April 12, 2006 The Maze
Tolerance
So here we are the Maze to check out some of Nottingham’s top rock bands and also The Oracle Boy who are touring for the release of their new single, Clovers. Starting off the night are Nottingham band Tolerance, who mix industrial rock guitars and 80’s influenced keyboards and catchy melodies and upbeat riffs. Tolerance have been going strong for a good year now and we have seen them on quite a few occasions. One thing that never fails to impress is how catchy their songs are and with a good frontman in Zero Tolerance, they have plenty of energy to their live show. The songs are blasted along by punchy guitar and bass lines and with crashing drums they get imbedded into your memory. The band’s line up has gone through several changes in recent months with both the drummer and bassist changing, meaning Zero is now the only original member of the band and it is he who adds the constant power to their songs. With their new members comes a new sound slightly too, with the new bassist not being quite as insane and lively as the previous one but holding down some more solid and fluent lines, that give the songs more strength and power. Sadly tonight the drummer is announced to be leaving and it shows in his performance, with him missing a few of the changes but for most the gig his booming double bass and interesting yet powerful fills and beats add great kick to the songs. It is a pity Tolerance has had so many line up changes as their is no doubt this band have some great songs and are really pounding live, with a Uk Tour and CD release due out this summer, I am sure we can see a lot more of this band in the next 6 months and I am sure they will be getting better and better.
Foncheros
After that lively start we have a more chilled feel from Foncheros. This group are made up of several familiar faces, as many of the members are in other well known Nottingham bands. The first thing that impressed me was the diverse dynamic of this band, who can change from really soft acoustic rock in a Damien Rice sort of style to heavier emotional rock of the more Ocean Colour Scene or Radiohead brand. The drumming is really great with some interesting and funky beats that are used in quite a subtle, yet effective way. The two singer/guitarists provide much of the melodies, using some well written riffs and brilliant vocal harmonies to good effect. A keyboard adds some twists and the third guitar (which is the only electric) adds diversity and power at just the right moments. This band were really tight and had quite an original sound with massive of dynamic. This is the first time I have seen Foncheros and they really impressed me with both their music and relaxed stage presence, I would certainly recommend checking them out.
http://www.myspace.com/foncheros
The Oracle Boy
Next up we have another band who can write catchy songs but have another take on the rock genre, The Oracle Boy are quickly getting a reputation round the U.K as a band to look out for and tonight they showed why. Their brand of guitar rock is based in a hybrid of 90’s indie rock and modern garage punk rock. The interlinking guitar riffs really stand out and with big choruses and upbeat melodies, they quickly get the rooms attention. At first they sounded similar to The Strokes but as the set progressed the diversity of their sound showed. The vocalist had a really strong voice and with the use of some good harmonies at times and some immense, powerful drumming and solid bass lines, The Oracle boy build their music from simple ideas into huge epic tunes which are really catchy. Even though their music seemed to mix a lot of the best chart rock in the U.K over the last 15 years, it also had a raw and dirty feel at times which really added that extra kick, with some nice effects and dirty, catchy, indie punk riffs mixing well with complex, intertwining lead breaks. I could see why this band have got such a buzz around them as each song really sounded great and by the end of their set the crowd were really loving the whole night as it build to a great climax.
http://www.theoracleboy.co.uk/
Left of the Dealer
So to that climax and tonight’s headliner is Left Of The Dealer, a band who over the last few years have evolved from a chilled out acoustic rock act to a funky monster of dynamic rock. The bass and drum lines are slightly messy, but with their fast and furious upbeat edge they keep the music full of energy and give it that kick that brings comparisons with Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Left Of The Dealer however have a sound very much of their own, with really catchy vocal patterns and a really nice acoustic edge to their sound which reminded me at times of Gomez. The guitarist is really impressive, mixing funky little acoustic chords with upbeat riffage and some awesome electric soloing and kicking in the extra power to their sound. It is the frontman however who really catches the eye. He has a really easy to listen to voice and by mixing up his patterns bewtween fast catchy rants of a Chilli Peppers or even Jack Johnson style with softer, growing notes, he seems flexible and strong. He also seems very at ease chatting with the crowd and moving around on stage. The guitarist also adds backing harmonies at times and even takes on some overlapping and lead vocals too. This all adds to the power of their sound so by the time former guitarist Russ from the Foncheros joins them on the stage for a few songs, the crowd are going mad and Left Of The Dealer have no choice but to return to the stage for a breath taking encore. Once again leaving everyone at the Maze impressed and in a good mood.
