SPEEDBOATZ ROAR AWAY WITH TOP PRIZE ~13th November 2005

The epilogue to the two and a half month saga that was the Horsham District Live Music Alliance Battle of the Bands Competition 2005 was played out in
front of a once again packed out Drill Hall. It was covers night and an excuse to party to a live jukebox featuring eight local bands playing for the sheer fun of it. The audience were a mixture of ages and were in for a treat. If ever you wanted a warmup band to open a show like this May Contain Nuts were it. They played it safe with a short set of crowd-pleasers opening up with "Sweet Child O'Mine", and featured a nerveless performance from the youngest musician on the night, Jim on bass and backing vocals clocking in at just under 12 years of age. Possibly a new competition record. Next up were Lee-Roys Dad , who like the crowd were a mixture of ages. They had decided to cover songs from a band that no one else seems to play, but let's face it you'd never get out of the Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club alive if you opened your set with "Nancy Boy"! Thankfully the Drill Hall crowd were a bit more understanding. They played a good set of Placebo covers with nice onstage movement from Paul the bass (and presumably the "dad" part of the bands name!) A complete change of tempo followed for Sleazy Jesus and the Pitstop Girls who turned out in fact to be Ollie of SuperEgo and his mate Ben dressed as spaced out hippies with acoustic guitars. They played a varied set including "California Dreaming" and delighted everyone by finishing with an acoustic version of Britney Spears' "One More Time". Another record was set by No Experience Necessary, the first ever family band to play in the competition, with Phil (age classified) on bass and his boys Jack(17) on guitar/vocals and Arlo(13) on drums. Sporting t-shirts emblazoned with the band's name (except for Phil's which read "I'm the Daddy" just in case we were in any doubt), they gave their first ever public performance, playing classic Jimi Hendrix Experience tracks with confidence and style. They finished in third place. The next band finished third last year and have improved immeasurably since then. GreenDae are obviously big fans of their namesakes and love their songs, and it showed. They'd augmented the band by adding a second guitarist. They dressed the part, had the look, the sound and the backing vocals sorted, showed great energy and moved like they really enjoyed being up there. Sam the frontman had total stage presence and got the crowd singing along to the Green Day anthems. In my opinion it was the best all-round performance on the night and it's beyond me how they didn't at least get placed in the top three. The next band The Session were something completely different. A five-piece playing a selection of MOR covers to a professional standard, they picked their songs to highlight their extremely talented singer, Camilla, who's voice beats the hell out of any of the contestants in the "X-Factor". With great renditions of songs like "Without Love" and "Midnight at the Oasis" to Queen's "One Vision" they completely wowed the audience and the judges and finished in second place. Next it was time for the kids to rock again and Virtual Sabotage took to the stage with some Old School Heavy Metal (so nice to see youngsters being brought up in the right way!). It takes some bottle and faith in their talent to tackle Iron Maiden songs at such a young age
(14/15) but they went for it. Jak is something of a guitar prodigy and singer/bassist Blair gave a totally confident frontman's performance. Jake's drumming was rock solid and James the second guitarist played with movement and expression. They need to tighten up a bit on the vocal front but this band have massive potential. We'd seen how boys and girls rock, now it was time to see how real men rock! If ever you wanted a band to finish what has been a great competition this year then these guys were it. The Speedboatz dedicated their set to the late John Peel then took us on a white knuckle ride of classic tracks from The Talking Heads to Madness, via the Clash, the Jam and the Police. With an energy which belied their claimed combined playing career of 189 years they completely stunned the Drill Hall. So much in fact there was a metre gap in front on the stage as everyone stood back in amazement. After finishing with a light-speed motormouth version of "United States of Whatever", their charismatic (or is that certifiable?) frontman Tim declared that the audience "had been made love to" and could "now go home and have a cigarette." I needed a beer, actually, but the Drill Hall bar had been completely drunk dry and the bar staff were busy serving water by the jugful to the parched mosh-pit faithful. The judges deliberated, but after that there could surely be only one winner, and it was the Speedboatz who came away with the 100 First Prize, and proved the adage true that old rockers never, ever, die. It was
a great ending to a great night, and a great finale to a great competition.

Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council. For more information and a full review see the website (www.hdlma.co.uk).

Mark Daly

END

JALOPY WIN THE RACE 29th October 2005

On Saturday night the Carfax Bandstand was transformed into a scaled down version of the Glastonbury Main Stage for the Horsham District Live Music
Alliance's showpiece concert, the Grand Final of the Battle of the Bands Competition 2005. It's been said before but the competition just keeps getting bigger and better, and this year's final featured the strongest lineup in the competition's 12-year history. Six bands had qualified from six heats for the opportunity to play in front of 1000 local music fans, and the chance to win eternal glory should the judges vote them the best band on the night. Loki, Forty to Fall, Serrated, Jalopy, They Drop Fire and EighthNerve were the chosen few. Images of every band to take part in the heats were projected onto the bible black backdrop and looked for all the world like spectral apparitions daring the finalists to fail or triumph. Anticipation was already high and reached fever pitch when a bombastic intro tape started to play and the crowd started to chant the name of the opening act.

Through smoke and dazzling lights Loki emerged once again from their time warp and kicked the whole thing off with a fantastic show, and a fantastic set. Musically brilliant, they strutted across the stage like they owned the town centre, which for twenty minutes, they did. Their 1980's inspired rock anthems sent the crowd wild. It's incredible to think that less then a week after their very first appearance they could get hundreds of fans singing along to '665 The Neighbour of the Beast". The Filth Wizard, The Duke, Hair Kommandant and Manimal rocked the place and singer Randy O'Banger was the definitive rock frontman. After throwing down the gauntlet for the bands that followed they vanished once again, leaving no trace except a battered leather jacket in the hands of a bewildered girl in the audience.

The band with the unenviable task of following that were Forty to Fall, and, surprisingly given the experience of this band, the nerves showed as they wobbled a bit at the start of their set. But they quickly recovered and settled into their trademark melodic rock groove, nice twin guitar work over a solid rhythm section. If like me you can't get enough of the sound of a Les Paul guitar through a Marshall amplifier you will love this band. Guitarist Sam laid down the tastiest of guitar solos during their third song "I close my eyes", and singer/guitarist Joe seemed intent on wooing the audience with his voice, which was by turns plaintive and tortured. All in all a fine performance, but would it be enough?

One of the most popular gigging bands this year, Jalopy were next up and knew that if ever there was a night to put on their best show this was it. They were on incredible form, different, exciting and definitely the best I've ever seen them play. Their music is hard to describe. A jalopy is a car put together from bits and pieces and their sound is likewise an eclectic mix of different styles, often within the same song. I even heard progressive rock in there somewhere. Singer and frontman Pete gave a mesmeric performance, playing his synth with his head at one point, and the rest of the band followed suit. Even guitarist Rhys, who usually stands immobile at the back, not only moved, he rocked, exchanging guitar fills with the ever photogenic Sian. Andy Head's drumming was as amazing as ever and driving the sound with bassist/vocalist Tom they never let the Jalopy get out of control. At one point Sian's image was projected though the smoke and hung briefly in 3D over the band. Perhaps it was an omen that this was surely going to be their night?

The following band Serrated had other ideas and produced a stellar performance of their own. A power rock trio with the emphasis on the "power", they gave the kind of show that saw them though their heat against stiff opposition. The bass player looked like he couldn't be happier than to be up there in front of everybody, interacting with the crowd and loving every minute. Sean the singer/guitarist held nothing back, even ripping off part of a fingernail in the process, and the sight of his blood-spattered guitar will be an abiding image from this competition. That's what they call suffering for your art! Another great gig from the guys to consolidate their growing reputation as a live act.

They Drop Fire were the surprise package this year. They'd reached the final at the first time of asking and broken the infamous "first band jinx" when they won their heat. They play neo-punk rock and play it brilliantly. This band are all about skill and attitude, an updated version of The Clash, and they kicked off with "Smile you're on CCTV". Will the lead vocalist performed with such intensity he actually made himself ill. Talk about giving it everything you've got! Between numbers he charmed the crowd with his banter and humour in stark contrast to his angry young man persona when singing. He raised a smile when he introduced the band and described the diminutive Zoe as "the Beast on the Bass". They won over many new fans and left many thinking they could just win the whole thing tonight.

The last band to play were the only survivors from last year's final. The mighty EighthNerve gig hard, play hard, and redefine the heavy (as in intense) in Heavy Metal. They have built up a large fanbase and if anything they were the one band tonight who had nothing to prove. But they wanted it all, and they wanted it bad! They gave the best performance I'd ever seen from these guys. The drumming of Will Romain is never less than jaw-dropping, and combined with the phenomenal riffing of Matt and Brett on guitar and Gareth on bass the effect is awesome. Towering above them all was the imposing figure of singer Dave who had the crowd completely in his sway. Some artists give you blood sweat and tears but Dave actually bares his very soul when he performs, which is riveting but can actually be quite disconcerting to watch. Such was their confidence that in addition to their classics such as "Lies in received English" they played a brand new song "Butterflies" for the first time, and finished with what was for me their best song to date "At least I value you", revealing a
surprisingly vulnerable human heart beating inside their hard metal shell. They left the stage applauding the crowd who had been brilliant all evening. A word must be said about the huge sound system engineered by Graham Ansell which was immaculate all night. Many commented on how all the bands had never sounded better. The light show controlled by Andrew Wilson was equally astounding and contributed hugely to the atmosphere of the event.

As the judges were deliberating many in the crowd were asking each other who they thought should win, to which the most common answer was "Haven't the faintest idea and I don't care, they were all great." It fell to Chief Judge Bill Foote to make the announcement, and to wild cheering Jalopy were
proclaimed Battle of the Bands Winners 2005, with EighthNerve in second place, and Loki in third. The biggest cheer was reserved for the winner of the Spirit of the Competition award which went to Andy "The Filth Wizard" Nicolson, for being a selfless supporter of the event, a great musician in his own right and helping to put a smile on the face of the whole competition. It was a fitting climax to a truly memorable evening.

Then it was all over, the bands left for home or to party, the crowd departed, and silence reigned in the darkened Carfax once more, but the ghosts on the backdrop were smiling...

For the record the winners Jalopy receive £500 and a day in a recording studio, and two free rehearsals at QM Studios. They will also have a guaranteed headline at a future Music Alliance gig night. The runners up EighthNerve will receive a cheque for £100. The third placed act Loki will receive a cheque for £50, and the Spirit of the Competition award winner £25. Backline was for the final was provided by The Music Company, Crawley, and the first prize donated by Eight Eleven Studios. Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance (www.hdlma.co.uk) and Horsham District Council. For more information, phone 01403 215216.

Mark Daly

END

 

LOKI DO THE TIME WARP ~ 23rd OCTOBER 2005

Mystery band Loki emerged triumphant from a fantastic sixth heat to claim the last remaining place on the Bandstand for the Final of the Battle of the Bands competition 2005. It was a night of contrasting styles and great showmanship and the audience were bent on having a ball and rocking out the sold out Drill Hall one last time before the final.

The Band of Garrys opened the show and to be fair they weren't strictly a band as they performed to backing tracks but this was a mere detail as armed with an incredible array of instruments constructed from various household appliances and a lot of tupperware they delighted everybody with their totally zany offbeat humour and wacky 3 part harmony vocals. Even their soundcheck had been a vaudeville act in itself, which had the stage crew in stitches. They're sure to go a down a storm at comedy and social clubs and I can imagine they're fully booked for Christmas parties. Who said Variety was dead?

Next up were the ska-punk sextet M*A*S*H who started out with "Disneyland", the chorus of which asked "were do we go from here?" It was actually more
ska-metal than ska punk and they answered their own question as this sounded like a musical direction which could be worth them pursuing. They mixed in some classic ska sounding numbers and the standout track was "Catch Me". They are a little rough around the edges right now but once they've worked on their musical direction and they get a few more gigs under their belts they could be a promising band.

In total contrast Laid to Waste were the finished article. They hit the stage and transformed the skanking dance party into a full on Death/Thrash Metal mosh-pit. They had a minimalist look, all sporting plain black t-shirts and looking like athletes in a band built for speed. Their energetic frontman Nixx delivered the goods in a classic death metal growl and to his right they had David "the guitar god" whose awesome playing brought universal expressions of amazement from all the axe-wielders watching. Metal at speed can sometimes sound a bit frantic but Chris the bass and "Hillbilly" Kyle on drums had the Formula 1 machine under total control. Even the ska fans thought they were great, and they came third on the night.

It was "as you were" for the next band Used Ink who were odds on favourites to be this year's ska band to grace the final. They played ska-pop in the
classic Two-Tone style, and though they claimed they couldn't keep time they were as tight an outfit as you could wish for. The mosh-pit transformed back into a skank-fest again, their songwriting revealed a good ear for a catchy tune and they sang and played like they were having a party, which is as it should be. The first saxophone solo from the sharp-dressed Tom literally blew everyone away and raised the biggest cheer on the night, and his playing even had the metal fans yelling their appreciation. A terrific all-round performance but they finished in second place, so there won't be a ska band in the final this year after all.

Then it was all change again for the hardcore metal of Disciplinatry Hatred. Unfortunately they did not have the best preparation for what was only their third gig (about which the less said the better) and to play this style of music you have to as be tight as hell rhythmically (rather than just tight if you know what I mean.) Having an amp pack in and getting a last second replacement did not help their cause either. They went for it anyway and Wolfy the frontman gave it his best shot, though he didn't endear himself to the crowd by complaining that they sounded like a bunch of girls, when half of them, er, actually were. They need to straighten themselves out (in more ways than one) and give their songs, which weren't that bad, a chance to shine.

Then a hole appeared in the space-time continuum and out of it appeared Loki, a band who hadn't been seen since their bus mysteriously disappeared while on tour with Motley Crue in 1986. When they took to the stage, they had you almost believing their implausible story. They had the look, the hair; even singer "Randy O'Banger" had an American accent. Their songs hailed from another era ("Fear the Reaper", "665 ~ The Neighbour of the Beast", you get the idea.) They were totally fabulous and they had the crowd in the palm of their hands. The whole place rocked out, arms raised in the Loki salute (fist held high, pinky extended, I'll have to find out what that actually means, if anything). I swear "The Filth Wizard " was actually Journey's Neal Schon on guitar, but hadn't we seen the drummer "Manimal" somewhere before? (Like playing in every other band in Horsham?) The sharper eyed among the crowd started to note an uncanny physical similarity between the band members and certain well known musicians from different local bands, has "The Duke" got a guitar-playing brother perhaps
or does the "Hair Commandant"'s twin also play bass? And how come Randy uses the same catch phrase "Scream for me Horsham!" as local rock legend Nick Paxton if he comes from San Antonio? Their set stormed to a climax with "Virgin Suicides" then suddenly they were gone as mysteriously as they had appeared, leaving the Drill Hall absolutely screaming for more. The judges decided they were the clearly the winners on the night and Loki will join Forty to Fall, Serrated, EighthNerve, Jalopy, and They Drop Fire on the Carfax Bandstand next Saturday 29th October 2005 for the Grand Final. At least we hope so, because when they went to tell them the news there was no trace of Loki in their dressing room, just a 1986 tour t-shirt, some wigs, and an empty bottle of Jack Daniels.

Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council. For a full review go to www.hdlma.co.uk for more information contact Nick Jenkins 01403 215216 nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Mark Daly

ENDS

 

THEY DROP FIRE CRASH THE PARTY ~ 21st October 2005

Heat 5 of Battle of the Bands 05 proved to be an open affair with all six bands in with a shout of winning over the judges. In the end They Drop Fire pulled off the coup of the competition so far and booked an unexpected place in the final on Saturday 29 th October.

Traditionally the first slot of any gig is notoriously difficult to fill and dreaded by most bands, but in a strange way I think it helped They Drop Fire as it made them try that little bit harder and perhaps expect a little bit less. They started their set with 'Smile Your On CCTV' which had more than a nod towards old style British punk with a smattering of metal thrown in for good measure. Will, the vocalist, had all the right moves including the much maligned two handed punk mic grab which I've not seen for a while, and should perhaps concentrate on this punk element and drop the metal grunting. 'Dependency' was an interesting 20 second sojourn of metal noise which caught a few people off guard with its audio onslaught and then left them slightly bewildered by its abrupt end. Zoë, who has improved massively from last year, and Toby worked the rhythm section for all it was worth during 'Prisoner' and Ben put in a couple of nice lead breaks. Some people were surprised that these guys finished first but I think they're being a little unfair. Playing to a wet, arriving audience is difficult, to do it to a crowd largely made up of friends and fans of other bands is even harder; if they had played fifth I think the result would have been less controversial. Well done Guys, enjoy the final.

Gridlock probably had the biggest following of the night with parts of the audience holding placards and messages espousing undying love for various members of the band, nice. From the off they had the crowd clapping and got some signs of life out of the mosh pit with their self labelled 'punky grunge'. 'Don't Look Up' saw Henry on drums throwing in a few technical patches and I liked his simple style and overall sound; there was also a thread of groove running through this song which, although elusive, gave it an interesting rhythm and structure. 'Chilli Pepper' was a heavier chunkier event which had Stefan working hard on bass during its contrasting verse and chorus which mellowed down only to race off at full throttle every know and again. They had a technical glitch at the beginning of 'Tea Party' but it didn't stop them having a blast, during which Rex's vocal delivery made me think of The Levellers, and it capped a pretty decent performance. Odd, I thought they deserved to be vying for top spot, but I'm not a judge so what do I know?

Billingshurst four piece Silver One started their set with 'Never Ever' which had an old fashioned rock n roll feel about it and gave them a chance to demonstrate their individual sound, which, given I had seen some nice bits of kit going up onto stage, was ample and rich. During 'Free' Mark had a fair old whack at the drums and Mike dabbled with his phaser pedal which added a nice dynamic touch and suited the song well, he may have overplayed it a bit however as it tended to dominate the rest of the set. Its got to be said that the thing that let them down was their stage performance, one of them looked like his feet were nailed to the floor, another couldn't lift his chin off his chest and they all looked like they had been told that their cat had been run over by a JCB which had then reversed over the dog, I could go on but I'd run out of pets. Come on guys do it like you do it when you practice, pretend no ones watching, cut loose, play in a pink tutu with flashing attachments, have some fun; if you don't like it don't do it. That said Mike managed to play his guitar behind his head and they did urge the crowd on at one point. If they can match their sound with equal dynamism I think they would see the benefit.

Last Letter Read popped up onto the stage like a mini Busted all wet skunk plastered hair, black shirts and tight T-shirts. Their first number 'Don't Call My Name' was all energy and fizz and had a nice slashy guitar riff which got the pit on their feet again. Rob on vocals had a few problems with his microphone technique and occasionally turned his head too far which made his vocals fade; won't be too hard on him as apparently he stepped in to play the bass at the last minute which can't have helped. They also had some considerable support in the crowd, made up largely of emo kids, and interacted with them well, none more so than the guitarist with the Telecaster, Tom I think, who liked to pull a few catalogue poses and throw the odd wink - no trauma there then! 'Step Off The Edge' was probably their best track as it had a bit more meat and substance to the sound and included a fairly catchy chorus. Last Letter Read finished second on the night.

The heavy metal boys then came out to play in the shape of Abaddon. Their first number 'Circle Scars' crashed out and formed the first decent mosh pit of the night which left little doubt that, despite having some personnel changes over the last year, the band have not lost their cutting edge. James on vocals, skinny as a rake, mop of unruly hair all packaged in the mould of Edward Scissor Hands, including breeze block boots, still retains his air of theatre and shouts out the lyrics counter-tenor style. Dave on drums and Casey on bass had a ball during 'Tenfold' and looked like they were really enjoying themselves. 'Twist The Knife' was a well structured affair which included some nice control and inspired the crowd to a bit of chanting; it did however suffer from some odd guitar sounds which left it light and dry but I couldn't quite work out what the problem was.

Looking like a Neolithic combat clad rugby team on steroids, and enough hair between them to pull off Bigfoot sightings for the next 10 years, there was no mistake about the type of music Incarnate were going to assault the baying crowd with - Death Metal. With three distorted detuned guitars, a behemoth of a guy given a double kick pedal to play with and a vocalist with not just a hairball in his throat but two whole cats, they launched into their first number 'Abomination' which set their stall out for the night. 'Illusionary God' continued the salvo, closely followed by 'Schizophrenia' during which Owen in particular caught the eye with a formidable lead break and the most impressive hair swirling I've seen in the competition yet. If you don't like Death Metal this wouldn't have been your thing as the wall of sound can be a bit featureless and screams out for some contrast, but as a past 'metaller' myself I can safely say these guys sure know what their doing and delivered exactly what they promised, nice one. Incarnate finished third on the night.

Heat 6 takes place on Sunday 23 rd October at the Drill Hall when The Band of Garrys, MASH, Laid to Waste, Used Ink, Disaplinatry Hatred and Loki will be fighting it out to be the last band to make it to the final. Doors open 18:30 , first band on at 19:00 . Entry £5 (£4 HDLMA members).

Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council. For a full review go to www.hdlma.co.uk for more information contact Nick Jenkins 01403 215216 nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Nick Jenkins

ENDS

 

TELEMACHUS TAKE THE ACOUSTIC TITLE ~ 14th October 2005

Everybody kicked back and chilled out last Sunday when 200 people crammed into the Extra Time Bar to see ten of the best singer songwriters in the District fight it out to be Battle of the Bands Acoustic Champion 2005. After much strumming and plucking Nick Parsons was deemed to have that special something and was duly crowed king for the year and given a cheque for £100 by the HDLMA.

Self styled balladeer Denny Mills, performing as Sir Lordy Self Righteousness , was first up to entertain the crowd and started with a plucky little number called 'Sister Suzanne Blues' which tried to unfurl into a folksy, bluesy sort of affair. Denny had other plans however and after a minute decided that it wasn't feeling right and shifted onto another song, fair play. 'White' had some interesting lyrics, which became a diatribe against the tabloids, and you got the impression that Denny really meant them, he also provided some nice improvised guitar noises; I especially liked the ad hoc feedback. His last song 'Leaving' had the right amount of vulnerability laced through it and suited Denny's world weary, slightly slurry voice well.

Precious Few were probably the youngest group of the night and although they have just had a gig at the Harlequin when they took to the stage there were, not surprisingly, a few nerves floating about. However Leah, who fronts the band with vocals and guitar, looked super confident and when she sung the first few lines of 'Watch Me Fall' she had every reason to be. Her voice reminded me of a slightly frailer Heather Nova or Nancy Wilson on the Dog and Butterfly album which is not a bad thing. 'Strange Beauty' was a nice strummy affair and had a good hook in the chorus; it was perhaps a touch too long and had a slightly messy end but nevertheless capped a good performance from the four girls.

Gary Holder and Stephen Anthony are both well known on the West Sussex music scene and normally spend the first ten minutes of any gig saying hello to people so getting up and performing must give them a break. This may explain why both of them came across as so relaxed on stage and gave their performance a nice chill out informal feel. Their second number 'Drinking and Smoking' let Stephen use his mature, resonant, smoke tinged voice to the full and show off his keyboard skills while Gary provided some bowing on his double bass, a combination which produced some pleasant sounds. 'Its Only Money' was a well constructed song and included some great lyrics; a fine example of song writing at its best and showed all their professionalism. Gary and Stephen finished third but perhaps should have sneaked second.

Most interesting name of the night went to Zauberei, which means magic in German apparently, and consisted of Henry and Stefan Child and Erin from Osiris, Death Metal to acoustic pop - wow! 'In Love With You' had some nice guitar work by the boys, which including some picking by Stefan, and let Erin demonstrate her voice which seemed deeper than her normal vocal delivery.

Their last song 'White Plastic Cups on Dirty Floors', which was named a few moments before they went on stage, had a more informal feel about it and left the impression that they all were more comfortable with the structure. Overall, good vocals backed up by a couple of talented guitarists and with by far the biggest support; could have warranted third place.

Mike Whiteley usually performs at Battle of the Bands by himself but this time he brought a mate, Roger, to help. Calling themselves The Distractions they fall firmly in the James Taylor mould, with a splash of Elvis Costello, and jumped straight in with a full-bodied song called 'Is This Love?' which contained some good licks and snappy lyrics. In a smaller venue Mikes voice sounded stronger this year and he was helped by Roger's accompaniment, especially on 'Working Lottery Blues' which showed you don't just have to play ballads with acoustic guitars but can tread quite happily on the rock n roll road.

Strange, I've not seen Nick Parsons , performing as Telemachus, look nervous before a gig before but on Sunday he confessed to me he was petrified. It didn't seem to affect his performance though. He started with an instrumental picking piece, which demonstrated his ability and acted as a bit of a warm up for any stiff fingers, and then went straight into 'Bare Bones' which was the first song of the night to really quieten the crowd; clichéd but you could have heard a pin drop. His voice is sometimes overlooked when playing with a full band but on Sunday it really shone; fragile and meaningful in the right places but clear and strong when needed, a technique that most performers on the night struggled to produce. 'The Devil's Road' was a great bit of song writing which had both me and Marky saying 'Nick Drake' at the same time, what more of a compliment could you give? Best guitarist on the night, a clear and well deserved winner.

You have to hand it to Jacob that at sixteen he had some bottle to perform solo in front of a full house, probably have to ratchet up that respect a bit more when you consider he borrowed a guitar just 10 minutes before he got on stage! His first song 'Seems Like Just Yesterday' had some good personal lyrics about childhood and growing up coupled with some competent guitar work. 'Feels So Right' had a true stripped down band song about it and the up tempo 'Will You Still Be My Friend' gave him the chance to demonstrate his folk/rock voice to the full. Good stage presence and clearly a talented chap, one to watch out for.

This Lonely Soul , Dan, wasn't as lonely on Sunday as he drafted in Tom, from APATDBF, to lend a hand. 'Slow It Down' had a nice warm mellow feel to it with the bass adding a nice layer of fuzziness. I especially liked 'Melt', and to a lesser degree 'UB313', which both tried to break away from a traditional structure and attempted something a bit more avant-garde, ala Radiohead. However I think they struggled to convey the finer points of the songs as the venue, although small, was pretty noisy and the crowd at points were hard to engage. Without question the ability is there and the songs have a nice innovative edge, Dan also looks the part. Lack of rehearsal probably didn't help, maybe just a bad night, we've all had them; I would definitely go and see him again just to get a better idea of what he is trying to do.

The Mighty Quin , made up of Anthony and Sam, changed the tempo with a selection of catchy tunes and a variety of guitars. 'Broken' was a smoother than a snooker ball and included some nice harmonies which fitted into the Finn Brothers mould. I missed the name of their third number but think that they dedicated it to Cheese sandwiches! 'Weak' had a good uplifting chorus and picking work which proved that both guys are comfortable on stage and competent as musicians and singers. The change of instruments during the set may have interrupted the flow of the performance a bit but ultimately they were another act which could have finished in the top three.

Last slot of the night fell to the talented brothers Andy & Matt Davies who had been pacing the foyer eager to get on the stage for at least half and hour. Their twin guitar folk rock approach on 'Grandfather Clock' set their stall out for the night and let Andy air his distinctive voice which has improved from last year. During the set Andy was the driving force with Matt playing the slightly disinterested support and with a few peeks from under his baseball cap deemed as enough audience interaction. 'Storyline' was picked out by lots of people as a top song and was performed with enough energy and fizz to keep the crowd hooked after a long evening. Andy and Matt swayed the judges enough to bag second place.

Heat 5 takes place on Sunday 16 th October at the Drill Hall when They Drop Fire, Gridlock, Silver One, Last Letter Read, Abaddon and Incarnate will be fighting it out to be the next band to make it to the final. Doors open 18:30 , first band on at 19:00 . Entry £5 (£4 HDLMA members). ID required.

Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council. For a full review go to www.hdlma.co.uk for more information contact Nick Jenkins 01403 215216 nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Nick Jenkins & Mark Daly

ENDS

 

JALOPY SPEED TOWARDS FINAL ~ 7th October 2005

Jalopy produced a performance of such class last Sunday that they left little option but for the judges to award them a place in the Battle of the Bands Final on the 29 th October.

Salvaged are virtually Battle of the Bands veterans , (think this is their third year), and kicked the night off with a selection of well balanced rock songs which gave the guys a chance to air their slightly heavier sound. Yet another 'New Song' made a set list and although it included some nice touches here and there it had the air of a work in progress, good potential though. Sam's vocals have definitely improved and matured since I last saw him at BilliRox in February and give him an added authority when interacting with the crowd, which in places he did well. 'Legend of the Purple Brick' is a good example of the band trying to do something a bit different from the usual generic shouty, thrashy approach employed by many young bands and included some nice strumming riffs and good bass work by Nick. It is however tough trying to keep a crowd occupied with an unknown song which includes slower sections and they did lose them in places; overall a good performance which, as ever, continues to show promise.

Kieren and Kat from hAND were so pumped up that I noticed they paced the equipment chute for a good 10 minutes before going on stage. All that adrenalin must have worked because as soon as they started their first song 'Clannad Mass' it was clear that they meant business. Kat, who in an inspired decision has traded her keyboard for the bass, laid down some hefty rhythm which linked well with the obviously sympathetically programmed drum machine, and let fly with some good vocals which have improved from last year. Kieren also really impressed me with his technical ability and overall sound, easy to forget that with some of the programming they use, which is a dark art in itself, he is overlaying the whole thing with some classy and intricate guitar work. 'Reverant Waltz', which I think is relatively new, and means about 4 months work for these guys, was a complex compelling arrangement which swirled around you, jabbing out every now and again with a change of direction and all the while hinting of some monstrous lurking crescendo; very nice indeed. hAND know all the arguments about adding a drummer etc, which ultimately I guess is up to them, but I'm pleased that they have kept their vision and style of music. Last year I said they had great potential, this performance showed that they are well on the way to achieving it; the judges agreed and placed them second on the night but I couldn't help thinking that in another heat it could have been first.

So far Certain Everything have only played at school gigs so stepping on stage in front of 500 people must have been a bit daunting for them and by the look on their faces it probably was. That said their first number 'There You Were' was competent enough and well delivered and gave them the confidence to construct a pretty fine set. 'Guns and Bubbles' was a full throttle, rocky, energetic sort of affair which included some nice interaction with the crowd. Mention must go to the drummer Jack who valiantly dragged them back on course and into shape a couple of times and to Fred on guitar who pulled off the move of the night when he managed to spin his guitar all the way round his neck without it flying off the strap and wiping out the rest of the band, maybe he should stand on the other side of the stage? They could perhaps benefit from a few power chord riffs now and again to add some punch and potency to their sound and it may be worth concentrating on the sharper vocals and dropping the back up screaming but I'm sure this will come in time. A pretty decent performance from the little dudes which earned them a third place draw but on count back saw them drop into fourth place, shame.

When Jalopy played the first few bars of 'Cock Fight' the crowd didn't show much reaction, that's probably because the sheer power and force of the music stunned them for a few seconds. Once they roused themselves from their stupor they were treated to a potent maelstrom of crashing drumming, slashing guitar and snarling biting vocals which assaulted the senses. 'Jet Plane Versus Newton' had it all in one meticulously wrapped bundle of alternative hardcore which during its entirety had Sian slinging her Gibson around while performing what can only be described as a stomping, twirling rain dance, no wonder Rhys always looks a little wary with this banshee scything around behind him. Mention must also once again go to Andy who pushes superlatives to the limit with his consistently awesome performances; note to any aspiring drummer - don't watch Andy, listen to him. Jalopy gave an immense performance, which to be honest has stopped being a surprise, and must make them the consummate Horsham teenage band. Watching and listening to them again last Sunday made me realise two things - 1/ They understand their sound and how to achieve it 2/ They understand each other, they have in effect become a tribe with every member playing a key part in the overall sound and look; there is no room for passengers in this wagon. Jalopy finished first on the night with every judge placing them first, no arguments there then.

Forsaken Effigy started their set with an instrumental introduction piece which left their vocalist, Alan, in a penitent pose at the side of the stage perhaps looking for inspiration as the band had told me they had only just finished writing lyrics to some of the songs? The pit seemed to like the metal audio onslaught and proceeded to huddle in their usual clashing mass. The second number 'Happy Jesus Song' saw some nice drumming by Juri which linked well with Mark on bass and drove the whole song at a galloping pace. I've not often seen a vocalist stop a mosh pit but when Alan issued his first series of 'grunts' there was a definite pause in the melee, perhaps they thought he was clearing his throat or in some cases vomiting into a bucket, either way it indicated to me that they must have given up on the lyric writing. The band definitely had a dedicated following at the front and worked them well. Their last number 'Betrayal' was their best, I even heard the word Betrayal a few times honest, and included some really nice guitar work by Jamie and Jorge; end was a bit messy however. Forsaken Effigy finished third on the night

Steyning based three piece Stolen Monkey provided another first for the Battle of the Bands competition, a drummer who is also the main vocalist. I must admit to it looking a bit odd seeing two guys on stage with guitars but neither singing, also quite tricky for the drummer I imagine. Their third number 'He Knows Your Name' with its slightly slower delivery worked well and meant that Thom managed to give a little more time to the catchy vocals. The 'Clappy Song' was perhaps their best and had a nice riffy feel which at one point saw the band fall silent which gave Omid and George the chance to orchestrate some rhythmic clapping which a large portion of the crowd felt compelled to join in. By the end of the set you couldn't help but notice that Thom was, not unexpectedly, getting tired and his timing suffered for it. Maybe they're on the look out for a singer, I think it would help, I'm sure there's one or two people out there that would like to front a band like Stolen Monkey.

This week its time to chill out at the Acoustic Night, Sunday 9 th October at the Extra Time Bar, Broadbridge Heath, when Sir Lordy Self Righteousness, Precious Few, Gary Holder & Stephen Anthony, Zauberei, The Distractions, Telemachus, Jacob, This Lonely Soul, The Mighty Quin and Andy & Matt Davies will be strumming it out to find the Horsham Acoustic Champion 2005. Doors open 18:30 , first band on at 19:00 . Entry £5 (£4 HDLMA members).

Battle of the Bands is organised by the Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council. For a full review go to www.hdlma.co.uk for more information contact Nick Jenkins 01403 215216 nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

Nick Jenkins

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FOLK AND FUN ON THE FORUM ~ 29th July 2005

An afternoon of live, popular folk music is being organised for The Forum, Blackhorse Way, Horsham on Saturday 6 August, from 1pm to 5pm.

The event is organised by Horsham District Council, with support from Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Accoustic Sussex.
At the start of another summer of great activities from Horsham District Council’s Leisure Services, the afternoon of fun will offer a great range of music from quality artists, absolutely FREE. Headlining the event will be Ashley Hutchings’ Rainbow Chasers, set to play at around 4pm. Ashley Hutchings, sometimes referred to as the 'Father of folk rock' is legendary as a founder of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band. Ashley's latest band is Rainbow Chasers, in which he is joined by with three young, talented musicians with fine voices who perform intelligent and sensitive music. The band is: Ashley Hutchings (vocals, acoustic bass guitar); Jo Hamilton (vocals, guitar, viola); Ruth Angell (vocals, violin) and Mark Hutchinson (vocals, guitar).
Kick-starting the afternoon will be a short set from local girl - Izzie Darcy, followed by Cathryn Stone, Gary Holder & Julie Roberts and Steve Winchester.

Why not bring the children along for some great entertainment also at the Forum that afternoon. If popular folk music isn’t quite their thing, there’s low cost go-karting, fantastic face painting or FREE circus skills workshops to keep everyone entertained. The afternoon guarantees some fun in the sun for all.
For further information about the day organised by Horsham District Council, please contact the Events & Promotions Officer, Nigel Fitzsimmons, on (01403) 215279 - email: nigel.fitzsimmons@horsham.gov.uk

Web: www.horsham.gov.uk
Information can also be found at www.acousticsussex.org.uk

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ROCK ON THE BANDSTAND 2005
HORSHAM PARK BANDSTAND ~ SUNDAY 26th June 2005 ~ 7pm

If you're not going to Glastonbury or can't get a ticket for Live8 then we have the next best thing. Independent local promoters Horsham District Live Music Alliance and Horsham District Council present the annual outdoor showcase concert featuring last years Battle of the Bands winners Fisticuffs, who's distinctive brand of energetic ska-punk will be complemented by two of the most popular melodic rock bands in the district, Paradox and Enemies of Reality, who both gave stunning performances at the Miffsock festival in May. The concert is FREE and open to all ages. Summer has finally arrived!

For further information contact Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216

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HORSHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2005 CANCELLED ~ April 27th 2005

This year's Horsham Music Festival, scheduled to take place on Saturday 9th July 2005, has been cancelled.

The free festival was being organised by local independent promoters the Horsham District Live Music Alliance with the support of Horsham District Council. HDLMA Chairman Mark Daly said: "It is with great regret that we have to announce the cancellation of this year's Horsham Music Festival. We had set ourselves a target of delivering an event on the same scale or better than the hugely successful debut festival last year, but sadly we were unable to attract enough of the funding required to make it happen again in 2005." Festival Organiser Graham Smith added: "The cancellation of the Music Festival is a great loss to the town, last year we proved what could be achieved if everyone in the community pulled together to create something of benefit to everyone." The 2004 festival was staged at 4 different sites in and around Horsham town centre featuring an eclectic mix of musical styles to suit all tastes. "It was a great
public showcase for the wealth of musical talent we have in the Horsham area, and attracted many visitors to the town centre." said Graham Ansell, Technical Coordinator for the Festival.

All is not lost, however, as plans are already underway to stage the Festival again in next year with a view to establishing it as a bi-annual musical event. Mark Daly said: "On behalf of the organisers I would like to thank the Council for their help and support , the musicians who volunteered to perform, and to those local businesses who did offer to sponsor parts of the festival this year. With the continued support of the Council and a greater contribution from local sponsors Horsham can hopefully hold another successful festival in 2006."

Anyone wishing to get involved in the 2006 music festival can contact Graham Smith directly on 07970 251558, send an email to info@hmflive.co.uk, or write to the HDLMA (Music Festival), QM Studios, Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, RH12 1JR.

For further information about the Horsham Music Festival look on the web site at www.hmflive.co.uk
For further information about other HDLMA events look on the web site at www.hdlma.co.uk

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HORSHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2005 - CALL FOR MUSICIANS AND HELPERS ~ 24th March 2005

Contact: Graham Smith 07906 732456

Independent promoters Horsham District Live Music Alliance (HDLMA) have come out of their winter hibernation after last autumn's hugely successful Battle of the Bands competition and are in the early stages of organising a repeat of last summer's even more successful Horsham Music Festival.

The free festival is planned for Saturday 9th July and as last year it will be based at 4 different sites in and around Horsham town centre. The Main Stage will host contemporary music, rock, pop and soul. The Acoustic Stage will present a mix of jazz, swing, and folk as well as some of the top singer/songwriters in the district. The Variety Stage will provide an eclectic mix of of big bands, choirs, pianists and more. The Alternative Stage will feature the best of young (and old) rock and metal bands. HDLMA Chairman Mark Daly says; 'After the successes of last year we are looking to cement the Horsham District's reputation as a recognised centre for live music. I am delighted that the Alliance can once again be involved in such a large scale project showcasing the very best musical talent in the district.'

The man with the unenviable task of filling 11 hours of entertainment, ranging from rock to reggae, jazz to folk, is HDLMA member and Festival Organiser Graham Smith. Graham is once again on the lookout for music groups and musicians wanting to perform on the day; 'We aim to provide something for everyone, so anybody who wants to be part of the festival, be that performing or just helping out, should just give me a call. This is a free festival relying on volunteers and good will so if any businesses out there are interested in sponsoring part of the event we would be more than interested to hear from them!' Graham can be contacted on 07906 732456, or write to HDLMA (Music Festival), QM Studios, Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, RH12 1RL. The festival is supported by Horsham District Council and the HDLMA.

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HDLMA Open Day ~ PR: 3rd February 2005

The Horsham District Live Music Alliance (HDLMA) is a local organisation which: supports local amateur musicians and groups; promotes musical talent within the Horsham District; expands the opportunities for live performance; and provides chances for everybody to enjoy and participate in live music.

Since we set up in 1999 we have worked in partnership with the Horsham District Council on numerous projects including Battle of the Bands, Horsham Unplugged, Horsham Music Festival, Rock on the Bandstand and the Town Centre Festival. We also play an integral role in other community projects including Blue Oasis (a club night and arts workshops for people with learning disabilities), SNAP (Say No And Phone super safe discos for under 17’s) and Gravity (Youth Music Project).

During that time we have also secured a lottery grant for the purchase of a 2kW PA system for use by our members and transformed the old Quarter Masters Stores, behind the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, into a rehearsal facility and fully-functional digital recording studio. This is affectionately now known as the QM Studios, and has been recently upgraded.

On Saturday 19th February 2005 we are holding our annual Open Day at the QM Studios, behind the Drill hall, Denne Road, Horsham. Anyone is free to drop in between 10am and 4pm where members of the alliance will be on hand to show you around the facility and explain the work of the Alliance does in the Horsham District

For further information contact Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216 or look on the HDLMA website www.hdlma.co.uk

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HORSHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL - CALL FOR HELPERS - 14th May 2004

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Graham Smith Tel: 07906 732456
Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216
HORSHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL - CALL FOR HELPERS