Fletchers--Saturday, July 1st, 2000

     I went to the show to explore the local rock scene--I'm hard to impress and at the moment, hardcore rock doesn't do much for me. Though I don't despise current darling bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit, I find myself avoiding them after hearing their tracks a million and one times on the local radio stations. I've no choice but to search for new music elsewhere, the internet and underground club scene turning out the real goods.

     So I headed for a glimpse at a different musical scene and liked what I saw. For starters, Tidewater Grain. Grain's a solid hard rock band and if I were to compare them to another act they remind me of Social Distortion. Tidewater Grain benefits from having a good lead singer, whose raspy, deep voice carries well with the sounds. Sorry, I didn't collect names for this band. Grain has been signed by Warner Brothers records so their first record should be out there sometime next year.

     After a setup change, click took to the stage. Having seen them before I expected a decent set but I was very impressed. click's beyond competent--they're smoldering-hot great. They've built upon their metal-rock sound with touches of electronic music like pre-programmed sequenced transitions and evocative trance-like, atmospheric movements. Still, the band's sound stands on fundamentals of Metal Rock: edgy guitars, by John Cummings, and monster vocals, by Keith Thompson. They performed several "new" tracks though click hasn't put out a release since 1997's Failure, which was their second CD. click blows out of the water radio-friendly nu-metal acts like Godsmack and Papa Roach. Check these guys out if you see them on your local show listings. They're more than worth it. Hopefully they'll release that third CD soon.

     www.erols.com/click

     After some crowd-rousing words from the show's sponsors, Unsung Hero Magazine and localmusic.com, Imbue headlined the show. With dedicated hard work, Imbue's become one of the best Baltimore bands. Their first record, Resurrected, showed their potential. That record had that digital-rock sweet vibe in that it promised well-sculpted electronic-metal, yet some of the tracks suffered from under-production and musical-sameness. Imbue didn't rest on their first record's accomplishment and now a couple of years later they've realized The Filfth Parade, a sophomore effort which presents a better realized band, musically and in spirit. One can hear the touches of influential acts like The Cure and Nine Inch Nails in The Filth Parade. Tracks like Triggerhappy and Numb sound tightly produced and that's no easy task for a local band. They're signed to COP, an international label and Imbue's making the best of it. The online MP3 community has been good to the band, as they've scored hits on sites like MP3.com. Their set was great with lead singer Ric Nigel's giving it his all onstage, singing, screaming, swaying and stomping to the band's hellraising sound. Very Impressive indeed.

     www.imbuenet.com