Unsigned Showcase Magazine kicked off their new live music
night to a sizeable and appreciative crowd at Reading Fez
on Wednesday 23rd April.
Following
the venue's decision to focus primarily on touring bands from
now on, this gig was the last local-band night that will be held
at the venue, and Unsigned Showcase marked the occasion in style
with a main-stage rock extravaganza accompanied by a mellower
acoustic evening in the downstairs bar.
The acoustic show downstairs featured a variety of local acts,
and provided a nice counterpoint to the rock being served on the
main stage.
Performers
included regular acoustic acts such as Aden Pearce and
Andy Stedman alongside bands more usually seen at the loud
end of an electrical cable - including Static Rain,
Three Litre (who's cover of 'Ace of Spades' went down a storm),
Sonic Undermind and Ant Salon.
There
was definitely a different atmosphere downstairs to the ones usually
found at the Fez club, and the acoustic stage also provided the
gig with a festival air as it allowed the guests to choose
between which acts they wanted to see at a certain time.
It would be safe to say that the experiment of having an acoustic
stage downstairs was a success.
The
Main Stage upstairs was an all out rockfest. Compered with
panache by the estimable Jim Bowes, the evening got off
to a good start and just kept going.
First
onstage upstairs were Windsor's DrSid. A band that is very
hard to pigeonhole, DrSid try to incorporate a mix of genres in
their music to create 'the ultimate sound'. As usual their set
was hard, fast and very very loud.
Belying their quiet offstage personas, the band produced screaming
guitars and heartfelt vocals in an eclectic mix of
metal, grunge, emo and blues that whipped the crowd up nicely
for the acts that were to follow.
Second up were Joski and they were, simply, fantastic.
Joski are Unsigned Showcase's tip for greatness in 2003, and on
this performance it was hard to disagree with that assessment.
Their songs are layered with huge, crashing guitar riffs
over subtler melodies that get in your head, whilst hugely sing-alongable
choruses threaten to carry you away with the moment.
Sounding
at times like a rawer and more raucous version of Feeder,
Joski took an already excited crowd and turned them into madmen.
It was intoxicating stuff. The band release a new single entitled
"Chorus" on June 2nd through Casket Music, and you'd be well
advised to go and buy it.
The
third act of the evening were local favourites Obiat. Featuring
a truly multi-national line-up, Obiat were playing tonight as
a warm up for the Finnish Summer Festival where they are
due to play in front of 8000 screaming rockers.
Another
hard-to-define act, Obiat offer up a cross between heavy metal
and hypno-trance. Swirling guitars meld with metal guitars
and frontman Laz's screaming vocals to produce an effect not quite
like anything you've ever seen before.
Throw into the mix a hurdy-gurdy accompaniment and a videoscreen
and you end up with a truly idiosyncratic performance. The crowd
loved it, rocking-out enthusiastically at the front as Laz
hurled his microphone-stand around the stage. Good stuff.
Headlining the evening were Days Of Worth, capping off
a highly successful week in which they were signed to Lostprophets
label, Visible Noise.
Just a couple of minutes of Days Of Worth were enough to see exactly
why they're considered one of the country's best new acts.
Tight
as a bankrupt miser with constipation, the band exudes confidence,
competence and charisma in abundance. Their rock is thoughtful
and yet carefree, lavish and yet simple, heavy without being
overpowering.
The
vocalist has a powerful voice, able to carry both screams
and melody with an ease that is remarkable in its apparent lack
of effort. All
in all, Days Of Worth rocked, and they should be huge in the near
future.
As
first nights go then this was a belter. If promoter/editor
Lu Seacroft can keep providing gigs of this quality then we've
all got a lot to look forward to.
The
next Unsigned Showcase gig is at the Litten Tree in Reading on
Tuesday 29 April. My advice would be to get along there for
yourself and see what all the fuss is about - you won't be disappointed.
Unsigned
Showcase @ The Litten Tree kicks of in style on Tuesday 29th April
with FLIPCYCLE, HECKLER, RADIATE and EXIT-10. With a late licence,
DJ Dickie till 2am, flexible door staff, cheap drinks and a great
pa/sound engineer, it should be the first of many…
