- Horsham District Live Music Alliance

An intimate but lucky audience saw Nick Paxton and his band walk off with the title of Horsham Battle of the Bands 04 Acoustic heat winners at the Drill Hall last Sunday.

Ollie Barron got the night of to a great start with a fine solo performance which, I’m sure everybody says this, had me thinking of the late great Jeff Buckley. The intensity and emotion he put into his songs coupled with his undeniable talent should make every mass produced engineered band hang their collective head in shame. The note he held during his first number My One had me looking closely to make sure it was actually coming out of his mouth and not a CD player, amazing. You could have taken any of his songs and dropped them into Buckley’s seminal Grace album and you would be hard pushed to spot the addition. I for one will definitely be heading to the Extra Time Bar on 10th December to see him perform with his whole band SuperEgo, and you should to.

Andy Davies at fifteen was the youngest performer on the night but showed no nerves whatsoever, not surprising when you consider he has been performing since he was eight and has recently won the BBC’s Fame Academy Young Persons Songwriters Award. His second song Rise Above included some nice touches and demonstrated his song writing abilities and mature and slightly ‘burrish’ voice to the full. For his last song, Safer Days, he switched from the guitar, which he has only been playing for a year, to the keyboard and he seemed more comfortably with the whole set up and his performance benefited for it. Lots of people were very impressed by Andy and his songs, definitely one to watch out for.

Mojo Pin brothers Ben (or is that Glen now) and Joe, then cranked the rhythm up a bit with a slightly higher tempo set of songs. You could tell that they had been playing with each other since they were boys as they complimented each other well, with Ben on vocals and guitar and Joe on guitar. Spiral was their stand out track with Joe switching to harmonica, which at first I thought maybe the obligatory ‘train’ song, but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to have a more contemporary twist with some good clear vocals and nice interplay between the two. It still brought a touch of the Deep South of the USA to the Drill Hall and had me thinking of bourbon and bloodhounds.

Catherine KS, a veteran of two other Battle of the Bands and recent winner of best solo artist in Brighton, then produced something in her own individual indie/folk/pop style. Quirky is often bandied around when describing Catherine and her songs and it’s an adjective that suits her well, think Joni Mitchell and Tori Amos mixed up with a splash of helium and you get something close to Catherine. Melancholy Folly and Adrenaline Junky were my favourites both of which were well structured, entertaining, well performed, and included some great lyrics.

Nick Paxton, the well known front man of Lazy Train, Andy Logan and Si Leech then got things rocking again with a lively guitar heavy set. Nick, forever the professional, has an uncanny knack of making it look easy and got everybody’s foot tapping with his punchy vocal delivery. Their third number the cliché riddled Been There Done That brought a smile to everyone’s face with its tongue in cheek lyrics and humorous look back at a life in rock and a friendly side swipe at the younger generation. Coming Home with its combination of harmonica, guitar work and catchy lyrics rounded off a nice set, performed professionally and good enough to win over the judges.

Things then got confusing as a scaled down and shuffled version of The Embers saw their drummer Anthony Tidy fronting the band, he was backed up by their normal vocalist Andrew on bongos and both were supported by Steve. The chance to play acoustically suited them, and their songs, and as soon as they jumped on stage it was evident they were intent on enjoying themselves and entertaining the audience with a selection of stripped down numbers. She’s Gone had a sort of Counting Crows kinda feel to it which I liked. They finished their set with My Time which has now become known as The Russian Flamenco Song, thanks for your easy going attitude guys, much appreciated.

It fell to Mike Whiteley to bring the evening, and indeed the whole competition, to a close. Amongst others Mike styles himself on Elvis Costello and there was more than a touch of his influence in Last Days of Summer with its snappy guitar licks. Start of the Dance bought the tempo down a bit before Mike finished with the rousing Is This Love, a fitting end to a good competition.

Battle of the Bands was organised by HDC and HDLMA. HDLMA will be holding its AGM on 28th January 05 (location tbc) and an Open Day at the QM Studios, Denne Road, on 19th February 05. For more information please call Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216. www.hdlma.co.uk.

Seven local musicians/acts will be performing at the Drill Hall this Sunday in the final acoustic section of the Battle of the Bands.

7:00 – 7:20 AlterEgo
7:30 – 7:50 Andy Davies
8:00 – 8:20 Mojo Pin
8:30 – 8:50 Catherine KS
9:00 – 9:20 Nick Paxton
9:30 – 9:50 Anthony Tidy
10:00 – 10:20 Mike Whiteley

The evening promises to be laid back with a chilled out atmosphere and will based on the successful Horsham Unplugged night held earlier this year.

Doors open at 6:30 first act on stage at 7:00. Entry £4/£3 for HDLMA members. Battle of the Bands is organised by HDC and HDLMA. For more information call Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216.

Rise of the Robots blew everybody else away at the Drill Hall last Sunday with an outstanding set of Rage Against the Machine songs which saw them win the Battle of the Bands Covers heat.

Infearior took to the stage first, which was difficult for Nick the bassist as he played the entire set in a wetsuit while wearing a pair of ski’s, bizarre. They started their set with a decent rendition of Fade to Black by Metallica which included some good drumming by Juri. After a Machine Head number, Imperium I think, and a five minute chat with the crowd, they began to run out of time so went straight to their final number, Cowboys from Hell by Pantera. Both George and Jamie managed some good guitar work while James the vocalist gave it all he had which at some points saw him bent over double with the effort.

Blink 1Ate2 had already taken part in the competition as About Blank in heat 3 so where familiar to a lot of the audience. They gave an energetic performance of, no surprise Blink 182 numbers, the best of which was All the Small Things. Their set was a bit hampered as Chris’ guitar cut out a few times which meant they sounded a bit drum and bass heavy occasionally. Regardless of technicalities the band included some nice touches and managed to get the crowd moving with some good interaction, Scott especially seemed to be enjoying himself.

Rise of the Robots, Tepuki Thunder for those that follow the Horsham music scene, then gave a sublime performance of Rage Against the Machine covers. They opened their set with Killing in the Name which really got the crowd going, I’m sure I even saw a Fiddler moshing in there somewhere, and set the tone for the whole set. The entire band put in impressive performances with Sam on bass and Jonnie on drums really churning out the heavy beat, both of who really impressed me, while James on lead let fly with some furious riffs. Mitch on vocals however is the kingpin of the band and it was his understanding and delivery of the aggressive militant rap like lyrics which meant that Rise of the Robots really made an impact. Bullet in the Head concluded their set with a vocal and audio punctuation mark few could ignore and was greeted with the adulation it deserved.

Quickbrew had the unenviable task of following Rise of the Robots but didn’t hold back and jumped in feet first with Sympton of the Universe by Black Sabbath. They ploughed on gamely with their versions of For Whom the Bell Toils by Metallica and God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols, both of which were received well by the faithful at the front. The Four Horsemen by Metallica went down well with Will on drums, giving it his all, and Zoe on bass linking well together. Although it wasn’t Quickbrew’s night they won the prize for the best combed hair of the night and have certainly improved since I saw then at the ET Bar earlier this year.

Forty to Fall, which included two members from 2002 Battle of the Bands originals winners Alternate Theory, kicked off their set with New Born by Muse, which provided a first for the competition this year, the use of a keyboard. They brought the tempo down a bit with Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis and dropped it even further with a tribute to their friend (really sorry guys didn’t catch the name) by playing a song he had written called Over and Over. Joe on vocals really made the lyrics heart felt and demonstrated his mature and versatile voice while Ali provided some nice guitar work. It was easy to see why they won the originals heat as they are all accomplished musicians and rounded off a good performance with Slither by Velvet Revolver. On another night they could have added Battle of the Bands Covers winners 2004 to their CV, they just didn’t count on Rise on the Robots. Forty to Fall finished second on the night.

Green Dae where last up for the night and stepped onto the stage pumped up and ready to deliver a set of Green Day songs, they also looked the part in black shirts and white ties. They started with Welcome to America which had the mosh pit bouncing around and had a few nice touches here and there. The band were full of energy and brought their fast tempo set to a close with the popular American Idiot which went down well with the crowd. Green Dae finished third on the night.

Battle of the Bands is organised by HDC and HDLMA. The Acoustic/songwriters heat takes place on 21st November at the Drill Hall, Denne Road. Doors open 6:30pm first act on at 7:00pm. Entrance £4/£3 HDLMA members, for more information call Nick Jenkins 01403 215216.

History repeated itself last Saturday night when another wildcard Ska band won the final of Horsham District Battle of the Bands. Just like Just Called Charlie in 2003 Fisticuffs failed to win their heat but managed to pull out all the stops when it really mattered and put on a performance that convinced the crowd, and more importantly the judges, that they were worthy of the title of Battle of the Bands winners 2004.

Before any of the bands played a note the final was dedicated to the memory of the champion of unsigned bands John Peel, with the appropriate playing of Teenage Kicks by the Undertones.

With the vocals of Fergal Sharky drifting into the, thankfully, clear and cloudless sky Eighthnerve got the night off to a start with their distinctive guitar heavy sound. When the band were pulled out of the hat last week in the notoriously difficult, some would say cursed, first slot they all knew they were in for a difficult night, Matt definitely gave an audible groan. However they tried to make light of this by pummelling the audience from the start with a combination of punching bass line, screaming guitars and sharp vocals. Their third number, The Second You Realise, was their stand out track which included some great accents by Will and bass by Gareth. The band tried every trick in the book to get the cold and slightly distant audience involved, and by the end of their set had certainly achieved some success with their last song, Better Hire Some Smaller Screens, getting the recognition and applause it clearly deserved. On another night and in another slot it may have been a different story for Eighthnerve. They certainly woke the crowd up and for that all the other bands were truly grateful.

It’s fair to say that the next band, AD/HD, were a mixture of nerves, excitement and enthusiasm with a large dollop of eagerness thrown in for good measure; we could hardly keep them off the stage while getting Eighthnerve’s equipment off. From the moment Luke played the first chords of Papermen there was no doubt that they deserved their place in the final, people in the audience who had missed them in the heats had the same look of amazement and surprise on their faces that we all had when we first heard them. All of them were competent on their instruments and as before worked the crowd like seasoned pros. Mitch on bass alone is worth paying to see for his unbridled energy which during She Makes Me had him doing a worthy impression of Side Show Bob with his feet on fire, classic. Sure the band have some things to learn, and of course they have a few rough edges but if they keep doing what their doing who knows what they will achieve. AD/HD finished third on the night with Luke being awarded the Spirit of the Competition Award as chosen by the HDLMA committee.

If there was such a thing as an insiders tip then it was that the Enemies of Reality were the band to put your money on this year. I had missed them during the heats but had heard that the performance they gave was one of the competitions best so far, on Saturday night they didn’t disappoint. From the beginning of the set, which kicked off with The Big Freeze, their class and talent was evident with each member of the band giving a master class in technique. Their sound was clear, distinctive and sharp and executed in a very professional manner which had some of the other bands looking on in admiration. If I was to be harsh perhaps the only thing missing was a real connection with the crowd. I think Nick was the best guitarist on the night, none more so than during the lead break in Horizontal Man which really deserved a bigger stage and audience to appreciate it. Enemies finished second in the competition.

Auberon Phoenix and the Dirt Box Fiddlers, it seems, are a band that everybody likes to watch, with their over the top posturing, costumes (not your colour Si) and props there is more than a touch of the theatre about them. That said don’t be fooled, this band are much more than just a pair of 3D glasses, their cleverly crafted songs contain some humorous and often cutting lyrics and are always executed with skill and panache. They kicked their set off with the usual Beer Anthem which cranked the pace of the evening up a bit with its frantic tempo set by Si on drums and lightening quick vocals by Auberon. The crowd responded with the first decent mosh pit of the night and the normal crush at the front. Reclining Couch of Love (my favourite) was received well by the crowd and allowed the band to demonstrate just how post modern punk can be played; it conjured up seedy images of fake leopard skin covers, cheap perfume and elastic! Great, proper punk played properly. They finished their set in typical Fiddler fashion with the entire band jumping on and kicking about cardboard boxes; I understand these have now become collectors items and worth a lot of money if signed by the band, I wonder what Mr Peel would have made of you guys?

The Euphony were next up and the expectation was high given the manner in which they won their heat. They were again introduced as the dark horses of the competition as they seem to be a bit of a hidden band on the Horsham music scene, maybe this will change now? Their second number Polly got the people at the front bouncing about and clapping along to its catchy chorus while Ant posed in his frilly white pirate shirt; good to see that you are standing by you fashion style Ant. The band worked well, with Ant on bass connecting nicely with Andy on drums and Joe on guitar working gamely to hold the whole thing together. A lot of the Euphony’s tunes seem vaguely familiar and have you searching your memory for what song it is they remind you of, they’re slippery little fellas though and you never seem to be able to put you finger on it. Whatever the formula is it seemed to go down well with the front section of the crowd, especially when Ant took his usual walkabout during Moscow Girl which concluded their set. There seemed to be something missing with their performance on Saturday but like one of their songs I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

When Slaughter House stepped onto the stage it meant for the next twenty minutes things were going to get heavy. They pounded straight into Eulogy which had Paul hitting his kit so hard and quickly it sounded like a whole herd of Wildebeest had somehow strayed into the Carfax and were beating a hasty retreat towards Swan Walk. Needless to say the mosh pit loved it and spent nearly the entire song in mid air. There is something operatic and theatrical about the vocalist Ed, it’s not just to do with his impressive vocal range or even the make up he wears, it’s more to do with the dramatic poses he instinctively seems to take up whilst singing. Exit Wounds continued the audio assault and was their best of the night with both Will and Ben really giving it some to the delight of the mosh pit. Again I think Slaughter House, and they would be the first to admit it, slightly under performed on the night and couldn’t quite capture their heat winning performance.

Fisticuffs were fortunate enough to get the much desired final spot of the night, and boy did they make the most of it. The distinctive Ska rhythms being driven by the obligatory brass section were in marked contrast to the other bands before them and got everybody jumping to a slightly different beat. The band looked like they were having fun, Jay their front man and guitarist, sporting tartan trousers, gave a high octane performance which saw him cover every inch of the stage while delivering punchy, heart felt lyrics which you knew he really believed in. Although Fisticuffs call themselves a Ska band they do have a harsher more punky sound, The Park epitomises this with its grating guitar and bass line punctuated by brass riffs and defiant lyrics. Jack on bass and Sam on drums did well to keep the framework of the songs together but Trunk and Emma on trumpet and sax really shone during You Make me Sick which saw nearly everyone in the Carfax jumping up and down. Sure maybe Fisticuffs aren’t the most technical or polished of bands however they seized their moment on Saturday and made sure they put in a performance that would be difficult to dislike, Carpe Diem. From the cheer that went up when they were announced the winners it would appear the judges didn’t get the decision wrong.

Fisticuffs received a cheque for £500 from the HDLMA and a day in 811 Sound Studios given by Mikey Miller. Battle of the Bands is organised by HDC and HDLMA.The Covers night takes place on Sunday 7th November at the Drill Hall, Denne Road. Featured bands are Infearior, Blink 1ate2, Rise of the Robots, Quickbrew, Forty to Fall and Green Dae. Doors open at 6:30pm first band on at 7:00, £4/£3 HDLMA members.

The Carfax bandstand will be the place to be tomorrow night when seven local bands take to the stage to fight it out for the overall title of Horsham Battle of the Bands winner 04.

The road to the final started in September when forty local bands applied to take part in the event. Over the course of 5 heats, which saw some incredible talent and fierce competition, 7 bands fought their way to the top.

Slaughter House won Heat 1 with a no-holds-barred performance of the heaviest of heavy metal; Enemies of Reality used all their experience and guile to win Heat 2; Eighthnerve fought their way to the top of the metal mountain which was Heat 3; The Euphony swept all before them with a flourish in Heat 4; and the Auberon Phoenix boy’s pounded the opposition into submission with an audio bombardment in Heat 5. Wildcards Fisticuffs make it through to the final with their high octane ska songs and entertainment value along with the youngest band in the event AD/HD who gave all the other bands the fright of their lives with their stage presence.

6:45 – 7:05 – Eighthnerve
7:15 – 7:35 – AD/HD
7:45 – 8:05 – Enemies of Reality
8:15 – 8:35 – Auberon Phoenix and the Dirt Box Fiddlers
8:45 – 9:05 – The Euphony
9:15 – 9:35 – Slaughter House
9:45 – 10:05 - Fisticuffs

The winner of the competition will receive a cheque from the HDLMA for £500 and a day in 811 Sound Studios in Cowfold, kindly sponsored by the owner Mikey Miller www.811studio.co.uk

Horsham Battle of the Bands is organised by Horsham District Council and the Horsham District Live Music Alliance. In the event of bad weather the final will be relocated to the Drill Hall, Denne Road. If relocated admission will be free but arrive early to avoid disappointment as numbers and space will be limited, doors will open at 6:15pm.

The Covers night will take place on 7th November followed by the Acoustic/Songwriters night on the 21st. For more information call 01403 215216 www.hdlma.co.uk

Auberon Phoenix and the Dirt Box Fiddlers pulled out all the stops last Sunday, and despite some intense competition, managed to win Heat 5 of Battle of the Bands 04, securing them a coveted place in the final.

Guest act Hostile Super Heroes kicked off the evening with a well polished and energetic performance which warmed the crowd up nicely. ‘Leave Me Alone’ was the stand out track which incorporated some punchy drumming and confident vocals, thanks.

Then the band with probably the most pedigree in recent Battle of the Bands, Paradox, took to the stage and instantly had the crowd with arms aloft clapping along to ‘No Mans Land’. Paradox seem to be a bit of a rarity these days with all the band members managing to sing in harmony, rather than just in unison, while still being able to maintain a technically sound performance. This proficiency was none more evident than during ‘To You’ which included some great vocals and sweet harmonies from the whole band while Matt in particular looked like he was wrestling with a troublesome python rather than just playing bass, great stuff. ‘Zevicon’ also included the best guitar break of the night from Alex and some nice vocals from the suitably dishevelled front man Mark. It’s possible that Paradox may have been slightly under their own high standards on the night, and lacked a tiny bit of sparkle, but they certainly put down a tough marker to beat for the following bands.

Army of Fools were next up and they didn’t show too many nerves considering it was their first proper gig. They had a nice fresh bouncy but punchy sound which had the crowd moshing in their usual energetic manner, especially during ‘Inevitable’ which included some nice touches. Their stage presence was hampered a bit as Tristan had a broken leg (pesky trampolines) and had to sit down the entire set, however the rest of the band seemed determined to make up for his lack of mobility and jumped around the stage like they were on pogo sticks, a kind of bouncy castle of rock. They all played well individually, including Mike, the tiniest drummer I’ve ever seen, and with time will improve as a band; one to watch out for.

The crowd were then treated to an audio bombardment by Auberon Phoenix and the Dirt Box Fiddlers who were definitely up for it with Simon on drums sporting a tiara, maroon dress and pink tights (20 denier I believe for the more fashion conscious of you) and vocalist Auberon wearing 3D glasses. They launched into the fast and furious ‘Beer Anthem’ which had everybody jumping around like crazy and set the standard for the rest of their numbers. The stand out track was ‘Reclining Couch of Love’ which had a suitably raw but professional sound which incorporated some good guitar work by Andy and bass by Tom, powerful drumming by Si and over the top vocals by Auberon which gave him the appearance of a Koi carp coming up for food. Entertaining to watch and to listen to, the band play punk how it is meant to be played, and this ultimately won them a place in the final.

Last Letter Read were next up and, whether this is a good or bad thing, you couldn’t help but compere them to Busted with their energetic punk/pop sound and skater style attire. ‘Cruel to be Kind’ saw Curt (drums) and Luke (bass) working well together with some nice vocal hooks by Rob which were backed up well by Nath and over laid with some nice guitar work by Tom, it certainly proved popular with the audience who moshed the whole way through. Like Army of Fools, Last Letter Read is a band that has the technical ability to produce some good songs and definitely have the stage presence and style to be popular, all they need to add now is a bit more substance, well done.

The honour of last band up for Heat 5, and the originals section, went to Gubbins. They produced some dynamic songs within a varied set which kept the crowd on their toes, and indeed it appeared the floor most of the time. ‘Mr Wild’ with its punchy drumming and accents by David, chopping guitar by Michael, driving bass by Casey and vocals by Giles, who seemed to really be enjoying himself, received the best reaction despite sounding a little unrehearsed at times. Good work though guys keep it up; it’s surprising how quickly Battle of the Bands 05 will come round!

Heat 5 completes the originals section of Battle of the Bands 2004. The winners of each heat, Slaughter House, Enemies of Reality, Eighthnerve, The Euphony and Auberon Phoenix make it through to the final along with the 2 wildcards Fisticuffs and AD/HD. The final will take place on the Carfax Bandstand. It’s going to be loud, it’s going to be rocking, and it’s going to be the place to be on 30th October.

The Covers heat featuring Infearior, Blink 1ate2, Rise of the Robots, Quickbrew, Forty to Fall and Green Dae will take place on 7th November followed by the Songwriters/acoustic night on the 21st November featuring Mojo Pin, Catherine KS, Nick Paxton, Andy Davies, Mike Whiteley, Anthony Tidy and Ollie Baron. Both heats will be held at the Drill Hall, Denne Road.

Battle of the Bands is organised by HDC and HDLMA. Doors for the Covers and Songwriters heats will open at 6:30pm, first band on stage at 7:00pm. Price £4/£3 HDLMA members, for more information call Nick Jenkins Tel: 01403 215216

Heat 4 of Battle of the Bands took place on Sunday in front of the biggest crowd yet at the Drill Hall. The enthusiastic crowd were packed to the rafters and were treated to a real variety of styles and talent which saw The Euphony come out on top.

Jalopy, the band dubbed ‘all you could want for Christmas and more’, got the night off to a frenzied start with an energetic performance of ‘The Danger Mouse Convention’ which had everybody moshing at the front. The pace proved a bit to frantic as Rhys broke a string at the start of ‘Feeling of Fear’ and had to borrow a guitar from Luke of AD/HD, two questions Luke, do you always carry your guitar around with you and didn’t you have some homework to do? ‘Rising Storm’ was the pick of the bunch which included some great tempo changes, good vocals and powerful drumming. I liked Jalopy, with the ‘Animalesque’ drummer Andrew, Tom the slightly disinterested bass player, Peter the enthusiastic singer, Rhys the focused lead guitarist and Sian on guitar looking like somebody has picked her up and swirled her around in pink punk fairy juice. The band looks right and sounds right; if I was 17 again I’d be listening to them.

Next up were hAND who gave the audience a sample of their own brand of gothic alternative rock which falls somewhere between prog rock, 80’s metal and rock opera. Although the band only consists of Kat and Kieren they produced a big noise, if you closed your eyes you would think that at least half a dozen people were on stage. The sound they produced was intricate, thoughtful and very original. They started with ‘Pockets for Sockets’ which included some beautiful keys which when they trailed off you couldn’t help but think of Tori Amos. ‘Dust Anyway’ was the best track which started like a steam train trying to chug up a steep gradient and finished with it screaming down the other side with all whistles blowing. It’s clear that hAND have enormous potential, the question they have to ask themselves is do they need to add one or two new members to the band to realise it?

Last year Dwell made it to the final with their high energy Christian Rock and on Sunday they looked determined to do the same again. They kicked their set off with ‘Ever True’ which included some funky bass by Ali and tight drumming by Ben, it certainly had the faithful at the front jumping around like they were on pogo sticks. The anthemic ‘I Will Run’ used some good punchy ‘rap like’ vocals by Simo which had him bouncing about like some sort of Rock ‘n’ Roll Tigger, I swear he nearly went through the stage a couple of times. Liam on guitar definitely won the most pedals award for the night, he had so many it took two people just to carry them in, trying to choose the right one sometimes made him look like his foot was on fire and he was trying to stamp it out! Dwell produced a good strong dynamic sound throughout their set with some nice vocals and accents which always had the crowd involved; they were just a bit below the standard they usually perform at on the night.

If Dwell were rocking for God then Abaddon were calling on another individual for inspiration. This was their first gig but they showed no nerves and launched straight in with ‘Your Silence’ which started with James playing his bass alone and then Chris and George cutting in with chopping guitars followed by Juri on drums, the crowd loved it. The vocals were familiar and distinctive as Ed, James brother, also fronts Heat 1 winners Slaughter House, ah brotherly love in action. The vigorous mosh pit was then driven into a frenzy by the power chord bonanza ‘Twist Your Knife’, which saw Ed trying to impersonate someone falling from a plane at 30,000 while yodelling, proper metal. They finished their set with ‘Circle of Scars’ which had some good lyrical content and some nice changes of pace, it also included some synchronised head banging which was nice. Abaddon are a young band which have the enthusiasm, the talent and willing fan base to be around for a while, watch this space!

The Euphony were sort of the dark horses of the night as nobody really seemed to know much about them, were we in for a surprise. They took to the stage with a flourish that only somebody wearing a frilly white shirt, tied hankies and using a bright red amp can do and, although a few nerves showed during ‘Polly’, they had the audience eating out of their hand from the start. Their third song was an instrumental which saw Anthony take an impromptu walkabout into the crowd, with his ‘taste‘ in clothes I’m sure if we had hung a rope from the ceiling he would have preferred to have swung out over the audience while shouting something like ‘a vast there shipmates’, all that was missing was an eye patch and a cutlass. ‘Moscow Girl’ was their best track which had some really nice touches and had the whole crowd clapping along and brought the set to an end. The Euphony gave a well polished and professional set with Andy on drums keeping the sound punchy and tight, Joe laying over some nice guitar work and Anthony providing some sharp vocals while really connecting with the audience, they deserved their win. I don’t want to go on about it but Anthony take the shirt off, put in on the ground and back away, the 80’s really are over you know!

Next up were The Embers who provided a welcomed first for the originals competition, an acoustic guitar. ‘Losing It’ got everybody’s foot tapping and set the tone for their competent and well presented performance which included some sweet harmonies and some nice guitar work. The Embers made a nice sound with Steve on guitar backing up and complimenting the vocals and acoustic guitar played by Andrew who, I’m sure this has been said before, sounds a bit like Jimmy Nail. Simon on bass gave a really good performance, especially on ‘Once in a Lifetime’ which they finished with and is slightly heavier than their usually stuff, always dovetailing nicely with Anthony on drums. Their overall sound has a rock ‘n’ roll heart overlaid with a more ‘folky’ kind of rhythm and always keeps you interested with it well worked melodies. I enjoyed your set guys, thanks.

The next heat will be on Sunday 10th at the Drill Hall featuring guest act Hostile Super Heroes, Paradox, Army of Fools, Auberon Phoenix, Last Letter Read and Gubbins. Doors open at 6:30pm with the first band on stage at 7:00pm, entry £4/£3 HDLMA members. For information call Nick Jenkins 01403 215216.

Jalopy - dubbed 'all you could wish for Christmas and more' are Peter Clarke a scriber and monophonist of literature, Rhys Stubbs and Sian Hainsworth both string resonance manipulators, Tom Cunningham a sub frequency vibrations producer and Andrew Head a drummer. You can purchase their 12 track CD 'The Danger Mouse Convention' for just £4.

hAND - formed just over a year ago and are a 2 piece alternative rock band. Their music combines 80's metal with their own unique style to produce something a bit different. Currently looking to record a four track EP the band is working on new material and gigging as much as possible to get their music out there. hAND consists of Kat (vocals/keyboard/bass) and Kieren (guitar/drums).

Abaddon - are a local 5 piece metal band which comprises of Ed Moffat (vocals), Chris Barnaby (guitar), George Beattie (guitar), James Moffatt (bass/backing vocals) and Juri Gregurec (drums). The band formed 9 months ago and writes all its own material. They describe their music as beautifully brutal containing 'heavy riffs with a bit of funk thrown in' .

The Euphony - are a local 3 piece rock band that are influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Who and have been around the Horsham scene, in various guises and line-ups, since 1999. The band comprises of Anthony (bass/vocals), Joe (guitar) and Andy (drums/vocals) and they are all keen to have to have a good time during Battle of the Bands. Word of warning - Anthony's been suffering with flu so don't stand to close to the front of the stage on Sunday cause if he shakes his head too much you may get more than you bargained for.

A record number turned out to watch Heat Three of this year’s Battle of the Bands at the Drill Hall on Sunday. From the attire of many in the audience you would be forgiven for thinking you’d walked into the Heavy Metal Appreciation Society’s Annual General Meeting as two of the bands on the night were a big draw among those of the headbanging persuasion.

This heat was not for the faint of heart, and although the first band After Black confessed to being nervous before they took to the stage, once under the lights they delivered their melodic rock songs with confidence and energy. Not bad at all for their very first gig and I overheard a few favourable comments afterwards, including “the best looking band so far”!

With the pretty boys out of the way the stage was set for the mighty EighthNerve to rock out with their eclectic brand of metal, fronted by their towering lead singer and driven by the powerful drumming of Will Romain. This band have gigged extensively this year and it showed in their performance. Despite being tipped as one of the pre-competition favourites they made sure they left nothing to chance and gave everything they had to the great appreciation of the moshing maelstrom before them, and the lead singer Dave seemed determined to win over the undecided by sheer force of personality.

The next band up hadn’t gigged for a while but were equally determined to bludgeon the crowd and judges into submission with the heaviest of death metal. If your granny wouldn’t like Slaughterhouse then Incarnate would give her nightmares. Two of the band sang in deep doom-laden tones over a grinding rhythm section occasionally punctuated by twin lead guitar passages from Tom and Richard. I couldn’t quite make out the lyrics but I’m sure they were about something suitably bombastic, like the end of the world. The mosh pit loved it. Great hair too!

Following that with punk anthems might have seemed like walking into a lion’s den but Chris, Scott and Toby of About Blank were unfazed and delivered a lively and tight performance, which reminded this reviewer more of The Clash in their early days than their influences Blink182, but maybe that’s just an age thing. The rumours of punk-rock’s demise have been greatly exaggerated if this band are anything to go by. The mosh pit loved them too.

The final act may have been one of the youngest bands in the competition but were actually veterans, having been together for two years and having played in the covers section last year. Salvaged aired their own self-penned pop/rock songs for the first time with practised skill, Nick the bass player in particular drawing admiring comments from the some of the older musicians present. They keep improving and they’ll definitely be back!

Another competition record was set by the fact that every band kept to their 20min allotted playing time almost to the second. Well done guys!

After some consideration the judges emerged from their darkened room to return a verdict of “Metal rules, OK”, and EighthNerve will join Slaughterhouse and Enemies of Reality in the final.

Mark Daly

The second heat of Battle of the Bands 04 took place on Sunday in front of another enthusiastic audience at the Drill Hall. Each band had something a bit different to offer but it was the experienced songwriting and performance of Enemies of Reality that saw them through to the final.

The show opened with the big sound and twin guitar attack of My Obsession. This was the brainchild of Graham the lead guitarist, who had put together a "supergroup" of musicians from different local bands. Featuring great lead vocals and nice guitar work over a driving rhythm section, they played a surprisingly short set of stadium rock anthems. It's only rock'n'roll, but I like it!

On a mission to prove that metal isn't all about hirsute guys yelling into a microphone the next band Osiris had an original sound that was definitely different from your average metal. Fronted by a diminutive girl singer and the world's tallest bass player, the female vocals contrasted well with Mikko's drop-tuned heavy guitar riffing. They may be a bit rough around the edges at the moment, nothing a few more gigs won't sort out, but the word is this is a band to watch out for in future.

By way of contrast the next act onstage had just two members, a drummer with the smallest kit seen anywhere and guitarist/singer Glen. The Broken Arrows made an interesting sound and it was hard to believe there were only two of them. They played some catchy songs, which were well received, and they certainly had style.

A new competition record was set by Skyrats, who were the first band ever to get zero from the judges for stage presence, because in true punk tradition . they didn't turn up!

This was more than compensated for by Fisticuffs, who took to the stage determined to have a good time and to make sure everybody in the place joined them! Projecting loads of energy and led by their charismatic frontman Jay they stormed through their great arrangements of high-octane ska/rock songs and the crowd loved it. The biggest mosh pit of the night erupted in front of the stage and cheered every note the horn section blew. That's entertainment!

Enemies of Reality were the last band to play and knew to follow that they had to deliver, and they did. The second "supergroup" of the evening featured two former members of local legends The Indigo Sunrise and dug deep into their reserves of experience to give a tight and polished performance of quality songs. Singer/guitarist Nick displayed an excellent vocal range and great lead playing, and this was backed up by some awesome drumming and powerful harmony vocals. They won over both the crowd and the judges so Enemies of Reality will join Heat One winners Slaughterhouse in the final.

The next heat will be on Sunday 26 th September again at the Drill Hall, Denne Road, featuring After Black, EighthNerve, Incarnate, About Blank, and Salvaged. Doors will open at 6:30pm with the first band on stage at 7:00pm, Entry £4/£3 HDLMA members. For information Tel: Nick Jenkins 01403 215253

After Black - Maté (guitar/vocals), Gary (drums/vocals), Alex (Bass/vocals) and Lee (guitar) decided to form After Black one warm July morning during a RE class at school, I use to just look out the window. They say they are influenced by bands ranging from 'pop-punk legends Blink 182 to metal Gods Machinehead'. They sometimes practice in a garage. Stop talking at the back or I'll confiscate those guitars!

Eighthnerve - Matt (guitar), Brett (guitar), Gareth (Bass/vocals), Will (drums) and Dave (vocals) all met at Chichester College about a year ago and after a few jamming sessions decided to dip their collective toe in the wonderful world that is Rock. They have been tipped as one of the favourites for this year's competition and are one of the bands leading the resurgence of heavy rock in Horsham. Their demo proved that they are not frightened of moving away musically from the usual generic rock structure and are well worth a listen to. So far the band have played gigs in Bognor, Chichester, Horsham, Brighton and Portsmouth and are looking for more.

Incarnate - Are a four piece Death Metal band from Warnham who formed about two years ago and are influenced by bands like Napalm Death and Cannibal Corpse. Like most bands they started out doing various metal covers until they discovered their own style and sound. With two vocalists, Tom (guitar/vocals) and Henry (bass/vocals), they employ an interesting tag-team style of singing backed up by Sean (drums), and Richard (guitar). They hope you find it aggressive yet catchy.

About Blank - Could these guys, Chris (guitar/vocals), Scott (bass/vocals) and Toby (drums) be the ubiquitous dark horses? No more details.

Salvaged - are one of the youngest bands in the competition, saying that they have been together for two years, veterans at such a young age! The band Nick (bass), Bobby (guitar), Sam (guitar/vocals) and Tom (drums) all come from Steyning and entered last year's Battle of the Bands in the covers heat. They say their style of music has driving bass lines, catchy strumming patterns and the occasional laid-back guitar solo, everybody listen carefully I'll be asking questions later.

The first heat of Battle of the Bands 04 took place on Sunday and it turned out to be a really hard fought contest. Slaughter House eventually managed to fight their way to the top of the pile but they met some worthy opponents along the way.

Serrated kicked the night off with a well rehearsed performance which instantly had the crowd moshing at the front. They opened their high energy set with ‘Operation B’ which included some powerful chords and Christian attempting some sort of stamina workout on his kit. Serrated are a band that are getting better and better the more they gig and always seem to keep the audience entertained with their post punk set, they did well on Sunday it’s just that others did better.

Next up were Seneca who took over where Serrated had left off with an unashamedly grunge set which included some powerful guitars and brilliant drumming. They gave the audience fantastic variety and demonstrated good musicianship and some of the best vocals of the night within a nicely rounded set. They finished with the anthemic ‘Sing it Loud’ which was a real crowd pleaser. I liked Seneca, we need more bands like this gigging in the district.

Just Six Numbers then stepped up and it was instantly clear that they were going to change the mood of the evening with a funkier style of play. The song ‘Johnny Boy’ was the stand out track which had the entire audience with the arms above their heads clapping along with the singer. They are a confident and sophisticated band with some superb lead guitar work and powerful drumming and gave a well polished performance. As two runners up can make it to this year’s final we may not have seen the last of Just Six Numbers yet!

Inner Sanctum then gave their offering of psychedelic hard rock. They are influenced by Korn, Machinhead and Jimi Hendrix and attempted some complex and intricate threads. ‘Revolutions’ had some nice guitar work and was complemented by some steady drumming. Their loyal fan base really got into the slightly darker and edgier music and kept moshing during their entire set, calling out for more when they ran out of time.

Then the youngest band in the competition this year, the tiny but mighty AD/HD, took to the stage for their very first gig and looked like they had been doing it for years. They had the best stage presence on the night and worked the crowd like seasoned veterans. Their set was packed with energy and they showed no inhibitions what-so-ever, it scared the life out of all the other performers. I could see people thinking ‘they can’t have been alive long enough to be that good…but they are!’ Well done guys, I’m sure we will be seeing more of AD/HD in the future.

Slaughter House took to the stage last with the heaviest of heavy metal and gave a no-holds-barred performance beginning with ‘Exit Wounds’. The vocalist has an amazingly distinctive voice and is certainly not afraid to use it. They are obviously a well practised band with lots of experience and know exactly what sort of sound they want to achieve. It was a good night for drummers as Paul seemed to have taken offence at something his drum kit had done and spent the entire set teaching it a lesson. They finished the night off with ‘Eulogy’ which epitomized their approach with driving bass, thumping beat, screaming guitars and high octane vocals, your Grandma would have hated it. In the end Slaughter House deserved their win but they were pushed all the way by the other bands.

The next heat will be on Sunday 19th September at the Drill Hall, Denne Road, when My Obsession, Osiris, The Broken Arrows, Skyrats, Fisticuffs and Enemies of Reality will be squaring up to fight it out for a place in the final.
Doors will now open at 6:30pm with the first band on stage at 7:00pm, Entry £4/£3 HDLMA members. For information Tel: Nick Jenkins 01403 215253

My Obsession – Graham (guitar) had an idea, that idea became his obsession; his obsession has now become a reality. In a scene reminiscent of the opening sequence of any good Musketeer movie Graham has rounded up Nick (vocals), Matt (guitar), Kris (drums) and Matt (bass), you can all argue which Musketeer you are later guys, and formed them into Horsham’s very own answer to a supergroup My Obsession. Inspired by acts such as Soundgarden and Alice in Chains they promise uncompromising hard rock and are perhaps the dark horses of the competition. In an offer which seems to good to refuse Graham says he’s looking for permanent members for the group, interested? You might be!

Osiris – are Mikko (guitar/vocals), Chris (drums), Erin (vocals) and Bill (bass) and want to bring a new breed of metal to the stage but as of yet are still unable to categorise it . Some of the things they can promise however are a powerful stage presence, a driving bass-line and a no-holds barred attitude to metal. Osiris are on a mission to bring metal to the masses, and I thought they still sung hymns in church? They also have a female vocalist so if you think metal is all about rough, bearded men shouting into a microphone you’re in for a shock.

The Broken Arrows – describe themselves as Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll. They are Glen (guitar/vocals), Louisa (drums) and Sophie (bass). I have no other info about them other than that.

Skyrats – describe themselves as punk pop rock. They are Chris (vocals), Nev (bass), Ali (drums) and Kari (guitar). I have no more info other than that.

Fisticuffs – blend their simple but catchy Ska music with raw vocals which are often compared to Streetpunk. Jay (guitar/vocals), Jack (bass/vocals), Sam (drums), Emma (saxamaphone (sic) vocals) and Chris (trumpet/vocals) have only been together 6 months but have already notched up gigs at Concorde 2, Junction and the Extra Time Bar, quite impressive. They are influenced by Ska-punk bands Duff Muffin, The Mad Caddies and Choking Victim and listening to their demo it certainly has touches of all of these but retains a certain originality. They say they all love being in the band and want everybody to know that they do it because it’s fun, and when you see them play I think you can tell, just try and keep your clothes on Jay!

Enemies of Reality - Chip (drums) and Phil (bass), both formerly of The Indigo Sunrise, were joined by Nick (guitar/vocals) early this year and Enemies of Reality were born. They like nothing better than turning up their guitars, playing loud rockin’ tracks, and seeing how much plaster they can make fall off the ceiling. Influences range from Sabbath and Foo Fighters to Jeff Buckley and U2. They like their music so much they are keen to give away a free 2 track live demo, see a band member for details or www.theindigosunrise.co.uk

AD/HD - are the youngest performers in this year's event. The band is Luke (guitar/vocals), Mitch (bass/vocals), Tom (guitar) and Ben (drums) who all met up at the QM Studios during a Live Music Workshop. They are influenced by AC/DC, I also detected Nirvanaesque elements in their demo tape, and although they practice nearly every weekend this will be the first time the have performed live, don't worry guys you'll be fine. They promise to give a manic performance and quote Jack Black in 'School of Rock who states 'Rock and Roll is not about the winning or losing...it's about putting on a show'.

Inner Sanctum - are a three piece who hail from Southwater and Broadbridge Heath. The band, Lee (guitar/vocals), Theo (bass) and Scott (drums), formed in the early part of 2003 and describe their music as hard rock psychedelia with influences ranging from Korn and Machinehead to The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. Their music combines heavy rock riffs with psychedelic lead guitar and a thumping rhythm all topped off with a heavy slug of drumming.

Just Six Numbers - the band played their first gig at the Cartoon Club, Croydon in February before having a bit of a change in personnel, welcome to the music business guys. The band now consists of Luke (guitar/vocals), Rob (bass/vocals) and James 'Snapper' (drums), and think that their music is best described as funky pop rock. I'm not calling them liars but I can think of at least 14 numbers, and that's just off the top of my head!

Seneca - formed in 2003 and were originally called Sound Art. This grunge rock band made up of Rhys (guitar), Nick (guitar/vocals), Mark (bass/vocals) and Toby (drums), appeared in last years event and although they failed to make it to the final acquitted themselves well. As Seneca the band has played at various venues and recently took part in the Cranleigh Battle of the Bands, winning through to the final. The band have spent this year adding to their repertoire although Sing it Loud remains a crowd pleaser.

Serrated - formed in 2000 when they thought that the best way to attract girls was to form a band..4 years later they realised they thought wrong. Despite this setback Christian (bass), Sean (guitar/vocals) and Christian (drums/kazoo) think that they have had a fantastic year supporting some great bands and attracting some good reviews (if not girls). They play a high energy post punk grunge mix and are intent on gaining as many fans as possible during this years Battle of the Bands.

Slaughter House - are Ed (vocals), Paul (drums), Dave (bass), Will (guitar) and Ben (guitar) and have been around the Horsham music scene for quite awhile. This will be their third Battle of the Bands, last year they made it to the final, and they are using it, hopefully, to go out in a blaze of glory before they all go their separate ways to Uni. The play the heaviest of heavy metal and there is a rumour going round that they were originally a circus act called Laughter House but added the S prefix when they swapped their red noses for axes. Good luck guys.

Horsham Districts very own Battle of the Bands is back and this year it's bigger and better than ever. A total of thirty nine bands have entered the competition, twenty eight in the Originals section, seven in the Covers and four in the new Songwriters/Acoustic section. Bands in the Originals section will be fighting it out for prize money of £500, a day in the recording studio, two free rehearsals at QM Studios Horsham and a guaranteed headline spot at a future HDLMA organised gig night; runners up in the originals receive £100, third place £50. Bands in the Covers section have the chance to win £100, free use of a PA for two gigs plus a support slot at a HDLMA gig. Winners of the Songwriters/Acoustic section receive £100; there is also a discretionary 'Spirit of the Competition' award of £25 for the individual artist or musician who most impresses the judges with their ability, talent, attitude or performance.

Bands entered into the Originals section are: Heat 1 - AD/HD, Inner Sanctum, Just Six Numbers, Seneca, Serrated and Slaughterhouse. Heat 2 - The Broken Arrows, Fisticuffs, My Obsession, Osiris, Skyrats and Enemies of Reality. Heat 3 - About Blank, After Black, Eighthnerve, Incarnate and Salavaged (guest act tbc). Heat 4 - Abaddon, Dwell, The Embers, The Euphony, hAND and Jalopy. Heat 5 - Army of Fools, Auberon Phoenix and the Dirt Box Fiddlers, Gubbins, Last Letter Read and Paradox (guest act Hostile Super Heroes). Running orders for each of the heats have not been selected at time of going to press,

Original heats will be held on the 12 th , 19 th , 26 th September, 3 rd , 10 th October. Winners from each heat plus the two highest scoring runners up from the five heats will go through to the final which is being held on the Carfax bandstand 30 th October and will mark the end of the three day Horsham Town Centre Festival.

Bands in the Covers section are Blink 1Ate2, Forty to Fall, Green Dae, Infearior, Rise of the Robots, Studio One and Quickbrew. The Covers heat will be on the 7th November when the winner will be decided on the night.

The new Songwriters/Acoustic section has had four entries, Andy Davies, Anthony Tidy, Mojo Pin and Mike Whiteley. Like the Covers section the Songwriters will get a heat all to themselves with the winner being decided on the night. The decision was made to make a separate section for the singer/songwriters, and those wishing to perform acoustically, as it has in the past been very difficult to judge a single musician or an acoustic performance against a whole band. The deadline for entry into the Songwriters/Acoustic section has been extended until 20 th September, please look on the HDLMA web site for information www.hdlma.co.uk

Nick Jenkins, representing the joint organisers Horsham District Council and the Horsham District Live Music Alliance said 'The interest in the competition and the quality of the entries are as high as ever. We have entries from musicians as young as 12 up to people who are slightly reluctant to give their age. And, although the event is a competition, I feel that the true value of the Battle of the Bands is that it gives musicians the chance to showcase their skills and equally important members of the public to access the unbelievable talent that is in the district. The recent Horsham Music Festival proved that people still want and enjoy live music'.

All heats will be held at the Drill hall, Denne Road. Doors will open at 6:45pm with the first band on stage at 7:15pm. Horsham District Battle of the Bands is jointly organised by Horsham District Council and Horsham District Live Music Alliance. For more information call Nick Jenkins on 01403 215216 or e-mail nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk .

ENDS

BATTLE OF THE BANDS 04 - ENROLL FOR THE YEARS BATTLE ~ 30th July 2004

It’s fast approaching that time of year again when the best and most talented musicians and bands in the district come together to match their skills against one another and battle it out for the title of Horsham Battle of the Bands winner 2004.

This year the competition is divided into 3 sections, original material (bands), original material (acoustic), and covers. The competition kicks off with the Original heats on 12th September which, due to the large audiences at last years battle heats, have been moved from Broadbridge Heath to the Drill Hall. The original section have heats on 12th, 19th, 26th September 3rd, 10th October, with the Originals final taking place on 30th October on the Carfax Bandstand. Winners of the Original section receive a cheque for £500, a day at 811 recording studio, 2 free rehearsals at QM Studios and a headline gig organised by HDLMA.

The Covers section/final is planned for 7th November and the new Acoustic/Songwriter section/final for 21st November (these heats will be subject to change depending on how many bands have signed up for the Original heats). Winner of the Covers section will receive a cheque for £100, free use of a PA for 2 gigs and a support slot at a HDLMA gig. Winner of the Acoustic section will receive a cheque for £100.

There is also a discretionary "Spirit of the Competition" award of £25 for the individual artist or musician who most impresses the judges with their ability, talent, attitude or star quality.

Battle of the Bands is open to all amateur solo artists and bands of any age or style who have a least one member either living or being educated anywhere in the district.

For more information or an application form please contact Nick Jenkins on 01403 215216 nick.jenkins@horsham.gov.uk

ENDS
NICK JENKINS 01403 215216

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