Things are getting off to a slow start for me as far as gigs go this year - it's over a month since I've been to a proper gig at all. This is only partly because things go quiet in the New Year - there were a few things I wanted to go to in December, but I've just been too skint. By coincidence the last gig I went to last year and the first one this year are both in Finsbury Park. The one I'm going to tonight is ridiculously cheap and easy to get to as the venue is directly opposite Finsbury Park station and it's only £3 on the door to see two bands. Instead of the usual stamp on my hand the girl on the door draws a piece of art on my hand with a marker pen. Not sure what it was supposed to be? At first glance I thought it was a Christmas tree? Maybe a wolf's head - which I thought was quite perceptive at first until I remembered I was wearing a
Wolfsbane beanie... (I realise later that the girl on the door is actually the bass player from one of the bands)
Unfortunately, the price of a bottle of Spitfire ale is considerably more than the charge on the door so after one I decide to knock the drinking on the head for the night - pity there is no Wetherspoon's nearby. If I had a bit more time I might have popped into the nearby World's End though. In spite of the great location and dirt cheap door price the venue isn't as busy as I'd have expected on a Saturday night - several people I know were supposedly attending don't show - their loss as it was a great value for money bill. The place is probably less than half full, but there are enough people present to provide some atmosphere.
So I arrive at
The Silver Bullet to find
Stereo Juggernaut have just started their set. Only Ben on guitar/vox and Reuben on drums remain of the original band from several years ago. The keyboard/samples/laptop player has been replaced by a second guitarist. As a result the band now sound much harder and heavier - the commercial edge to the sound has gone and these days
Stereo Juggernaut are far more of a metal band - although Reuben was always a great metal drummer. I do prefer the more 'live' sound of the band these days.
Bar prices aside this is a nice little venue, but the lighting is terrible and tonight's sound mix leaves something to be desired - the bass and drums thunder away but I can barely hear the guitars. I miss the wall of fake Marshall amps that used to be at the back of the stage at this venue - at least the guitars would have
looked loud!
Most the songs are familiar, although the don't play my favourite and what I consider to be their best song 'Fade Away' - maybe the band don't feel it fits in with their newer heavier direction. The band play well as far as I can tell through the naff sound mix.
The other band tonight is
Star Scream. Like the previous band I have seen them before, but that was a few years ago - I'm sure there were more than three people in the band back then and the bass player has changed. Former King Lizard drummer Sky London is now on kit bashing duties at the band. The band are giving their new video 'Death Shower Scene' tonight at the gig and are making an effort to put on a good show for the people who turn up tonight. Some thought has obviously gone into this and the bass player has a fantastic look.
Star Scream put on a good performance and there is some stage presence as well as some catchy cyber/punk/goth songs. Unfortunately, like the previous band they suffer from a less than clear sound mix although it seems to matter less in Star Scream's case as they seem to rely more on a laptop for some of their sound and the guitar and bass aren't loud enough to be able to really hear what's going on.
In spite of the sound issues Star Scream put on an entertaining show and are worth seeing although it was mainly Stereo Juggernaut that I traveled down to see. As no one else I know turned up and I didn't fancy being further ripped off at the bar I headed home after Star Scream finished - unusually good timing on my part as the right train arrived the moment I got over the road to the station and the next one would have been another half hour. I was home in no time, which was just as well as I'd been up for work since just after five in the morning. I got a surprise when I looked in the mirror on Sunday morning - there were green lines all over my cheek! I realised it was ink from the 'stamp' on the back of my hand - I must have been sleeping with my face resting on my hand. Good thing I noticed that before going out later!
No comments:
Post a Comment