7/10/2008 Pure Rawk New Band Showcase @ Bar Monsta

Subject	Pure Rawk New Band Showcase @ Bar Monsta
PostedDate	10/7/2008
	I find myself back in Camden this Tuesday night for the first of Pure Rawk's new band showcase nights at Bar Monsta. Opening up the batting was a 'surprise band' -  Jukebox Junkies from Rugby. This band has formed from the ashes of the ever changing lineup of Any Given Day, but their sound is more refined - less punk and more rock 'n' roll. This is the first time I've seen this re-invented version of the band, although I'd already had a listen to the songs on their MySpace profile. I thought the songs actually sounded better live! The band's performance was really tight, and very energetic - they come across like seasoned road warriors, but with the fire of a new young band. One thing I thought they were especially good at was geeing up the crowd. OK, there wasn't that much of an actual crowd in this small bar on a Monday night, but this band did an amazing job of getting them going even though they didn't know the songs or who the band were - I've never heard an unknown band get so few people to sing and shout along and make so much noise! Very impressive.  Next up are a band from even further north - Maeven from Sheffield. I'd heard the band previously on a Bubblegum Slut sampler CD and thought they sounded quite decent and worth checking out. To be honest I didn't think they came across that well live and seemed a bit 'girlie' - something which the better girl bands can rise above. The guitarist was quite good though, and the drummer made good use of her cowbell - a much under-used instrument! Showgirl Suicide were next. They had one of those 'singers' and failed to make much impression on me musically, although they are all competant players. This is the sort of band I was tired of two years before I even heard them. The most memorable thing about them was their two annoying girl fans - the blonde particularly annoying one thinking it was really wild and 'rock & roll' to throw and smash a bottle in the car park area out back for no reason at all.  Yes dear, that's a really good way to get your boys asked back for another gig. I'm sure Showgirl Suicide would really have appreciated it if their van got a puncture on the way home as a result of one of their fans too.  To end the night we had another band from the Midlands - Livid from Stoke-on-Trent. I've never heard of them before, but apparently they've been going for quite a few years. They are amazingly good - very tight, polished, and professional. They remind me strongly of Aerosmith, but without sounding like they are ripping them off. I am reminded of Led Zepellin as well, but this band manage not to sound like they are ripping them off either. It's very much a 1970's hard rock vibe, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that - and this band do it very well.  This is a band who seem to have it all - they look good, they sound great, they have decent songs, a great frontman with plenty of charisma, and the band overall have real stage presence. I'll definitely be looking out for this lot again.  It was an interesting and varied bill, with the first and last bands being by far the best.

PS: This once pretty cool little venue has since turned into the truly dreadful 'Camden Rock'.