What a large eve of ear-pummeling rock at the O2 Academy Birmingham last night with 3 live bands providing a fantastic night of entertainment for only 4.First on stage were Brum's very ownnew young progressive rock band, Kill Joy City, with an accomplished setof powerful, high energy, screaming rock anthems. Four piece KJC are a loud, fresh and verytalented head-bangingnew rock group from the UK's heavy rock capital.
assist Dave Yardley wasmaking his live debut with the band, but you wouldn't have known it, heplayed with confidence to complementsome impressiveguitar playing fromMarkEdkins,compelling vocals from vocalist Chris Turvey and some seriously rhythmic ear pounding from Nick Turvey on drums.This is most definitely a lot to seek out for in the future. Noisy rock as it should be,with some great original songs in there too. I am told that one of their influences is Japanese Rock, which sounds intriguing.Considering KJC came on-stage at half six in the evening, this wasreally high energy stuff and I'd like to see them again with a bit more of a crowd as they deserved to see a lot more hair flying around.Next on stage were Willenhall glam rockers,4Q,another sensational set from this great Black Country rock band. Some convincingcovers of much loved rock classics and credit of the night came when the band invited the audience to call out requests towards the end of their set and a couple of people called out "Freebird". After a few erms and ahhs between the band members the response was "sorry but we int got toim t' dowFreebird".I bet you Bob Harris never said that at the end of the Old Grey Whistle Test!I was particularly taken by the band's bassist who hadan engaginglygruff black country accent whichat times sounded not unlikeNoddy Holder (well same patch of the world ay it?). Another fantastic display of youthful, loud, head-banging West Midlands rock.
And go but by no means least.I didn't expect to see this, though perhaps the wind was on the ticket. the headlining band were Tragedy : All Metal Tribute To The Bee Gees.I think I was probably expecting to see some amateurish rock version of the Free Knights but this lot were seriously impressive. A full blown stadium-standard heavy metal group playing Bee Gees songs in the style of AC/DC, Motorhead, Rainbow, etc.I don't think I've seen anything as entertaining for some considerable time. Real accomplished rock songs with scores of irony and humour, glitzy, polished, in-yer-face rockers from New York doing Bee Gees classics such as Staying Active and You Should Be Dancin', etc.By this time therewere a few hundred people in the room so the whole place was seriously rockin'.Second quote of the night, lead singer shouts "do you guys get a football team that sucks?" To which some wit in the audience called back "yeah, we've got two".The bandclearly have a cult following as at one point they asked if anyone had seen them before and at least half of the audience put their men up.What I found most intriguing was observinghardened heavymetalveteransin the audience mouthingthe lyrics of oneBee Gees classic after another. But weren't these geezers playing air guitar in the Golden Eagle when Saturday Night Feverwas on around the cornerat the Odeon New Street?But that's the big thing about living in a cultural melting pot like the West Midlands,you never know what sub-group of a counter culture you'll pass into next!An amazingevening, a fantastic venue, three excellent bands, cheap beer, four quid, can't say any fairer really. Party on Maurice.
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