14/9/2010 The Transmitters & Inseminate @ Islington Bar Academy

Subject	The Transmitters & Inseminate @ Islington Bar Academy
PostedDate	9/14/2010
	It's a long time since I've seen The Transmitters and there have been some lineup changes since then - 3 out of five members have gone since last time I saw the band! They've lost their keyboard player and changed drummers, but most noticeably they have a new singer. Roxi is possibly the best singer of the three the band have had, but what is for sure is that she has the best image and on stage charisma. The band's indie tinged style of music is much the same, although possibly a little more aggressive and harder edged now without the keyboards softening things with a more commercial edge. This is another of those JAR 'Showcase' nights at Islington Bar Academy with a wildly varying bill, and the next band is very different. As happened at the last of these shows I attended, I am pleasantly surprised. I'd never heard of Inseminate before. They are from Hastings and I was a bit dubious when I saw them setting up - looking like potentially another rubbish nu-metal band of kids. My opinion changed the minute they started playing though.  AC/DC are obviously a major influence, particularly on the guitarist who appears to be trying to be both Young brothers at the same time - and making a very good job of it! This guy is a one man dynamo and has as much energy as Joel O'Keefe from Airbourne. What lets them down is the singer - he puts a lot of effort into the show and can't be faulted for that, but isn't a great singer and looks like some kid from a shit Kerrang influenced kiddie-metal band in his very un-rock 'n' roll shorts and chav-like T-shirt. He sticks out like a sore thumb in this otherwise very 70's/80's influenced rock band. I have to say that apart from the singer's appearance this was a very entertaining rock show, with the guitarist being given a piggy-back into the audience by the singer, and ending up playing a solo standing on the bar - which is always a good thing!  *Guitar geek alert* The band had a good sound as well, with the guitarist using a vintage style Marshall amp (the fewer knobs on the front the better they sound) and although he had an unused Gibson SG on a stand for that classic AC/DC sound he played the whole show with a Gibson Les Paul Special (looked like a new 'faded' re-issue) instead - and it sounded great!