Reviews

Andy O'Hare goes to more gigs than you can shake a stick at. He lives in Worcester, but says he prefers the music scene in Hereford.

This is his weekly 'what's live and local' blog about the thriving music scene in the two counties.

Deep Holiday

_Hellfire

Excellent Little Hellfire Club at the Marrs Bar last Thursday – thought I recognised first-up outfit Six Deep Holiday’s lineup – turns out it’s Viva Finito under a new name. (Bit of a trend this renaming at the moment - Spoof are now Phobia, Tiltstation used to be Solar Plexus.)

Six Deep Holiday are beaty, rocky and very boppable – I’m going to catch them again this weekend at the Black Cross in Bromsgrove when they’re headlining with a couple of psychobilly outfits – Terry Trillion and the Millionaires and Rock-it Dogs.

Girls on film

One of the last acts I saw years ago at the old Marquee in Wardour Street was the outrageous Meteors – the UK’s own version of The Cramps – I’ve still got a bit of a weakness for this stuff!!

_Spin-off

Next up was the spin-off from Worcester’s most priceless asset AWWBLOT – this is Toxic Pete and drummer Chris performing as Girls on Film – particularly liked the song He-Man – about what your parents tell you when you’re young that turns out to be made-up.

Saw final outfit Buck Brothers about a year ago and they appeared to have gone ‘emo’ – not really my bag, a bit production line - but the good crowd lapped it up.

Another Hellfire this week and Tastyhead play Hereford twice in two days – I’ll let you know how it went next week...

Phobia

_{Belated Bullocks}

Belated John Peel/Bullocks evening at The Herdsman in Hereford looked too good to miss – Common Orange have shaken off some of the Oasis/Stone Roses feel for a more-rounded style – I thought they kicked the evening off just right.

Fantastic crowd including bits of other bands (Toasted Egg Sandwich, Ladybird and the Labels) really got stuck into the moshing for Dandelion Killers who played the best set I’ve seen them do this year.

I’m developing a bit of a taste for metal – probably inspired by seeing Knapkin a few weeks ago at Pershore. So Phobia came as a welcome tonic – their website’s still got the Spoof label but they’re unashamedly louder, meaner and heavier.

The Bitchpups

They say that they’re so hard-rocking they even scare themselves.

As usual the crowd had thinned a little for the late but great Bitchpups but Matt, Hannah and Gaz cranked up their blend of Busted and Buddy Holly – it’s all about great hummable numbers and Bitchpups have got that in bucketloads.....