MUSIC IN MANCHESTER

Lucy Papercut, one of the organisers of this Ricochet event, large brandy type glass -complete with drink and straw firmly clenched in grasp - has made her was to the optimum viewing point for Moco. She's seen them before and doesn't want to miss anything.

Before Moco take the stage though, three other bands have displayed their ware at this inaugural event. A receptive crowd was present to hear Black Basque displayed a short set of darkly melodic numbers that hint at potential, some of which is realised in their penultimate number "Girls in Boxes".

The followers of Brothers with Different Mothers then shuffled towards the floor monitors that mark the edge of a would be stage to capture the delicacies of their faves.

The regeneration of Icons of Poundland from their previous incarnation of Loafer, has not lessened the drive of their songs or the incisiveness of Juan de Loaf's biting lyrics. "House Doubles" is a slice of caustic observation lyricism discharged at rampant pace with gritted teeth. Newly shorn of hair, but no signing of mellowing, Julian plunders through a rampant pop tinged catalogue to great effect

With faces painted, fake blood on faces, front man Steve Jones & fellow cohorts in rock'n'roll push past the sell out crowd to the nominal "stage area". Why on earth he bothered getting there beats me for within 5 seconds he is hurling himself into a crowd that knows disruption, spilt beer (all except Lucy's' as she is a professional drinker) and knocks to the body are essential staples to a Moco gig. Indeed, Jones likes moshing so much he wants to join in, and the speed driven blues of their repertoire allow for plenty of that. Loaded bounces of the sweat laden walls, a bit like Jonesy himself. Latest single or "Our hit song" as he describes it, "Where Girls Go" is a relatively laid back affair "Loaded" is a sleazy, rock fuelled adrenalin laden waiting to happen car crash of an event. Vinyl cannot represent of capture the energy showered during a Moco concert, especially when as a finale, Jones who by now is half way down towards the bar area, is carried back at head height on a

bed of willing hands. Except he no longer has a microphone, so one punter has got a souvenir of the gig

So how can Stazi match the ferocious drive of Moco? The secret -as Alex Ferguson states- is not to concentrate on what they do, but focus on your own stuff. So, replete with Gimp and mask in the corner, exhaling an air of manufactured boredom with each drag on the requisite cigarette, Stazi take their up positions.

Redolent in black glasses that are closer to ski masks in their style, with ties and jackets providing a notional formality to an informal event, this lot are either setting themselves up for a fall, or asking us to take part in the proceedings.

Risking use of using the dread phrase "electro clash" merely as a reference to a combination of visual imagery and deception coupled to infectious beats and non rhythms, overlaid with a series of meaningless lyrics, Stazi are adept purveyors of this genre.

So ditties such as "Do you like it like this? Do you like it like that?" are accompanied by frequent excursions into a bouncing and receptive crowd that can now press the keyboards and contribute to the spectacle. It's cleverly simple; snappy, catchy one liner's delivered on a base of electronic beats that jar and judder, enabling first timers are able to quickly catch on, join in and enjoy.

www.paper-cut.co.uk

www.mocohq.com

www.btinternet.com/~edsyder/chips/stazi.html

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