19/12/2006 JOANovARC (and a surprise discovery) @ the Purple Turtle

Subject	JOANovARC (and a surprise discovery) @ the Purple Turtle
PostedDate	12/19/2006
	Back to one of my most visited venues this year to see one of the bands I've seen the most times over the last couple of years.  JOANovARC were excellent as always and I'm running out of things to say about them. I'm constantly impressed how they manage to keep their shows fresh by adding new songs and by the sheer musical talent they display - I would have got bored of watching most bands in a fraction of the time, but these girls continue to amaze me.  I was thinking of going home after seeing JOANovARC as I'd never heard of the headline band. I had to get up early for work in the morning, and after just seeing a JOANovArc performance any other band is likely to seem dull in comparison anyway. I do usually stay on to check out bands I haven't heard of though - after all, I might as well get my money's worth if I paid to get in - and I've discovered some great bands that way. I wasn't encouraged to stay as I watched this band set up - they were dressed up like an indie band in jackets and ties - this wasn't looking good.  Their female singer looked like she was in another band as she was dressed more like an eighties rock singer or could maybe have been auditioning to join Planet Of Women? The band's choice of guitars looked looked more indie than rock and they weren't slung low in a rock 'n' roll style either. However, all my preconceptions were blown away the minute they started playing - this was very much a rock 'n' roll band! They didn't sound anything like they look - they really rocked! Sonically I was strongly reminded of Kings Of Leon and Jet - but only the hardest rocking songs of those bands. The vocals had a familiar ring to them too - in the singers voice rather than her style.  It was a while before I realised who her voice reminded me of so strongly, then I realised it was Jennifer from Young Heart Attack. I discovered that the band are called Mr Derry and they are from Birmingham, which is probably why I hadn't seen or heard of them before. I'll certainly be looking out for them again though.