January 21, 2006
Well it's been a long week and to be honest I wasn't really in the mood to dance or even drink when I arrived at Junktion 7 tonight but the thought of seeing Wakefield's awesome Milk2Sugars was to tempting so I found myself, beer in hand, stood in a packed-out room,
The first band, All Or Nothing, kicked straight in with a brand of punk that was perfect to let everyone know the gig was underway. Using a really crunchy and deep bass sound that drove the songs along with booming drums and the clever use of vocals this band had a nice mix of catchy fast punk and more traditional 'oi' punk. Each song seemed to have a pretty beefy chorus hook, with some good vocal patterns and well thought out backing, which was ping-ponged between the main singer and the other standing members. The vocal style was indeed at the forefront of many of the songs. Using a more old skool blunt punk vocal, that at times reminded me of Jello Biafra, but also having a more modern emo punk edge, it was very interesting. The guitars were quite quiet but I am not sure if this was more to do with the mix. They worked away in the background nicely though and with the really bone-cracking bass lines it still sounded pretty fucking cool. The drumming was very tight and fast, using some cool fills which were all played at super fast speed. In fact it was all fast as hell and really pumped emotion out with its driving riffs and in your face attitude. All or Nothing were a good start to the night and with their dirty mix of dark punk and bouncy riffage they got the crowd worked up for the rest of the evening. It was nothing amazingly original but if you enjoy loud punk played with venom and balls, these guys hit the spot. Next up are Mindgap and these guys straight away hit you with a huge burst of energy and power. Using some really melodic and catchy build ups before breaking into brutal, fast punk riffs Mindgap are a really catchy and lively band. The songs have a dark edge at times and reminded me of a mix of AFI and Capdown. The guitars carry most the songs and along with the constant barrage of vocal harmonies and shouts, they have a real punch.The drum and bass are kept fairly simple but are really tight and effective, doing everything needed to let the guitars and vocals shape the songs. The dynamic was provided with some really well timed breakdowns and interesting tempo changes once more adding to the power and energy the band project. The two vocalists had good contrasting voices, using them very well. The music mixed punk, heavy rock and ska influences to good effect. Even though I have heard bands similar to Mindgap these guys really impressed me with their power and energy and each song had more than enough diversity to keep you interested and happy. A really powerful set by a band who really have masses of potential.
To follow that we have another band who put their own stamp on the punk rock genre, it is Short Warning. Short Warning have a real driving and dynamic edge to their music and by letting the powerful guitars burst in and out, their sound stays interesting and energetic. The bass and drums stay strong and solid while the vocals and guitars drift around kicking up the power and sound at choice moments. The changes are also fairly unpredictable and this band have a real melodic edge at times. Their sound isn't as hectic as the first two acts but it is very catchy and easy to get in to. The guitarists lock their riffs well and bounced off each other to great effect, mixing up their styles to give the power and catchiness to the sound. The drummer used some really inventive fills and showed some more ska influences with some great use of his toms, once again giving Short Warning a more unpredictable and varied feel. The vocals were strong and the good use of harmonies made their patterns catchy. This mixed with the longer and more interesting instrumental structures gave Short Warning a sound that mixed the catchy 90's americana punk with a more psychedelic sound which reminded me of Douglas. Once more this band showed that the UK has some great emerging punk talent.
So on to the band I had come to see but having seen 3 really good british punk acts, Milk2Sugars will have to be on top form to keep up the high standards being set. As the dirty bass and guitar kicks in and this 7 piece take the stage it is obvious they are in an upbeat mood and as the huge horn section hits me in the chest I know I am gonna be dancing to this. The guitars, drums and bass have a really dark side to them and push the songs forward, by kicking into more ska moments they also have some great dynamic but they let the catchy vocals and pulsating horns carry the sound for the most. The vocalist has a great ska voice and with the other members giving him some good back up with the odd shout outs and big harmonies, Milk2Sugars produce a interesting hybrid of Mad Caddies style ska with just a hint of Less Than Jake hiding somewhere in the background. The horns really burst in and out to add dynamic but also provide huge amounts of energy. The walking bass lines keep the whole sound very upbeat and fun and with the cool funky drumming, which shows some reggae influences as well as more driving punk beats, they have a really catchy sound. Considering how packed the stage is with the 6 upstanding members, Milk2Sugars have very good movement and excellent presence, chatting to the crowd and really getting them going, I had been impressed with the turn out tonight and Milk2Sugars made the most of the packed room by working them up into a frenzy with their high energy brand of infectious ska/punk, they are one of the Uk's best up and coming punk/ska bands.
Finally to end what has been a very good night we have Failsafe and as they break in with their powerful burst of guitar and screaming vocals I suddenly worry that this band might be emo/hardcore and I can't stand emo/hardcore, most of the time, then again maybe I will change my mind. The music is really upbeat and energetic and has some great changes and dynamic, really mixing many influences. The hardcore feel gives it power but with a more driving punk edge and some really different funky riffs being played by one of the guitarists, this is brilliant. The vocalist has a great voice and uses some really catchy vocal patterns with the other members adding screams and really emotional backing giving a huge dynamic of emotional energy. The sound just takes you on a roller coaster, breaking down before smashing back in with masses of power, over and over again. There seems to have been a bunch of bands appearing of late playing a similar style to this with screaming vocals mixed with more gutsy punk and even though I hate to pigeon hole, it would be classed as hardcore I guess but Failsafe generally have a new sound and twist to this 'genre'. One guitar plays crushing dirty punk and metal riffs with the dark bass and brooding drums whilst the other guitar contrasts brilliantly with some awesome funky breakdowns and catchy ska riffs. With the added dynamic of a keyboard thrown in by the vocalist at certain moments it mixes loads of different influences from the punk, ska, funk, hardcore, metal and rock genres. The whole sound is so diverse and at times really unpredictable but consistently catchy and energetic. They are also so tight with some awesome drumming on display and very fast and solid bass lines. If At The Drive-In and Capdown made a new band with members of Hundred Reasons that covered The Clash, you might be close. Fucking brilliant end to a fucking excellent night.
Written By Gaz
Photos ~ Smat
