Opening
last Friday at Jamcafé with a
bang were CRIMSON GENERAL, a two-some formed from John Peel
favourites Cherry Forever. They have a powerful sound, which is
impressive for the just two of them, which is then furthered by their
intense reverberated electric guitars and a strong rhythm section.
The use of the drum kit is innovative, and rhythms are often complex
and unusual which is a great technique to have under your belt and
was very effective. Their music is well constructed, with some great
transitions between verse and chorus in their songs. They sing
gorgeous melodies with good phrasing and have great interactions
between the two of them, and the audience. They seemed very
comfortable on the stage and very much in their element. Despite
there being two of them, their music is full bodied and rich, and
they use their instruments in innovative ways to intensify their
songs. They also have a great stage presence, and I enjoyed how the
end of the set was only properly finished when the lead singer
unplugged his guitar from the amp, a bit of showmanship never goes
amiss!
THE LUNADOGS are next to take the tiny stage with their funky stylings.
With the band stretching out of the norms with a theramin and an
electric double bass, they definitely grabbed attention. Distinctive
vocals are a powerful tool for The Lunadogs as the higher pitched
melodies complement the rest of the band well, and are prominent over
the other things going on. The electric bass is used in a broad way,
and it is so great to see it both bowed and plucked with great care
and precision. It is a fantastic tool both visually as well as
musically effective in expanding songs. The bassist also operates the
theramin, often playing bass at the same time, therefore is purely
operating it with his body. Multitasking like crazy, he manages to
get a good balance and a considerate operation of the theramin, which
is no mean feat. The song structures were well planned, with some
fantastically unusual key changes which added to the funk. There were
also some lovely, lengthy instrumental sections which were well
executed with good communication between the band. This was also
demonstrated in their on stage jam, where they improvised a track on
stage from scratch, which had a fantastic end result and really
showcased their musicianship. Their music sometimes combines the
funky with the spooky, as they can often have active guitars
promoting dancing in the audience with great hooks based on a funk
style bass part. On the top of this though, vocals can be haunting in
their melodies, and when teamed with a distorted theramin, things can
get pretty intense. The parts all gel well together though, and feed
off of each other. The solos were great too, as they provided a
change of pace, but I think that some bass solos would have been a
welcome at times. Overall, an impressive and interesting listen, and
well worth catching live.
LOIS
took to the stage to headline the gig, taking the audience through a
multitude of styles and genres, including rock & roll, blues,
folk, rock, soul, country and even pop. With strong vocals and
harmonies, the band put on an energetic performance, which was
powerful and passionate. With strong, heavy bass lines, they build
around them, creating well structured songs with catchy melodies.
Spanning genres they tear up solos and get innovative by changing it
up with a keyboard half way through the set, which changes the pace
and feel of the gig somewhat. The keyboard creates a different kind
of song construction, leading possibly to 'Be True To Yourself',
which felt like a rock infused pop ballad, beginning with vocals and
keyboard, and later developing into a full band. I enjoy the various
stylistic changes though, as it always keeps the audience on their
toes, as no one song is the same as another. Their tracks have
excellent sections, and good instrumental breakdowns, with
consideration being taken into the balance of their instruments.
These performers have a good stage presence, interesting music and an
enthusiastic performance style, and are happy to be there, and you
would have been too!
By Cassia Helme for NottinghamLIVE
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