Riffs - Issue 18 (May 99)

And so it went that me and Nige sauntered into Rosie Malone's in South Shields, just gone 9pm. We always have a quick shufty at the gear - try to give us a good idea if we're in for one helluva rockin' ear shatterin' night or maybe just a little good-time rock'n'roll. After surveying the stage we reckoned tonight would be atoned down affair. I usually try and guess who the band is composed of by taking in the audience (Visually speaking, of course). But tonight I must admit I was a tad off the mark cause not only when the lads got up to play, they weren't who I thought they'd be - except the drummer who just looks like a ... well, rockin' drummer, really! But when they launched into their first song Jailbreak well, let's just say my perm money was truly wasted, cause the wall of noise just blew me away.

A brief glance at Nige confirmed he was impressed too, and seemed only a brief instant before the band were doing The Boys Are Back In Town. The sound was unbelievably tight and I was mesmerised by the twin leads of Mark and Ben, sometimes fighting, sometimes parrying, sometimes supporting each other, but always starkly aware of the other's presence. A pat on the back to both of these guys for an outstanding performance. The drummer was going hell for leather and I can see why he's so thin!! No way is he gonna put on weight playing like that! Into Bad Reputation and the sound is so heavy, rockin' and pure - no way am I gonna admit that size is not important but considering how much room the speakers took up they output one helluva

ballsy sound.

With a solid bass line courtesy of Barry, the band forged ahead ... The classics came one after another, 'Chinatown', slowing things down with 'Dancin' in the Moonlight', into 'Cowboy Song', 'Don't Believe a Word'. I had this vision of the band being a powerful steam locomotive - totally unstoppable - the thunderous drums being the backbone and the twin guitars being an engine at the front and one at the back. If only one weakened then it would be forced back up to speed by the rest of the team - there would be no slacking or you'd be ground into the dirt.

Emerald had the twin leads shouting, screaming, tearing down the track like there was no tomorrow. A real showcase song. A real showstopper. But there was still more to come. Time for me to go all gooey with 'Parisienne Walkways', an absolute corker of a track, played with perfect presence and panache.

Going from the demo that Lee sent in to Riffs just months ago, the band have come on in leaps and bounds. If you can tonight expecting a good quality rockin' band then you would be well satisfied - but the bonus is the fact that you get some classic songs written and originally performed by a band that deserves to live on in our musical hearts for a long time to come.