23/3/2006 Planet Of Women, Vamps & Gypsies, & Red Star Rebels @ the Purple Turtle

Subject	Planet Of Women, Vamps & Gypsies, & Red Star Rebels @ the Purple Turtle
PostedDate	3/23/2006 9:34:00 AM
	Yet another top night of ROCK at what is fast becoming one of my favourite venues.  First on the bill were Vamps & Gypsies - a band new to me. I made an effort to get to the Purple Turtle early to catch this band as they had been recommended to me - thanks Andi. This is a female fronted hard rock band with a glamorous singer in Nikki - a girl who belts it out and takes the rock out into the crowd. This band have great stage presence - no shrinking violets, shoe-gazers or miserable emo-kids here! The stage is too small for this lot, so we have a singer jumping off the stage, a bass player also hurling himself off the stage, a guitarist standing on the bar, and another climbing up to play from the heights of the DJ tower! This is an outfit who believe in putting on a full on ROCK show! The sound is pretty retro, with some very AC/DC sounding guitar tones, and a lead guitarist who poses in total Slash style as he solos. Certainly a band I'll be looking out for again.  Planet Of Women are a band who always deliver the goods and turn in a strong performace. Tonight is no exception, although the band are hindered by a poor sound mix - the lovely Nina later tells me she couldn't hear anything on stage.  However, the band give it a good shot regardless of any technical problems and the crowd seem to lap it up. I don't think it was one of the band's best shows, possibly due to the sound problems but they finished their set in fine style with a couple of potential future classics in 'Jimmy Page' and 'One More Drink For The Road'.  The inescapeable Red Star Rebels closed the show with another rocking performance containing both good and very bad hats.  This lot seem to have a virtual residency at the Purple Turtle recently, as well as turning up at other venues playing with (it seems) nearly other band I go and see! What's better than a guitarist playing standing on the bar? Two guitarists standing on the bar!