Reviews

Rogues' mid-week open stage nights are becoming something of an opportunity for young local bands to have the chance to play what could be the islands leading music venue.

Liam of Beetlejuice.

That is, however, if it can overcome its identity crisis state of trying to be at once a standard dance music based night club and live music venue, as well as the reported organisational issues that several bands have experienced.

Tonight however, while the audience remained disastrously small, the bands as ever put their all into the performance.

Joel of Beetlejuice.

First on stage were young punks Beetlejuice, and to say I was pleasantly surprised would be a massive understatement. After hearing their debut EP I had a definite respect for their DIY punk credentials but less admiration for actual music.

Live though, this band really come to life with their mix of, at times, almost metal drums, speed freak bass (Liam Cooley's right hand being a literal blur through most songs), buzzsaw guitar and sneering vocals, which give a real traditional punk vibe to their sound.

This sound combined with the visceral, possibly offensive and almost always unintelligible lyrics really makes them something to be seen and hopefully they will be able to continue as a band for a long time to come as this is a kind of music we don't get to hear often, but it's always welcome when we do.

Mark of Iron Cobra.

Following Beetlejuice's run through of Napalm Death's 'You Suffer' (all 2 seconds of it), it was time for Deep South inspired metallers Iron Cobra to take the stage.

While they took some time to hit their stride tonight, Iron Cobra peaked brilliantly and the second half of their set was the sort of music to really get your head banging and at times your fists punching the air.

Particular highlights tonight came in the form of original track Dead Man's Hand, which sounds like it was dragged from a swamp then through a desert before landing on our shores as a gnarled slice of southern sound, and a cover of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster's 'Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead'.

Dave 'The Throat' Riley of Iron Cobra.

This cover really shows the band in their prime as, thanks to Dave Riley's vocal it is a stronger proposition that the original recording. And it is around Dave 'The Throat' Riley's astounding growl that Iron Cobra's sound really coalesces into the southern rock style they are aiming for.

Tonight Rogues once again showed it is having difficulty drawing a crowd, but this is not down to the music which, while varied in style, sounded great through the venues sound system and deserves a much bigger audience than this venue is pulling in.