 | | The Cassettes |
The first time I happened across The Cassettes, I was intrigued. A magnificent, gravely voice, encased in blues and funk. Conjuring up a picture of the band, I imagined a bunch of thirty-something, messy haired, rock star types. In reality, they’re a group of fresh faced, unstyled normal lads from Oldham. The fact that they were only conceived last year, coupled with the fact that they are so young, makes the performance even more remarkable. It seems to be compulsory, when hearing Chris Dyson’s voice for the first time, to gaze in awe at the stage as your facial expression turns to one of disbelief. The music is at the other end of the age spectrum, with sounds you’d expect to hear at an old blues club in America. Tracks like Too Much Whiskey and Get The Gift showcase their ability not only to perform live, but to produce outstanding songs. The big test for them is whether they can control the increasingly rowdy followers of The Children, especially on a Friday night with the beer intake at an all time high. Fantastically, they manage to hold their attention throughout the whole set. While they’re performing, the audience totally lose themselves in the music and take no notice whatsoever of what’s going on in the crowd. There’s no posing, girly hair flicks or stage strutting with this lot - what you see is what you get; fantastic music from a band who actually care about what they’re putting out. Let this be a lesson to the tons of bands out there that can walk the walk; let the music do the talking. | 
