With no POTC event in March, Aprils event was even more eagerly anticipated and the fact that there were only 2 bands on show was not going to mke the evening any less enjoyable. One new band (for me) THE GUZZARDS, and an old favourite in THE FANNY PADS, good times.
 
So when WOODSTOCK PUNKROCK and I rolled up at The Corner House and found a band in residence setting up their gear, WOODSTOCK'S immediate thought was that co-promoter NICK GRANT had found a third band in WRONG PLANET (the band in residence!) and when NICK came in and saw WRONG PLANET setting up he thought that WOODSTOCK must have found a third band at the eleventh hour! So when both found out that neither had contacted the band they decided to find out just what was going on!

Without out going in to all the ins and outs of what happened the upshot was COCK UP - originally the date had been booked as a POTC event about a couple of months before, a later enquiry to see if the event could be moved to the Fri nite (23rd) was not possible and so POTC said ok no worries will leave it.

The venue were under the impression that the event had been cancelled on the Sat nite as well so did a bit of last minute phoning and got hold of WRONG PLANET who agreed to come and play. There was also meant to be a Solo artiste and a band of youngsters. The young guns arrived, but the solo guy did not.

So what could have been a cluster fuck of Royal proportions actually, through common sense and general air of "it's all about the music" all the bands present played, and provided the most eclectic line up POTC has mustered - memories of the last couple of VIVA LA LOCALS came flooding back as they too had very diverse line ups.

It was great to see how each of the bands supported each other as well as the crowd who did likewise no matter who they had primarily come to see.

A hastily re-jigged running order was drawn up which as it turned out was perfect.

AUDIO FIRE had the honour of kicking things off. A 2 piece band consisting of a guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. All I know about the band is they have a myspace page http://www.myspace.com/audiofireband and that it was the drummers birthday on Saturday.Their myspace is a little sparse in detail but they do have a couple of tracks up you can listen to.



A band firmly entrenched in the indie/rock genre they received a favourable response from the assembled crowd. As to the music, I would be surprised if they don't number the Artic Monkeys amongst their influences as there were some definite AMesque touches about some of the songs.
 
I'm not sure how many of the song titles I have got correct but here goes. I think their set consisted of six songs. The first ESCAPADE was a decent opener, the guitar work was good although I'm not sure the solo really fits the song. The next was NOTHING CHANGES(?),i think, again a another song that was basically sound what stood out in this song was the strange chord patterns, unusual can work, but not sure if it did here. The third song, which was not introduced, I DON'T MISS YOU (i think I got from song) whatever, I really liked this song.

The guitar work was solid, the vocal delivery was great and the drums more expansive. CRACKS IN THE GROUND had a real frozen primate feel about it, from the lyrical style to the guitar sound and vocal delivery. The 'Monkeys influence could also be clearly heard on their fifth song, for which I didn't have the title. Last up complete with grunged up guitar sound was (i think) BLOW BEFORE THE BLUES. Which of the set was my least favourite.In the main the band have a good musical ear and being a young and fairly new band the writing will get better as they mature and progress.

The biggest thing for me was the lack of a bass player. Now I'm not sure if this a circumstance thing as in they have not been able to find one, or a deliberate decision. However apart from thickening out the sound, bass acts like the glue that cements the drums and guitar together.

All in all, not bad at all. Like all new bands practise is great but playing live is where it is at, and this is where you learn your trade. Keep it tight, keep it simple, step outside of the box when it is right to do so - not just for the sake of it, and have fun... enjoy it. The more you do the more we this side of the stage will. A band for the future, especially for those who like their music more indie.

A quick switch from indie to some down and dirty punked up rock n roll.

THE GUZZARDS are a 4 piece from Norwich. I often speak of bands having energy but this lot have torn up my previous definition and wrote a new one. It's almost as if they stand still for a second they will not be able to move ever again. Whether it is the music that feeds their energy or vice versa who knows, and quite frankly, who cares.



The result is a full on frontal audio assault that takes your breath away. A band that is constantly gigging and making themself poor financial in the process but if winning new friends were a bankable commodity these boys would be raking it in. 
 
I will hold my hand up and admit that after the first couple of songs, which I liked, I wondered if they were a bit of a one trick pony. Nothing wrong with that at all but it is always encouraging when you hear a band do something different and not churn out song after song after song that are basically the same format etc. My worries were soon assuaged with songs that showed after some great harmony work vocally, some great guitar work including some terrific double axe men posing and even a harmonised guitar solo thrown in for good measure. In fact musically one of the tightest bands i have heard (and there have been 1 or 2). Even more encouraging was the fact they really enjoy themselves. And so were we!

The Corner House doesn't have the most capcious staging area but hats off to the band the just plugged in and got on with it and didn't let the lack of space kill the drive and power invested in each song. I purchased a copy of their 6 track EP which has not been out of the CD player since I bought it (another review coming on I feel!)

The band are;
MATT (GUITAR & VOX)
AARON (GUITAR & VOX)
JASE (BASS)
MEZ (DRUMS)
Check them out at www.myspace.com/theguzzards  www.theguzzards.com  or better still catch them live when they are next in a town near you!

Having punked up the party The Guzzards made way for another band that treat your lugholes to good old fashioned musical GBH! - namely THE FANNY PADS all the way from deepest darkest Sudbury.THE FANNY PADS are a band that never let you down. First on, mid bill, headlining, and/or playing to crowd of 2 or to hundreds they just deliver.



FLOCKY (VOX) and the boys PETE (BASS & B/VOX), WIGGS (DRUMS) and SPUD (GUITAR) took us by the scruff of the neck, got our attention, started the jet engine, brought the after burner on line and we were off on a madcap, manic, metalic maelstrom of a ride accompanied by
THE FANNY PADS, A BETTER LIFE, WHERE IT ENDS*, HOW LONG, EMERGENCY, WHY*, MID LIFE CRISIS, GLAIKIT*, TRUTH IS OUT, ID, TAKING LIBERTIES*, GET OUTTA MY WAY*, NICK GRIFFIN and DEAD CITIES. All delivered with power, pace and passion, and on occasion a slightly over lubricated guitar.

The stand outs for me are the ones marked*. Shame that NO CONFIDENCE was not on the list as this a personal favourite and DRINKING would not have been out of place!

Another great set from a great band. A band that does 'this' for all the right reasons which is always good to see. http://www.myspace.com/thefannys is the place to go to find out more about the band!

Having mentioned right at the start the 'mix up' with the scheduling and who was actually playing at the venue, the headline act were WRONG PLANET or at one point early doors WRONG BAND, WRONG VENUE, WRONG DATE, WRONG TIME etc etc.However a big thank you to WRONG PLANET and all the bands for not letting egos and a cock up get in the way and ensuring that we had a full night of music no matter what!Also they supported every band that was on before them as did there friends which is great to see and much appreciated.



WRONG PLANET - a band I saw first last September at The Haymakers in Cambridge - play what they self style as Pre Apocalyptic Rock. Wind the clock back to the late seventies and this is the sort of music you'd find tucked away on a late night Old Grey Whistle Test with that Maestro of air waves Mr Whispering Bob Harris introducing the band, or, if radio was more your thing the late and much lamented Mr John Peel was not adverse to giving this stuff a spin.

I personally hear it as an elcelctix mix of progressive rock, jazz fusion, a touch of alternative and avant garde with a pinch of wholesome rock n roll.

There are definite touches of early Pink Floyd, one of the songs had a very Sabbathesque riff of a War Pigs/Children of The Grave ilk and a few times I thought chuck in a Sax and there was something a touch COLLESIUM IIish going on. Musical extremely accomplished, mind you, they have been round the block a few times individually as muscians so you would expect nothingless. Also compared to when I last saw them in September they have grow together as a unit and much tighter as a unit.

However, now as then, the vocal delivery just didn't tick any boxes for me, (sorry Becky nothing personal) it's not that it's bad, it's not that it doesn't fit the style and others in the venue clearly did like what they were hearing it's just I didn't like it, but imagine a world where we all liked exactly the same things and had the same tastes in music how bland, boring and desolate would that be?

But don't just take my word for it, not that many do, find out for yourself. As I say this a talented and highly proficient group of muso's who play a more grown up and sophisticated type of rock music. They brought this rather discombobulated event to a fitting close.WRONG PLANET is BECKY (VOX & GUITAR), STUART (GUITAR & VOX), CHRIS (DRUMS)and DICK (BASS)
and you find out more about the band at http://www.wrongplanet.org

Thanks to everyone who came to The Corner House either to watch or play irrespective of which promotion you thought you were coming to see!

Big thanks to the bands for putting music before egos and allowing WOODSTOCK and NICK of POTC to snatch triumph from the jaws of a cluster fuck!  Roy(?) The Sound Guy - for doing his usual good job for the bands! And to the venue for being there!

Respectfully if some what tardily submitted by



A Man Called Moose!