So, I missed local band Not Your Hero, who were up first, though I'd suggest their drummer should invest in a belt, as wearing your trousers that low-slung is neither fashionable nor practical. Grown at Home  | | Grown at Home |
Grown at Home, from Stafford, have been in existence for around three years, and the sound is a mix of punk, hardcore and upbeat ska. This was probably not their finest moment, as sound problems plagued, and no doubt shortened, their set. The mindless jock who threw a glass at them, as they were trying to sort out their technical issues, really helped – not! Nevertheless, once they hit their stride, they put a lot of energy into their up-tempo performance, and got the crowd going. I, for one, would like to see them again. Next, from Hollywood, came Never Heard of It. Never Heard of It  | | Never Heard of It |
Well, for one, their guitar tech and merch guy have never heard of good manners; and the band has obviously never heard of variation, as all the songs sounded pretty much the same: formulaic pop-punk blasts, each with a similar structure, timing and format. They were an energetic and enthusiastic bunch mind you, with front man, DJ Dell'Osa, spending his time in the crowd, on the crowd, along the balcony, on the speakers, in the air - in fact, anywhere apart from on the stage. They went down well, so they were not without redemption. So, on to the main event - The Aquabats. The Aquabats What can I say? This really should be outlawed - five out-of-condition men from Southern California (or is it Aquabania) who ought to know better than cramming themselves into identical skin-tight lycra superhero costumes, adding rubber swimming-style hats, masks and big belts in order to churn out puerile tunes. Armed with pseudonyms like MC Bat Commander, Chainsaw, and Jimmy the Robot, these guys are the self-crowned underdog champions of nerd-core and saviours of the human-race. In the beginning - over a decade ago - there were fourteen 'bats, and, at one point, even Blink 182 drummer, Travis Barker, passed through their ranks. But now, after a six-year hiatus, just a handful survive.  | | The Aquabats in action |
It's hard to pigeonhole The Aquabats' music, and to do so would be lazy. They are a delicious pop-punk cocktail, comprising one-part Dickies, two-parts Devo, and one-part Mr Bungle, with a dash of the Misfits, all shaken up in a ska blender, with a generous measure of tongue-in-cheek humour and self-deprecation. The word 'serious' is alien to their vocabulary, and although (including the encore) only a dozen 'songs' were aired, they held the audience captive throughout. Each tune was a mini-epic; an anthem to their mighty power and superiority. From opening number Fashion Zombies to frantic closer Awesome Forces, this was an evening of pure entertainment, with 330 or so people from all over crammed into the Ski Lodge to witness the only south west date on the first UK visit of these Toys R Us rejects. I spoke to one guy, Nurse, who had travelled from Cardiff and proclaimed himself to be their biggest fan; however at only 5' 4" tall, he didn't fool me for a minute. Meanwhile, other diehard fans, resplendent in homemade superhero costumes, crowd-surfed and sang along throughout. As the band played, an eight-foot screen behind them showed kitsch footage, adverts, and other bizarre randomness. At one point, the band was attacked on stage by villainous Cobra Man, but after a few heart-stopping moments, their foe was thwarted. Later, during Pool Party, beach balls and rubber rings were thrown into the crowd for added play value. Alas, all too soon, the show was over, and everyone went home grinning. | 
