Short Warning, Highbury Garage, London
@ Trinity Bar, Harrow, London
Trinity’s is always a great funny little venue which I didn’t think I’d ever get a chance to go back to but thankfully the opportunity arose and I got to see the fantastically decorated ceiling one more time; there’s a scary pentagram hanging at one end and a 4ft long crucifix a bit further along, Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen would have a field day.
Croydon’s very own OLD FIRM DERBY started the evening off in fine form and in retrospect won my non-existent band of the night award. Really cool vocal melodies soaked up in mammoth choruses juxtaposed against crunching yet super cool riffs; you can’t really go wrong with that formula and OFD pull it off very well. They reminded me a bit of APPEASE in places which is also a very good thing in my books. Expect to hear a lot more of this band, they’re damn good already and have even more potential. (7.5)
Local hardcore merchants TWICE OVER tore apart the stage; well they would have done if there was one. They were on fire tonight and their aggressive guitar swinging made me fear for not only their lives but the crowd’s as well. They ply their trade without brutal hardcore punk riffs and gut wrenching screaming which could possibly cause some nasty hernias. Either way, with their energetic and times psychotic live show, TWICE OVER are another band who could well have a bright future. (7)
SNIPER WOLF made a much welcomed return to a local venue after an absence which seemed bigger than Ron Jeremy’s sex drive. They busted out a set of their thrash pop-punk which gives a nod towards SCREECHING WEASEL whilst shaking hands with THE RAMONES. When their front-man, ‘Slick Nick’ took to the stage looking like an ex-con, introducing the band as FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE with their opening number being ‘Stacey’s Mum’ I knew I’d enjoy their set and that I did. They also included a quick dive into the territory of 50’s pop; playing a little number sounding like it could fit on the Back to the Future soundtrack. (7)
When SHORT WARNING took to the stage it was pretty much only friends of the band left in the crowd but instead of awkward silences, this led to it feeling like ‘An evening with SHORT WARNING’ rather than a real gig. As a result it was really fun watching them muck about and exchanging bad heckles with crowd members and each other. Jokes aside though, SW can rock hard when they need to and their blistering skate-punk is always impressive to watch and I’m sure they’ll start turning heads this year.
So, that was my first trip to Trinity in over a year I think, and probably the best to date. All the bands showed that suburban London is alive and kicking with some real talent being displayed tonight and it was all good fun, which is of course, the main thing.
Mike
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