Sounds around town with Dave Franklin
3:52pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Music
Sounds around town with Dave Franklin
The world is littered with great, unanswered questions. What if the Universe isn’t infinite? What if The Matrix is right and this is all an illusion? What if the Hulk had the brain of Bruce Banner? What if God was one of us, just a slob like one of us?
And the one on everybody’s lips…what if hip-hop was actually the invention of author and humourist, P.G. Wodehouse?
Well, that last one can be solved easily by visiting The Victoria tonight to catch a lesson in manners and music from Mr B, The Gentleman Rhymer. If you think hip-hop, Edwardian music hall, upper class etiquette, pipe and a banjolele are mutually exclusive, then think again.
On a more serious note, The Beehive is playing host to the legendary Rita Lynch, having lost none of her edge since her lo-fi punk days and ever sounding like the perfect successor to Patti Smith.
The change of management at The Rolleston seems to be beginning to pay dividends as tonight you can catch The Hysterical Injury, a raw, menacing, thundering, two piece, who will make you feel like you have got in the way of a fight between Blondie and Sonic Youth. More of this sort of thing please.
Friday sees a very full diary. After their triumphant gig at The Victoria a few weeks ago, A&T are again unleashing their brassy blends of funk, jazz and hip-hop, while attempting to get 10 players on the same stage. Support comes from The Dalghetties and The Playmakers.
It’s rock at The Rolleston, and in place of 2 Sick Monkeys who have sadly had to pull out of the gig, country core icons Diablo 13 will be mixing up Americana trucker vibes (not to mention attire) with a delivery that would leave Motorhead raising their collective glasses of JD. Support comes from Dead By Friday?
The Beehive offers arithmetically challenged four piece, The Fraser Tilley Trio, with some sweet soul vibes, thumping blues and grinding jazz grooves.
The town’s bigger venues are in on the act as well. At the MECA you can catch the Kings of Harmony show, a tribute to the 60s sounds of Frankie Valli, The Everly Brothers and more, while the Arts Centre features Gabby Young and Other Animals, a mad, gaudy and irresistible blend of gypsy jazz, folk, rock, pop and musical lunacy. You have been warned.
As Saturday approaches there is a bit of a conundrum. For at the same time that Quo-Incidence play a free show at The Victoria, original Status Quo drummer John Coghlan brings his own version of the band to Riffs Bar, which will cost you a tenner. This would actually make for an interesting musicological and social experiment of authenticity over cost…that’s if I actually cared. An interesting litmus test none the less.
If you like your rock music a bit more contemporary, then head down the 12 Bar. Although they are rigidly sticking with their interesting policy of exclusivity (ie: not advertising any of their gigs on their website!) there is a brilliant line up in aid of Cancer Research.
Metal and Melodic Hardcore come courtesy of Wreckoning and When Words Fail, Tides of Change offer up some glorious pop-punk noise, and Mortdelamer bring brilliant blends of proggy-metal and dark alt-rock to the table.
Miles apart generically, but only about half a mile geographically, Missin’ Rosie play their 100th gig since they evolved out of an earlier musical incarnation that will not be named. Head for Byron’s in Regent Circus, where rocked out folk and Celtic punk are the order of the day.
Far too young and far too talented, seems to be the general impression of Krissy Matthews who can be found at The Beehive for the Sunday afternoon session. The next big thing in blues? Maybe!
And finally Sunday night finds us back at the rock-face. The Furnace sees a pop punk extravaganza courtesy of Cereal Promotions, featuring Sonisphere veterans Decade, Sell Your Sky, another outing for When Words Fail and opening up are Hands Down.
And if that’s not a good week, I ben Nederlander, as they say in…well, The Netherlands actually.
