She likes the boys in the band, She knows when they come to town, Every musician's fan after the curtain comes down

Friday 25 June - and tonight we eschew covers for some more original material in the shape of three bands playing at Fibbers, or do we? First band on the bill are a group that we've seen no less than three times before, Astrae (on MyFace and SpaceBook). They are a York-based alt-rock band (Haxby's finest) consisting of James A Hutchinson (Guitar / Vocals), Jack Beavers (Guitar / Synth / Vocals), Ali Thynne (Drums / Percussion), Rio (Keyboard / Synth), and T-Bone Malogus (Bass). As we've seen them before, you can read my previous reviews by typing their name into the Search box. Tonight there was no drummer which gave their set a sort of "unplugged" sound. James' continues to impress me with his energy and the power of his voice (think Robert Smith of The Cure). This band is really growing on me and this was an excellent start to the evening.

The next act we had also seen before, The Bitter Image. Another York-based band, their sounds have a hint of QotSA about them; heavy-ish rock, bit melodic, bit quirky. But, there's something about them that doesn't quite gel. Dom (Wells, lead singer rhythm guitar) is a bit too clean-cut for the lyrics that he sings. His neat hair cut and appearance is at odds with songs of blood and angels and demons. The other problem, for me, is that Jonny (Wells, lead guitar) seemed to be playing some excellent solos but they were lost in Dom's rhythm playing and an over-mix of the drum (Dom Smith) and bass (Jim Buck). Shame, if they didn't drown Jonny out I would have enjoyed this band so much more.

And so to the top of the bill, a Glaswegian outfit playing under the moniker of A Joker's Rage. Actually all the members of this band play in a whole fistful of other bands and AJR is just one avatar of their communal work. Their charismatic front man is Zakk Taylor, they have a fiery guitar-smith in the shape of Gary Johnstone, and Neil MacDougall (drums) and Graeme Glancy (bass) make up the engine room. There's a bit of funk, some heavy rock, some rapping, all sorts. The audience certainly lapped it all up. We were treated to a couple of covers as well; on the anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson we got Dirty Diana, and for their encore we all sang along to Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name. Very entertaining, but of the three, Astrae were the ones that stood out for me.

I'm tired of being what you want me to be, feeling so faithless, lost under the surface

Friday 6 November - there's an old saying (I say it and I'm old) that sometimes you have to listen to rubbish music otherwise you don't appreciate the good stuff. Tonight, at Fibbers, I gained a good deal of appreciation for the good stuff. However, not included in that sweeping statement was the first of tonight's bands, Astrae. We've seen them before, but I'm sure they've lost a lady violinist somewhere along the way. A York-based band, they consist of James A Hutchinson (Guitar / Vocals), Jack Beavers (Guitar / Synth / Vocals), Ali Thyne (Drums / Percussion), Rio (Keyboard / Synth), and T-Bone Malogus (Bass and pineapple knot hair do). I like their music. It's alt-rock with a healthy dash of keyboards, and somewhere in the mix was the superb Outlander, and the tracks Something for Now, and L'Ost. Each song is longer than the bog-standard three-minute as the band concentrate on lengthier, crafted tunes that convince, me at least, that real thought goes into each composition.

It's downhill from there I'm afraid. Second support came from Thatcher's Bush.Again, we've seen these before and, on the strength of tonight's performance, I've no reason to change my opinion that these are basically a formulaic pub-rock band veering on the side of ska-punk. OK, I will admit that they might make a reasonable Clash covers band.

There was slight improvement (it would have been difficult to get worse) with headliners Sons Of Albion, a London-based outfit consisting of Logan Plant (vocals and famous dad), Nuno Miguel (guitars), Gones (bass) and Francisco de Sousa (drums). They are likened to Soundgarden, Audioslave and Stone Temple Pilots but, frankly, their dark and intense music doesn't really go anywhere. It just sits in a corner making a noise while Plant hops about on stage weaving his hands around like a Bollywood princess. Of course, I may have been a bit cheesed off by this time, and therefore a bit negative. Certainly, if I had to chuck my money at any band it would have been Astrae.

We were hoping for a lift to the end of the evening by finishing off in The Roman Bath. Unfortunately there was a different band playing than had been previously advertised, and whoever it was played some dismal covers with an inappropriate ska edge. All a bit rubbish really.

Get your whiskey, Ahh get your wine

Saturday 14 March- Part 2 of our musical weekend, and four of us are back in The Roman Bath to watch the Chantel McGregor Band. It has to be said that, since first watching Chantel, we've never failed to catch her at The Bath. She is an awesome guitar virtuoso. Name your personal guitar god and Chantel is at least as good, probably better. I kid you not.

I freely admit that I struggle to recognise a lot of the stuff she plays, and I suspect that most of her audience are little better than me. That said, she captivates the crowd with her sheer, mind-blowing brilliance. You just have to stand there, slack-jawed, and watch her. She kindly provided me with her set list, but she missed out some from the list, played other stuff, and not necessarily in the order written. Who cares. It was superb. Anyway, here's the list: Bridge to Better Days (Joe Bonamassa), Lie No. 1 (Joe Bonamassa), Stormy Monday (T Bone Walker), Up in The Sky (Joe Satriana), Daydream (Robin Trower), Miss You Hate You (Joe Bonamassa), Gold Dust Woman (Fleetwood Mac), All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan), Angel From Montgomery (Bonnie Raitt), I Can't Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt), One Of These Days (Ten Years After), Purple Haze (Hendrix), Red House (Hendrix), Voodoo Chile (Hendrix), New Day Yesterday (Jethro Tull), Mountain Time (Joe Bonnamassa), and Had To Cry Today (Blind Faith). But there was definitely two Steve Vai numbers, one of which was For The Love Of God.

Friday 13 March- the start of a musically packed weekend. We kicked off at The Duchess for the album launch of 98Pages. We've seen this band a couple of times before and were looking forward to seeing them again, but first we had to get through the support acts. I arrived as the first band started the evening. They looked strangely familiar. I swear the running order said Ashtray, but apparently my eyes must have been watering with the delight of my first sip of beer, as it actually said Astray. Even that was wrong because they turned out to be Astrae (on MyFace and FaceFriend), another band that we had seen before. The last time we saw them it was a bit chaotic, Jack with his arm in plaster, James with guitar cable problems, and the whole band with a dischordant air about themselves. Astrae are a York-based alt-rock band consisting of James A Hutchinson (Guitar / Vocals), Jack Beavers (Guitar / Synth / Vocals), Ali Thyne (Drums / Percussion), Rio (Keyboard / Synth), T-Bone Malogus (Bass and pineapple knot hair do), and Jo Wherry (Violin). I think the first song was called Vanity Fair, but I wouldn't swear to it. I liked it. In fact I rather like all their songs. These are not 3 minute blasts of noise, but rather well-crafted, lengthier pieces with, dare I say it, different 'movements' to each composition. James' vocals put me in mind of Robert Smith of The Cure. Jo's violin provided a solid background sound for the twin guitars to paint over the top of. She looks so elegant to boot. All the instruments seemed to be in tune tonight, except for the keyboards, which seemed to be playing different tunes from everyone else. It was a far from perfect performance, and I'm sure the band would agree with me on that, but they have a spark, an originality that somehow raises them up above the usual dross and I will keep looking out for them, to watch them as they develop, because there is definitely something special there.

Which is more than can be said for Bolton's To The Bones, which consists of Rhys G Bradley (Vocals / Guitar), Matt Evans (Guitar / Vocals), Toomy T (Drums), and Wayne Riley (Bass). In fairness the volume seemed to be mixed very loud for tonight's performances which didn't help their sound that was hardcore from the very start. One of our group was forced to resort to ear defenders. Apparently they have an album, Duke Type A, which was released back in September. I shan't be buying it. Each song sounded the same, was dull and loud. The vocals were muddy and indistinct. Sorry guys.

Finally, 98Pages took to the stage and we all pressed forward to within touching distance of the barriers. Not that the band were bothered as both Martyn and Jase jumped down between the stage and the barriers to prowl up and down before their fans. 98Pages are a York-based power blues trio consisting of; Martyn Fillingham (Vocals/Guitar), Jase Brooks (Bass), and Andy Black (Drums). As this was our third time of listening, some of the tracks were becoming familiar to us now; Goodbye JoJo, Same Old Pain, Only Let You Down, Careful, and Halfway House. Martyn bust a string on their opening number which led him to chuck his guitar away with distain as he plucked up a semi-acoustic and carried on with that for the rest of the performance. It was all good stuff and at the end a couple of us purchased a copy of the album, Broken homes and the halfway house, which was on sale for the bargain price of a fiver.

After the gig we wandered over to The Roman Bath where party band CopOwt were playing. CopOwt are a five-piece covers band from Copmanthorpe, just outside York, and consist of: Rob (vocals), Alan (guitar and vocals), Paul (guitar), Paul (drums), and Seon (bass and vocals). As covers bands go they've not technically that good, but where they score points is in selecting covers that get the whole crowd singing along with them. So no one actually cares if if they can play well or not, 'cos everyone enjoys a good old sing-along. What did they play? While we were there they got through: When the sun goes down (Arctic Monkeys), Should I stay or should I go (Clash), Pretty Vacant (Sex Pistols), Sex on fire (Kings of Leon), Dakota (Stereophonics), Cigarettes and Alcohol (Oasis), Local Boy in a Photograph (Stereophonics), I Predict a Riot (Kaiser Chiefs), and Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol).

I, I will be king and you, you will be queen

Friday 16 January - "Man doth not live by covers only" (Roj 8:3) and so we turned up at Fibbers for an evening of original tunes from two bands utterly unknown to us, and one that we've heard before. The beer in Fibs is disgusting these days. Tetley's Cold, I ask you, Tetley's is bad enough served luke-warm but cold bitter is a travesty that shouldn't be endured.

Musically, we kicked off with Astrae (on MyFace and FaceFriend), a York-based alt-rock band consisting of James A Hutchinson (Guitar / Vocals), Jack Beavers (Guitar / Synth / Vocals), Ali Thyne (Drums / Percussion), Rio (Keyboard / Synth), T-Bone Malogus (Bass), and Jo Wherry (Violin). To be honest, it wasn't a good start. Jack had his right arm in a cast and was unable to play his guitar so he plonked away on a mini keyboard with his left hand. James' guitar wasn't quite tuned to the same key as Jo's violin which made for a bit of dischord, and then about half-way through the first song, James' guitar went completely silent. By song two the sound was cutting in and out intermittantly and his guitar strap came adrift. OK, it was a bit of a disaster and James was seething while the rest of the band avoided looking at him and hoped the ground would swallow them soon. Normalcy was restored for their fifth and final track which we rather enjoyed. In fact, if you removed the technological gremlins, I liked the way all their songs were crafted and particularly the slightly jazz feel to songs three and four. I would definitely like to see this band on a good night so I'll be watching out for them again.

The next band were The Buccaneers, a York-based garage blues outfit comprising; Andre (guitar), Leo (guitar), and Jonny (drums). Amongst the tracks they played were Wanted Man, Maggie, Busy Waters, She's Coming For Your Bones, and Whiskey in the Jar, but their tight performance couldn't make up for the lack of musical variety between each tune. A tad disappointing really.

Finally, the band that we had seen before, 98Pages, who are: Martyn Fillingham (Vocals/Guitar), Jase Brooks (Bass), and Andy Black (Drums). Another power blues trio but this time with much more variety to their tunes, and Jase strutting around like Meatloaf-lite commanding as much stage as lead man Martyn. Think of Led Zepplin playing punk or The Who on speed. There's a freshness and rawness to their sound that suddenly makes you appreciate live music. I didn't catch the titles of many of their tunes but amongst them were: Goodbye Jo Jo, Same Old Pain, and Winter Days. At one point Martyn declared "here's one off our next album". I think he meant their debut album which is due to be launched on 13 March 2008 at The Duchess, although it's not on the What's On list yet. Anyway, recommended.