12/3/2016 Pure Rawk Awards 2016

Wow - the Pure Rawk Awards have been going for 'Ten LOUD years' now! I think I must have been at most of them... It's an event I always look forward to, both for social reasons and also because there is some great live music to be had. This year is no exception. The bands playing are a mixed bunch, but they all rock.

Once again, the awards are being held at the Boston Arms Music Room in (Nigel) Tufnell Park. Fortunately the tube station over the road re-opened the week before after being closed for about a year while the lifts were replaced. Less fortunately, the venue's bar is now really fucking expensive. It used to be very reasonable until two or three years ago and I was more than happy to spend my money at the bar, but the prices made a huge jump in a short space of time. A friend told me he was charged £4.50 for a bottle of Old Specked Hen this year so they can stick it up their arse. I'm afraid this is another venue I no longer drink at - so I make alternative arrangements for alcoholic refreshment. The bar didn't look very busy this year even though the venue was fairly full - go figure... Meanwhile, only about a mile away at The Unicorn you can see several bands a night and pay a whole pound less for a similar pint - the bar there is always really busy so there is no excuse for ripping people off.

It's early doors and the first band are due on at 4.30 in the afternoon. The opening act for this year's awards show is Star Scream.

This band seem to have a different lineup every time I see them. When I first saw them a few years ago they had four or five members - of whom I think only one is in the current lineup. They are a three piece these days, and have changed drummers since I saw them a year or so ago. The band are very good visually, and the sound is sort of techno-rock. They have some decent songs, but their live performance seems to rely so heavily on technology that you find yourself wondering how much of what you are hearing is actually being played live? There is a laptop on stage, which is always a bad sign. Some of the backing vocals are definitely not being sung live and one song starts with what appears to be a bass intro while the bass players hands are not even on her guitar. While they look good and the overall sound is OK, I find them unconvincing as a 'live band'.

Next up is the far more convincing but less tuneful Death Koolaid. This London outfit are far more punk rock compared to the techno-glam of the previous act.

Visually this band are glam/rock 'n' roll although their sound is rough, raw and in-your-face. They are full of punk attitude and good to watch. Their singer is a very good frontwoman, but not so good at actually singing. She is one of those vocalists who you suspect are actually capable of so much more, but has 'dumbed-down' her performance to fit what she thinks is demanded by the 'scene' she is in. Some people are held back by the band they are in, but some people hold themselves back. It will be interesting to check this band out again in another couple of years if they are still around.

Next on the bill is the biggest surprise for me tonight. One of the things I really like about the Pure Rawk Awards is discovering a great band who I may have heard of but have never seen before. Last year it was Tropical Contact who blew me away - this year it is The Idol Dead. You know when you see a new band getting on stage and you look at them and think 'This doesn't look very promising...' - then they totally surprise you by being great? Well that.

By far the tightest sounding band so far tonight as well as being the best players - this lot are shit hot!

The Idol Dead also have the best songs of the night so far - polished and well written hard rocking stuff with punk attitude - like a sharper Manic Street Preachers, but relying more on playing really good music than empty slogans.

In Polly Fluid this band also have one of the best frontmen I've seen in years. Great image, energy, and stagecraft. Charisma on a stick. Commanding stage presence. He's a braver man than me going barefoot on stage in grotty pub/club venues as well!

Singer aside, I thought the rest of the band looked more rock 'n' roll before they put their stage gear on - but they play like their lives depended on it. This is a very well rehearsed and professional sounding live band - there has obviously been a lot of hard work put into being this good - they sound like they have just been on a long tour and got their stage show well polished - without losing their obvious energy. They look, act, and sound like they are ready to be playing in stadiums. Now.

One or two tweaks to the image aside, this band already have it all - the music and performance is already in place and they are ready to go. They have a new(ish) album already out and ready to be ignored by all the rock radio stations scared of anything new - especially bands that aren't signed and don't have big management and money behind them.

Like the brilliant Eureka Machines this lot also hail from Leeds - there must be something in the water up there. Once again there seems to be a distinct Northern flavour to the Pure Rawk Awards - more of this later.... If you get a chance to see The Idol Dead in your area I strongly recommend you go see them - I don't think you'll be disappointed - but you might get Hollow Pointed.

Next up is something completely different. It's Paul-Ronney Angel, who is more usually seen fronting the Urban Voodoo Machine. If you are familiar with that band (and you certainly should be) then you will know what to expect - Bourbon soaked Gypsy blues is the order of the day.

I wasn't sure how well a solo acoustic set would go down with the Pure Rawk crowd - all fired up for some loud rock & roll. It actually goes down really well. Paul-Ronney is an excellent frontman with plenty of stage presence and he manages to get the crowd going at least as well as some of the earlier electric acts. It helps that his twisted gypsy/folk/blues songs are good too. Then, just to hammer things home for the last few songs Mr Angel brings out his secret weapon - a trumbonist! This works surprisingly well and the crowd lap it up.

I think it's pretty hard for a solo acoustic artist to carry off a half hour set of songs largely unknown to the audience, but Paul-Ronney Angel makes it look easy tonight and gives the impression he could easily have played for longer. His set tonight is a triumph.

Next the awards start proper - for a full list and pictures of the winners of the 2016 Pure Rawk Awards click here. For the rest of the evening the awards are handed out between sets from the live bands. The next band is The Scaramanga Six. So called because there are four members of the band? Confused? You will be...

The Scaramanga Six look different, and they are different. They have quite an 'out of sorts' vibe about them, but they are very much a full on rock band, with maybe a little jazz thrown into the mix. The band give a very in-your-face performance, with the bass player in particular appearing somewhat out of control.

They are all good musicians and the band hold your attention even if you don't know their songs. In spite of the somewhat crazed bass player there has obviously been quite a lot of thought put into their music and their performance.

More awards are dished out, then The Role Models hit the stage.

If you could distill the rock 'n' roll essence of the old and much missed 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street into a band, then what you would end up with is the Role Models - in fact I remember being served at the bar by a member of the band as at least one of them used to work there. This band have been going for a few years now, having partly sprung from the ashes of latter day Yo-Yo's offshoot The Loyalties - before the latter band had even burned out. There are certainly similarities in sound between the bands, but the Role Models have a whole album of new material in their 2015 album The Go-To Guy. They play good tuneful punky rock 'n' roll with plenty of attitude and are well worth checking out if you like the other two bands mentioned above.

The final awards are handed out and then it's time for The Amorettes.

This Scottish 3 piece featuring two sisters on bass and drums have been making waves for the last couple of years or so - I know Pure Rawk boss Nix was really pleased to land them as the headline act for the awards this year.

The first time I saw the Amorettes was at last year's Camden Rocks festival. I thought they were good but very generic - a lot like a female version of Airbourne. Good stage presence but far from original. I don't know what has happened since then, but WOW!
When I saw this band last year it was from the back of a large but crowded room in Camden and to be honest I thought they were good but nothing special. Tonight I have had to completely revise my opinion! They no longer sound generic to me - since last year they are finding their own style and sound. The songwriting has helped with that and this band can no longer be accused of being a female Airbourne.

The Amorettes have definitely taken it up a gear or two since I last saw them - in fact I'd say they were in overdrive now. This is the best sound I've heard at a gig for a very long time - the sound guy tonight has got this spot on. This might be only a three piece band but the sound is MASSIVE! It's loud and really in-your-face - probably helped by the fact that I'm close to the stage and standing in the best place to get the full effect. The band's performance is terrific and the guitars sound BLOODY FANTASTIC - particularly Gill Montgomery's guitar sound - it's fat dirty and raw and I love it! The band don't just sound great - they have excellent charisma and a commanding stage presence too - looking like they are loving every moment they are blasting out their high powered rock.

There is a short interlude towards the end of the set when Gill is presented with a birthday cake...

...then it's back to business - and business is good! This is the out-and-out hardest rocking band I've seen for some time. They have managed to distill hard rock down to it's very essence: Bass, drums, and just one guitar - no keyboards or unnecessary effects, and no bloody laptops. Like early AC/DC this is dirty and raw, simple and basic - and all the better for it. Without sounding anything like AC/DC.

All too soon The Amorettes dynamic and exciting set is over. This band really hit me for six tonight and I can't wait to see them again, although I wonder if they can ever match what I saw tonight as I felt tonight's show from the band was really something special - this was a band firing on all cylinders, sounding fantastic, and really at the top of their game. They are playing at the Camden Rocks festival in June so it will be interesting to see how tonight's amazing show compares...

And so another great night at the Pure Rawk Awards draws to a close - well done to Nix and all the team for another terrific event. Hopefully a load of money was raised for this year's chosen charity Mind - all profits from this event go to charity, so not only do all those attending have a great night out with a bunch of excellent bands but they help a good cause as well. Everybody wins!

Same time next year then?