This gig was split into an earlier and later session, with eight bands scheduled to play, for only three English pounds! I attended the later session, with performances from Munky Nut, Featherstone, III on speed and signed band Earnest Cox. Great opening act Munky Nut were a great opening act, with a strong heavy metal sound, with punky riffs and fast, typical metal/heavy rock vocals. I was afraid that all the songs were going to sound the same, but I felt they had a varied set, with some punkier upbeat songs and some heavier ones. I would say sound wise they were a mix of the older Incubus stuff, with a bit of Rage against the Machine, Andrew W.K and Lost Prophets thrown in.I loved the fact Munky Nut were experimenting with their effects pedals, it made the songs stand out and sound even better. They also had lots of chops and changes in the songs, leaving you wondering where they were going to go next, so the songs were definitely not boring! Overall they were a solid band, with firm songs and great timing, despite having problems with the monitors and so not being able to hear each other properly! One of my favourite aspects of the band was that each member was equal, usually I find the vocalist or lead guitarist gets most attention and is the most recognised out of the band. However, the bassist had the opportunity to sing, the guitarist did backing vocals whilst performing excellently and the drumming was awesome, he wasnt afraid to stick to basic rhythms also had a drum solo! This band is certainly on its way to doing really well. A musical treat Featherstone followed Munky Nut, as they walked on stage I had no idea what to expect, Id never seen them before and they were an older band. Usually as soon as I see older bands I expect them to be a bit boring as its great seeing young bands develop and its easier to relate to others of a similar age. However, I didnt know how much of a treat was in store! Featherstone are one of the best, if not the best local band! Lead singer Nicks extremely energetic, funky performance was enough to rival Justin Hawkins of The Darkness. He had a really strong voice that was extremely recognisable as his and not a copy of anyone elses. Not only did Nick put on a great performance, but all members looked confident and played amazingly! Mark, the guitarist, played exciting and powerful riffs with his beautiful SG guitar and Matt looked like any talented bassist who had passion for playing. The way he played was reminiscent of many talented artists, not something that you can put your finger on, but something which stands out to the audience. Tom, the drummer, managed perfect backing vocals despite drumming. Featherstones performance was real rock n roll, with a performance similar to The Darkness and songs reminiscent of that of ACDC - I just wanted to dance! Featherstone even covered one of my favourite songs Song 2 by Blur, yet they werent afraid to make it their own, unlike some younger bands that try and imitate the original. Featherstone have only been together for a little while, yet their confidence and continuity in their catchy, impressive songs suggests theyve been together for ages! Despite playing a forty-minute set, it seemed more like a ten-minute set because they were so enjoyable to watch the set went really quickly, I couldve easily listened to several more songs. Id definitely advise you to catch Featherstone now around Gloucestershire, before they get a bit too big! Hardcore punk III on speed were third on the bill, having heard them before, I wasnt a particularly big fan, as Im not really into hardcore punk music. However, it was great to see a female fronted band, especially as she put a lot into her performance, with fast and hectic singing and a great outfit, including a red net skirt/tutu, red and black stripy socks with a matching studded sweatband and black boots with red laces. This girl could really sing and didnt feel she had to scream and shout harshly to sound rocky. Like Featherstone, the drummer provided great backing vocals. The only thing I found, was that each song sounded pretty similar, and it was hard to tell the difference between the songs. But if you like fast, hectic punk, III on speed are definitely one to see. Fresh sounds Id heard a lot of positive things about headliners Earnest Cox from my peers and the BBC had previously described them as 'a cross between Radiohead and the Spice Girls, fronted by Gary Numan's Beethoven fixated little brother.' I was intrigued to find out what they sounded like as I saw them step on stage, with a keyboard and old fashioned looking guitar and tambourine. Their sound was very fresh, as they played bluesy/folk/funky soft rock. There were some heavier songs with powerful guitar, and some with a dominating keyboard. It was great that everyone could relate to the music as the songs had so many different elements, yet still fit perfectly! The band had great ideas, using a loudspeaker in No Joke and several other songs in their set - as well as making use of a maraca and a tambourine, which kept the audiences attention! They were definitely not afraid to experiment.The music was uplifting and relaxing, I could just imagine listening to them on a hazy day at a festival. I definitely saw elements of Radiohead, along with Ash, Blur and Razorlight. Sure enough, people started to get up and dance along I definitely wanted to! The only complaint I could make was that their set was only about 25 minutes - a bit too short!  See also:The Welsh Harp
Music clips Sad
by Featherstone Gypsy
by Featehrstone Munky Nut Live
Musical performances reproduced with the kind permission of the individual bands. Please note: clips are only 30 second tasters. To listen to audio content on the BBC you will need to have a program called RealPlayer installed on your computer. Download it for FREE by clicking here |
http://www.earnestcox.co.uk http://www.featherstoneband.co.uk
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