Sarah
Dixon is first up tonight, she's an acoustic guitar
player, singer, and she also has a second guitarist
up there providing rhythm I'm guessing while she
plays lead. She has a good voice on her; the guitar
playing seems to be there to fill in as it’s
all about the vocals. The songs on the part are
well written love songs, the last thing I need
tonight is love songs, in a poor mood for them
but I’m not gonna hold that against her.
She's really feeling her songs as she’s
moving on the spot and smiling while singing,
it's nice to see that the songs are more than
just words to her.
 David R Black, a power rock trio from Manchester.
The opening first two songs are by the numbers
rock songs up beat fairly catchy but sololess,
but plenty of heart and gusto in them. The third
song in is a slower more serious affair, it's
not bad, and my favourite of the set so far. The
vocals could do with turning up and everything
else turning down a notch. This seems a band that's
much better live than on cd as infant see a cd
delivering the fullness of their live sound. After
a good start they've gone off the boil being average
at best. They can play quite well, no half arsing
but the songs there playing have drained the life
from the midset needs more upbeat quicker songs
to inject life back into the room. A song the
6th or 7th Song in sounds like an out of tune
mess, it's a horrible noise coming from that ugly
strat of his, I'm not entirely sure if it's supposed
to sound that fuck awful! Another mid paced song,
more tuneful this time, I'm hoping for a good
finish. They finish on a mote upbeat note thankfully
but as it's the last song of the set it's far
too little too late, life in this reviewer has
been drained by mid paced mediocrity.
 Panic Room, finally some life in the night, opening
there set with an atmospheric number soon shake
the cobwebs off with freedom to breath, a much
needed shot in the arm with this highly catchy
and upbeat number. The female vocalist is pretty
damn good. As is the rest of the band some great
guitar hooks, decent bass and keys playing and
the drumming is pretty solid and steady, nothing
overly ambitious but it all works so well with
some good song writing. 5th amendment closes out
the opening of the set taking things down a notch
in pace but not in catchiness, The fall, a much
slower affair more of a ballad I'd say, not the
best song of the set, too early for a ballad as
it's losing the pace of the set right away. I
might be the youngest person in the room bar two
others which makes a remarkable change for once.
Next up is reborn, taking the pace back up with
some much needed life, exodus takes it down again,
much to my annoyance.. The rest of the set features
good songs such as bitches crystal, dark star
and set closer satellite. It's not a bad set odd
placement of songs, really kills the tempo and
pace of the set, bit more careful set planning
and they could turn a damn good show into a great
one. They close the night with the excellent sandstorm.
Overall it was a good finish to the night after
a droll middle band. Wasn't sure what to expect
from panic room, as I hadn't come across them
before, but was pleasantly relived and surprised.
Sarah Dixon 4/5
Sarah R Black 2/5
Panic Room 4/5
Review By Robert Lawrence |
