January 6, 2006
To start this Fly On The Wall promotion we have the pleasure of seeing young punk band Long Drop. We have seen these guys before and were impressed by the solid and catchy performance they put on especially for a band of their notable youth. They seem to have grown since the last time we witnessed their show, both in height slightly but more so in musical terms. The drummer is really tight and drives the songs with really tight beats and some inventive and cheeky fills, Though-out the set he provides the power and kick for the other instruments to work behind. Long Drop's songs are build in a pop punk vein with a consistent upbeat feel, though many bands tend to do similar styles it has some interesting and diverse moments adding in other influences and is played to a very high standard, which is once more highlighted by the band's youth. The bassist carries many of the songs with simple but effective riffs which gives the guitarist more space to experiment, mixing lead riffs, solos and chords and giving the band a very full sound. The bassist seemed to struggle a little at times handling his duel roles and some basslines could have maybe been more complex or the vocals could have done with a bit more power, more backing vocals might have helped. Towards the end of their set, Long Drop played a new song and this really showed the massive potential they have, with a more complex and still very tight bassline, diverse and catchy punk riffs, some great backing harmonies and the inventive and powerful drumming all working to great effect. These guys haven't been around long but they seem to be getting better with every show, certainly a band to look out for in 2006!
Next we have a blast of dirty californian style, no nonsense, no bullshit punk from Derby's Mr Wolf. This band always seem to have a great sense of humour, interacting with the crowd really well and even though they don't move around much, their relaxed and fun stage presence keeps everyone in an upbeat mood. The music also stays very upbeat mixing a NoFX or Rancid Americana punk sound with a very British attitude and some really happy ska riffs. The dynamic between the moments of chilled out ska and soft punk contrasts very well with the in your face shouting punk sections and their is a nice range to this punk even if it isn't a completely original sound. The vocal lines are really catchy without being to complex and the patterns are more infectious than the flu in December. The perfect harmonies and catchy, funny lyric lines add to this intoxicating feel. Mr Wolf have always been a lot of fun to watch but tonight they seem to have also become really really tight, in fact they are one of the most together bands I remember seeing of late. They play fun music which is catchy and easy to get into, with their confident and cheeky stage show they are one of the most enjoyable bands around and it was a pleasure watching them.
Taking the stage next are a band who we haven't seen around for a little while, but it is a very welcome return to the pages of Saggy Pants for Bud. With their new bassist (Weeble frontman Ribsy) they seem from the start to be loads tighter and their mix of angry, energetic and diverse ska/punk kicks the crowd into a frenzy from the start. Bud base their songs round fairly straight forward riffs but they give birth to a huge buzz of energy by constantly changing the sound, style, tempo and feel of their music at fairly random yet perfect intervals. The songs go from slow reggae ska to fast punk, manic moments are interchanged with chilled out sections and they somehow still keep a tight groove and high energy to their sound. The vocalist has a great ska voice and his catchy and complex vocal patterns are sang with purpose and strength. The drums and bass are really tight and hold the groove so well for the guitar, vocal and trumpet to work over. When the trumpet comes in it adds even more energy and the word diverse really is a good word to use when talking about Bud. This was the best performance we have witnessed from Bud as they showed masses of imagination and kept the songs so tight and upbeat, giving everyone a reason to skank around the room with smiles on their faces.
To end this night we have a blast of crazy ska, punk, rock, metal, reggae, whatever from Jimmy The Squirrel. Kicking in with the huge power of "Later" tonight Jimmy seem to be determined to skank it up to the max. By keeping a high tempo and energy to their sound, this band mix a reggae ska style with a really heavy backdrop. The drums and bass have a heavy handed approach to ska which contrasts well with the reggae style trombone and keyboards, the funky guitars and fast catchy vocal patterns, which are spat out by chief skanker Liam the Squirrel. The vocals are really smooth and kick in with big chants in the choruses. Liam has a really smooth voice but you can't really hear the lyrics especially when the others aren't providing backing. The dynamic of their sound changes a lot, building in power and energy and though their sound is quite chaotic it is still catchy and works well. The trombone and keyboards add subtle depth to the sound whilst the guitars, vocals and bass lines hold down the main melodies. Jimmy The Squirrel try to produce a very complex and intricate sound, at times they seemed to lose their way a little and a few mistakes were noticeable, which seemed to effect their confidence at times. It is hard to pin point this band's sound and it is certainly pretty original, almost having a jamming effect at times. Not always that tight, not always quite stable, never boring, always changing and we were all fucking loving it.
Reviewed by Gaz
Written By Gaz
