The Hype Foundation, Dartz, Seven Heroes and Kubichek @ Newcastle Academy 2, Tuesday 10 January, 2006 The lobby cum-mini-venue upstairs was already nearly full by the time the first band, The Hype Foundation, took to the stage.
 | | Dartz - on target for the audience |
Given the positive reviews they’ve been garnering in some influential quarters, I had a particular interest in hearing them for the first time. This was increased on hearing the general chatter at the bar which suggested they had brought a fair few fans of their own along. At first I was slightly underwhelmed by what appeared to be a fairly awkward band playing unremarkable songs, but as the band warmed up, and the set went on, I was increasingly impressed. Boasting some swampy guitars, at their best they were like a more up-tempo "My Bloody Valentine". By the end of their short set, I was won over, even if the crowd seemed slightly indifferent. 180! Second band Dartz really were something special. Sharing some musical characteristics with tonight’s headliners Kubichek, they hammered out freaky, visceral indie-stompers at a breakneck pace. Louder than most three pieces I’ve ever seen, they weren’t just thrashing blindly. The members of the band seemed to have a real musical affinity, each apparently knowing exactly what the others were going to do next. They were more natural showmen than the previous band, losing themselves in their funky racket, and dragging the rest of the crowd along with them. I, for one, found it impossible not to flail wildly to the music. With such perfect twisted pop songs, Dartz really are a find, and I’d be genuinely shocked if they aren’t headlining a room this size in a year’s time. Nearly magnificent seven | "Seven Heroes are another North East band with great promise" | |
Sunderland band Seven Heroes suffered from having to follow Dartz in such fine form. It would perhaps have been more logical to have Dartz on directly before Kubichek, as they really whipped the crowd up. As it was, some of the momentum was lost, in spite of Seven Heroes' best efforts. To be fair to them, they did put together a set of strong, danceable indie songs. There was, at times, a Biffy Clyro-esque heavier edge to their sound, which seemed to be their forte. Having a healthy selection of such good material at their disposal so early on in their career bodes well for the future. There was perhaps a slightly contrived feel to some of their moves and posturing, but overall, Seven Heroes are another North East band with great promise. Energising Kubichek Headliners Kubichek are old hands on the Newcastle gig scene now, having been playing all over the area for years in a couple of different incarnations. Though they had the honour of being the first ever band onstage at the Academy, back in October, this was their biggest ever headline show. Since they changed their line-up around 18 months ago and went for a more energetic, urgent sound, they really have been flourishing as a live act. Their apocalyptic post-rock background always had something of an underlying groove to it, which is brought to the fore nowadays. There are also elements of their past in their current sound, including old song "F54" which sounds better than ever.
 | | The Kubichek lineup |
Every gig seems to see them getting better, the set getting tighter and more polished without losing its edge. The best for last Driven on by some incredible drumming and angry singing, the sheer volume and speed at which they play songs such as debut single "Night Joy" is something to behold. The armoury of songs is getting stronger as time goes on. "Taxi", a shouty lament about booze-fuelled Saturday night flare-ups sounded particularly fantastic tonight. "Start As We Meant To", a dreamy, more reflective lighters-high song will one day make a fine album closer, and shows that Kubichek are so much more than one-trick ponies, and also that Al isn’t just a shouter. Final song "Hometown Strategies" is probably Kubichek’s strongest, and sees bassist, Frog, step up to the microphone, bringing his stroppy holler. Such an energetic song is a fitting way to end the set and send us home happy, though it’s a shame the show wasn’t longer. After just two limited edition singles, Kubichek are still something of a hidden gem, but their profile is improving rapidly, as they gain more and more national recognition. It looks increasingly likely that they will be the next North East band to storm the indie landscape. From what I saw tonight, the local scene is in wonderful shape, and we are blessed with a number of bands who deserve to do well. | 
