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.