June 23, 2006
Modes of Transport
With Team Radar putting on a 5 hour show you know its going to be a bit special. To warm the crowd up first is two piece, Modes of Transport, who mix the indie guitar sound with electro sounds with an original thrills feel to the vocals to tie up the package nicely. It sounds like inspiration has come from just about everywhere but with the set showing similarity throughout and lacking sparkle this kind of transport isnt exactly a Jaguar X type just yet but the distinctive sound is still soothing and has something about it.
http://www.modesoftransport.co.uk/
Captain Dangerous
Next is Captain Dangerous, with the F word coming to mind. Fast. Dangerously fast. As fast as heartbeats racing in Englands first knockout game. At least compared to the first act that is. Close your eyes and youre at a Pulp gig whilst getting your head kicked in with a bit more grit. Okay granted they're probably not the next big thing but the indie/Britpop influenced trio mix bitter lyrics with a fun folkey sound showing that when life's in red traffic light mode we can get through it. The set finished with laughter as a guitar string snapped and the guitarist having nothing to do but head bang along nevertheless pretending to play back to front. Revolutionary!
http://www.myspace.com/captaindangerou
Swimming
Now they say water is the hardest thing to paint and similarly band Swimming are hard to sum up in a few sentences. One moment as calm and soothing as a lake, the next as blundering and thrashing as a stormy ocean. But whatever they are their advice of getting your arm bands on should be taken aboard and we should float into the beautiful music anyway. With the immensity of the sound coming from God knows where the popularity of the band is inevitable with a roaring round of applause. After theres a sense of the morning after the night before when you're not sure what the hell just happened but without the not wanting to do it again bit of course.
http://izumi.greedbag.com/buy/pacific-title-ep/
Petebox
Now Petebox for those of you who have been hiding or just being plain ignorant to legendary music, is Nottingham's very own human beat box. (One half of WSUOR and brother of John from swimming) with it all coming straight from the mouth. Thats scat, rap, trumpets the lot. If you like your faster old skool hip hop, your drum n bass, your more modern jazzier beats you know who you're gonna be seeing sometime soon. The skillful precision and the bewilderment that anyone could be that talented blew the whole room away. And as Peter himself said its blasphemy for the purists so dont say I didnt warn you.
We Show Up on Radar
Last on the bill is We Show Up on Radar with the usual hilarious sense of humour of refusing to play until everybody shuts the fuck up and admitting being too drunk but still doing it with charm, endearing the room to settle down. The lullaby hypnotic keyboard mixes well with acoustic guitar and electronic sounds just as good as ever. Now if you aren't familiar with the duo lets just say they've been a lot of places, at least in their head. Not many bands can say they've been to animal sport's days, been a bubble, a plant and a car. All true stories too, obviously! A brilliant night and all in the aid of charity! Lets just hope team radar get back in one piece!
Reviewed by: Kristi
