said this, I can’t find a bad word to say about T-Alan – the crowd said it all. While they are not everybody’s cup of tea, their experimental tendencies and catchy sound proved they are a lot of fun. There was a lot going on, what with the dancing and the jumping, and the building of human pyramids. The crowd were eating out of their hands, and the enthusiasm was to the max.

The same again next year?

Saturday 23rd April, 2011: The Ivys Big Weekend

Thirty-nine bands, two days.

Sunshine, a camera, the flowing of alcohol amongst friends and the return of some local favourites. What more could a girl ask for?

Well perhaps the stated amount of bands would be a start; initially I counted forty bands on the venues list, one different I know, but after arriving at The Ivy Leaf just before 3 in the afternoon on the Saturday and catching the last song performed by Silver Foxes, a female fronted indie act who were supposed to be playing at 1 o’clock, I was a little unsure as to how smoothly things were running and how the event would progress.

Thankfully, the day progressed well. Firstly, I caught the majority of the set of a 3 piece indie band from Cheltenham. It was the last day of Swift Manouver’s tour and unfortunately there was a lack of crowd due to it still being fairly early in the day. Swift Manouver had a catchy, Arctic Monkey’s feel to them, and while they briefly engaged with the crowd, they seemed stiff in some aspects of their performance.

With two days ahead, there was something for everybody, but there was one band that provided something for everybody on their own, Electric River. Giving a punky edge to rock n roll, fuelled with passion and energy, Electric River gave a live performance to be remembered. The percussion element made for an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable set. However, a larger crowd would have heightened the intensity of the energy. Had Electric River been further up the bill, this would have been realised. But you win some and you lose some.

This was apparent with many of the acts during Saturday’s line up; Fish Tank, Paul L, Robot is Stupid and Master Jet to name a few. Fish Tank were a 3 piece clad in interesting outfits, with a crowd of guys that looked relatively the same. Now I’m not one to be judgemental, but I did find myself tiring of their performance. There was a lack of movement and expression, particularly within the “heavier” aspects of their set that could have done with something a little extra. Paul L was a one man acoustic act that I am on the fence with. While I am partial to an acoustic set, and this act provided some “family entertainment” with even small children in the audience, I do find acoustic performances often lack in variety and effect. Though Mr. L did swap to a ukulele for part of his set but informed us the last time he played said ukulele was for a job interview that I do not think went well…A delightful, electronic styled piece saw the return of a vocalist who has otherwise been known to perform singularly. Upon this return, he bought with him two other guys, and together they formed Robot is Stupid. With their repetitive tunes, that for some reason drew you in, Robot is Stupid had quite a vast audience. The same can unfortunately not be said about Master Jet. All that seemed apparent with this act was a reasonably young guy, crouched on the floor with what I believe were pedals of some kind, making excruciating sound. I am not really sure I understood what was going on but I hoped something interesting would develop. The only thing that developed was the dispersing of the crowd.

At this point, I decided to venture to the main stage and wait for the next band to finish setting up.

Yamaharahara: now there’s the band I was excited to see before I even knew what was in store. They were female fronted, fast, loud and at times, heavy with A LOT of energy being thrown about. The electronic tendencies eventually enticed a crowd, and they were exciting to photograph. 

I found the same excitement in acoustic duo, Damsel. Damsel is simply a girl with an acoustic guitar, and a guy with a wooden box. They had a different approach to making music, the edge that acoustic acts often need. They proved it can work, and their carefree, hippy style was likeable.

The expectation to be larger than life was clearly not apparent with the vocalist of United We Fall. With a predominantly female audience, the general sound was catchy but the vocals lacked something, perhaps the sense of working with the rest of the band? As a front-man, he looked out of place with his band, especially when compared to the guitarists’ mass of hair and the indie vibe I got from the styling of the rest of the band.

Inevitably, there were a number of acts across the weekend that I was not interested in. United We Fall being one of those, with LOWD and The Baron von Marlon being another two. At the best of times I am not a fan of the punk movement, and having seen LOWD empty a venue on a previous occasion, I did not see fit to put myself through another set of theirs. The Baron von Marlon however, we stayed to watch. I am still on the fence with the one man acoustic act, apart from James Doyle [who did not play at The Ivy Leaf’s weekend, but I thought should have a quick mention]. There was a familiarity to the sound of The Baron that the audience apparently liked. Likewise, the audience was similarly taken with Bareface. With their interesting mix of heavy riffs, electronic sounds and repetitive vocals; Bareface gave an energetic performance to please the crowd. However, I do find them to be reflective of many bands starting to appear in Kerrang. It is unfair to single Bareface out as many of the bands on the local scene, and still well known bands, have tendencies to do things because it has worked so well for others. Accompanying this, Kerrang nowadays has its own tendency to hail most “new” acts as being the “next best things”; please go back to how you were in the 80s. Thanks.

You must remember that anything I say is my opinion only, and I do not intend to insult or indirectly persuade. Having said this, we must acknowledge that the fun began when Tank Trap came out to play. They know they’re good, and they were one of the best bands that night. Tank Trap have the right attitude, they do not come across as being cocky and they are not trying to be something they are not. A debate amongst friends caused the question of who they are most like: Rage Against the Machine or The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Some interesting names spawned from that discussion, but Tank Trap have a range of distinctive styles, a good vibe, an undeniable energy and compulsively pleasing to watch, notably when vocalist Ian Day produces a harmonica. ALWAYS a show favourite and will remind me of the time I saw Black Stone Cherry at Brixton Academy, but that is a different story.

This undeniable energy was certainly followed and exceeded by one of Sheerness’ finest, Wires Faulty. It is safe to say that they have outdone themselves to date, and even the crowd were sweating after their performance. Wires Faulty are always full of energy and know how to get the crowd moving. With the 6+ monitors on the main stage, they had the best sound they’ve had in a while. Though crowd interaction is not a regular trait of the boys, to compensate, there was a definitive focus on their playing, and it worked for them. The way in which bassist, Chris Redman-Holland went straight into “Hit the Ground” with no introduction, gave that opening riff its well deserved edge and recognition.

I asked myself “How are The Kairs going to follow on from Wires Faulty performance”?

With a catchy vibe no less. Now the music of The Kairs is not something I would ordinarily be drawn to, but I could not ignore the fact they had a crowd well on its way to match that of Wires Faulty. The Kairs are fun and full of adolescent energy. They have a seemingly generic sound but are enjoyable nonetheless, and you cannot help but tap along to the beat.

Now, “Let’s f***ing have it!”

Words courteous of Saturday’s headlining act, Floors and Walls. A band with so much hype, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Until this point, I had never heard of Floors and Walls, but judging by the crowd (one that left me with no room to move), they must be good. They had one of the most enthusiastic crowds yet, with even members of other acts that night enjoying the atmosphere. Floors and Walls are VERY catchy, and since Saturday night I have found them playing over in my head at various moments of my day. The vocals should have sounded out of place in comparison to the rest of the band, but strangely, it worked. I’m not sure how they pulled it off, but they did. The way they fed off the crowd’s energy and the crowd’s return of lyrics word for word, proved this. Floors and Walls seem repetitive at times, but with an essence of freshness, which is an odd combination. You can almost predict what was going to happen next, but it’s hard to turn away.

Floors and Walls “came to destroy”.