&U&I at The Flapper 16/12/2011

With the biting cold outside turning the canal towpath to an icy death-trap, where better to be than deep in the bowels of The Flapper for Off the Cuff’s Xmas Party? Boasting four of the best local acts on one bill for a very festive £4, it was hard not to miss this one. Interestingly, I’ve seen more bands in The Flapper this year than any other venue. I dread to think how many hours I’ve spent stood in that gig room, but I’m trying not to think about it too much for fear I will go and work it out using some form of elaborate spreadsheet...

First up is Birmingham 4-piece Conquistadors, whose blend of angular guitars and chaotic alt rock song structures (which I like to call “The Birmingham Sound”) is the perfect opener to this evening’s show. Having seen Conks a number of times over the past couple of years, I’m impressed at how they keep their sound different and fresh each time. Their set seemed all to brief to me, but they did treat those who turned up early to a very interesting interpretation of Paul McCartney’s Christmas classic ‘Wonderful Christmas Time’, which whilst a little scrappy around the edges was bursting with Christmas cheer and enthusiasm. Here’s wishing the best for Conquistadors for 2012 – they deserve it.

Despite having come across the name countless times before, I’d never actually seen or heard The Cape of Good Hope before. Despite this, I went in with high hopes and I am pleased to report I wasn’t disappointed. Rarely would I say the focal point of a band is their drummer, however this is certainly the case with The Cape The band boasts two drummers, both of whom drive the band along and tease, nay, force you to move your feet. Funky post-hardcore in the vein of Dartz!? Something like that. One blast of 'I Saw Something Dead Floating' or 'I'm A Little Bit Evil' and you'll know what I mean. Highly recommended, and a band I hope to catch live again soon.

Shapes

Next on we have Shapes. One of Birmingham’s more popular exports, I’ve always had trouble getting into them. Considering their pedigree (tours with Glassjaw, releases on Big Scary Monsters), you'd think I'd be totally down with it, but the problem I find with Shapes is that their music lacks real hooks – nothing really pulls me in. I haven’t heard their début LP yet (‘Monotony Chic,’ released earlier this year), but maybe I just haven’t had that eureka moment and until then I won’t get it! In Shapes defence, you can't fault their musicianship – they can play, and can play hard - it's just not for me.

&U&I

&U&I take the crown for being my most seen band of 2011, and also one of my favourite live acts of the year. The band’s impressive work ethic resulted in a cracking debut record – Light Bearer – and tonight, despite a few technical hitches,  the songs from that record really shine. 'Belly Full of Fire...' sounds particularly fine this evening. The band appear in quite a reflective mood, dedicating older material from  last year's EP to fans who have been there from the start, and I can't think of a better time to do so. These three guys have slogged it out since the untimely demise of Blakfish, and have come back far stronger than many would have imagined. A Christmas show wouldn't be a Christmas show without some crazy Crimbo guitar antics, and atop the bassist from Shapes’ shoulders Thom gives Brian May a run for his money by soloing out  'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'. ‘Chancer’s Paradise’ brings the night to a climatic conclusion, but not before seguing into ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day.’ If it means that there are more shows like this then I'll have no choice than to agree.

Kong at the Hare & Hounds 28/04/2011

It's Just Noise have put together a corking line up this evening, and one that would give environmentalists obsessed with noise pollution a fit. First up are God Damn, who treat those who have turned up early to a solid set of heavy, bluesy, stoner rock and roll. Opening with their namesake track, the manifesto of sound that is 'God Damn', it's obvious that the crowds ears are going to get a bit of a bruising before Kong even make the stage. There's something of Queens of the Stone Age in their sound, whilst the duel vocals recall the Blood Brothers - to this reviewer at least. Since the last time I saw the Wolverhampton three-piece (at a gig in their lock-up in Wolves last Oct) they've come on leaps and bounds, and despite Thom Edwards' usual antics being somewhat restricted by the tightly packed stage, the songs speak for themselves. And if the rush for free CDs the band were offering is anything to go by, it's an indication that these boys are ones-to-watch.

Next to the stage are &U&I who, for those who don't know, feature 3/4s of the legendary Blakfish. This is the second time I've caught them play since Blakfish's demise early last year. Last time was at the Off the Cuff festival last year, where they received mental support despite having only played a couple of shows with the new material. Tonight the lads are in good humour: "Good evening Birmingham, we're from Sutton Coldfield!" they joke during a pause midway through their set. Certainly the most melodic of the bands on the bill tonight, &U&I know how to write a catchy hook, with latest single 'Stalk this City' a shining example of the bands technical abilities when it comes to writing a good tune. Wary of running out of time, the band bring their set to a close with "the hit," 'Chancer's Paradise' off of last year's debut EP. I still feel it's their best song to date, and I'm pretty sure I caught a few people in the crowd singing along. They're playing the Saturday at this year's Off the Cuff festival at the Flapper, so if you're planning on going make sure you catch them.

Kong are easily the scariest band I've ever seen. Forget the masks Slipknot wear - there's nothing creepy about those rubber faced fools - Kong are the real deal, and are waaay off the chart when it comes to weirdness. Their music is difficult to describe, it's very fucking heavy (expletive necessary), but it's not just noise for noise sake; there's an inventiveness in their music, as well as a sense of humour that makes them absolutley fantastic as a live band to watch. Just like all the best horror movies, you don't want to look, but at the same time you know you need to because otherwish you'll miss guitarist Magpie flashing his arse at the crowd and calling the crowd something along the lines of "turkeyheads", or bassist Lulu's pale body scrawled over in felt-tip pen with the evening's setlist (amongst other things) gyrating at the edge of the stage. Yes, it's confrontational, it's aurally violent, but tonight Kong have the crowd eating out of their hand. Previous singles 'Leather Penny' and 'Blood of a Dove' give the crowd a good reason to (to steal from Willow Smith's vocab) whip their hair back and forth, equally as does the new material, which leaves us with the question just when will they follow up 2009s Snake Magnet?