Friday 31 August 2018 was the culmination of 6 months of planning, blood, sweat and tears (and the occasional divorce threat, so I’m told) and saw a rather special mix of bands come together, each making their debut at the O2 Academy.
First on the bill were Corporal Bones from Amble. The Rocka/Psychobilly snake oil-advocating quartet are gathering momentum as a must-see band. Not only do they play great music, with their diverse covers so cleverly crafted that often you don't even realise what song you're hearing; but their entertainment level is off the map. I’ve seen them three times now and front man Wobbly Fingers has never failed to make me laugh. The look on the faces of first timers when he does his thing is precious. This band deserved to be higher up the bill but alas they were drafted in as last minute replacements, the other supports were equally worthy and someone had to be on first! Those who arrived later on in the evening missed a treat. Make sure you catch them soon – especially if you want redemption for your soul – hallelujah!!!
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
Next up were The Crillys. This was the first time I’ve seen them live and I loved every minute, as did they! It’s so good to see a band that are visibly having a great time, rather than just trying to look super-cool. I liked the way the band encouraged the crowd to move forward rather than doing the Newcastle thing of avoiding the front of the stage like the plague (and it left more room at the back for me haha)! The Sunderland based four-piece are not, despite what some may think, a Father Ted tribute band but rather an energetic indie/punk mix with incredibly catchy original tunes. That said, their final song of the night was actually Father Ted themed and was the one that originally drew them to my attention. Entitled Dermot, it’s a tribute to Dermot Morgan (Father Ted himself) and with the lyrics “We were dancing in a caravan” it’s a complete toe-tapping earworm. Again, I strongly recommend seeing these lads live. Until then, have a listen to their Soundcloud.
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
Blue D13SEL followed sharp on the heels of The Crillys. Slightly different to the other bands, being predominantly a covers band with a mix of rock/funk/jazz/soul they took the opportunity to throw in a couple of original tracks, ‘Believe’ by vocalist Alex and ‘Katrina’ by bass man Wulfe. Unfortunately the band were the victims of technical gremlins but that didn’t stop them from finishing their set and having a whale of a time. The biggest cheer was given for their rendition of Abba’s Mama Mia which had people dancing and singing along, loving the upbeat tune! The gig was a grand finale for Wulfe as it was his final appearance with Blue D13SEL. Check out his new solo project – you’ve not seen the last of him!
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
A super swift changeover saw headliners Sound Reaction take to the stage bang on time at 9pm. Also from Sunderland, these lads describe themselves as a mix of Rock/Mod/New Wave/Indie. Another first live experience for me, I was well impressed by vocalist Mark Duffy – what a voice he has! With Chris Marner on bass, Karl Steinberg on guitar and Chris Ashcroft on drums the lads blasted through their hour long set, clearly and rightly enjoying this moment of glory and entertaining all. An encore would have been welcomed but time didn’t allow so everyone was left wanting more! The lads did themselves proud and I take my hat off to them, and the other bands of course, for the number of tickets sold. I heard that extra bar staff needed to be drafted in to cope with the 200+ strong crowd! The place was chokka block which is a fantastic achievement for four "small" local bands.
Sound Reaction have just finished recording a new EP which is currently available for your listening pleasure on Soundcloud. My favourite track is Testament Song, which, to my delight, was showcased on the night.
I must also give a nod to Mr Michael Heslop for his excellent production skills on this EP (and his brief appearance on stage during Blue D13SEL’s set to help oust the gremlins!!). Hard copies of the EP will be available soon, so keep an eye out on the band’s facebook page for more details.
Sound Reaction have just finished recording a new EP which is currently available for your listening pleasure on Soundcloud. My favourite track is Testament Song, which, to my delight, was showcased on the night.
I must also give a nod to Mr Michael Heslop for his excellent production skills on this EP (and his brief appearance on stage during Blue D13SEL’s set to help oust the gremlins!!). Hard copies of the EP will be available soon, so keep an eye out on the band’s facebook page for more details.
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
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| (c) Clemmy Scotswood |
It was nice to see the bands acknowledge Mr Clemmy Scotswood for all of his hard work behind the scenes and a big thank you also from me for use of these fabulous photos.
All of these bands deserve a few more likes on facebook so please do them a favour, head on over and press that button!
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