Author Archives: OI

What’s On

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by Enma

Forthcoming unmissable events…

Robin Black UK Tour April 2006
Plus Very Special Guests … Disarm
April 7 – 16

Fri 7 – Nottingham Junktion7

Sat 8 – Bradford Rio’s
Sun 9 – Dudley JBs
Mon 10 – Liverpool Cavern Club
Tue 11 – Crewe Limelight

Wed 12 – Hull Adelphi Club
Thu 13 – Winchester The Railway
Fri 14 – Mexborough Civic Hall
Sat 15 – London Underworld
Sun 16 – Nottingham Junktion7 – KY ANTO SOLO SHOW

HIM
April 18 – 28
Manchester Apollo 18 & 19, Birmingham Academy 20 & 21, Glasgow Academy 23, Newcastle Academy 24, London Brixton Academy 25, Dublin Ambassador 27 & 28

Panic! At The Disco
April 18 – 30
Birmingham Academy 18, Cardiff Barfly 19, Newcastle Academy 20, Glasgow Cathouse 21, Manchester Academy 22, Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 23, London Charing Cross Mean Fiddler 25, Leeds Cockpit 26, Nottingham Rock City 27, Oxford Zodiac 28, London Earls Court Arena (Give It A Name) 29, Manchester MEN (Give It A Name) 30

Aiden

April 25 – May 18

Leeds Cockpit 25, Birmingham Academy 26, Brighton Concorde 27, Manchester MEN 29, London Earl’s Court Arena 30, Nottingham Rock City 2, Glasgow King Tut’s 3, Oxford Zodiac 4, Stoke Sugarmill 6, Liverpool Academy 7, Aberdeen Moshulu 11, Edinburgh Venue 12, Sunderland Manor Quay 13, Leicester Charlotte 14, Cardiff Barfly 16, Exeter Lemon Grove 17, Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 18.

Every Time I Die
May 14 – 25
Nottingham Rock City 14, Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 15, Manchester Academy 16, Glasgow Garage 17, Stoke Sugarmill 18, London Charing Cross Mean Fiddler 19, Newport TJ’s 20, Oxford Zodiac 22, Brighton Concorde 23, Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms 24, Exeter Lemon Grove 25

City and Colour
May 20 – 25
Brighton Lomedia 20, Cardiff Barfly 21, Liverpool Barfly 22, Glasgow Barfly 23, York Barfly 24, London Camden Barfly 25.

Emma

Posted in OI

Placebo

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by Shadowflower/olivia vdw

Birmingham Academy – 09.04.06

2.30 pm and already the street leading up to The Academy in Birmingham
was lined up with people eager to get to the front of the Placebo show.
People in sleeping bags were sitting at the front of the queue and other
people were wrapped in tin foil trying to keep warm. It snowed, it rained and
it hailed and even at 3 degrees the fans stayed firmly in the queue so
that they did not lose their places. People had travelled from France,
Scotland and destinations quite far away from Birmingham to see Placebo. This
shows how dedicated their fans are. At 7pm the doors opened and a buzz of
excitement filled the air as the audience entered the venue. The
Placebo concert was completely sold out, and inside the venue was packed, right
to the back of the dance floor. The balcony was full of people too.
Looking down onto the dance floor from the balcony all that could be seen was a
sea of people looking eager for the concert to begin. Some looking in awe
at the stage in the hope that one of the members of Placebo might appear.

The Support band for the Placebo gig was White Rose Movement, a band
From London. They played a lively set, some of their set list included Girls
in the back and Alsation. Influenced by the 80s they used a variety of
keyboard sounds and electronic music. They interacted well with the audience and encouraged everyone to join in at some points in their set. They then
asked the audience if they had been to London, and told them not to go there
as it was awful! The set they played was very active with the singer Finn
Vine and the bassist Owen Dyke moving quickly around the stage.

When White Rose Movement’s set finished, and after a long wait, Placebo
came onto the stage, greeted with cheers and screams and claps. The crowd
moved forward and soon there were crowd surfers making their way across the
audience towards Placebo. This was supposedly not allowed in the venue
but people still persevered to do this. Placebo dived into their first song
Meds followed by Infra Red. The lighting for the show was
good, with many different lights bouncing around the stage causing an
explosion of colour. Placebo played a mixture of older songs such as 36 degrees and Nancy boy and also songs from their new album Meds, such as Infra-red and Space Monkey. The combination of both old and new was a good mixture for the audience and also for people who had not bought the new album yet, to
hear some of the songs from it.

Since Placebo first formed in 1994 they have attracted a huge fan base
of young and old fans, and also fans who have stuck by them since the
beginning. At the Placebo gig in Birmingham there was such a variety of
people and many in the audience were singing all the songs back to
Placebo. They ended their first set with Twenty Years. The guitars and other
equipment were then checked and then Placebo came back on stage to end
their final set with Nancy Boy, and then they said goodbye and threw
drumsticks and set lists into the audience, and Brian took a bow. Many people
stayed for quite a long time after Placebo had finished. The audience were
shouting Placebo, and clapping slowly in the hope that they might enter onto the
stage again. But this was just in vain as soon the main lights came up
and people were asked to move on by security.

We Are Scientists with iForward Russia!

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by Jill

Manchester Academy
7th April 2006

A heaving, sweaty, sold out Academy is buzzing with anticipation tonight, eager for the appearance of everyone’s current top band, the New York three-piece We Are Scientists, presently riding the crest of the wave of critical approval ensured by their debut album ‘With Love And Squalor’.

First up though are the hotly tipped NME favourites iForward Russia! Within a few minutes they have the crowd’s attention, with their post-punk thrash punctuated by the howling, strangled vocals of front man Tom Woodward. It’s certainly enjoyed by their followers in front of the stage; their lively bouncing is only surpassed in energy by the leaping and writhing of Tom, who more than once seems in genuine danger of garrotting himself with his own mic lead. They tear through the tracks of forthcoming album ‘Give Me A Wall’, tracks with numbers rather than names, including new single ‘Nine’. Tom is joined on vocals by drummer Katie, while guitarist Whiskas addresses the room in a gentle laid-back manner that is at odds with the fractured vigour of the performance. Little wonder that they are one of the bands on the NME tour, slashing as they do through indie complacency, far from being more identikit MTV fodder. They are not an easy band, but a reminder that we need to be challenged.

It’s not long before we are joined by headliners We Are Scientists. They hit the ground running with a powerful rendition of ‘This Scene Is Dead’. After that the dynamism never drops and the quality of their performance does not disappoint. A band noted for their quirky sense of humour, the genial trio banter with the crowd between numbers. Vocalist Keith Murray notes that Manchester audiences love to throw stuff and invites us to do so. They appear to be genuinely enjoying the gig and as a result the trio are awesomely together. They make the most of their limited track listing: previous single ‘It’s A Hit’ is amazing and new single ‘Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt’ has everyone bouncing and shouting along to the chorus. Album tracks, including ‘Can’t Lose’, ‘Callbacks’ and ‘Cash Cow’ are greeted with as much enthusiasm as the singles. Murray’s searing guitar riffs interweave with the solid spinal column of Chris Cain’s bass lines, with the whole thing driven by the bold and beautiful drum beats provided by Michael Tapper. The set winds up with a moving rendition of the Ronettes’ ‘Be My Baby’, and a flat out ‘Escape’. They leave the stage with promises that they will return – which indeed they will in the autumn. Judging by the waves of approval that their performance has provoked, they should have no problems in filling the Apollo.

www.wearescientists.com
www.forwardrussia.com

More of their bits

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by Jo

I’ll have to do a running commentary, things happen so fast…

First off, Australia was conquered, and as far as we know, so was Japan.. unfortunately Dan ‘lost his homework ‘ so we’ll never find out. He’s currently being forced into a bikini to have his bits waxed, as punishment. Lesson 1. Don’t let down the darklings. They’re a funny lot, and have vivid imaginations.

Darkness in a POD??? For a MONTH??? No it won’t be funny to see them argue. This is a PR stunt for lesser bands. TD don’t need to whore their talent this way… and the mystique of the creative process should stay just that. Now, bouncing Justin’s wit off the unworthy on Celebrity BB would be awesome.. but would he survive without his security blanket laptop?

Things go into a media frenzy over the next few days.. Justin on Jonathon Ross, talking about the new British Whale single ‘England’. Now THAT’S a footie song. A real one. After the dismal Embrace offering, all nice and PC and utterly unsingable, some diehard goth acquaintances were moved to wonder why TD hadn’t done the official one. ‘Emily,’ they cried ‘It would have been perfect!’ Well, yes, it would. I mentioned that enough people already saw them as a joke band, but it would have been fab.. and now Justin saves the June 2006 pub singalong from the depths of despair. Terribly unPC lyrics, I understand. www.myspace.com/britishwhale for a listen.

Top Gear!!!! Justin gets back with his mate Jeremy (with whom he spent time closeted at the OWTTH..AB launch party) to ‘wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!’ the pants off other people who think they can drive. Chortle. Comedy time, one way or another, if the silly arse doesn’t break anything..

‘Girlfriend’ release put back a week to May 22nd.. you knew that, but I’m trying not to miss anything.. the most wonderfully nostalgically evocative video for… ooo… ever.. the only thing I didn’t wear was the bomber jacket, and my stuff was all black. I’m still sniggering from the first time I saw it, never mind the last..

Now then.. have I missed anything… umm… Yeah… Jonathon Ross. Illuminating for the masses, but not long enough, in our opinion. Most of it was fairly old news to darklings, but I was pleased that the ‘body image’ thing came up. Jus is Jus, whatever shape/size he is, and he should listen to the darklings on that one. Someone find Justin a platform.. headline a chat show.. he deserves to be heard. We’d quite like to hear him, too.

The North America Tour issue has a separate article, so I’ll leave that.

The boys are home! Someone tie them down for a bit! Make them buy more bespoke leather furniture, have more helicopter lessons, lose gloves, pop into Norwich, get to number one… mmm. Tis nice to know they’re back.

Sydney rocked

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by Jessie

Flamboyant rockers “The Darkness” took Sydney by storm recently on Thursday 13th April.

Playing a sold out show at Luna Park’s Big Top and an hour and a half set, they proved why they really are saviors of rock and roll.

I had heard from various people that the sound quality at the Big Top is not very good and that I shouldn’t expect to hear much, they were wrong. From where I was standing (front row, left hand side) the sound was spot on, song after song it was perfect. However, towards the back of the venue the sound wasn’t very good, or so I’ve heard, but I have no complaints.

The first three songs played were from the new album, “Knockers”, “One Way Ticket” and “Is it just me?” It was clear right from the beginning that this was going to be a fantastic show.

Next they went into a series of songs from ‘Permission to land’. Nearly the whole album was played, every song apart from “Stuck in a rut” and “Holding my own”. It was a surprise to hear them play songs like “Black Shuck” and “Givin’ Up” I was glad they played them, it made my night.

All four band members were on full form that night. Ed’s drumming has gotten so much better and he is so full of energy, this was shown best in the performance of “Love on the rocks”. Richie fits right in with the band, I was blown away when it came time for the “Ac/dc” covers, I had no idea that his voice was that good.

Dan, hidden behind a mass of hair, was amazing. His guitarist skills have always blown me away, but to see him on stage playing guitar did actually bring me to tears.

Justin’s voice is better than ever! He really is a true performer. I especially loved his voice during the performance of ‘Blind Man’. That song was an un-expected surprise for me, at first I wasn’t into it live, but then they completely changed the song towards the end adding in guitars and drums making it truly one of the best performed songs of the night, apart from a small stuff up that Justin made, it wouldn’t have been noticeable if he hadn’t have pointed it out, as a true performer does he laughed it off saying “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”

The other songs played from the new album were “English Country Garden”, “Seemed like a good idea”, “Hazel Eyes”, “Girlfriend” and “Bald” which was the closing song of the night. It was a nice mixture of the old and new throughout the night, making for one wicked show.

During “Bald” Justin got off the stage and onto a security guards shoulders and did a walk through the crowd whilst playing his guitar. It took me awhile to figure out where he had gone though as I kept looking at the stage wondering where the hell Justin had disappeared to, but soon enough I turned around to see him in the audience.

The only downer of the night was the volume of the audience being far to quiet, Justin mentioned at various points throughout the night that we weren’t loud enough, and I can agree with him, I would like to think I was one of the louder ones though as I didn’t shut up the whole night. However towards the end of the show the crowd had taken the hint and increased the volume.

The whole show was a success, performance wise everything was perfect, sound wise, perfect, Bring on the next Darkness show I say.

Atlantic divide

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by Dre

Recently Spin Magazine published an article called One Way Ticket to the Cutout Bin. Here is a piece of that article.

SPIN Magazine, April 2006 – One-Way Ticket to the Cutout Bin

Why are so many highly anticipated albums landing with a thud?

By David Sprague

“Less than 24 months after The Darkness’ near platinum debut, the campy Brit rockers’ anxiously awaited follow-up, One Way Ticket to Hell…and Back, entered the charts at a tepid no. 58 – only to fall off the Billboard 200 after two weeks. More than a million folks picked up Franz Ferdinand’s first album, but only 298,000 have done the same for You Could Have It So Much Better. What happened?

‘Franz Ferdinand was probably our biggest record of 2004’, says Chris Vanderloo, co-owner of New York Other Music record shop. ‘For a part of the audience, the band got overexposed. Other people seemed to think that the new one was just the same album all over again and got tired of them.’ The Darkness, by contrast, may have suffered from severe underexposure around the time of their album’s release last November, which left many unaware that it was even on the way. The band spent little time in the States for publicity, played no promo gigs, and didn’t even perform the first single when they appeared on Late Show With David Letterman.”

To many this wouldn’t alarm you, but then again if you live in the UK, Continental Europe, and Australia and Japan you have no need to worry. Why is this an issue, then? To the thousands of North American fans this article sums up what many of us fear, never seeing The Darkness Live on our shores again.

During the summer of ’05 fans worried about ever getting a new album. That moved on to worrying over the need of perhaps importing the new album. The publicity train seemed to be upon us. Besides the numerous UK interviews and Classic Rock’s deeming the album “Album of the Year”, the US magazines started to buzz with interviews as well and there it was (pardon the Para-phrasing) “We plan on touring the UK, Europe, Australia, Japan and the US.” *gasp* THE US. (Side note: I believe Canadian dates would have been included in that tour.)

I was pleased as punch. I have been waiting for another US Darkness tour since June ’04 and I am still waiting. An inside source let a few of us in on the possibility of a tour May, then it was June and finally we were told that a tour of One Way Ticket to Hell…And Back (OWTT…AB) would not happen. The reasoning behind no tour is Atlantic simply will not fund a tour due to OWTTH…AB poor ticket sales and the likelihood that the album would not sell any more if they did tour. Umm…..excuse me!

Let’s look at the figures first. They sold nearly 500,000 with PTL and OWTTH…AB is around 200,000. So 5 nights in the US and maybe 2 over in Canada at venues holding around 1,000 people is not doable? You’ve got to be kidding me Atlantic.
Let’s tell the real reason why no promotion and tour are happening over here. I’m not scared to say it, but Atlantic got overrun by Warner Brothers. Yes, folks it has happened again. Big corporation takes over and screws everything over in the end. There hasn’t been any promotion here because Atlantic has idiots working for them on TD’s account. It is bad, Atlantic, when fans do more in the ways of getting people to buy a group’s album then you do. It is unforgivable that fans in today’s modern age of internet were not made aware of the two promotional things TD did over here. (Void this comment Atlantic if you’re still utilizing the typewriter.) It is inexcusable that do to your Label’s mistake fans should have to suffer.

What do we fans do? How can we get TD over here? Not that traveling to foreign countries is not fun. It is a ball. I love the UK and Europe girls and guys I have met in doing that. However, I understand that only adults are able to do that. It is the kids who suffer with no tour. It is the thousands of fans in a market who are gnawing themselves to just savor seeing The Darkness live. Many have heard the stories or live them and if you’ve lived them you know, THERE IS NO OTHER NEW BAND ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET WHO CAN BEAT TD LIVE. Fact! If you need more proof go gander at TD’s Myspace page of countless comments begging for a North American tour.

Fans here want it and to get it we have to work for it. I am starting by sending a letter in response to Spin’s article. Explain why you feel Atlantic dropped the ball with TD and explain how they have dropped the US tour. Please don’t contain your anger, but remain respectful as Spin might choose one of the letters to place in the comments section of an upcoming episode. (I do hope one makes it.) If every fan who reads this send them a letter asking them look into why the North America is not getting a tour, they would take notice. Why Spin? Unlike other music magazines they have always talked about TD as a genuine band. Regardless of personal opinions on the band they have treated them well.

Secondly, send a letter to Atlantic themselves and demand a tour. Now that may take numerous letters, but here is the thing. Just make copies of the same letter and get a book of stamps, send one a week. The letter doesn’t have to be long. Just get the basics in- We, the fans, want The Darkness to tour North America.

It is time fans took control again. Surely Atlantic could find the money to let TD tour North America for a small tour. That is if they get their lips off of James Blunt’s ass. I know it is wishful thinking, but if we all did this we could get a tour. At least we may get some press for it. Let’s fight so we can all rock out together.

Send it here for Atlantic Records-
People you can send the letter to- • Chairman and CEO: Craig Kallman
• President: Julie Greenwald
• EVP National Promotion: Andrea Ganis
Atlantic Record Company Contact Information:
Address: 1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104
Phone: 212-707-2000
Fax: 212-405-547

Spin Magazine send here (Make sure to place One Way Ticket to the Cutout Bin in the letter as they will need to know what it is in response to) –
Spin Magazine
205 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Spin Magazine (you can leave a comment via the internet)-
http://www.spinmagazine.com/about/contact/

Much love,

Dre

April Showers

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Which is what’s happening right now on a cold grey day.. so i’m here in front of a cozy PC adding things on here for you all to peruse.

 

There’ll be more shortly.. we have Australian people typing their Darkness experiences, so as soon as they’re finished, you can have them. And that CD review, when I’ve decided what words to use.

 

Alors, with Easter looming, happy chocolate day, and where better to nibble your loved one’s offerings than right here?

 

Enjoy the whole experience. 

Posted in OI

engerica

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by Jo

Engerica – Norwich UEA

Wooo… out gigging on a Saturday night.. off to see engerica supporting Yellowcard. Blimey, the UEA is full of people I could have given birth to without being a gymslip mum. And they’re squealing at each other.. well the girls are.. aaaghhh. Nice t shirts on the stand.. it’s packed, and hot in here tonight.

Right. Found a place to stand. I love the UEA with its sunken dance floor. The steps are great for viewing. The pit is already heaving, and it won’t take much to set the kids off tonight… no, it doesn’t. I’ve not seen many support bands get them rocking before arriving on stage..

The three are on stage, giving it all. They look like indie kids to me, so the heaviness of the sound is a surprise.. and I’ve NEVER seen anyone headbang as fast as Mike the bassist. Rock credentials presented, they run, rock, excite, wiggle bums at the crowd.. who love it. ‘My Demise’, ‘Arsehole’ and the latest single ‘The Smell’ are all enthusiastically greeted by a set of wild young things.

They can entertain, these chaps, and they fit perfectly in niche. Loud, energetic, and something we can all do together in our bedrooms. That niche ain’t mine, but hey.. they rocked the kids, and that’s the point, isn’t it?

www.engerica.co.uk

Bangkok

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Bangkok

by Louise

Bangkok are a five-piece indie-rock band from my neck of the woods – sunny Warrington (North West UK).
Warrington isn’t exactly renowned for its out-put of high-quality rock bands, but Bangkok aren’t the typical produce, they’re in a different, superior vein. I’m generally not much of an indie chick, these days, but I have to say, these guys are a brilliant example of the finer side of indie….and proof that it doesn’t all have to sound the same…! Shock horror.
Their sound is their own; quite refined and I’m inclined to say well thought-out. -It’s good shit, man! Good strong vocals nestle comfortably amongst wholesome, nourishing rhythms and marvellous licks. There are very subtle suggestions of The Verve and The Charlatans in their sound, most notably, for me, a certain air of Black Crowes, but I maintain; their sound is their own. It’s fresh, distinguished, almost cultured. Trust me. Just go listen, here: www.myspace.com/bangkokmusic


 

King Furnace

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by Jet

Track Listing: 1. Crash, 2. Blemish, 3. Making of me.

A fantastic CD, the only problem I have with it is that thyere aren’t enough songs. I was just screaming for more once their quirking and exciting CD had ended. Combining guitary trills, loud thumpy bass parts and vocals that certainly stand out in out indie fuelled world. King Furnace are certainly a band that need to be watched in the future, I think they could be big. The music is the kind that makes you want to put on your best rock clothes and dance around the nearest available area such as your bedroom, workplace or local corner shop.

Go forth and boogie.

EPs and Mini-Albums

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EP’s and mini-albums…

by Emma

Good Shoes – We Are Not The Same EP

Pop-punk quartet Good Shoes released their feisty We Are Not The Same EP on March 20th through Brille Records. Their sound is an inoffensive and rather gentle sound though, reminiscent of The Jam but with a brand new edge ready to blow up in 2006.

Title track We Are Not The Same is a cute little upbeat song fundamentally based on the opposites attract aspect of love. Backed by ringing, excitable guitar and a clean drum beat just at the right level of loud to allow the vocals to shine through, this is certainly a track to make you smile. This is followed up by Southwest Trains, an amusing, observational track providing a short glimpse of the variation characters to be found on their regular train route. May Lannoye is a cool quick track taking you back to the days of the school dance or the local disco! Closing song Things To Make And Do betrays the annoyance over conformity, the over-privileged and the dull acceptance of spoon-fed ethics.

Good Shoes have a really pleasant and refreshing outlook and sound that has definitely put them in favour with me. I love the sound, I love the lyrics and what I love most is the fact that this band doesn’t need to write epic songs to get their message across, and manage to do this perfectly well within a 2-3 minute timeframe as songs often used to. A worthy purchase if I ever saw one!

www.goodshoes.co.uk

The Zico Chain – The Zico Chain Mini LP

Available to buy through Hassle Records from April 10th The Zico Chain Mini LP will certainly wake you up!

First up is Rohypnol, a loud and brash track, of which the title is self explanatory. Vocals go from raw to rawer, in a style rarely seen from recent UK bands. Memorable and pointful, this is a great song. Track two This Thing is jumpy, sharp and the lyrics are tormented and worryingly real. The non-uniform guitar and beat make this all the more appealing to me – this is one of the qualities that I always search for in music that can set bands far apart from the rest. Following up is Roll Over, a slightly less edgy track with a firm rockin’ bass line and a catchy chorus.

Social Suicide is of a more serious tone and lowers the heaviness during the verse only to rip it up at the chorus with screaming guitar and vocals. Brain is a track is a wonderfully off beat track about intellectual superiority, with a softer chorus than verse this time and a screw-you attitude. The Lonely Ones is the final track to unite a nation of those who don’t quite fit in. The track is introduced and led through by sweat-inducing drums and features thick guitar and gravely vocals.

The Zico Chain are already making their name in the industry following relentless touring and sheer hard work. Listen to this mini-LP and you will understand why they are already in demand. The beauty of their sound is that they have they have made it their own without jumping on the bandwagon of any other current styles that seem to be flooding the scene lately. I am impressed. You will be too.

The Levellers with Damien Dempsey

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by Jill

53o, Preston
Saturday 25th March 2006

It’s great catching up with old mates, isn’t it? I used to go and see the Levellers quite a lot in the 90’s, not only as the inevitable support band to New Model Army, but also once they started headlining in their own right. Always entertaining, with a worthy message to boot. You could always guarantee a good night out with the Levs. And they’ve always been around. The likes of the Wonderstuff and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin have had to have a little rest, split up for a bit, have a nice sit down and a cup of tea, then reform and start gigging again, hoping nobody would notice. Not so the Levellers. Total troupers, they’ve been slogging away for all these years with their principals and their fanbase intact. In fact, gaining a new fanbase as they go. Tonight, diehard older fans are rubbing shoulders with fresh-faced students, townie girls comparing their mobile phones stand next to mohicaned punks brandishing roll-ups and pints of cider.

First up is Damien Dempsey, the Irish singer-songwriter, whose largely acoustic set is received with genuine interest. He is rousing without being overbearing, his Celtic stylings hitting just the right mood. Understanding and admitting the limitations of performing unfamiliar material to a crowd who have largely come to see another band, he finishes his set with a joyous version of ‘Whiskey In The Jar’, accompanied by the Levellers’ Simon on harmonica. He need not have been so modest. Later I see people leaving the merchandise stall clutching his CD. He clearly has made an impression.

A short break, and up against the barrier we jig along to indie favourites while we wait. The Levellers take to the stage with the fiddle-rich ‘England My Home’. The crowd moves as one and the front rows are showered with beer from a flying pint. Yes! It feels like I‘ve never been away! Swiftly on to an ecstatic ’15 Years’. The band seem amused; Mark Chadwick comments upon the fact that they are spending a rainy Saturday night in Preston, but in no way do they disappoint. They play a lengthy set, newer numbers and album tracks nestling comfortably up against familiar crowd pleasers, such as ‘The Road’ and ‘Beautiful Day’. Simon slows everything down with a solo acoustic number, before being rejoined on stage by Mark and Jon, and then the rest of the band to explode into ‘Men-an-Tol’. To lump this band in with all of the other political artists would be unfair. It’s true that many of the songs do carry a socio-political message or new-age sensibilities, but above all The Levellers are about having fun. They know that they are there to entertain, and they seem to be entertaining themselves as much as the crowd. The set concludes with a quartet of favourites: ‘Carry Me’, ‘Dirty Davey’, ‘The Game’ and River Flow’. Their return to the stage is as inevitable as X-Factor’s Andy Abraham being back on the bins before the year is out. And of course, first back on is didgeridoo player Stephen, garishly painted and somewhat bizarrely sporting a kilt, playing a low-down and primal intro to ‘Three Friends’. This is followed by an explosive ‘One Way’ and a version of ‘Liberty Song’ that still has me deaf in one ear three days later. They return one last time to round off the 90-minute set with ‘What You Know’.

I leave with the sense that this is a band that is unfairly labelled as a bunch of raggle-taggle, dog on a string, macrobiotic types. First and foremost they enjoy what they do, but have managed to keep their folk-punk credentials intact. Just remember – The Levellers have always been there for you. I’d recommend the experience.

www.levellers.co.uk
www.damiendempsey.com

About Us

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by SixSister

SIXSISTER 1:

Name:
Louise

Location:
Manchester-ish

Main OI Roles:
Writer. Co-Editor. Webmistress. Promoter. MySpacemistress.

Favourite Bands:
Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Guns n Roses, The Quireboys, HIM, AC/DC, Whitesnake, The Pleasures, Headrush, Thin Lizzy…

Favourite Albums:
Too Fast For Love – Motley Crue
Deep Shadows & Brilliant Highlights – HIM
A Bit Of What You Fancy – The Quireboys
Kick – INXS
Long Cold Winter – Cinderella
The Wildhearts Must Be Destroyed – Wildhearts
1987 – Whitesnake.
Back In Black – AC/DC
Permission To Land – The Darkness
Yes – Do Me Bad Things
The Glitterati – The Glitterati
Give Me The Fear – Tokyo Dragons
(I’ll stop there. There are a lot..)

Favourite OI experience to date:
Quireboys interview. Darkness Press Conference. All of the excursions with the sisters because they’re always SO much fun. Getting great feedback on OI.

Inspirations:
Rock n Roll
People who follow their heart/dreams, no matter what
Dan Hawkins

Love:
Rock. Rock n Roll. -It’s the force that dictates my life.
Sisters, Coffee, Chocolate, Vodka & Coke, The internet, Supercars
Shiny/spangely/sparkly things

Hate:
Spiders
The distance between me & my sisters

Motto:
If you don’t ask you don’t get.

Final Words:
Rock. And. Roll.

SIXSISTER 2:

Name:
Jo / emilystrange

Location:
Norwich

Main OI Roles:
Darkness related stuff, and general ponderings

Favourite Bands:
Sisters of Mercy, Darkness, Siouxsie, Cure, The
The… etc

Favourite Albums:
Ones by the above

Favourite OI experience to date:
album preview!!

Inspirations:
The caffeine in my Coke

Love:
Him and the cats, and 6

Hate:
Wiser not to tell

Motto:
‘Get out of my way’

Final Words:
Don’t in rock’s name come near me with pink.

SIXSISTER 3:

Name:
Sherilee Gray

Location:
Thetford

Main OI Roles:
Before maternity leave, editing and web maintenance. For the future – who knows!

Favourite Bands:
Manic Street Preachers, The Darkness, HIM and so on…..

Favourite Albums:
Too many to mention and changes too frequently!

Favourite OI experience to date:
Getting a photopass for the Manics in Nottingham and attending a press conference for The Darkness at the Leeds fest.

Inspirations:
hmmm……

Love:
My hubby, my son, my sisters, general family members, best friend(s)

Hate:
Tractors on busy roads, crap drivers, self righteous prats, I could go on forever……

Motto:
“Never let the sun set on an argument”

Final Words:
Babies are great especially when asleep. And dont, if you value your life, go near the goth one with pink!

SIXSISTER 4:

Name:
Jet

Location:
Arse end of nowhere, Norfolk

Main OI Roles:
Co-owner, Darkling, Writer.

Favourite Bands:
The Alive, The Darkness, Savage Garden, Placebo, T-rex, Thin Lizzy, Queen, Sweet Seduction, Jack Viper, The Glitterati, Do me bad things… The list goes on.

Favourite Albums:
Ga Gas – Tonight the midway shines

Favourite OI experience to date:
Darkness press conference

Inspirations:
The film ‘Almost Famous’

Love:
My Sisters, Music, guitars, bass instruments and goats

Hate:
Oasis and Chavs.

Motto:
‘I’m not stressed I’m a Darkling’ and ‘ Sex is like a gun, you aim, you shoot, you run’

Final Words:
Listen to The Alive and email me randomly. I love you because you have fantastic taste in rock magazines. *Much love* Jettles, x

SIXSISTER 5:

Name:
Lucie (alias Davey)

Location:
Worcestershire, West Midlands

Main OI Roles:
Instrument Of The Issue, Blast From The Past, general writer of super wondrous shit

Favourite Bands:
The Darkness, Do Me Bad Things, Queen, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Muse, Idiotchild, ABBA, The Cure, Hell Is For Heroes

Favourite Albums:
Permission To Land (The Darkness), One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back (The Darkness), YES! (Do Me Bad Things), A Night At The Opera (Queen), 1987 (Whitesnake), Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds, Back To The Light (Brian May)

Favourite OI experience to date:
Limehouse Lizzy at the Norwich Waterfront (proposing to both guitarists was rather memorable) and the ‘OWTTH…AB’ album preview are still battling it out for the number one spot

Inspirations:
Brian May, my best friend, and the occasional double vodka and Red Bull

Love:
ROCK, DarkFreaks, the three CH’s (cheese, chicken, chocolate), amusingly named animals, shiny items, blood and gore, Shakespeare, eyeliner, English countryside, scarves and stripy pants

Hate:
Inadequate, opinionated music journalism (e.g. the NME), Orlando Bloom (he’s just bloody irritating)

Motto:
Procrastination is the way forward

Final Words:
If I’m not back for dinner, avenge my death

SIXSISTER 6:

Name:
Emma D

Location:
Leeds

Main OI Roles:
Interchangeable! Assistant Ed, CD listener and general music enthusiast!

Favourite Bands:
Alexisonfire, Every Time I Die, BFMV, Metallica, My Awesome Compilation, Fastlane, Rise Against … the list is endless!

Favourite Albums:
Say Hello To Sunshine (Finch), Gutter Phenomenon (ETID), The Poison (BFMV), Sometimes (City & Colour)

Favourite OI experience to date:
My interviews with Alexisonfire was totally awesome, but going to review and interview My Awesome Compilation was hilarious! They are seriously funny guys!

Inspirations:
Every single thing is about the music for me – I could never be without it

Love:
Hot pierced rock-loving boys with a nice bit of fringe perhaps and a good sturdy pair of shoulders! Glasses preferable but not compulsory! (Ha ha – I sound like a dating ad)! And having a drink or two – JD or Corona is always a good option, depending on the weather!

Hate:
Not very much really … ok, I don’t hate it as such but it does make me sad when an awesome band decides to call it a day – for example; Finch (produced a bloody fantastic second album, went on to give us an awesome tour, then announce their split)!

Motto:
I don’t have a personal motto, but i will go with the motto that I wear around each wrist every day – ROCK FOR LIFE

Final Words:
Work hard to play hard … and never underestimate the power of Goldschlager! Hee! xxx


Posted in OI

Instrument of the Issue

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by Davey

Instrument Of The Issue

Matt Bellamy’s Laser Manson

Severely underrated classical rockers Muse are famed for the tortured guitar screams they produce in their music. Lead singer and guitarist Matt Bellamy has an undoubtedly unique style when playing, and if you ever witness the majesty of Muse live, you can see it. He’ll often become so immersed in the sounds he tears and teases from his instrument, he curls into a foetal position, looking as if he’s asphyxiating it.
Well, you have to be there, really… Anyway, the guitar I want to focus on is the one he used the most when I saw Muse; the Laser Manson. It has a cracked mirror finish (effected by jumping on an 8 x 4 sheet of mirror plastic a few times), and lasers that are activated with Matt’s playing. The pickups are Rio Grande “Crunchbox” (bridge position) and Rio Grande “Fat Bastard” (neck position). It also has an acoustic pickup, which is featured on all of Matt’s Manson Guitars. There are 10 lasers on the body of the Laser Manson, that fire around 70 beams running through various lenses. They are connected to sound, so the harder one plays, the more lasers shine. If you see Mr Bellamy playing this guitar and curling up into his foetal state, it could have something to do with the instrument’s weight. Stick a pile of plastic, electronics, lights and wires on the front of a guitar and it’s heavy as fuck, basically. At night, though, it’s a magnificent sight to behold.

Body: Poplar
Body covering: Cracked mirror effect with red lasers plus aluminium back and sides
Neck: Birds-eye maple, rosewood fingerboard
Neck Pickup: Rio Grande Bastard
Bridge Pickup: Rio Grande Crunchbox
Special circuit 1: Zvex Fuzz Factory
Special circuit 2: MXR Phase 90
Special circuit 3: Graphtech Ghost acoustic saddles via preamp
Special circuit 4: Roland GK2 MIDI pickup internal kit
Special circuit 5: Toggle kill switch
Amps by Marshall (“because when we jump on them, they still work!” – Matt Bellamy)

Posted in OI

Blast From The Past

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by Davey

Dutch prog rock combo Focus

Curse my youth. I keep missing out on the most awesome bands, Focus being the most recent discovery (bless you, John). Like fellow prog rockers Emerson Lake and Palmer, Focus incorporated classic guitar rock (the best kind), with anything bizarre and/or unusual they could lay their hands on. But with the handicap of a lack of baby-faced sweetheart Greg Lake, Focus had to try a little harder, and forced their way into the limelight with the help of… Yodelling? It’s outlandish to think so, but Focus’s most famous song ‘Hocus Pocus’ (how cruel for radio DJ’s – “that was ‘Hocus Pocus’ by Focus”) features not just yodelling, but falsetto yodelling. If there’s any finer sound, I haven’t heard it. The majority of the song, though, is a hard rockers dream, guitar and drum solos flung about all over the shop, with striking hair metal riffs throughout. For the more eclectic tastes, there’s always a bit of accordion, flute, and the all important whistling. And why not? The object of rock is to have fun, and it’s so apparent in Focus’s music.
‘Sylvia’ was the band’s other big worldwide hit, guitar and synth led, very ‘Jessica’ by The Allman Brothers Band, I think. Much more listener friendly than the insane genius of ‘Hocus Pocus’, they still sneak some wonderful operatic falsetto into the song.
This is the kind of rock that required classically trained musicians to pull it off. Enter founder Thijs van Leer in 1969, who brought in the talents of guitarist Jan Akkerman a year later. Akkerman turned out to be an especially wise addition to Focus, in that he was an entertainer, flamboyant as well as one of the best musicians in the rock world.
After just six years together, with Pierre van der Linden and Bert Ruiter supporting them through their most successful years and forming a secure line-up, Akkerman suddenly up and left Focus, on the eve of their UK sell out tour no less. Leer quickly hired Philip Catherine, a jazz fusion musician, to take his place. Still, even with Catherine’s talent and his ability to pick the songs up quickly, the group sadly dissolved two years later. A couple of attempts to reunite failed miserably (they even stooped so low as to work with PJ Proby – oh, the shame), and so Focus laid their contribution to 70’s rock to rest. It may be a small one, but it is significant. Most, umm, “mature” rock fans that I’ve mentioned the Focus legend to remember ‘Hocus Pocus’ fondly, and now that I have the ‘Best Of’, I can set about educating my own age group.

Posted in OI

The Raconteurs

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by Jill

Carling Academy, Liverpool
Monday 20th March 2006

This shouldn’t be happening. A new band. No album release. In fact, the only release so far a limited edition 7” single. Nothing to buy for another month. They haven’t even gigged yet. Yet the tickets for this inaugural show sold out within seconds of going on sale. The hype surrounding Jack White and Brendan Benson’s new project is such that £17 tickets are changing hands for £50 outside.

Not that we saw the feeding frenzy outside. With my Gig Mate hell bent on avoiding contact with certain people inside and the frustrating shortage of parking around the venue area, we didn’t get inside until 9.15. So sorry, support band, 747’s, we missed you completely. I’m sure that you were fantastic though!

But, hey! Into the venue, quick glance at the merchandise, down the stairs, straight to the bar for a cheeky pint, and find a spot, just in time for the Raconteurs to take to the stage. Thanks for waiting for us, Jack mate! They open with ‘Level’, bluesy swinging riffs that immediately grab everyone’s attention, then straight into the wall of sound that is ‘Intimate Secretary’. You wouldn’t guess that this was a first gig. They seem comfortable with one another, genuinely enjoying themselves, and pretty chuffed to be opening in Liverpool. And every song is received with total enthusiasm, again amazing for a new band, considering that most of the audience have only been able to hear a couple of numbers at most up till now. The White Stripes comparisons are always going to be inevitable, even more so when they launch into forthcoming single ‘Steady As She Goes’. Energy levels soar. Everyone knows the words, and it’s only been playlisted for a week. Wisely Jack reins everyone back in with the more thoughtful, lovelorn ‘Together’, before giving us the first of the night’s two covers, a version of Love’s ‘House Is Not a Motel’. An almost jazzy, Hammond organ enhanced ‘Store Bought Bones’ precedes Brendan’s stint on vocals for a couple of numbers. The set winds up with a trio of rockier tracks: ‘Broken Boy Soldier’, the album’s title track, with glorious Led Zep guitars, then ‘5 On The 5’ and finally ‘Blue Veins’, which exposes the band’s blues leanings. They return for a single encore, the Flamin’ Groovies ‘Headin’ For The Texas Border’, and then they are gone. We are left with a sense that we witnessed the start of something momentous, the birth of The Next Big Thing; here in the spiritual home of British pop music.

Gig Mate made the comment that they played a really short set and that everything sounded like the White Stripes – but he had just managed to drop his burger and chips before even leaving the kebab shop. Tssk – that’s beer for you! Well, granted, but to be fair they have only got one album’s worth of material, and Jack White IS the White Stripes, so he probably couldn’t help it. It was, I must say, a damned fine gig. Can’t wait for the album. Can’t wait to see them again. I’m pretty proud that I was one of the first 1000 people to see them play live.

www.theraconteurs.com
www.747s.co.uk

White Rose Movement

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by Jill

White Rose Movement with The Violets
Night & Day Café, Manchester
Sunday 12th March 2006

Freezing cold. Sporadic snow showers. A proper old winter’s night. The gritters are out on the journey up the M62 into the heart of Manchester. It’s a relief to warm up in the intimate surroundings of the sweet little venue that is the Night & Day Café.

First up the Violets, a neo-punk outfit, a three piece whose lack of bass guitar is more than made up for heroic urgent choppy riffs of a single guitarist and Herculean rolling drumbeats. Vocalist Alexis, resembling Blade Runner’s Pris, barks out lyrics in a way that brings to mind Siouxsie Sioux, Poly Styrene, Karen O … and, oh, so many punk-wannabes… Their power and enthusiasm is undeniable, as they thrust their way through a 30-minute set, including singles Descend and Mirror Mirror. Attention-grabbing at first, it soon becomes apparent that this band are one-trick ponies, and they might be pushed to hold an audience’s interest for much more than this time. Although Alexis implores the crowd to step up towards the stage, a gap remains between them and us. It would be interesting to see if they are able to develop musically in the future. For all of their energy, there is only so much that a band can do with so few instruments.

The room fills up notably in the minutes before the arrival of headliners White Rose Movement, and now the crowd are pressed up against the stage in eager anticipation. The Norfolk five-piece seize control of the room with opener Pig Heil Jam; electro pop infused with power rock, overlaid with commanding vocals. Half close your eyes and it could be an 80’s edition of Top Of the Pops: a pretty-boy floppy-haired, Flock Of Seagulls bassist, a stocky, curly-haired New Romantic guitarist, an immaculately made-up female keyboard player and a vocalist suggesting (and considering the location of the gig, lets be really blasphemous) early Joy Division. Sorry, drummer, couldn’t quite see you from where I was standing. And together it works; they power through tracks from the forthcoming album Kick with the confidence of a band that know that they have the eyes of the musical world upon them. Single Girls In The Back has the crowd moving as singer Finn jumps onto the lined-up speakers, barking out lyrics while swinging from the lighting bar, filling the space between stage and ceiling as though making the statement ‘Already too big for this venue’. On we travel, building a wave of anticipation, through album tracks Idiot Drugs, Test Card Girl and early EP Love Is a Number. Finn is a powerhouse of energy: when not throwing himself to the front of the stage, he picks up a guitar to top up the dynamic industrial thrash, or assists keyboardist Taxxi with 80’s synth accents. But closing track Alsatian, although undoubtedly dramatic, seems to miss a trick. The final impression is that there could have been so much more – the build up didn’t present all that it promised. It was good, yes, it was very good… but it should have been memorable. There is no encore; as though the band simply lack the stamina to give any more, such is the level of energy sustained throughout the set. Nonetheless, I am happy, as I’m sure so many others are, to be able to anticipate saying in the not too distant future, that I saw this soon-to-be-huge band in such a small venue. White Rose Movement: watch this space.

The Mighty Boosh

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by Jill

Warrington Parr Hall
Wednesday 8th March 2006

Don’t doubt the rock credentials of this show for a moment. There’s a huge studenty-indie-goth-glamrock element to the audience: we could just as easily be at the Academy watching Editors, or whatever. But like so many good comedy shows, it crosses over. Here and there are family groups with primary school-aged children. The middle-aged couple next to me offer me wine gums in the interval and chat about driving over from Liverpool for the show,then rave about the Boosh with almost adolescent intensity. And the show is huge: they rolled up with two artics and a tour bus. I remember doing load-ins for much bigger bands with far less kit that that. Rock’n’roll indeed!

Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt take to the stage to a rapturous welcome, as their alter egos, the fashion obsessed goth-fairy Vince Noir and jazz maverick Howard Moon. During the first part of the show, they interact with the audience, making fun of the numerous late-comers, then introducing TV show favourites Naboo the Shaman, Bollo the gorilla and zoo manager Bob Fossil. They seem to be enjoying the opportunity to ad lib, although they seem cramped at the front of the tiny stage of this elderly concert hall. While Naboo turns his back on an unwelcome audience member, Bollo showcases his stand-up routine. The two stars warm up with a Russian play, before taking us on the journey through time and space and onto the main event.

The plot, of course, is far less important than the out and out weirdness. Howard and Vince need to retrieve a mystic gem from either Spain or the Arctic in order to save Naboo, but to attempt to explain further than that is probably futile. The Boosh experience does not invite precise analysis. Familiar characters flit on and off the stage: the Hitcher, the Mystic, Old Gregg, the Moon, and are greeted with rapturous cheers. The surreal action is punctuated by songs and plenty of off the cuff horseplay. The artists seem to be having a whale of a time that fortunately avoids being self-indulgent and spills over to the audience. We are aware that things are going wrong, in fact Barratt and Fielding go out of their way to draw attention to the fact that the Mystic’s chair has fallen apart, that the floor is almost too slippery to stand on, that the sound effects are out of sync. Criticisms? Few. There wasn’t enough Naboo – that was the general agreement, and Michael Fielding, it must be said, did not look happy throughout the show. Someone said that they felt that the programme had become too commercial, but you could argue that about any once cult comedy show that has reached mainstream success.

We pour out of the theatre on a high. I like to think that more than one pre-teen child woke anxious and sweating that night, haunted by dreams of a grown man being bummed by a giant rabbit. Or maybe with word “Stumpf***er” spilling from their lips. We went on to a bar where we drank far too much Baileys. Sadly, though, not from a shoe.

www.themightyboosh.com

Milan 17.3.06

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by Mélanie

Mazda Palace, Milan, 17.03.06

Brussels was 4 days ago and we are already here, queuing, waiting for the Italian security to open the doors of the Mazda Palace… How did that happen? Oh, yes, I remember, it was February 12th, and we were driving back from Sheffield, MY UK tour was over… Oddly, the first thing I did when arriving home was to book a ticket for Milan.
Anyway, we’re here. Waiting. It’s 19.10 and it’s said on the ticket that the opening should have been at 19.00… The crowd begins to boo and call the security. That’s the first time on the tour that I saw so many people waiting for the doors to open. But they finally open the gates and once they’ve checked our tickets, we run to the venue. I’m glad I’m not wearing any heels…
When we arrive inside the venue, the first rows are already packed, but we manage to find some place on the second row on (all together now) Richie’s side (good, I see some of you are following)… the crowd is already dense, which is quite uncommon on the sides, especially before the opening act. And it’s also really weird to be in the middle of a crowd you don’t understand a word of what people say.

Doomfoxx finally begin their set. They’re great. I like them. And they get the crowd head banging, and pogoing from the very beginning of their set. All the crowd, even the parts that are usually quiet. Even on the Richie’s side. My friend and I look at each other, hoping they’ll all calm down. They’ll NEVER calm down, even during the break between the bands. I’m cursing myself for not having had a real meal in the last 24h. I already feel I won’t be able to stay here for the rest of the show. I just don’t want to collapse in this pushy crowd. I also don’t want to be under painkillers for my back for the next 2 months.
But the boys are finally here, following the say routine. Arrival by Abba, then Ed behind his drum kit, Richie, Dan and finally Justin. The crowd goes mental, and I feel my boobs being crashed on the girl who’s lucky enough to be on the barrier. I also feel a lot of elbows in my back. I’m looking at my friend when the band encourage the crowd to give more. We both yell at each other “don’t fucking encourage them!”… We’re still laughing, because that’s completely insane. And the boys like it. We’re the best crowd they’ve had so far. Cool… I’m happy to know that, I’ll send you the doctor’s bill.
The show in itself is great and the boys deliver us one of their best shows. After 4 songs, I begin to feel really light-headed as I get more and more blinded by the lights. It’s time for me to get out of here. A security guy grabs me just after Givin’ Up (or was it Black Shuck?) and lifts me out of the crowd. When he puts me back on the ground, I feel my knees going weak and for a second I think I’m going to fall on my knees, here. A deep breathe later, I gain control of my legs, grab my clothes and bags and walk away. Just as I walk by the speaker, Justin hits a very high note on his guitar. Now, to the pain in my back, I have to add the pain in my ears.
It takes me one song to recover, seated at the very edge of what looks like the VIP area. I don’t notice it at first, though. The security guy keeps pushing away the people that want to stay here. That’s when you realise that being a girl with a “nice” (normal) cleavage in Italy is an advantage. I ask him if I can stay there and he nods to me. That’s standing on the seat just under the Doomfoxx crew that I’m watching the end of the show. From here, I can also check all my friends and make sure they’re all ok (now, you can call me mother)
And the show is as great here than in the crowd. Correction, it’s better (and safer for me). I’m jumping, dancing on my seat, trying to not fall from it. I’m also laughing when Justin sings “Happy Birthday to me”. Birthday boy seems all happy tonight. That’s cute. I look at the crowd when Justin asks us to put our lighters in the air. It’s impressive. It’s been a while since I have last felt that touched by Love Is Only A Feeling. This is such a sad song, as is Seemed Like A Good Idea. I feel almost romantic tonight. But it’s Blind Man time, and this song rocks on stage. This is, for me, one of the highlights of their set. I love the live version of it. It’s perfect! And gets me rocking on my seat.
Hazel Eyes, Get Your hands Off, it already feels like the end of the show. And it’s soon Girlfriend time. Justin introduces it as the band’s next single. It isn’t new to me, but it always makes me feel happy to hear that. How pathetic. I’m jumping, giggling, dancing. Ah, this song rocks my socks off and I can’t understand why people don’t think it’s good enough to be a single.
Oooo, but it’s time for the Brummie to take Justin’s place. I’m wondering what they’re going to cover for us tonight. Highway To Hell. Great! And he knows the lyrics this time! The entire crowd sings along with him. Thunderstruck. It takes a bit before the crowd begins to sing the “aaaaahaaah”s, but everybody is here for the massive “thunder”s. My only regret about this cover? That it isn’t the entire song. When they stop it, I feel like… on the edge. You know “yes yes” and pfft, nothing. Teases!
I Believe In A Thing Called Love is incredible. I’m in love again with that song, since Milan.
I see them leaving the stage… and come back for the encore.
They play English Country Garden and Bald (it’s like the most difficult word for me to pronounce), as usual. But this time, Justin isn’t flying in the air nor is he walked in the crowd by a roadie. Too dangerous. I see them disappear, as I’m waving (stupidly) at them.
See you soon, hopefully……

Belgium 13.3.06

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by Mélanie

 

Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, 13.03.06

There are things you think about a lot before deciding to do them… And there are other things you don’t even think twice before saying “yes, I’m going to do that”. That what happened with the Brussels show.
It was decided 2 days before the show (on the Saturday) that we were going to make it. Decision was taken in 2 minutes and a half. Without regrets!
I arrived at the venue 15 minutes before the opening of the doors, and only 10 persons were queuing in front of us. I had no doubt we’d be on the first row.
Indeed, while I was sorting my ticket’s problem (I didn’t book any ticket for that show and counted on my legendary luck to find one), I joined my friend who was already waiting on the barrier. First row, Richie’s side. That could only be good!
Doomfoxx soon entered the stage. And I have to say I was impressed. They were good, probably better than the openers on the UK tour and delivered us a very strong set. They got us headbanging by the third song and we were finally fully ready for the Darkness to begin their show.

After the usual preparation of the stage, when we all can admire Justin’s new golden guitar, the venue goes dark and Arrival by Abba begins. I’m wondering how they’re going to enter the stage, without the knockers-mobile. I see Ed sitting behind his drum kit and realise I’ve never been that close to him during a show. He begins to beat Knockers’ rhythm. Richie shortly arrives into the light. Have I already said that I love THIS bass line? No? Well, I’m saying it now. I love it. Dan begins to play the riff and I see Justin enter the stage. It’s the fifth time I’m seeing them this year and I’m as excited as the first time in Dublin. One Way Ticket, Is It Just Me. I’m so close to the stage, it gives me the feeling they’re over me.
The band is in top form, and the audience feels it and reacts. People behind me begin to jump and push and I’m trying in vain to push back the excited teenager that uses my shoulders to rest his elbows. But I don’t care, I’m having fun. And I’ve known worse.
The setlist is the same than the last times. But this time, it isn’t Is It Just Me? that is announced as the next single. No, it’s Girlfriend. When Justin begins his little speech, I already know what he is going to say, and I want to punch the guy 1 meter away who yells “Hazel Eyes”. Nope, it’s Girlfriend. I’m already bouncing.
The other novelty of the setlist measures 6’5”: Richie. He sings. What I’ve heard before the show made me eager to hear that. I’m not disappointed. The boy can sing. And this is the most hilarious Highway To Hell I’ve ever heard (apart from the one I sing under the shower…). Which was supposed to be a short extract of the song ends in the full version, with Richie mouthing to the crowd “help me, I can’t remember”… Well, something like that…
One song before the encore, I Believe In A Thing Called Love, then it’s English Country Garden and Bald, where Justin, as he used to do before, played the solo on the shoulders of a roadie walking him in the middle of the crowd.
Even with a few technical problems with Justin’s mic during Growing On Me and the sticky tape that doesn’t want to stick on Richie’s head to hold his erm? Monitor earplug (whatever it is called for real…), the show is perfect and gets the crowd begging for more. Small venues-1, arenas-0…
But it’s already time to go… See you in Milan!