9/2/2007 Fables Last Stand @ the Hope & Anchor

Subject	Fables Last Stand @ the Hope & Anchor
PostedDate	2/10/2007
	This is a band some of you would really like!  I first saw Newcastle lads Fables Last Stand at Bar Monsta in January with Vamps 'N' Gypsies. Unfortunately, Fables went on so early that night that I only caught the last song or two, but I heard enough to make me want to catch their full set. I got the chance at Islington's Hope & Anchor - now improved downstairs with a relocated and larger bar and some extra room. Another thing I like about the Hope & Anchor - Newcastle Brown is only £2.50 a bottle - that's a lot cheaper than any other London music venue! This band might hail from the same area as Newcastle's famous sons the Quireboys, but this lot are heavier and harder sounding. Nothing like the town's other famous sons the Wildhearts though - less punk and metal and more straight ahead ROCK. They have same look and attitude of many of the bands regularly seen on London's 'sleaze' scene, but like Vamps 'N' Gypsies this band have a couple of things that make them stand out from the other bands on the circuit - they actually have some good songs, and they have a singer who can sing really well as opposed to the usual screaming and shouting. I really appreciate these things a lot - the singers of many of the other bands doing this sort of thing are painful to listen to! It's nice to hear some decent actual songs too - 'Bite The Hook' and 'Road Religion' on Fables single (hear them on MySpace) are top quality stuff - excellent playing and singing, good sound, tunes, some good riffing and all round class act. The band are good live - these guys know what they are doing, and they do it well. They manage to look good while they do it too, with the lead guitarist having a bit of a 'Pirates Of The Caribean' look which the girls are likely to dig, while the singer definitely has a bit of a Bon Scott thing going on although he doesn't try to sound like him. This was the last gig of the band's short tour to promote their 'Bite The Hook' single and only their third time playing in London, but you can expect to see them back in the smoke in a few months time as another tour is being planned - I recommend catching them then if you can.