December 2nd 2006 saw 'Winter Solace' kick off. The cold has set in & this was the hat & scarf version of Summer Solace which was a massive success the last time. Winter Solace showcased some more up & coming unsigned acts. The Solace crew set up camp in Dudley's Lamp Tavern and boasted a line up of 8 bands. Best of all it was FREE. The E-Go's | | The E-Go's |
First up were the new boys to the scene The E-Go's, who nervously admitted to us it was their first gig, but you would have never guessed. Starting with hesitance, they soon realised we were all on the same wave length. Their brand of late 60's garage rock, had all the hallmarks of hip-ness & showed real promise. And with the massive crowd of supporters they brought with them, they will never be without friends. Round 10"You weren't mean't to hear us!" declared singer Nick Jackson (also of The Southern Cradle). He'd reformed his old band of brothers, Round 10 who'd split seven years ago. He was hoping no one would be there to see them, but this venue was heaving.  | | Round 10 |
Drummer, James struggled with a smile on his face to keep the machine gun drumming up as they ripped through a full set. Murmurs of 'that stood up well after all that time' echoed round the room. Punk is timeless right? SpittroastNext up were Spittroast, who fuse breakneck 77' style punk with foul language & even managed a bit of stand up in-between songs. They certainly shook the rafters with their crunching guitars & gobby vocals. Everyone was in good spirits tonight, and there were smiles & laughter all round as they fluffed up one of their numbers. Not a problem; their brand of working class rock 'n' roll is a lot of fun. Cellar Door | | Spittroast |
Cellar door are a different kettle of fish. Instrumental, taking their cues from bands like Slint and Explosions In The Sky, they warmed the hearts of the, by now, sozzled punters with their hypnotic musings. For me they were the real gem of the night, so inventive with their playing you were left wondering if they really are that good and would a singer make them a bit more exciting. They didn't need one tonight. The sound was great and the guitarist reminded me of a young Andy Partridge (XTC) which brought a smile to my face anyway. Ones to watch. AmiteRAWWWK! Amite are loud! Their brand of screamo rock 'n' roll left my ears bleeding (at this point I moved away from the speaker, my head hurt) and they left the front row of the crowd nursing bruised limbs as singer Lee threw himself around like a rag doll.  | | Cellar Door |
These boys were definitely the most energetic of the night. By this time the place was fit to burst and I moved further back to get a wider view of what was happening in front of me. Amite are the band to kick your ass, get out of the way hipsters....! Timothy Parkes & The Long HalloweenNext up was Timothy Parkes & The Long Halloween. Tim has been successfully playing solo for some time, setting hearts swooning with his Jeff Buckley-esque songwriting & Bob Dylan cool but now we see him fleshing out his songs with his band.  | | Amite |
The most noticeable addition was the excellent bass work which was dipping in and out of his frenzied songs. Guitar from Dave Hallama brought extra drama to songs which have bucket loads anyway. Timothy Parkes is making waves and everyone wants to ride them. Surfs up! The Arcane ParadeThe Arcane Parade have recently finished their new EP which was available for free here and tonight's gig gave us a large slice of it. Not only are they growing with confidence but they are getting looser and more agile on stage.  | | The Arcane Parade |
Singer/drummer Carl gripping the mic as his arms and legs flap around like a drowning spider. His bursts of machine gun driven drumming add real spice to songs which have style and a razor sharp edge. Guitarist Craig is using a Telecaster now and shows no end to how fast he can stab at it. Magical. The Southern CradleHeadliners tonight, The Southern Cradle end things in style. You can imagine the scene by now: a room full of drunken fans dancing like fevered zulu's. It was a sight to be seen.  | | Winter Solace |
Nick Jackson's rough as sandpaper vocals cut through the deafening guitar whist the tight musicianship helped them to create a real presence on stage tonight. Their hard work paid off tonight; it's not easy organising a gig then playing (twice) yourself. Hats off to all of them. This was a fantastic night. Thing is I know the next one is going to be even better. Maybe we'll all be in our shorts again by then. | 
