All Sorted Gig Review - featuring The Fuzz, The Pilots, GST Cardinals, Angry vs The Bear & The Vegas Fame Index!

Fridays in my opinion are up there in the top greatest days of the week – all your mid-week work almost finished and the anticipation of what the weekend has to hold flashing through your mind! So I’m already buzzing, but with the invite to go along to a 5 band gig at B2 that night meant I’d gone from buzzing to bouncing on this particular Friday afternoon . . . . .

It was my first time at B2 and I was pleasantly surprised – a nice intimate venue with a great stage set-up. I guess the size and the excellent sound was partly responsible for my slightly unbalanced feeling all of the following day, but that is what gigging is all about and I’m sure the fact that I watched the entire gig from the front of the room (speakers in cuddling distance) and chose to sample a few of the beers on offer at the bar had a little to do with it too. Note to self, pick up some subtle earplugs for next time (i.e. not a pair of nice big yellow foam ones I used to have to wear when watching my Dad go Clay Pigeon shooting as a kid – not a good look!)

The Fuzz

So the gig kicked off with The Fuzz . . . having been to many gigs in my time I was partially prepared for a couple of the five bands to be much less polished than the headliners (TVFI), but on came the five members of The Fuzz and they performed like true professionals! I’ve heard one of their tracks (Turn a Page) in their lounge on wohomusic and it’s great, but live they are even better. Their first track was ‘Soulmate’ – a heavy beat carrying an almost Soul like feel to it, which I guess would explain the title and with Jack Haynes doing a sterling job on the saxophone. I’d say everyone watching was blown away instantaneously with these guys. Visually we were all intrigued by the band as soon as they were on stage as Jack, along with Ash and Jordan Woolnough were sporting the most amazing afro hairstyles. Is this why they are called The Fuzz? I’m not sure but will ask the question when we interview them sometime soon! Another track that they played about mid way through their set that stuck out in my mind was ‘Solitaire’ – drummer, Mikey Shaw, stepped up at this point and the beat totally changed moving towards more of a Funk style. The rest of their performance didn’t alter in quality and throughout the remainder of the set the amazing drum fills, fantastic guitar solos, the depth and energy portrayed by Bass Player Nathan Hunt and Ash’s vocals, which were reminiscent of The Arctic Monkeys and in places The Kooks, proved to thoroughly entertain those watching. All I can say is what a shame for the people that didn’t arrive until after The Fuzz played, as they totally missed out. My advice - look out for their next gig and make sure you get yourself along to it!

The Pilots

Next up were The Pilots, a four piece Indie band based in Norwich. They’re made up of Sam, Muff, Dubbsy and Macky. Sam is the lead singer who certainly looked the part (with a style similar to that of Richard Ashcroft) and when the music kicked in once again everyone watching them seemed captivated with their impressive set. The confident persona of Sam drew me in immediately and their first song ‘Feel Like Letting Go’ was monstrous with the Bass drums running right through us at the front of the stage. The guys played a new track of theirs ‘Pinstripe’ that they were due to record in the studio the following day which went down an absolute storm. Can’t wait for the recorded version to be added to their lounge on here so I can add it to my playlist – look out for it as I’m sure we’ll be able to hear it very soon! My personal favourite though had to be ‘What you Don’t Know’ – maybe because I knew the words from listening to it on here before, but that certainly doesn’t take anything away from it being an absolutely cracking tune. The lyrics for alot of their songs were intriguing, but I’ll let you listen to see what you make of them as I wouldn’t like to taint your view with my interpretations. Their set finished with ‘So High’, which initially reminded me a little of T Rex and then switched into a slightly heavier rendition which definitely left me wanting more . . .
Then to top it off we chatted to Sam afterwards and what a top guy he is, which makes their music all the more influential in my humble opinion. Keep your eyes peeled for an interview with The Pilots which we will be featuring in the near future.

GST Cardinals

The third act to entertain us were GST Cardinals – a 5 piece Rock & Roll band from Hull who are signed to Cranky Girl Records. Just so you know GST stands for ‘God Save The’ and after their performance I’m sure God was just around the corner to look after them, or perhaps not? Dave on lead vocals was the most enigmatic frontman I’ve watched since Pete Doherty in The Babyshambles at Glastonbury in 2005. If the raw and explosive sound wasn’t enough to captivate the growing crowd then Dave certainly did an impressive job of engaging those not completely absorbed yet, by swinging from the light bars overhead, throwing the remainder of his pint over Ollie, the drummer, and then coming down from the stage and catching me off-guard, whilst taking notes for my review, and pulling me up to dance with him, which of course I obliged – what’s a girl to do? It’s all part of the job! In between these energetic rushes most other tracks were accompanied by less frantic actions and we were visually enthralled by crazy dancing, the mic stand being swung around and the Crash cymbal falling to the floor! This sounds hectic and I guess in some ways it was but music is all about entertainment and these guys certainly managed that. In addition to all of the balmy theatrics these guys played some fantastic music – really up-beat and racy to suit the overall mood of their set. Super strong vocals and an awesome group collectively – definitely one to watch!

Angry VS The Bear

On fourth was Angry vs The Bear. A 4 piece electric-pop punk outfit who were refreshingly individual in their image and sound. The hairstyles of Darren, Patrick and Ross were awesome – how much hairspray do you get through boys?! Alongside them Mitzi Fox, the lead singer, didn’t disappoint with her funky punk style and 80’s outfit of a t.shirt dress, chic shiny black leggings and an equally prevailing hairdo to the guys. So visually they certainly drew us all in and as soon as they started playing I was mesmerised, as seemed the rest of the crowd as they’d all taken an enticed step forward as if hypnotised by Mitzi’s magnetic charm. She certainly didn’t depict the stereotypical ‘Mum would love you’ kind of character and my guess is that was all part of her pizzazz for those spellbound in the audience. Musically these guys were out there, with Mitzi’s similarities to Hazel O’Connor and Debbie Harry plus the energy demonstrated by the whole group it was impossible to not relish them. Rather than sporting a guitar Patrick was rocking with a retro shoulder Synthesizer and Darren and Mitzi too both had their own Synths which played a major part in the entire experience. On the drums Ross did a sterling job of maintaining a flawless beat, keeping us all bopping in time throughout the set. Overall Angry vs The Bear were incredible and I thank them for the time warp experience – it’s fair to say I’m chomping at the bit to see them again soon!

The Vegas Fame Index

Last but certainly not least we were thoroughly entertained by The Vegas Fame Index. Si, Malc and Kev were their usual compelling selves and their set went down a storm. The Indie Rockers have been a group for about two years but gel as if they’ve been together for much longer. Their performance was tight and as soon as they were on stage the entire audience moved right to the front of the room, and past caring about burst eardrums at this stage I was there with them! Totally absorbed in the guys passion we were all lapping up their expert presence. Si, in his statement red shirt was so into his performance that he almost spent as much time on his knees as he did on his feet! With sweat pouring off of him and a huge smile across his face Si displayed himself as an aspiring frontman from start to finish. A favourite track of mine had to be ‘Shot of You’ – the guitars immediately make me want to start bouncing, so I ended the night as I started and even as I write this review I’m glowing with the memory of how this particular track makes me feel. These guys get better each time I see them and if you haven’t been lucky enough to check them out yet don’t leave it too late, as in my opinion they are going places!

I’d like to thank Dudley from ‘All Sorted!?!’ for putting together a spectacular line up – great work and when’s the next one?!

The Kabeedies with support

Bands:        The Kabeedies, Ed Sheeran, Vanilla Kick (These Ghosts) & The Loyal Few
Gig Venue:  The Waterfront
Date:           October 2009

I hadn’t been to The Waterfront for a while and as soon as I walked in, during The Kabeedies sound check, all of my fond memories of this venue came flooding back. It seemed bigger than I remember, probably due to the fact that there was only us, the sound guys and a couple of the evenings bands in the room. When we came back later (after I’d interviewed Fab and Roary from The Kabeedies and stopped off for a quick bite to eat across the river) it already seemed more modest in size with the dance floor already about a quarter full, neatly furnished with an audience whose majority was made up of spritely teenagers. Debs and I wondered if we’d missed something when one particular girl stood in front of us wearing a backless sparkly dress with her dull white bra showing right the way across her back. I probably wouldn’t usually notice something like this but I was struggling to take any notes once the lights went down and the glare of her light bra helped for a second!

Ed Sheeran

Just as we were taking a ‘breath of fresh air’, catching up with a couple of the regular local gig supporters and spreading the woho word, the music started and on came Ed Sheeran, an 18 year old singer-songwriter, based in both London and his home town, Framlingham in Suffolk. It wasn’t until after the gig that I realised Ed won the East Anglian ‘Next Big Thing’ competition in 2008 and has quite a following from this and his regular gigging routine, which takes him all over the UK. When I heard he was playing I wasn’t sure what to expect as hadn’t actually listened to or seen anything by him before . . . I find often the best way is to have a totally open mind when watching a singer / band for the first time as your mind is free from any preconceptions. Well, I have to say this kid blew me away! I’ve never seen anyone perform like him and his truly unique style was very impressionable – one track and I was hooked! Visually he was your typical boy next door, dressed in jumper, jeans and trainers – hair ruffled and a smile that will hopefully never abandon him, which without doubt added to his charm, especially for the multitude of fledgling fans watching him in awe.

So what makes Ed Sheeran so commanding? For me it was how he accomplished so much more than the average performer to entertain the crowd. He blends acoustic and folk music cleverly with hip hop beats, using a second mic to record a backing track which he sings and plays the guitar to, astutely creating a sound that if you had your eyes closed you would not believe it was fabricated by just one musician, live! The backing tracks he recorded on stage were inclusive of some beat box tricks and then some short harmonies, each one working as cleverly as the next. One of my favourite tracks he played that night was ‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need You’ – vocally similar to Luke Pritchard of The Kooks in parts with a cockney twang to his voice, but this was just occasional so don’t think he was mimicking anyone else for a second as Ed definitely has the style of Ed! I also felt at one point there was a bit of a Reggae thing going on, but it stopped as quickly as it started so I couldn’t tell whether it had actually happened or whether I was just in la la land! Either way, I liked it. Throughout his quirky set Ed never stood still – he danced around, kicking his feet about to accentuate the fun he was clearly having on stage. At times his echoing folk style vocals reminded me of a male Tracy Chapman and as a huge TC fan I’d love to see these two doing a track together – and as the youths of today say I reckon it would be ‘Sick!’ – this does mean good doesn’t it? Got to see this guy again soon and luckily for me he’s playing in Norwich again on the 8th November at the UEA’s Next Big Thing for a rendition performance after his triumphant win last year.

Vanilla Kick (now Thee Ghosts)

Next up were a favourite band of mine and the rest of the Wohomusic team, 'Vanilla Kick'. Calum, Nick and Harry hit the stage in darkness and the first song embarked with us focusing on silhouettes of the boys through flashes of the atmospheric blue lights and an abundant drum beat, very typical of VK’s explosive gig openers. Within seconds of Calum's haunting vocals echoing around the room we were all rocking along with these guys and secretly I was wondering why they haven’t been signed yet as they really are a fantastic band and one of the best I’ve seen for a long while. That’s not taking anything away from all the other great artists I’ve seen, it’s just that this trio in my opinion are a cut above the rest and that includes alot of world famous bands too. Harry's drumming throughout the first track and others during their set was so intense that I could literally feel it thundering through my chest and into my throat. The feeling this delivers is indescribable so the only way to experience it if you haven’t already is to go and see these guys and take it in for yourself.

During the time VK were on stage we were treated to an array of instruments to keep us enthralled – the glockenspiel, synth, keyboards and a stunning upright bass, played superbly by Nick. The Waterfronts lighting is a fantastic addition to what was a terrific performance, each track suitably lit by a fitting colour every time. The whole set up was spine chilling and definitely gave me goose bumps. Every effort was made by the Vanilla Kick boys to perform to their best ability, which was obvious by the sweat dripping from them when only a few tracks into the set. Vanilla Kick are a must see band, so get in there whilst the tickets are still cheap!!

The Loyal Few

On just prior to the headliners of the evening were 'The Loyal Few' – a four piece band, consisting of Greg, Matthew, Stuart and Tim. Again I didn’t know much about these guys and was quite surprised when I heard the first of Greg Hacketts vocals, as I have to admit I thought they would probably be another stereotypical indie band. However it turned out that they had much more of a pop / rock sound that you don’t often hear on the unsigned gig scene. My immediate thoughts were that there were definite similarities between them and the likes of Mcfly, both musically and the fact that there were alot of turned up jeans, checked shirts and converse on the stage! Their music is clearly popular with the younger crowd and it didn’t take much persuasion from Greg initially to get everyone moving to their tunes! What certainly helped was their first track ‘Adventures’ - as soon as they started playing there was instant energy both on and off stage. Admittedly this did dampen after a couple of tracks though but throughout the set if the crowd started to look a little weary Greg did his best to rouse them by getting them to join in by clapping and although at times a little unresponsive he just carried on and after a while the whole bands enthusiasm was clearly becoming infectious and those who before looked ready for bed woke up and gave The Loyal Few the support their efforts deserved.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone sweat as much as Greg was – by the fourth song it was dripping from his face, whilst he just continued to give it his all proving he is a true performer. For me musically this band got better further into their set and by the end I could have happily listened to a few more tracks. My personal favourite was ‘Sarah’ as it was an easy sing along, even if you’d never heard it before and it’s definitely worth a listen. Their set was wrapped up with a much more chilled track, but unfortunately I didn’t catch the name of it. The vocals were a slightly weaker version of James Walsh’s from Starsailor, so quite a change from what we’d heard from them before. The drums and guitars all slowed bringing the song to a close and creating an admirable atmospheric ending to their slot – mission accomplished!

The Kabeedies

Finally headliners ‘The Kabeedies’ came on and at this point there was substantial hustle going on from within the crowd, in some cases it was apparent this was due to the amount of times the bar had been visited, especially the guy who stumbled across me, spilling his beer as he went and positioned himself between us and the stage – this would add to the entertainment for the next hour! The music started and we were still in darkness, watching the silhouette of Katie, the lead singer, dancing along to the beat of the music shaped by the lads, Evan, Fab and Roary.

Throughout the first track, ‘Little Brains’ both Katie and Evan on guitar were really giving it their all, seemingly impersonating the familiar Billy Elliot style dancing! Personally ‘Little Brains’ is my favourite Kabeedies song and I think this is where Katie comes into her own, with the joint vocals from Roary and Evan working exceptionally well. Unfortunately for me playing this song first proved to be a hard act to follow and vocally it didn’t get better than this, so I was left feeling like something was missing after that. Perhaps my sights had been set too high by such a great number to start with? Whilst Katie was doing her thing, screaming and bellowing at regular intervals through a majority of the songs, the boys at the front tended to carry the vocals, both of whom have great voices with an occasional ‘Kooks’ sound coming across (what is with The Kooks sound tonight?, not that I’m complaining as I’m a big fan!). Performance wise, all four of the band members absolutely gave it their all and at times it was full on theatrics with balloons, confetti and a toy pink guitar being tossed into the crowd and between Katie mopping her lipstick from around her face and getting the crowd involved by dancing and singing along she also treated the boys in the crowd with plenty of seductive moves. With her leaning so far backwards in a particlarly short 80’s style dress it didn’t leave much to the imagination though and as our new beer induced friend loudly pointed out to his mates ‘I can see her ******!’ Whoops, might want to rethink that outfit next time Katie?

A completely unexpected ending to the evening was when Vanilla Kick jumped back on stage and joined The Kabeedies for an encore, starting off with all seven of them giving us a roaring drumming session and then all joining together again for a brilliant cover of ‘Monster Mash’ and surprisingly enough lead vocals were a singing debut by Fab, (The Kabeedies drummer) dedicated to his Mum I think? – amazing and what a finish!!