Music for the month of
January 2017
Our monthly round-up of Leicester’s music offerings.
This is where we will publish reviews (or links to reviews) of what we saw in January 2017.
You can be on it
Yes. Your account of a gig or show that you went to can appear on this page.
Just send us your words and any pictures you took – if you cannot get photos don’t worry – we have a huge library of pics of all the bands and singers in this part of the world.)
You don’t have to write a huge, learned essay – just tell us who played, what they did and where they did it.
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January 2017
28th January
The Lids
at the Soundhouse
with King Purple and Anoa
The Lids
It was a pleasure to see The Lids again; for the first time this year. Last year this band had made quite an impact. This band has got what it takes.
There is a brightness about their music, a sparkling vitality, a palpable energy that makes their songs compelling. Apparently tonight was the band’s first headline gig – which surprised me. I always thought they were headline material. Some of my more technically minded associates commented that their playing was still a bit rough round the edges. Even so, I felt there was a magic about them and their lead singer, Liam Butler, did an exceptionally good job. He had a presence that propelled the songs forward. I have commented in previous reviews that the music of The Lids has a modernity and originality about it.
The Lids are: Liam Butler (vocals), Rhys Butler (guitar), Jack Deardon (Drums)
Anoa. They were good. The band brought with them a large crowd of enthusiastic fans who gathered at the front to give their group an excited welcome and do some chanting.
Tonight the house was full. It reminded of the days when I used to go to see The Heroes. Anoa’s set offered a varied musical offering, a mixture of styles and very enjoyable. Out of the ordinary, it is was sufficiently different to sustain my attention. Their performance had no shortage of verve, energy and presence. Lead singer Alex Harris has plenty of pizazz and interacted with his admirers in the crowd. I had seen this Leicester band only once before, back in October when they auditioned for Glastonbudget festival. Must watch out for them when I am there.
More about The Lids
We featured the band in our review of the year for 2016.
The band played on 2nd August at The Shed; you can read about it here.
We wrote: ‘Their music has something that had given them a perch at the top of tree. Music that packs a punch, you can feel the static crackling from the stage. Seeing this band is always an event. Tonight, they had the added bonus of playing to a room crowded with people. Music that has a serrated sharpness and abrupt endings but which sizzles with rhythm ‘
You can hear Floating In My Head on Soundcloud.
The band is appearing at The Dublin Castle in London on 25th February!
The band’s track Church has been played on BBC Introducing.
King Purple. This is a band from Corby, we think. Other than that – there is little about the band on its Facebook page. Not one that we seen before.
See also:
Demon FM
It was a great pleasure to do a slot on Demon FM on the show hosted by Jas Minhas.
There were live performances from Rhett Barrow, Leicester duo Elysian and members of Leicester band The Albion.
Find out more about Demon FM on Facebook.
25th January
Skinny Girl Diet
The Soundhouse
by Keith Jobey
It’s Independent Venue Week 2017, which usually heralds a few special shows, as bands play a select few gigs to support independent venues across the country. This year is no different, with a string of great IVW events occurring at the Cookie, Firebug and the Soundhouse. Tonight, I’m at the Soundhouse to catch the elusive riot grrrls Skinny Girl Diet.
Photo: Keith Jobey
Given the leanings of the headliners, it’s only seemed sensible to include Meri Everitt as a support tonight. To boost things a little she opted for the electric guitar and threw in a drummer, Emily, for good measure. Is this the foundation of a new band? Well, they’ve got themselves a name, Tail, so I guess so.
Photo: Keith Jobey
Jitterz have come crashing onto the scene lately after Beth Morris added Jamie on drums to accompany her on stage. Single ‘One Good Song‘ is a cracker but tonight they show that they’re far more than a band with just one good song. Beth has a quirkiness that shows between songs, ‘Come say hi. We’re not scary, just socially awkward‘ she invites.
Photo: Keith Jobey
Jesuscarfish round off a quality set of support acts. The dolls heads seem to be multiplying and their sets are getting livelier as front duo Maria and Jon battle it out while the rhythm section pound out mighty fine backing tracks.
I’ve waited a long time to catch Skinny Girl Diet live, they don’t venture far from London, so to have them play Leicester as part of IVW is nothing short of amazing. They’re three young London girls who make a huge amount of great sounding noise, delivered with an ice cool attitude. ‘I’m not gonna write a pretty song’ singer/guitarist Delilah snarls during the aptly titled Pretty Song, one of the many excellent tracks from debut album Heavy Flow. It’s a great set and the ample crowd demand more after the last song. There’s no escape from the Soundhouse stage with a crowd like this, so the band oblige.
Photo: Keith Jobey
21 January
Duffy’s Bar
Tonight Casbah Promotions brought us Tony Alles, Hanzo and Tom McCartney and his band.
Just a thought but, sometimes, just sometimes, it might be worth going to a random gig. Tonight was certainly such a time. Sometimes I have dates in my diary which are there for months – long-expected and much awaited shows that I planned for over weeks. I was not expecting to go out tonight but earlier in the day my friend Carol Salusbury-Byrne invited me to attend her show at Duffy’s and I decided to drop everything (not much as it happens) and to be there. I am very glad I did.
Tonight’s show was opened by the legendary blues singer and guitarist Tony Alles. Leicester’s foremost blues artist gave us what was referred to as a “master class” in his genre. It was a spell-binding performance and was a superb opening to a night of quality music.
From Rugby we were treated to a visit from Hanzo. They played with sparkle, vigour and considerable expertise.
A set of songs that were altogether enjoyable. The band’s offering of surf/rockabilly spiced with garage and the razzmatazz of rock and roll, was completely satisfying throughout. Plenty of bubbling rhythms and fizzing beats it was an intoxicating cocktail of musical delights.
So, if you are putting on a show how do you follow two superb musical acts? Well, tonight the show was headlined by a band that, from Nottingham, that has been making a name for itself in Leicester. Tom McCartney is an extraordinary singer; not only that but also he has gathered around him an outstanding band of musicians. What is young musician delivers is both exceptional and astonishing. Each time I see him he is better than before.
A music artist of this calibre would normally be someone of many years experience. It is a testament to McCartney’s talent, that he can deliver music,at a young age, that would be worthy of a much older performer. Much of what he does come straight from his passion, energy and commitment to his genre. The band’s set of blues, laced with the twangs of country, driven by the rhythms of rock and roll was redolent of Muddy Waters, Johnny Cash and even Jake Bugg. It was an exhilarating finale to a fine evening of music.
Before I go, I have to take my hat off to Casbah Music Management and Promotions; their gigs have always been very enjoyable and they deliver them with such aplomb – each event is special and not just another gig.
20th January
Feature: Dreaming
We visit Leicester’s Dreaming In Colour Productions to talk to Elisabeth Barker-Carley.
13th January
Firebug
On stage tonight: Vengeful Atonement, Blood Oath and Wretched Soul.
Brought to us by Resin Events.
Metal. In various flavours. For me, the first gig of the year. Outside it is sub-zero. Inside, it is volcanically hot.
From Coventry, five musicians playing Leicester for the first time. Vengeful Atonement. Sharp, spiky sounds jabbed into the hall with ruthless commitment. Convulsive rhythms. Glistening guitar flourishes. Incendiary drumming.
Feverish riffs. They knew what it was all about. Metallica, Iron Maiden, Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium, Machine Head. On stage they danced the genre. In front of the stage, long hair windmilled. It’s all about the genre. Music of the art form. Drama and theatre of hard rock. At first we burn, released in October last year.
Blood Oath. From Leicester. A band we have seen before. Images. Icons. Rituals. A web of emotions and feelings wrapped around by the band; bludgeoning, beguiling, beating, breathing dark, vaporous threads and tendrils of fear, loathing, excitement, winding us into a shroud of exultation. Embracing the spirit of metal and exulting in its execution. Last year, we said ‘We were bombed with the successive ordinance of the set by Blood Oath. Marshaling their heavy guns, they fired volleys of armour-penetrating riffs at us.’
Photo: Kevin Gaughan.
Last year we reviewed several of the metal shows brought to us by Resin Events. See our coverage of the semi-final of Metal 2 the masses held on 15th May.
Check our feature article on Metal in Leicester, from last year.
Read our review of Cabin boy jumped ship at the Soundhouse in October 2014.
Metal is special kind of rock music. It comes in a variety of genres: heavy, alternative, black, death, doom, glam, gothic, metalcore, post, thrash, progressive and a few lesser known species known mainly to experts. In this neck of the woods expect to hear fast tempos, shrieks, roars, growls, distorted guitars, tremolo picking, minor keys, tempo changes, sweeping guitar solos, guttural yelling, low-tuned guitars and expect to feel despair, gloom, dread, depressive doom, emptiness, contrasted with ecstatic rapture, euphoric ebullience, ravishing intoxication and frenzy.
Headling tonight’s show Wretched Soul. Engendered in 2008, they are acolytes of Judas Priest, Megadeth, Black Sabbath and alike. They played metal and made it heavy. The stage was awash with long hair and beards. On the back cloth a vicious three-headed monster in red and black. It was a bit like a melodrama. The band came from Canterbury. The crowd went wild with excitement. The band is signed to UKEM Records. They gave us a potent melding of death, thrash, black and heavy. Described by Zero Tolerance magazine as ‘refreshingly difficult to categorise.’
Their set was greeted by the audience with considerable acclaim.
Metal 2 the masses, Leicester, produced by Resin Events, has gigs coming up at Duffy’s Bar before the series transfers to Firebug. Sucking on the paps of Bloodstock, the shows culminate in a massive event at DeMonfort Hall, on 27th May.
Music in Leicester magazine hopes to bring you coverage of most of these shows this year, as we did last year.
The next heat will be on 5th February at Duffy’s, in Pocklingtons Walk. Begins at 5.30pm note. Tickets are available on line. All the shows are listed on Facebook.
Find out more about Resin Events on Facebook.
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