Venue: Water Rats
Date: 11 September 2006
Words: Alderson
Photography: Jade Appleton

Here come the shiny youths! The Hot Puppies, even in name, are testament to the importance of dualism in art. Perhaps they just sound like something fun – and certainly that comes into it – but this is also an educated reference to caustic wit. Likewise, behind the slightly Bugsy Malone-styled surface charms of the band there is an unambiguous sense of balance and dynamics.

The music is both upbeat and weighty enough to conjure quick associations with Blondie and the Smiths, but I suspect Kate Bush as a deeper influence for frontwoman Becky Newman. Her sultry aspect and powerful vocals draw strength from the inventive role-playing opportunities afforded her by songwriter and guitarist Luke Taylor. His influences in turn evidently include such master storytellers and imagists as Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. There is a unifying theme of otherworldliness about Taylor’s subject matter, be it Theda Bara or a letter to Mariella Frostrup. That, namely, is the world of the imagination, which endows endless possibilities beyond the difficulties and drudgery of everyday life.

Yet always on stage supporting this conjured world is another image that speaks volumes for the Hot Puppies’ true mechanics. One look at drummer Bert Wood tells you all you need to know about a band that puts every last bit of itself into the performance. In full flow he is a joy to watch.

What would Dorothy Parker have to say for the Hot Puppies’ prospects? Who knows, but words spring to mind; “This mighty globe was made for you alone. / Of all the thunderous ages you’re the heir. / (Get off the pillow with that dirty bone!)”

Venue: Buffalo Bar
Date: 9 September 2006
Words: Alderson
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

If this outfit were a restaurant it would have three Michelin stars, but as it is a band it has three Michaels… and a Chris. Galloping out of Glasgow and onto the larger scene at breakneck speed – or as fast as National Express goes these days – this is definitely an act to catch a-live-o before the whole world knows about it. The plot for a B-Movie classic, some warped mastermind spliced the genes of Devo and Buddy Holly but the beast got free and has learnt its own punk moves. And beautifully choreographed they are too.

Still with us? Well then it’s probably worth mentioning that the songs are very good – the kind that make it impossible for people to stand still. In fact it’s amazing that our photographer managed to stop bouncing around long enough to get any pictures. Some of the best songs we heard here were ‘Networking’, ‘Bulimia Sisters’ and debut single ‘Less Than Three’. Saw and heard is a more apt description, because the Physics really know what to do with a stage. That stage is just going to get bigger and bigger because either a) they’ve been working with the Russians on a secret ray b) it’s made of the same material as The Blob, or c) this is a fantastic new band that nobody can afford to miss. Either way it’s mighty interesting what happens next.

Venue: Barden's Boudoir
Date: 24 August 2006
Words: Liane Eltan
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

"You know, the first time I heard The Presets, I felt like... you've totally got to do the finger dance dude!" Says one of SUPERSWEET's contributors. Excuse me?!

We never really understand that, but then the puzzle starts to fall into place when Julian and Kim take the stage in the middle of the hot and sweaty (and quite literally steaming) Boudoir of Barden's. Sleazier and darker in the flesh, their live set however is more about the vibe and energy rather than any spectacles. It's the energy that moves you, and as simple as two guys playing a few instruments each, but causing gigantic synthetic noise in the most organic way.

And it's true! The Presets have the whole (mainly) Aussie crowd finger dancing, air pressing the buttons before them: left - right - up - down... or 3 - 9 - 2 - 8!!! (OK, we're playing now.) Like real heroes of club music with dirty big taste, they know exactly what they are doing without all that fuss throughout from tracks like 'Down Down Down' and 'Girl And The Sea' to the powerful closer 'I Go Hard, I Go Home'.

Now all we gotta do is go home and secretly practice that finger dance, let's start with your mom's number, shall we?

Venue: Old Blue Last
Date: 20 September 2006
Words: Alderson
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Former members of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Neil’s Children coalesce here, having located their evil.

Of course people will say if you play Vile Imbeciles’ records backwards and at the right speed you can actually hear a tune. This is nobody’s idea of background music and you won’t find yourself whistling it absent-mindedly in the shower. What you’ve got here instead are complex, erratically-changeable tempos and rhythms that keep the brain in a state of concentration. James Hair’s bass playing and Bertie Lean’s percussion push at high tension to each breaking point, where it all collapses before reassembling in another direction. Meshed within this Andy Huxley’s vocals are as delicate and touching as Beelzebub reciting his nursery rhymes.

Needless to say this is a gig to have fun at or be damned. It’s definitely different and possibly a whole new variation of ‘death jazz’. So you won’t find Vile Imbeciles on the playlist of frothy coffee chains or being used to sell tampons and mobile phones. It’s about the here and now of live performance, that irretrievable moment of getting amongst it, giving over your headspace to something that arrives confused, bashes around and departs very quickly. Nobody is any wiser.

Venue: Barfly
Date: 6 October 2006
Words: Isaac Howlett
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

I have a tiny, screwed-up piece of yellow paper in my pocket, covered in spidery, black biro scribbles. Scrawled across the top it says, ‘Ali Love – Barfly’. This’ll be my ‘Ali Love review notes’ then. I read; ‘free drinks’. Then, simply: ‘bottles’.

I was obviously slightly disgruntled by this; the only other thing I’ve written is ‘Pedal Board of Doom’. These last four words, I seem to remember, were my friend Ed’s and refer to Ali Love’s bass player, who, on Friday night, narrowly beat Murder by Death (who I saw on Tuesday at Kings Cross Water Rats) to the coveted award of ‘most bass pedals nailed to a piece of wood…ever’. I bet he’s proud. Ali Love’s set featured a lot of frantic button-pressing and energetic dancing. Riding the new wave of technologically-enhanced rock ‘n’ roll, Ali has already won himself a dedicated fanbase and listening back to his MySpace offerings it’s easy to see why. Ali finished a short set with a rousing rendition of the great punk-inspired single ‘K-Hole’. More of the same please! Oh and pints, not bottles.

Venue: The Good Ship
Words: Isaac Howlett
Photography: Kriangkrai Srithongthai

The Argonauts find themselves second on the bill tonight, sandwiched between an eclectic mix of unsigned and frankly unsignable bands. By far the youngest musicians on show, they reveal a remarkable self-confidence and quickly get down to the business of making some foot stomping music (unlike the headline act who I overhear in the toilet saying, ‘let’s make it a quick changeover - we don’t want everyone going home’, only to spend at least 45 minutes messing around with literally hundreds of synthesizers, pedals, vocal harmonizers and goodness knows what else).

The Argonauts have every right to be confident - the fine collection of catchy, feel-good tunes they have to showcase puts them in a different league altogether. ‘Quirky’ is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot but The Argonauts pretty much embody it right now. Songs like ‘Hey Brother’, ‘We Got a Fire’ and 7” Single ‘Two Sides’ get feet tapping, heads nodding and, by the end of course, we’re all singing the choruses. If ever there was a worthy successor to The Zutons, here they are.

Venue: Barden's Boudoir
Date: 15 September 2006
Words: T. Bellamy
Photography: Chris Beaumont

Old School punk band? The Buzzcocks? The Clash? Sex Pistols? Think again! This is the band that yell "Oyster Boys!" from the top of their lungs throughout the song! And sometimes, they can't stop yelping "Oi Oi!" too. They are the winners!

Methodist Centre are a three-piece based in Sheffield, and they are no ordinary band... Two drummers and a guitarist. Who sings? Well, it's those two drummers! They're fun fun fun to watch and see how the assault of their mean and slightly silly punk attitude but with the simplicity of lo-fi garage background works with the crowd.

The only disappointment tonight being the fact that they sing into their mics instead of the headsets they used to have strapped on. Frankly it doesn't make a big difference. Only that they can't get up and dance and headbang while they're singing that's all. Oh well...

(This article has too many exclamation marks!!! -ed.)

Venue: Barden's Boudoir
Date: 24 August 2006
Words: Liane Eltan
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Oh No Not Him are a group of one man called Mike and his best digital companion Sony Vaio who travel north and south, arm-in-arm. Together, they create a multiple piss takes on (ironically) another Mike of The Streets. His famous line from 'You're Just A Dick' reads, "You're just a dick, you are and you know it." Sounds familiar?

It's not just the music that he's making fun of, but he also sometimes has a very similar dress sense like the early (rainbow-coloured version of) Mike Skinner too. You'll love him at first for the quirky factors: the sun visor with all over flower print; the freestyle rap he does to subtly soundcheck which seamlessly runs into the set.

And you will later discover, with all that aside, that this is one sharp-witted man packed with materials that are as intelligent as Shaun Of The Dead in the musical terms. Brilliant!

Venue: Bar Academy
Date: 7 September 2006
Words: Isaac Howlett
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Keith live up to their name by looking like, well, pretty average lads. Decked-out in suitably unassuming shirts and jeans, they certainly can't be accused of dressing up for the occasion.

The epic, FX-pedal-induced wall of sound they set about building on the small Carling Bar Academy stage however, is far from unassuming. As the band slam their (many) pedals to the metal, it’s not long before every detail of their sweat-soaked faces is being captured by the small harem of yoga-inspired photographers at their feet. I'm reminded at times during their energetic set, of fellow Manchurian dance/rock combos The Music and The Longcut - Keith’s rhythm section is excellent and their drummer, who, come to think of it, may well be their best shot at poster-bait, spends a gratifying amount of time beating the cowbell. It’s ambitious stuff and well-appreciated by the small crowd that has gathered to see them and with a few more tunes under their belt, it will be only a matter of time before they’re clambering up to add their name to the ‘Madchester’ hall of fame.

Venue: Proud Galleries
Date: 31 August 2006
Words: Layne Lomax
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Anglo-Polish trio Invasion are here to shake up the music scene and strike a march for cool rock-metal crossover.

Blending the vestiges of their shared metal heritage with singer Dominika’s strong and rangy vocals (and one will find her onstage and pre-stage banters rather entertaining), the band create a unique sound which can’t be ignored and which flies in the face of the hoards of bland indie wannabe's.

Incendiary, raw and basic, their tracks are energetic tear-ups which have been described as sounding like a metal Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Well worth looking in on-with plenty of live shows on the cards, it is only a matter of time before word gets around.

Venue: The Social
Date: 29 September 2006
Words: Alderson
Photography: Lameya Chaudhury

New bands simply don't come more impressive than this. Imagine a combination of Primal Scream, Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Beta Band arriving on the scene fully-formed and you get an inkling of how good the Lea Shores are. My only fear is that, like some of their influences, they are too brilliant for this unappreciative world. But we shall see.

More gigs like this one at the Social won't do them any harm. Supporting the launch of their debut EP, Butterfly, a short blistering set immediately had jaws dropping all around the packed venue, with a brave and intricate instrumental version of 'Velvet Lies' as introduction. This and opening song 'Take Me Home' provided a frightening showcase of the power and depth the band from proud Peckham City has at its disposal.

Simon and Nick Webb combine vocals in an almost choral, versatile layered effect. Nick in turn lines up guitars with Jamie Smith. Gabriel Lloret's bass and Ben Burn's tight drumming rumble underneath, while Nell Catchpole's violin sails smoothly overhead. It's perhaps this last element that gives the Lea Shores such an exhalted feel. There is always perfect poise and momentum, buliding presense towards a wall of sound that gloriously immerses an audience in atmosphere.

But this was still just hors d'ouevre. The next three songs were the stuff of dreams. EP title track 'Butterfly', 'Leave Me On My Own' and 'So Far Gone' are as good as anything I have heard all year. In full locomotion the Lea Shores' exceptional dynamism is summed up by Simon Webb's kinetic tambourine movements - a visual joy! Three further tracks ('Ride', 'Guillotine' and a reprise of 'Velvet Lies') completed the set and offered a sign of what is to come from a future album.

Venue: Nambucca
Date: 7 October 2006
Words: Steve Gislam
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Nambucca: Saturday night. The pub was full of boys who dressed like Russell Brand and rock chic girls. There was a certain edge to the atmosphere that can only be created by a shortage of bar staff....

Reading boys, A Beggar’s Opera took the stage half way through the evening and didn’t hang about. They laid out their Libertines/Beatles-inspired songs with a vigour that most of the crowd seemed to enjoy. SUPERSWEET, however, was not that highly impressed. Not that the band are bad, but they lack an edge and creative flare at this early point in their career. There was little to make you sit up and take notice, though their use of a lot of reverb on one song shows a willingness to play around with the sound a bit, which can only be a good thing.

That being said, they did have an obvious passion for what they do, and a drive and apparent desire to have the audience follow them. So if you like that ‘Libertines/Beatles-inspired Britpop’ thing, then A Beggar’s Opera are a band for you.

Venue: Barden's Boudoir
Date: 15 September 2006
Words: T. Bellamy
Photography: Chris Beaumont

Always famous for the orange beachwear and black leggings, Cleckhuddersfax are more than mere 'sight for sore eyes'. Described as a avant-garde sounding band, what some people seem to forget is that these guys do have the tunes - melodic tunes with some killer riffs!

They are two guys from England plus two Jordanians, together they create live shows they have become well-known for. Frontman Laurence finds himself spinning and spinning and spinning around the room tonight with speed of light, while remembering to take breaks and stares into the audience's eyes individually for a good several seconds each and then taking the orange thing off half war though, and what a joy that is!

Their songs are much more intense live, yet listenable. They might have only been around for over a year but give them a little bit more to build the profile and they'll soon be respected. Mind you, they're not everyone's cup of tea though. However, I would recommend checking them out live as I can't imagine why anyone will not enjoy all the chaotic madness!

Venue: Mean Fiddler
Date: 9 September 2006
Words: Steve Gislam
Photography: Chris Beaumont

From the minute Shitdisco hit the stage, the already excitable Frog crowd started moving like rabbits on a hot plate. Here were a band on a mission and that mission was the admirable one of making people dance. Like a dog with a fat, juicy steak they relentlessly grabbed the audience, moving them and shaking them up and down and side to side and back again. No time for banter either, they stopped after the first track to introduce themselves, before delving straight back into their indie-funk onslaught.

Their sound lies somewhere between Talking Heads’ art quirkiness, !!!’s charismatic danceability and The Rapture’s unrepentant noisiness, yet it is a sound quite different to any other band. The thirty minute set went by in a flash of lightning and before you knew it they were gone, leaving the crowd sweat-soaked and literally baying for more.

As tight as a shrunken sweater and cool as Kim Deal’s t-shirts, Shitdisco proved to be the personification of an instant party; all they need is a crowd and that crowd will dance. See them before they get any bigger.

Venue: Buffalo Bar
Date: 9 September 2006
Words: Alderson
Photography: Choltida Pekanan

Does this band actually exist? We're still not sure they actually ever did or if this whole experience was but a figment of our overstimulated imaginations. Legend has it that Eddie Argos summoned up the Goblins' first incarnation back in a Bournemouth dream many moons ago, to do his bidding until such time as other forces had driven them into hiding.

Old wives tales, we thought, yet through a haze of surreality they now arrived here amidst us unexpectedly at the Guided Missile event. The relative order of Art Brut had fallen away and chaos superseded. Instruments were tuned to different causal dimensions and they exuded the strange energy of a rabble that has only assembled for rehearsal half an hour before doors. Where had they come from and at what dark call?

And then behold there was Eddie Argos and Jasper Future exhorting and coordinating the Goblin gang's enterprise. "Are you ready Art Goblins?" Argos would ask - words of power taken from his book of Art Brut lore, yet here they had more the quality of reassurance, as if cajoling a group of agoraphobics on a daytrip to the zoo.  

And presently it all came together at the right time for a quit e emotional reawakening of that old goodtimes classic incantation, 'Fuck the MSP', which culminates in a rousing refrain, "Nicky Wire can suck my cock!" An incredible turnaround in such a short space of time, the Goblins were now rampant and Eddie Argos imperious as their leader. Should David Bowie be warned?

Almost as suddenly they slipped through another fissure of reality and made their escape, leaving us rubbing our heads and disorientated. Who knows where they will pop up next to catch out the unwary, but photographic and first hand evidence now tells of the mischief they can weave. Somewhere, some time and without warning the Art Goblins may come for you too!