16/8/2007 Honeykill in Ipswich

Subject	Honeykill in Ipswich
PostedDate	8/16/2007 8:21:00 AM
	An interesting adventure out towards the Suffolk coast. A navigation error sends us past Ipswich towards Martlesham Heath, before a course correction lands us at The Railway. 'Suffolk's No 1 venue' (so it claims) looks quite large and impressive as you are 'on finals'. On arrival we find there are four or five acts booked to play tonight including Honeykill. Only two of them (not including Honeykill) get time for a soundcheck.  Only it's not a proper soundcheck - it's just the landlady making sure everyone is going to play quietly.  Apparently, there have been noise complaints to the council. The bands who actually get to 'soundcheck' are made to play so quietly that you can hardly hear anything apart from the drums... Our heroes and heroines don't appear too worried. What I find worrying that that 'Suffolk's No1 venue' not only has no proper stage, just a not very large raised area in a corner - but also appears to have no soundproofing whatsoever!  As the mighty Girlschool played here recently, it's not surprising they've had noise complaints! Interestingly, I note they have a Pantera tribute band booked to play here soon - are they going to ask them to turn down?  If this is the county's number one music venue - what are the rest of them like? I'd be quite happy if this was my local pub, but as a proper music venue it just doesn't cut the mustard. However, it is quite nice as an actual pub and the beer is good - a nice relaxing place to hang around in the hours before showtime. The delightful Tish (an Amy Winehouse lookalike according to a drunk woman in Camden who thought she was the real thing!) has a nasty burn on her arm. Of course, this is a proper 'rock 'n' roll injury' - no mere paper cuts for this metal maiden! At the band's last show (alegedly) Tish was standing in the wrong place when the pyro went off - just like James Hetfield once did - that's how 'metal' Tish is.  As her burning bass guitar flew through the air it hit Jimi's precious Vox amp - impaling itself though the circuit board and shattering the red hot power valves - a hot piece of glass from which landed on the unfortunate Tish's arm causing aforementioned rock 'n' roll injury! Showtime approaches and 'Suffolk's No 1 venue' starts to liven up a bit. Tish announces that her burn has 'burst'. Lovely. The first band take to the stage - a German crew who's name escape's me. Apparently they are on some sort of 'toilet tour' of the UK and are no doubt pleased to be playing the county's number one venue. They are forced by the pub managment to play so quietly that the drums drown everthing else out. They seem to play well though, as far as one can tell in the circumstances.  They finish their set by asking "Do you want a German song or and English song?" The overwhelming response is for a 'German song' so they play another one of their own - it turns out to be a bit of a rocker and is the best song in their set. This is well recieved by the punters and they get a nice round of applause for their efforts. Is this the only music venue where you can watch the football at the same time as the band? Unless you are in the band of course! See the pics...  Honeykill hit the stage next - and they are taking no prisoners! They subtly turn up their amps, and before the hapless landlady can protest they charge through a shorter than usual set. The landlady looks like she is going to have kittens! Fortunately doesn't dare intervene. With the band actually playing at a level fairly similar to what they are used to the sound is pretty good, in spite of the circumstances. This is helped when a friend of a friend of the band who has turned up to check Honeykill out jumps into action with some adjustments on the mixing desk - noticably improving things. Honeykill haven't travelled all the way from London just to give a substandard performance - they are too good to let venue/sound problems put them off their stride and give a good account of themselves in difficult circumstances. A minor triumph I think, in spite of the conditions.  PS: One part of the above account might not be factually correct.