October 15, 2005
Patchwork Grace
Apparently girls do not rock as hard as boys but 2005 was the year that forced us to take note that, however painfully it is to comprehend, those songs that got our heads banging and bodies moving were actually given to us by the hands of a woman. Ranging from Gwen Stefani to Garbage to the Subways to Be your Own Pet, the girls were here and with vengeance at that. Local Derbyshire girl-fronted band 'Patchwork Grace' are no exception.
Of course I had always heard about this band from locals raving on about the fact that this band had a girl in it and were actually quite good. So as my Patchwork grace gig virginity was about to be popped the apprehension and suspense was at an all time high. It was only once Tori Trash, the lead singer, strutted on the stage in her 'ready to dance' stilettos along with the remaining three S's of Sex appeal, Shorts and Sunglasses that I knew this wasn't just any girl fronted band. She wasn't trying to be the next Debbie Harry or Brody Dalle which was refreshing.
Tori Trash could be in danger of influencing thousands of young teenage girls to grab whatever boys they can and maybe a few instruments on the way and changing music history.
The band rip Wolves out of their discography, titled as a result of the warped images Tori created in her head, and grabs our attention with simple drum beats which gradually get heavier. Cover your ears for 10 seconds and you are transformed to a west end show (well almost) with the stage presence slapping you in the face with 'oomph'. Tori flirts with the microphone's wire showing the acclaimed love of music is present. Halfway through Joey the bassist takes over Tori and runs us into a punk fuelled moment of madness with big bass lines and a phenomenal loud entrance. This band doesn't just make you listen but morphs you into a whirlwind taking you to places you never thought were musically possible to reach. As we see the first song make a departure the arrival of Tori singing a capella to Pink Aniseed before charging into the realms of noise, dragging the instrumentation with her is quite spine-chilling.
Throughout the set with titles such as Nancy, A girl called flower, Zombie and Kharrrrarrah; it's as though we're watching the band have sex with the lights on with their sexual music fused affair apparent on stage. Tori later shows us she can do melody, Kate bush style singing and can give us a Bjork esque feel. Of course not forgetting the "I don't wanna be a zebra" screams.
Not the best band to see if you are not one for girls in bands and neither if you think only the music matters. Nether the less it's an experience and could change your mind.
Lo -Fi Jack
If you had started to doubt new young bands and began to think every gig was becoming a fly on the wall fashion catwalk, with people casually holding a guitar and screaming at microphones, then refresh the sunken feeling with the excitement of a new three-piece grunge-experimental Nottinghamshire band.
As they take the stage you immediately think that the front man's slight resemblance to Kurt Cobain will deliver us with cheap 1994 rip off's of 'Smells like teen spirit' but as they start to play you soon realise this is something worth sticking around for. A catalyst to us all realizing there are indeed still bands out there in it for the music. This Kurt look-alike goes by the name of Colin and he embraces the stage explaining on behalf of the other two members that "We are all very tired" and the second he stops talking we are astounded with the music kicking in contradicting the previous statement delivering music far from tiredness but yet with a fresh and lively "ice-cold water thrown in your face" attitude.
Next we are told our ears are about to hear "something metally but not", Apprehensions as to just what he means are quickly turned into interest as we hear the thrashing and crashing of drums sending waves out that this band are desperate for you to hear what they have to say through their music. The drummer's musical influences add that gnarly aggressive kick in the teeth that young bands can't seem to successfully do nowadays without the aid of music technology masking as a new toy.
This band knows how to vary the set mood and can guarantee no two songs in a row will sound the same as we hear desert crawl which is a lot slower than the previous songs with a likeness to 'Nine Black Alps'. Martin the bassist accompanies Colin's vocals, speeding up into the chorus as they both sing "This deserts between all the things that we need". Good stage presence rest assured exists and as the guitar's rhythm slowly mellows out Colin looking quite pleased concludes the song with a "Quite a good turn out" in a genuinely modest tone.
Later on comes Moment of Clarity which we are informed is about being drunk. Straight to the point. Creatively when Colin sings "and when the sound stops" the guitar exceeds to fade its sound also and you cannot help but feel the energy this band provides. Towards the end Colin screams "Moment of clarity" in a goose bump giving way that Kurt Cobain himself inspired so many youngsters to do.
The two thirds of an album set list, consisting of songs such as Fuck the early bird, White noise, Shadow puppets and Glass ends with two of the most recent songs to come from the trio's talents entitled Urban Blues and The house that Jack built. The latter about house parties warming us with a faster guitar rhythm and leaving us wondering who exactly Jack is.
If there ever was a time to check out Nottinghamshire's rising talents now would be it.
Review – Kristi
