Review
– Journey to the Centre of the Week
@ the Quakers Inn 10May00
The unmistakable
sound of live music was bleeding into the car park when I arrived for a night
organised by the Music Management class at Blacktown
TAFE. It was a cold and wet State
of Origin night (I think if you just say State
of Origin night people will begin to know it as cold and wet, but I digress…)
and the turn-out was better than most ‘better known’ inner-city mid-week rooms.
Five bands at varying stages in their careers were on the bill tonight, many of
which I had only just been introduced to by way of their CD releases, others of
which this would be a first.
Element fitted into the recently-met category and, truth be
know, there’s not enough violin action in heavy music today! That was the major
surprise for me, having heard their CD with no intro or background and not
picking up that sound in the recording. To be honest, though, the phasing and other
effects disguised it well! They certainly earned more brownie points up there tonight
than the demo did, as far as repertoire was concerned. The presentation was a
little static, though, as far as Jamie (vocals) and Nathan
(guitars) were concerned – this was offset by Mira (violins) and Pan
(bass) getting thoroughly into-it! The closer was the winner of this set, with Pan’s
amazing cable-gymnastics during the quieter moments of Pig, from
their “Fox”
single.
The
crowd varied from local punters to fans of the five bands and people in the
game from musicians to management. To drop names here would probably be remiss
of me, but to see these people at a hitherto unknown venue for new music was
another bonus for the evening. Kudos must go to the venue manager who put up not
a small amount of prize money for the band who brought the most support (Element
definitely in the running for that one) and for putting on what is hopefully a
regular occurrence here at the Quakers.
You
Blabbed About Mars are a band
whose name is not new, but to me this gig was a first and what a show! UBAM
are five guys out for a very good time, producing music from just about every
genre, including Barbershop and the Disco Punk fusion of Who Wrote This Song,
as well as the obligatory chunk/funk/pop Apostrophe/Left Nut/almost-Frenzal
Rhomb-paced standard for the band. With up to four vocals (Steve
(also percussion) and Reuben (also guitars) sharing lead) as well
as Ash’s ‘on something’ jauntings on one side and AOD’s
Marilyn
Manson/Alice
Cooper makeup on the other, this is one high-energy show!
But the
show started dragging after a while, as did the initial set from Element
which is probably something the stage-managers/organises of the next show could
remember: five bands on one bill usually only get a half-hour. Wind them up at
25min and then kill the power at 35! Otherwise you will get run-over (Jedd
were to go on at midnight but by 11:30 Ash
Wednesday hadn’t finished and Gang Awry had yet to go
on! This also how you keep the punters, whose number had halved by the
following set.
And
what a blistering-paced set it was from Ash
Wednesday! From the outset of this in-ya-face up-to-11 Marshall-driven
dressed-in-black Gibson
Rock these four guys just went at it! Craig (guitars/vox) was on
fire the whole time, invading all space except the drummer’s in a
more-than-expected but as-always-delivered 40min. I’m just not sure of the
amp-top Casio
during one of the instrumental breaks. Sure, it adds mystique, but ain’t rock ‘n’
roll as produced up until and after that spot… maybe it’s the Tea Party thing they wanted for
that particular song?
Us wusy
girl’s blouses with day jobs took the same stance as the earlier punters and
supporters and left after this sensational set... a shame, really, as I would
like to have seen Jedd up
there. But to those whose idea this night was, we salute you! It’s great to see
original acts out so far West and more power to you for more of the same!