Delta 5……Altered Images, Chameleons in the Hebrides, Fall. Conversations punctuated with oblique reference
points from several miss-spent pasts, spewed out in the Crown & Cushion prior to the gig Alex has put together for his
birthday.
Hedz Jellmo start the fun, with a dub drenched, echo laden 20 minute trip to more tropical climes. Franscois on the
mixing desk starts the evening as she continues, producing a spot on sound for each of bands
Next up is Gary, AKA Badly Broken Finger, AKA Mentalist, bravely following
the maxim that the show must go on despite his handicap. Backing tapes
help out, Gary's powerful vocals even turning to a rendition of `Happy
Birthday to You' dedicated to Alex
With a crowd more substantial to the 8 or so that turned up at the
Witchwood last year, Ark turn in a bass driven display, even reprising their
Madonna cover of `Beautiful Stranger' that was served up @ the Girly Show
Approximately 10 years since the last time they did, Dub Sex take to the stage and deliver a blistering, brutal set.
Playing around the coruscating vocals of Mark Hoyle, they sound vibrant and intense, making one wonder what they
must have been like all those years ago. Of course the audience did contain a -limited edition- number of oldies who
eagerly chanted the mantra `Yes I've got the LP and 3 EP's'. Yes, I'm envious
Time for a change of style, and welcome to Gerd & The Volkswagons, a super group
that you will probably never have heard of and probably never will. For one night
only, Alex (birthday boy, vocals) Gary (Mentalist, vocals) Barry (manager of Ark, bass),
Paul (Ark, normally on drums but playing guitar) & Calvin (Delta 5, drums) take to the
stage. Certainly the good intentions were there as they speed into `Shot by Both Sides'
a grossly underrated track. With only a small amount of eyes flickering across to the
other players to see who was driving this all star vehicle, it was carried off extremely
well
Wonky Alice take proceedings into a different, more melodic fun loving, direction.
Even the sight of Yves Altana being heckled/complimented by Marie Luce Giordano
merely added to the intimacy of the occasion
One thing about the tonight's line up was that the only way you could pigeon hole it
would be by saying that there was a bit of everything for everyone. Thus Drift, whose
set of new electronica is a more laid back affair, played continually for 20 minutes, the
sound mutating seamlessly from one form to another.
Getting on for two o'clock, Superstring, reverentially waiting until DJ `Max Axe Murder' Bob on the decks has finished
playing Ceremony, kick off their blend of samples, keyboards, bouncing bass and anything else that can produce a
sound to round off a sparkling evenings entertainment.