When I arrived at 9.30pm (I’m always fashionably late!) the sound check was still taking place, thanks to the sound man who had allegedly disappeared earlier in the evening to eat pizza! It was a busy Wednesday evening and you could feel the anticipation as the crowd waited for the next band. Opening band D-FORM had obviously set the pace. Next up - The Hair (Sam Robson, Rich Craig, Neil and Lee Clark, from York/Leeds) pushed it further with their twisted blend of indie rock and electro funk. Dropping samples and an occasional instrument swap ensured that their sound remained fresh as they jerked, sneered and swaggered their way through a seven-track set. The crowd at Cert 18 loved it! Expect to see these guys rocking the festival circuit in 2006. Unfortunately Testtone3’s opener “Mechanical Sounds” was hexed by the lack of sound check. The beats were a touch too loud and the vocals somewhat low, but after some confusion this was resolved. | "Even the particularly interesting character dressed in drainpipes and winkle pickers was shaking his thang!" | |
The atmosphere was soon that of giddy excitement as people began moving towards the stage – even the particularly interesting character dressed in drainpipes and winkle pickers was shaking his thang! A selection of energetic songs followed including the George Bush sampling “Terrorise” amongst some new material, which again blended the dance music ideals of break beat with rock guitar and indie ethics. A confident band are in sync with each others thoughts and communication took the form of quick glances and dirty smirks before breaking into another energy fuelled performance. “Gettin’ Nasty” – (the track being used for Channel 4’s 2006 Ski & Snowboarding Championships) began with the distinctly warm yet eerie ebow sound which eventually faded out and morphed into a chemical synth line which could only make you wonder what was about to happen…? Suddenly the whole place erupted to the sound of acid funk and break beat of a delightfully filthy variety. A definite crowd pleaser! Adam’s guitar talent and vocal technique were both professional and inspiring. When put to the Precious Bros backdrop of bouncing, dancing, and goading the crowd to participate suddenly it all makes sense. Who needs rock or dance when you can have best elements of both in a 45-minute slab? As the band reach the end of the set with “The Time is Now!” the crowd are in uproar. Chants of “encore!” bellow out and without much hesitation the boys manage to squeeze the very last of their efforts for one more track to conclude what can only be described as one of the best live nights I have had the opportunity to see in York. Well done!! Emma Jackson | 
