Sleeping Panda PresentsFriday 8th April 2011
Brighton Alternative rockers Pesto were the opening band to greet us to the forthcoming event. Unfortunately their Pixies and Violent Femmes style of indie punk came across as slugishly boring through a coherent lack of ideas and development in their songs.
The band must collectively be rocketing towards their 30's which is sad when you consider how little they have musically accomplished. Their songs followed a simple formula with the bass player rarely moving away from straight crotchet rhythms as well as believing that giving a good vocal performance is just as easy as shouting into the mic.The biggest problem with this band is they just lack an agenda. They were confusing to watch. Why was the bass player wearing eye liner more suited towards a drag and rag night down some seedy bar of the sea front. It's harsh but it's true, there is to many rubbish bands in this town and Pesto well and truly fit that criteria.
Missing the very opening of their set, walking back into the gig I swear I could hear the tired wrangling of a bed room shredder. But no. There it was in all it's glory. A 3 piece hardcore band finished off with a guy freaking out on the sax.
In contrast to the last act, Barking Toad completely took me by surprise. Their sound consisted of heavy doom like drum patterns with distorted bass playing chords to fill out the sound with enough Sax squeals and roars to shake a shitty stick at. Imagine it like a more subtle Dillinger with a 1 man avant-garde contemporary horn section. It's a band like this that really stands out on such a night which is a hard thing to do on this circuit.
But once the initial shock of such a radical and unexpected line up wore off, their music proved to be interesting and captive affair that kept my interests intact.
CB6 very quickly assert themselves as the headline band. Their stage show and music has a higher degree of professionalism and development than the acts before them. They make good use of space surrounding them at credit to their confidence, a band with an obvious amount of experience under their belts. Their sound shows a wide variety of influence. They're delivery had that 'take no prisoners' Punk attitude, like a less sell-out version of Rise Against but with other elements of Hardcore, Thrash and even Death Metal.
Hailing from Southend the band are currently supporting their self titled EP (to be later reviewed) and are a band to be watched, being able to seemingly merge into this towns Metal scene.
Sleeping Panda put on a wide pallet of musical variety tonight that both shocked and rocked. The fairly new promotors on the scene are now beginning to take on their own stride and are shaping themselves out as something different amongst the scene. Underground Reviews are looking forward as to what we can expect over the Summer months.
Underground
*For Photo's get in contact with the Underground Reviews Team at: undergroundreviews@live.co.uk
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