Gig Reviews 2010

We go to live performances of bands - we watch the bands - we write reviews

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Reviews from January to end July have moved to this page

Wednesday 25th August, Superfly

Street kid and grime rapper Chezza played at SuperFly with his new band.

Did his trousers fall down or were they pushed? He began his set naked but a large chunk of the crowd packed into the front of stage were clearly most amused. Oozing bucket loads of attitude and sweat, the rapper's steamy set notched up the temperature in the room.

Now backed by three well experienced rock musicians, he pulled together his grime roots and his new rocky songs to wow the crowd with a performance that went down well with the kids celebrating their A level successes. A teenager's teenage star, he drew a throng of very happy students into the tiny room and a good time was had by all.

Chezza is on the lineup with EXAMPLE at the Auditorium on 15th October.

At an A Levels party what better band to put on than the Weekend Schemers. Soon to disappear into the studio for several weeks, this was the last chance to see the Schemers for a while, before they crash back on to the scene armed with some shiny new songs and an EP.

When the Schemers take to the stage you get more than just the music. You get the rapture of a band that gives out half an hour of fizzingly good performance. Their songs are sticky and they play like a revved-up engine, firing out power-hooks and crunching riffs, fuelled with Andy Cooper's resounding vocals.

These four guys are seriously clever. In a short space of time they have appeared out of nowhere and shot to the top of the young bands tree. There is an urgency pushing them on a firey determination to make it. Tonight they played with a passion.

Off-stage they are four regular teenagers who hang out on Facebook, cultivating their fan base, feeding the world with amusing but largely unintelligible quips but they are having it big time and on-stage they can set a room on fire.

Even though it was a wet and cold night outside, phalanxes of scantily clad girls queued outside to get in. They soon warmed up though in the steamingly hot floors of DJs who were pounding out great swathes of Dub and Drum and Bass beats.

The town centre was awash with teenagers heading towards SuperFly for the alcohol free night. It's interesting to see that A Level results have taken their place on the calendar alongside Halloween, Easter, Fresher's Week and New Year's eve as a golden opportunity for the industry to make some big bucks.

It was never like this in my young day! But wow what a time the kids are having now with acts like this to whip up a party.

Chezza

Weekend Schemers

Sunday 22nd August, The SoundHouse

It's not that unusual to go to a gig and hear three really good bands. They are all good but some are gooder than others. Well, it's a matter of opinion at the end of the day but after a while you get some idea of how to rank bands and you get a sense of some bands being outstanding, particularly if you have heard them several times and in different venues.

Tonight's gig is such a case. Three bands that were all good at what they do. First on stage was Edict of Bedlam, a local ambient, progressive metal band and lead vocalist Sheep Coltman did a top job of growling, roaring and screaming into the mic. This type of metal may be an acquired taste, just as not everyone likes curries, and this guy can also sing well too (in the more melodic bits.) The instruments were beautifully blended together and Richard Lane's drumming fitting well into the overall sound, rather than drowning out the guitars as can happening with some bands. The sound quality tonight was brilliant.

This band has a finely tuned sense of drama, spinning out songs that had dark and tingling ideas. Huge sounds and some ear-bleeding screams conjured up spine-chilling images and atmospherics. It was well executed because it didn't give you ear-ache; the band and the sound engineer delivered an experience that was of Wagnerian proportions but not deafening. I didn't need to put my ear plugs in because it was about quality not quantity.

They pumped out massive, muscular waves of sound laced with intricate guitar flourishes. The guitarists displayed some spell binding techniques and the six string bassist - Aaron Harbour - came in for some effusive plaudits from other musicians after the set.

Someone said they were like Alaskan band 36CrazyFists, so I looked them up on MySpace. All the bands members like SiKTH.

Metal nights are a man thing and the floor filled up with blokes. Yes there were some females in the venue and yes there are some who are fanatical metal heads. The guys listened attentively, motionless, like concert-goers. A room full of sweaty metallers does not however smell anything like the audience at a Hayden string quartet concert.

Edict of Bedlam on MySpace

Crisis Confirmed came on next. Not quite at the same level as the previous band but their songs were creative, with some pleasing melodic passages and noteworthy instrumentals. Am not convinced the lead singer was up to scratch tonight; I thought I heard tuning issues. Nice big ballsy bass riffs highlighted the drama which they caught really well. In a previous review I rated them as "top notch", having seen them a few times now, I think I get differing impressions from their gigs.

Crisis Confirmed on MySpace

Surrender the Coast are creating quite a buzz at the moment. The six musicians stood on the stage with clouds of smoke rising around them and in the glaring red washes, they cut an eerie image. They are booked to play at the Leicester O2 Academy in September and, this being so, will probably be the first local band to play there.

Surrender The Coast © Harjinder Ohbi

The six piece band put on a good stage performance and with two lead vocalists they exude large levels of energy. With vocal styles blending together screamo with more conventional melodic passages, they were able to weave together exciting layers of sound. Their second song had an explosive opening that led into some exhilarating guitar work. Like a power station discharging megawatts of electricity, their songs bristled with passion and vigour. Stunning guitar work, razor sharp breaks, thrilling on stage presence, all the band members gave it a one hundred percent commitment, all working together like a well oiled machine, which they kept up all the way through their set, they threw themselves into the music but was all tightly controlled.

Well after that performance I was momentarily worried that they had upstaged the mighty Silent Resistance. As they got into their first song however that fear evaporated. This is however where writing about rock become seriously difficult. It's a bit like an A level question: 'Silent Resistance versus Surrender the Coast - compare and contrast'. Or even just 'discuss', he writes, trying to let himself off his own hook.

Most bands come on stage and start playing. Ryan Tailor (lead vocalist) began by shouting "We are Silent Resistance - come forward" and yes it did work. Ryan is more than just a vocalist - he's a performer and like all good performers, he needs a crowd. It was a set that worked magic; the room crackled with electricity. It's not a set that requires false modesty; it's a band that shouts from the roof-tops, a no-holds-barred performance. Off stage Ryan is a quiet, unassuming guy you wouldn't notice if you passed him in the street. On stage with his band, he is every inch the rock star. But then there have been several major rock artists who have fitted that mould.

He and the band threw themselves into the songs and gave it everything they had got. It's high-octane music that crashes into the room like a perfect storm. They also did that song with the clappy bits that their fans know exactly where to come in, but which I always get wrong so, I have given up trying.

Tight, thrilling music; hard rock that streaks across the room like lightening followed by thunder claps of sound. It's dramatically big stuff from a band that thinks big, both about their music and themselves. They are nu-metal. Ryan Tailor is not a massively fat guy covered in tattoos with long greasy hair. There was and maybe still is a place for guys like that.

But modern metal bands, especially in Leicester, have carved out their own niche and don't conform to stereotypical images. Besides, the S|R set isn't heavey/death/gothic/thrash but probably more like post-hardcore, characterised by tightly constructed rhythms, a combination of clean vocals with screams, balancing complex instrumentation with passages of pure melody. They describe themselves as rock/metal/alternative, but, hey, let's not get carried away with taxonomy.

The main thing is that S|R put on exhilarating music that brings people back to hear them again and they are on the way up. It's also good that Surrender the Coast are hot on their heels.

S|R on M|S

Tuesday 17th August

The Damned open Sub91. Legendary psychedelic punk band the Damned launched Leicester new live music venue Sub91. Artsin was there to enjoy the fun.

Photo © Harjindeer Ohbi

A full house marked the opening of Leicester's new live music venue, Sub91. What better way to launch a new venue and be sure to fill its maiden voyage with a capacity crowd, than putting on one of the country's top bands.

Their music was exhilarating and they were great fun on stage. Formed in 1976, they are credited with being the first punk rock band to release a single, an album and to get a place in the charts.

On stage were Dave Vanian, the one original member of the band, Captain Sensible on the guitar and drummer Rat Scabies.

The start of their set also featured an appearance by local character and superfan, Jonno. He is a well known man about town, often seen with his characteristic red beret.

The Damned were supported by Welsh band Clay Statues. This amazing Cardiff duo put on a set of crashing rock songs with a big dose of drum and bass influence that warmed the crowd up. They thanked the organisers for being the very first band to play at this new venue. Nice one!

The huge voice od Dorian Holmes (bass) boomed out over the crowd with backing vocals from drummer Dorian Adkins. Jason, Tantrum Records, said it much better than I can: "An almighty, sweaty explosion of dance, punk and gut wrenching passion, with more testosterone than a barrel of bull's bollocks". Now that guy could teach me a thing or two about writing!.

After what seemed like a long age, the five members of the Damned arrived on stage, to enthusiastic cheering from the crowd. The room has filled up and the crowd has moved down to the front. This was a definite gathering of the fans, with people coming in from all over the country (if not, Europe). A load of camera phones go up in the air. Captain Sensible was wearing a fetching sailor's outfit with a trade mark red beret.

The first song gets the crowd moving and they keep moving for the hour and a half set. Towards the end a mosh pit starts up and some really big bouncers are watching them intently.

Huge volumes of energy pour off the stage like a tsunami of sound. The fans jump up and down and everyone is having a hugely great time. The songs are more melodic rock than old school punk but the crowd love it. Big thumping tunes and massive beats from Rat Scabies on the skins and Monty Oxy Moron putting in some cool work from the twin keyboards.

Photo © Harjindeer Ohbi

The Damned are a charismatic band. Often associated with the Clash and the Sex Pistols, they have been a seminal influence on British punk for the past thirty years. Music aficionados rave about them. They put on a great show and are a lot of fun on stage.

Far from being a band that appeals to a niche following, I felt their songs were the kind of mainstream rock that a wide rage of people would enjoy. Indeed, the audience was a mixed bunch but everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives.

There were several people in the audience from local bands that would have loved to have been up on that stage tonight. Tony from top Leicester Punk band First Wave told us: "The Damned have been a great influence on our band. We have been following them for 30 years and have seen them play live several times. Singer Tony and drummer Stu had a great time down at the front, listening to the band that has been a big part of their musical lives.

Lead singer of Last Edition, Matt Williamson told us: "This is a great venue. It's so good that they are bringing these big legendary bands into town." Matt added that he hoped that some local bands would get to play support slots. Shaun Duignan said: "The damned get better with age and as for the new venue SUB91 in leicester ... fantastic, expect more big things from this venue including Zion Train, Funeral for a Friend and Sham69."

 

The Damned tourbus filling most of Granby Street, outside Sub91

The Damned on Myspace

Thursday 12th August

Super Thursday and the venues of Leicester fill up with fans and bands for a feeding frenzy of rock and live music. Artsin reporters were out to cover as much as they could of this amazing festival - the Summer Sundae Fringe.

The Musician

Kevin Gaughan reports

The Fringe Festival is a great idea. It allows people to preview the Summer Sundae festival bands at various venues around town, performing warm-up gigs. A fiver is all it costs and for that you get entry to all the venues, transport between venues on an open-top double-decker and one helluva night!

It was only early, but, party thanks to the bus, the Musician was buzzing. The James Lewis Band (JLB) had the unenviable task of performing first. But with his natural stage presence and trademark hat, the crowd were instantly fixed by him.

JLB consists of James Lewis on vocals and guitar, Sean Taft on bass and Tom Croft on drums and have a unique style of music. I would say it is acoustic but quite often having a folk feel about it. The music is very well written with memorable and catchy guitar sections that you just can’t help tapping your feet to, or in my case, breaking into a gentle swaying action!

James Lewis at the Musician © Kevin Gaughan

The songs were performed with confidence and James himself is a natural performer who conveys real emotion when he’s on the stage. Very entertaining and good to watch. James has a wonderful voice which he makes good use of, although, maybe not particularly stretched with the set of songs he performed tonight. They provided a very nice start to the evening and were very much appreciated by the crowd. I’ll definitely be seeing them again.

The James Lewis Band on MySpace

Time for a beer, then Charlie and the Martyrs up next. The Musician was starting to fill up by this point. Charlie and the Martyrs are a five piece consisting of Charlie Jones on vocals and guitar, Micheal Angrave, lead guitar, Gray Crewe on rhythm guitar, Will Bennett on Bass and Dan Bent on drums.

Charlie and the Martyrs © Harjinder Ohbi

They compliment the James Lewis band well as they play a similar style of music, although, being a five-piece they do have a bigger sound and Charlie Jones add a touch of glamour. They started with an up-tempo track, which caught everyone's attention straight away. The very smartly dressed musicians have a striking appearance that makes them entertaining to watch as it’s not every day you see four men in suites and ties and a lady in a cocktail dress playing in a rock band!

They have a unique sound, slightly country at times but Charlie’s voice is amazing, slightly gravelly, but an absolute asset to the band. Every note was performed perfectly and the musicians seemed really tight. The performance went down very well with the crowd and things started to really warm up half way through the set as quite a few people started to dance and were clearly having a great time.

A real party atmosphere developed and it was nice to see the rather large crowd getting into the music. My personal favourite, Devil May Dare, is a slower, more acoustic track which really shows off Charlie’s flexible voice very well. All in all, a very enjoyable performance very well and professionally executed which was a joy to watch and listen to.

Charlie and the Martyrs on MySpace

Hot on the heels of Charlie and the Martyrs came the Lysergic Suite. At this point the Musician completely filled up – it was packed. Interestingly enough, a large number of photographers came in and took position at the front of the crowd generally getting in the way to start off with their excessively long zoom lenses [one of them was from Arts in Leicestershire.]

Lysergic Suite © Kevin Gaughan

I hadn’t heard of this band before, as a result, I thought I was probably the odd one out, but then that's not unusual for me! I started to think this was something I need to know about, get into, and be all over.

The Lysergic Suite are a three piece from Leicester with Gren Spencer on Vocals, guitar and bass guitar, Adem Custic on drums and percussion and Liam Houchen on bass guitar, guitar and vocals. Their forthcoming CD also features Tom Meighan from Kasabian.

Gren, on vocals reminded me of Liam Galagher with his mannerisms as he swaggered onto the stage. With the first note, the Musician exploded into a rock frenzy, the soaring guitar riffs blasting you onto the next level of musical ecstasy. I could see what all the fuss was about. The atmosphere was electric.

Gren did sound like Liam Galagher, too, which was no bad thing. Even though there were only three of them they performed and sounded like a truly professional, famous band. The songs were incredibly well crafted with soaring, hard core guitar riffs all over the place. They sounded a bit like Oasis but with the rock level turned up to 11!

Without a doubt, they can be big, really big, so it was one of those gigs where I felt privileged to have seen them on a small stage. With the right breaks, they won't be there on small stages for long. I’ll definitely be watching out for this one.

The Lysergic Suite on MySpace

Last on were The Pennyhangers who are a four-piece band from Leicester. I didn’t envy them as it would be very difficult for anyone to follow the Lysergic Suite, especially as all the photographers and half the crowd disappeared as soon as the Lysergic Suite had finished their act.

The Pennyhangers © Kevin Gaughan

The Pennyhangers didn’t have quite the same urgency and pace behind them as the Lysergic Suite did, but they did play confidently and I enjoyed their melodic indie rock with a Synthesiser for a more electronic feel. Their music was well-crafted rock with melodic guitar sections. The vocals for me didn’t really stand out tonight, but they were good. I’d really like to see the Pennyhangers again, but definitely NOT following the Lysergic Suite!

All in all, a wonderful night with some really good bands, but I felt as though I had seen something rather special with the Lysergic Suite.

The Pennyhangers on MySpace

The Shed

A strong line up of top bands took to the stage of the Shed for a night of great music at a sell out gig.

The Boobytraps

This well known and popular band have a set of highly likeable original songs. Their time on stage brought us an ear pleasing half hour of catchy riffs and memorable melodies. They played first - unusual! They often headline shows. With their compelling rhythms and strong lead vocals from front man Jamie Williams, backed by some sparkling guitar work from Scott Laywood, the Boobytraps launched the night in fine style.

As a band they have brought us some of the best songs of any of our local groups. Stomping, clappy, rock songs, full of vigour and immediacy, they put the rock into rock 'n roll. Ranging from fast belting' numbers through to the emotional, arm swaying ballad Tell your friends (it's true), their set never tires. Offering music for all ages, their appeal is based on being able to write big solid numbers that everyone can enjoy. It's the kind of music that stays in your head on the way home. A fine set of musicians and singers with a great set of songs.

The Boobytraps on MySpace

SuperEvolver

Somehow I have managed to miss this well known trio up to now, although I have seen their name popping up all the over place. Hopefully Ill see them again at the Strawberry Fields festival, later this month. Their alternative, rock, electro set pumped out some exciting hard edged songs, strongly delivered by 'Mab' with tightly packed bass and drum parts by Tom and Jimi. Big, bold and infectious sounds soon got the crowd moving down to the front. SuperEvolver have already made a name for themselves and seem to be really going places. Even Tom Meighan likes them. They brought the crowd a set of electrifying and creative songs and backed with captivating vocals. Easy to see why they are building up an enthusiastic follow.

Superevolver on MySpace

Little Night Terrors

I have been following this band since before they burst on to the national scene as the Displacements. Now with an entirely new set of sounds and a new band member, they are set for a renaissance. It was also great to see them back on the stage of the Shed after a very long absence. Someone told me the Displacements were "sweet"; the new band, however, is rad. They have pupated into something even more exciting. The first chords of their big, dramatic opening introduce Andy's vocals and backings from Nick. Andy sings and does some work on the synth as the song builds up which bursts into a massive, dancy tune. The rhythms are compulsive and the packed crowd starts moving to the beats.

The four band members look like they are really enjoying what they are doing and getting that vibe coming back from the floor. Sets of thrilling riffs pour out from the stage and people are dancing along. Andy has grown into a serious rock star, after all that touring with the Enemy and stadium gigs, he now commands the stage and has a presence. Fields of arms are waving in the air from the throng in front of the stage.

Song 3 brings us a big iconic sound with exhilarating landscapes of sound. It's a song of symphonic proportions, heaver and harder than anything I have heard from them before. The three singers are adding a vibrant vocal layer to the backing. It's powerful stuff, laced with sparkling guitar lines.

Andy abandons his guitar and becomes a free standing singer. Now he's really showing off his star quality, pouring lashings of passion and energy into the singing with his distinctive voice. Nick's backing vocals are beautifully blended too.

The crowd clearly felt the magic and a big pack of them start to jump to the exciting beats. It's about having several fingers firmly on the pulse of what fans want and being able to give it to them, big time. Lots of very happy faces can be seen in the audience and their reaction is spontaneous as hands go up in the air, clapping and waving as the song moves them.

See our interview with Little Night Terrors | Little Night Terrors on MySpace

The Screening

It's true that the Screening have been around for a long time. It's true that they have always had a big following in Leicester. It's also true that they have never stood still. They are playing songs now that are radically different to the stuff I remember when I first heard them. Again, it was really good to see this band back at the Shed after a long absence. Shed owner Kevin told us: "A lot of these bands started out here when they were young. So it's nice to see them back here, now they have made it."

It's always a good sign when you see musicians of other Leicester bands in the audience and tonight was ace for celebrity spotting. The Screening started the first song of their set with a gloriously commanding intro.Tom Nurse came in with his big vocals and the song fairly rocketed into the room. High guitar riffs soared over the backing and the drummer fired out salvos of machine gun beats from the skins.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd at the end of the first song. These guys know how to write hit songs: Diem stands out for me as one of the best to come from a Leicester band. In the intimate space of the Shed, it's great to be close to a big band and the intensity of the crowd's excitement burns into you. The Screening launched into their hit song and a mosh pit of dancing fans started to live the music. It's a magical song that easily sets a crowd alight.

Ten green bottles has been re-worked with a rockier edge and harder sound and now does more for me than the original version (which certain of my band mates never really liked.) So, it was thrilling that this song demonstrates what the Screening can do and how they have moved on from the indie era into modern idioms.

It was a triumphant set and as I said to them afterwards: "the best set I have heard from the Screening, ever", which caused a rather quizzical expression in response.

See the Screening on Myspace

The Summer Sundae Fringe Festival.

The Firebug

Artsin didn't have enough people to cover all that was going on in Leicester tonight, but the lineup at the Firebug also featured some really top bands, like Kids in Cars and These Furrows, which we sorely missed. But we did catch up with Autohype after the gig and had a word with lead singer Seb.

Artsin: I'm here with Autohype at the Firebug and I'm talking to Seb. So, how did it go tonight?

Seb: It was phenomenal. We were really pleased. We played really well.

Artsin: Well you always do that but what was really good about tonight?

Seb: I'll tell you what ... when we play in Leicester, we normally play to, like 15 year olds. This is great but tonight was a chance to to showcase ourselves to an 18+ audience. They responded really well. It's always nerve racking, playing to new people. Our songs are really good for young and old so I was really pleased with that.

Artsin: So, a really good night at the Summer Sundae Fringe?

Seb: Yes and we are playing on the main stage of the Summer Sundae Festival on Saturday.

Find out more about Autohype

Other shows

Mellow © Harjinder Ohbi

Singer Mellow Baku performing at the Independent Arts Centre

The Gadjos © Harjinder Ohbi

The Gadjo's playing at the Independent Arts Centre

Tuesday 10th August

The Shed filled up with young fans to celebrate the Weekend Schemers' single launch. It was a beltin' night.

First up was White Fix. Have seen them several times before. Their strong lead vocalist makes them stand out, as well as their beltin rocky sound. They got the show off to a banging start. Lots of thumping beats got the crowd moving. Sharp breaks and sparkling guitar work added to the impact.

Indie is by no means dead; The Dobsons are keeping it alive. When Leicester was the indie capital of the Midlands, the Dobsons were riding high. A phallanx of fans followed them and venues were eager to put them on stage.The classy vocals of Callum Breen give them an edge over many similar bands. They know how to put together compulsive, foot tapping rhythms and cool melodic lines. They know where they want to be and have stuck with their Maccabees, Bloc Party, Libertines roots, not following the growing trend of one-time indie stars into the world of hardcore. Not a band with a lot of performance presence though. Callum spent too much time singing to a piece of carpet at the back of the stage. A set with a lot of verve and engaging beats, they clearly excited the pack at the front. A band with a lot of style but maybe a little lacking in substance.

Weekend Schemers © Sewell Photography

The crowd surged to the front for the Weekend Schemer's headline slot. Their single release Too Little Too Late got a DJ airing just before they went on stage. Novel! The single forms part of the EP they are working on which they hope to finish before their Scottish tour later this month. The band walked on stage and picked up their instruments. Andy Cooper began the set with an unaccompanied solo intro until the band picked up the song and lauched into a big stomping number. A forrest of hands went up to mark the shouty bits and a solid posse of girls in front of the stage started to dance.

Conor Evans © Sewell Photography

They launched with one of their classic numbers (10 More Steps) - sadly no longer on line - a song laden with bold, brassy phrases and a gripping chorus, laced with flashy guitar parts from Conor Evans. Here is a band that ticks all the boxes - firmly memorable songs and three good singers at the front. A band that can play and sing and with headline presence.

As the set hots up, the boys start moshing, colliding with the girly throng at the front. The excitement builds up and the crowd bursts into spontaneous clapping as they feel the beats pumping off the stage.

The Schemers have developed a richer, harder sound than when they started. Their songs now have a rockier edge and now have a magic that is propelling them forward. Large thumping beats underscore the tuneful melodic lines. Vibrant instrumental breaks lead into the vocals and the sound is harder and more edgy than their earlier work.

There are constant camera flashings as they play and a gaggle of serious industry reps are studying them with studious expressions. The three string players give it all they have got and by song four, our photographer is struggling through the mosh pit to get that one elusive snap. When song four starts a great cheer erupts from the crowd as soon as they hear the first bars of the song they love so much - one of the band's established covers Mr. Brightside.

Andy Cooper © Sewell Photography

Andy gives song 5 - the second of two covers (All These Things I've Done by the Killers) a big intro, setting up the mood before the band jumps in with a set of brassy, clashing chords. You can just see Andy's face over the forest of waving arms, as he pours a load of energy into the song. Now the crowd is jumping up and down, festival style, to The Killers song. Everyone is chanting the chorus and all three vocalists are yelling it out at the top of their voices. It whips the crowd into a frenzy as all three front men are singing into their mics. It's a moment of pure magic.The Schemer's have got live music figured out. They know what the fans want and they give it to them, big time. Their set is a full on experience, both on stage and in the room.

Joe Doyle © Sewell Photography

Clappy passages, cheering choruses, electrifying guitar parts, three part vocal harmonies, it's all there. The songs sizzle with passion and pulsating rhythms. The crowd is chanting "Scheeemers" over and over. Their last song was dazzling. Massive vocal phrases articulated by Andy and Doyle, while Harry sits at the back, labouring over the skins with a calm but olympic effort, as the room fills with auditory fireworks.

They finish their set with the new single Little Too Late. A modest guitar intro breaks into a moshing instrumental passage before Andy comes in with the vocals. It's another classic blockbuster from a band that has turned out a series of hit quality tracks. It's full of catchy riffs, sparkling guitar works and easy lyrical lines. It's a new song so the fans had not yet learnt it but I can see them all singing along to it as soon as they do.

The Weekend Schemers © Sewell Photography

If 2009 was the year of the Heroes, 2010 is likely to go down as the year of the Schemers. In a city rich with top notch bands, they are carving out a place for themslves before setting off to conquer the world. It's what makes band life interesting.

The Weekend Schemers on MySpace.

See reviews of all the bands that played at the launch of Window of Opportunity

Wednesday 4th August - The Shed

Kevin Gaughan reports with additional material by Trevor Locke.

It was early doors at the Shed on a school night (Wed) but the place was positively buzzing - which was great to see. The first band of the night, Tom Gee, were there due to some freak bookings misunderstanding but were still getting a lot of attention and appreciation from the Leicester crowd. As Tom Gee had come all the way from Leeds, it was nice to see them making such an impression.

The three lads played acoustically with a distinctly Mediterranean feel with plenty of percussion and good use of their box drum, percussion and bongos. The tempo was upbeat and quite lively. I really liked the band, although they were quite different from the rest of the evening's entertainment, they provided a very nice relaxing introduction to the night. Although they ended up playing by accident, it was a great way to start the gig. The vocals were very good and proved to be quite flexible.

Next up were Free or Nearest Offer, a four piece from Nuneaton, with a female vocalist. My first impressions weren't great - they looked like they would be more at home playing background music in a pub. They played a number of covers to start off with, the female singer looking a bit uncomfortable and rather static.

Each song was introduced by the lead guitarist which I think seemed to emphasise her lack of confidence. However, when they played their own tracks, they sounded much better although still not totally relaxed. Their sound was quite funky with with the odd rock riff thrown in to the mix, the lead guitarist was a credit to the band. He seemed quite skilled and made a good job of the more complicated pieces.

Next up, Panda Youth. I was looking forward to seeing this band, as I had seen them before and was quite impressed and I know they have been written about quite a lot in these pages. They started off with a cover of a Red Hot Chilli Pepper's track. It was OK but didn't really hit the spot for me, CJ's vocals, I thought, weren't quite up to the mark. I love the original, perhaps that's why I wasn't too keen on this cover. Sometimes it hits home, when you see these young bands, how close to the wire they are financially. The guitarist lost his pick and had some of the rest of the band looking for it for a minute or so. I couldn't help but laugh and also felt sorry for him in a way. Tonight the band played with guest drummer, Jake Sterland.

A few songs in and they started to warm up and I was reminded why I liked them. They played a good mix of up-tempo, catchy songs with really memorable guitar riffs and plenty of energy mixed in with some slower numbers which really showed the maturity of this young band.

They did put in a good show with tons of energy and a few catchy riffs, but tonights performance wasn't as good as the last time I'd seen the band. They introduced a female guest singer [Lottie Holnes] to the stage later on in the set which added a alternative sound and was quite welcome, she put in quite a good performance and had reasonable confidence and stage presence but again made me think that perhaps the vocals were a bit too loud in the mix.

The crowd appreciated the Panda Youth set and especially the guest singer. Hot on the heels of Panda Youth were Broken Eyes. They started off in a very lively fashion and played a very good cover of GreenDay's classic, Basket Case, which really got the crowd rocking. The sound was very good, the guitars and the drums were especially well played, tight and enthusiastic with plenty of stage presence. The vocals were generally good, although the female singer looked a bit uncomfortable at times. She appeared to forget the words at one point, which even I picked up on.

All in all, a good selection of songs, their own ones sounded good with plenty of heavy guitar sections but the vocals, on the other hand, could be improved. Oh, and the guitarist, who has an interesting taste in tutus, made a very pleasing, rocky sound and provided an entertaining visual aspect to the band. Broken eyes - a name I'll be looking out for in the future.

The Black Tears were next. They burst onto the stage with their and incredibly powerful songs - playing faster than the speed of sound, they really set the Shed on fire. Very fast, very rocky and very good. The crowd were totally enthralled and, although thinning out slightly as it was getting late, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, as was I.

The vocals were staggering and soared through the guitars with plenty of passion, it's as if the sound had been set up only for this band tonight. They did slow down a touch occasionally, but only to that of a speeding bullet, before going supersonic again. This band really did it for me, very good rock riffs, played well and at full throttle with vocals to match. It was nice to hear a good female vocalist performing so well with no confidence problems. I NEED to see this band again. They were good, very good.

The night ended with a superb performance by Leeds band Nigel Passey. This lovely four piece band played a set of gorgeous music. Captivating, smooth songs laced with ear pleasing riffs and carried forward by the quality singing of leader Nigel Passey, their vibrant set was funky, rocky and very enjoyable. Spell binding and splendid!

This was a Winner Takes All competition night, won by Panda Youth (53 votes), with The Black tears coming second (47 votes) and Broken Eyes in third place (29 votes) The staff of the Shed counted the votes. A very big thank you to the Bands from Leeds for helping out with the loan of equipment, given they had come a long way to attend a night they weren't offically booked to play.

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