You’re just a face in the crowd/A tiny hole in a cloud

Thursday 27 March – Wrong night, wrong place, but somehow it works out right. Thursday sees two of us at The Junction and I have to admit to being a Junction virgin, still the staff were very happy to direct me through the correct set of doors so that I could sample their musical offerings. Up until recently I had a fixed idea in my head that The Junction only entertained punk and hardcore bands, but I’m pleased to be proved wrong, as tonight’s show was about to prove.

I arrived at the tail-end of the first act, Hot Recruit, and was pleased to find one of my favourite beers, John Smiths, on tap. Luvvly Jubbly. Then I parked myself towards the rear of a rather spacious room to watch the band’s final two tracks. Hot Recruit are a four piece from Yorkshire that met at York College and jammed together in the village of Rufforth, just to the north of York. The band consist of: Luke Beddows (vocals), Alec Wright (bass), Dave Rax (drums), and Tom Warden (guitar). I recall one of the tracks as University Challenge, but to be honest, and only on the strength of those final two tracks, they had that generic Arctic Monkeys/Maximo Park style of frantic guitar sawing and scattergun lyrics.

The second of four bands billed to play tonight, were The Corrections, a London-based five piece that comprises: Joe Winter (vocals), Matt Winter (guitars, keyboards, brother of Joe), Guy Connelly (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Gavin Ellis (bass, vocals), and Matt Watson (drums). Now these were a completely different kettle of kittens and we were baffled as to the lukewarm reception the crowd gave them. Each song was different, multi-layered textures of guitar and keyboard work, contrasting vocal styles, clear vocals, and even some weird drawing of the infinity symbol on what seemed to be a blackboard at the rear of the set. White Dog was an indie-prog epic in the stylee of Radiohead. Apparently, Barcode will be the first single (due for release on 7 April 2008) to be taken from their forthcoming debut album Repeat After Me on EMI Records. With an infectious, staccato opening guitar hook, Barcode immediately draws you into the sound. Joe Winter’s soothing yet effortlessly powerful vocals, yearning even in their more urgent and energetic moments. This is a taut, energetic track, which in three minutes deceptively shifts from a slow-burning melancholy groove to a euphoric final call to arms. Another excellent track was Now we have gone. Think, Wire, Arcade Fire, but yet genuinely new-sounding songs that you can’t quite place in any category. Highly recommended and well worth the entrance fee on their own.

Sadly, I can’t say the same for the third band, Young Believers, a Folk/Beat/Rock ‘n’ Roll combo from York who are: William Sharpe (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar), Tom Reeve (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass), and Chrissy Hunter (drums). At times the vocals evoked a memory of Bob Dylan, but generally this was urban rhymes played by Chas and Dave in a folk style. Of the tracks I can recall were: Cross Examination, Wings of a Grasshopper, Waiting for the day, and Little Something.

Make Model - A bunch to watch out for

And finally, headliners Make Model, who are also available on MyFace. Hailing from Glasgow this outfit consists of: Ray "The Biz" Black (drums), James "JC" Cameron (bass), Gordon "RG" Skene (guitar, vocals), Lewis Gale (guitar, vocals), Ken (guitar), and Aimi Gold (vocals). Billed as Alt/New wave folk, they actually sound like a mad fusion of BiS, Altered Images and some gigantic prog-rock monster. One song, I think it was Czeck Neck, started with Aimi twiddling away on keyboards as the guitars cranked slowly into life. Gradually the song gathered momentum and Aimi and JC were singing, and then it suddenly veered off into King Crimson territory, before ending abruptly. Brilliant. They also played their debut single The LSB and, I think their new single, The Way, and I also recall Over and Out, and Saturday night Obsession. Totally brilliant and definitely worth paying money to see them again.

Friday 28 March – It’s my birthday on Monday, twenty-one again. Some of us were out for a meal (daughter going back to University on Saturday, hence the celebration on Friday) at the Bombay Spice in Goodramgate. I forget just how good the food is in there. I had a Chicken Puddina, fantastic flavours. Afterwards we trotted along to The Roman Bath, to meet up with the other guys and watch Mojo, a blues covers band. Right night, right place, wrong band. For some reason they had been switched, Prime Example were playing and Mojo had been moved to Saturday. Whilst I had no problem with the songs that Prime Example were covering, the use of keyboards to cover up for a lack of guitar soloing expertise just wasn’t doing for me. The final straw was the ruination of Whitesnake’s Fool for your loving. So taking our ears in both hands, we legged it to The Terrace where the crowd was very thin indeed, but the music was being provided by Marc Atkinson, an acoustic guitar and a stool. We’ve not seen Marc before although he is a regular face around York. He has a strong clear voice and plays an eclectic range of covers: Pink Floyd (Comfortably Numb, Wish you were here), U2 (The streets have no name, With or without you), Maroon5 (She will be loved), Semisonic (Secret smile), Snow Patrol (Chasing cars), Del Amitri (Nothing ever happens), Seal (Crazy), Beatles (Little help from my friends), Crowded House (Take the weather with you), Muse (Black Holes and Revelations), Nickleback (How you remind me), something by One Republic, just some of the covers we managed to remember. What a top night.

Take this letter to the one I love...

Friday 12 October, and there’s three musketeers abroad tonight. We are heading straight for the Roman Bath and a group called the Travelling’ Band (a reference to a track by Creedance Clearwater Revival from their 1970 album Cosmo's Factory .) The lead vocalist/rythmn guitarist is called Oscar and he looks a bit like Noddy Holder after a night on the tiles. His singing is a bit flat but they play recognisable songs and I think your ears tend to compensate for the odd duff vocal. The bass player is solid and the lead guitarist (Bernard Breslaws dad?) is very good, although some of his twiddly bits were a bit lost because he wasn’t mixed loud enough. The drummer was excellent, but for some strange reason they swapped him for the last tune (Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama) for some other guy who wasn’t really up to scratch. As you might have guessed, the repetoire was Lynyrd, Creedance, Quo mixed with some old Rock ‘n’ Roll, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Roll Over Beethoven, Johhny B. Goode etc. All very entertaining.

Afterwards “I” caught the last bus home and “A” and I poked our noses around the door of the Old White Swan where “G” was propping up the bar in the usual place. Simon Snaize and NZ Dave were fronting some hap-Hazzards; the violin girl, Marty Feldman on snare drum and a chap on double bass (tell me your names and I will use them.) We only caught the last three songs. As they packed away, we debated the merits of Saturday’s England v France Ruby World Cup match. “G” and I were convinced that the idea of beating the French on their home turf would be sufficient incentive to tip the balance our way. “A” was not convinced.

And please don’t think me scary/Cos I’m not I’m just a rock ‘n’ roll Joe

The Quest for a Decent Pint of John Smiths – Chapter 1

In which our heroes formulate a plan, and we all know about the plans of mice and men….

Throughout the week they plotted, checking who was playing where and the possibilities of locating a Decent Pint. By Thursday they had a plan; start at Fibbers, move on to the Roman Bath, then finally The Old White Swan. There were three acts playing Fibbs, a band called The Mojos in the Bath, and who knows who might be playing at the Swan. Three pubs, surely they would find the decent Pint.

By Friday their plan had started to unravel, England were playing Tonga in the World Cup and if we won we would go through to the final eight. Fibbers was struck off the list. They didn’t sell John Smiths anyway, but the Worthington Cold might have pinched a Mention in Despatches. So, watch the first half and then meet at the Roman Bath.

“R” arrived just as The Mojos started their set, a rousing cover of Deep Purple’s Hush and a pint of JS Keg. Not bad. “A” arrived shortly after, but went for the Guinness, oh dear, not good. The Mojos were actually really good, doing a large variety of covers from bands as diverse as: Oasis, James, Queen, Van Halen, Status Quo. Sadly there was a bit of funk, Average White Band etc, but they only did two on the trot and then it was back to proper music. Thoroughly recommended. (The Mojos are: Andy Bowen - Guitar & Vocals, Jeff Smith - Keyboard & Vocals, Dan Lindsey – Bass, Phil Everard - Drums, percussion & Backing.Vocals.)

After The Mojos had finished, our heroes sprinted across to The Old White Swan, but the tables were still out and it was clear that there had been no band playing, calamity!

An early night then, and a failure to locate the Decent Pint. Still England did go on to win their game so we are through to the final eight. It’s Formula One tomorrow and Sunday and more action from the World Cup, so I know what I will be doing!