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.