5 Things – This Week in Staines

1.

Best UK unsigned band - Live in Staines

Loaded Dice at Staines

Loaded Dice
Apr 05 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines

The last time AD PONTES saw this young band at The Hob, Staines we described the sound as ” Refreshingly effervescent cherry-pop fizz for a (spring) day…”

This band got to the UK final of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest a few years back. Currently, the lads are teetering on the very edge of ‘stadium’ success having won the title of the “Best UK live and unsigned band”. We wish them well. They are BIG local talents and you should get up to the HOB and support them…

Read the full ADPONTES-STAINES review of Shepperton’s LOADED DICE here

Link:


www.myspace.com/theloadeddice

Buckle Up Staines

http://www.buckleuppromotions.com

2.

Melodramatic Popular song…  Live at Windsor

To Arms Etc - Windsor Firestation

To Arms Etc
Apr 03 2009
Firestation
Windsor


To Arms Etc is a psychedelic keyboards based pop band with a huge following and great expectations. The ‘Don Henley’ drummer/singer Richard Perman takes the audience into melodramatic songs, emotional adventures and rock overtures.

If you enjoy sophisticated rock sounds then you should try this.

http://www.myspace.com/toarmsetc


3.

Exciting Alt/PowerPop- Live in Staines

Danny Roulette at Staines


Danny Roulette
Apr 02 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines

If you like your pop/rock supersized and powerful the try Danny Roulette…

Sounding like Biffy Clyro / Mars Volta / Weezer this band is sure to please!

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/dannyrouletteband

Buckle Up Staines

http://www.buckleuppromotions.com

DEMURE

Danny Roulette will be playing with the ever popular DEMURE. See this band now- they have just released their EP and are starting to grow is stature and success. The band plays Alt- Rock in the conventional sense but with overtures towards noise rock, especially in the way that the percussion and the bass are given the freedom to spread out their wings and have dissonant aural adventures of their own, but framed within the main architecture of each song.

The last time ADPONTES saw DEMURE we said that they reminded us of ‘Sonic Youth’ or ‘Butthole Surfers’. To check out the full ADPONTES review click here

4.

6-Piece Soul/Funk Covers – Live Ascot

Soul Selecta at Ascot

Soul Selecta
Apr 04 2009
Jagz
Ascot

Soul Selecta is a tight 6-piece Soul/Funk covers band, made up of members from Bucks, Herts and London. The band have been together since 2003, although each individual member is a true professional in their field with several years of experience with other bands. Having played many a bar/club/wedding/corporate event and private party, they are masters of their game, providing solid entertainment and style!!

Soul Selecta predominantly cover classic and modern R’n’B, Funk and Soul; from James Brown to Beyonce, but for occasions such as weddings, are adaptable and versatile to cater for all across the genres and decades.

Their performance is fuelled by their love for the music, and filtered through the bands own soul.  Whilst being faithful to the originals, they also bring their own edge involving the audience in a new moment, which demands you to dance!

They have a natural vibe and the ability to capture the mood and generate the groove!

Saturday, 4th April
Show will start at 8.45
Ticket cost: £8.00
Doors open from 7.30pm. £26 for 2 courses and entrance (£30 for 3 courses). Entrance for the bands is £8 but is strictly limited and on a first come first served basis. Entrance for dining or just the band INCLUDES free entrance to the nightclub

Link:

http://www.myspace.com/soulselecta




5.

Classic Rock Superband -  Live in Staines

Frayed Knot at Jolly Farmers - Staines

Frayed Knot
Apr 04 2009
Jolly Farmer
Staines

Last time we saw this Staines Superband we said:

“These boys play the songs that make the crowd yelp with joy, but served up with a sabre-sharp ice-cool quality that would make lesser bands look on enviously”

See what we mean at Jolly Farmer STAINES (Egham Hythe) Apr 4th

Check here for the full ADPONTES review

Links:

http://www.frayedknotmusic.co.uk/

Def try to catch them at this safe & friendly pub this weekend !

Other dates (if you miss ‘em) :

18/04/09    The Red Lion, Egham
29/05/09    The Carpenter’s Arms, Hayes
27/06/09    The Fox Inn, Bisley
04/09/09    The Carpenter’s Arms, Hayes
10/10/09    Ye Olde Swan, Burnham

-Visit AdPontes-Staines Regularly for Staines Arts-


5 Things – This Week in Staines

1.

A New Band Rises at Staines

Five Foot Something at Staines

Five Foot Something
Feb 19 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines


Of all the chances?  The Goddess of music works in strange and mysterious ways- Tis True, Tis True…our favourite STAINES local guitar/vox hero Ravi K (Succotash etc. etc) bumped into his new neighbour – Robert Hart- they had never met before. Robert was carrying his guitar and amp to his car.

Their conversation went along similar lines to this; Ravi “Do you play guitar?” Robert “Does the pope wear a silly hat and a bear defecate in the woods?” Ravi “Me too re: the hat (and guitar)- though I don’t poo under the trees”. And thus, Five Foot Something were born.

Robert hauled in friend Warren who is a mean bassist and later Jamie heard what was going on and wanted ‘in’ too….This is their inauguration – so we want a big turn out at The Hob (but they have been rehearsing like crazy) the sound is kinda mixed up but there are funky vibes, punky roots and elements of just about every musical style that washes over these local boys. But, be sure of this, the music will make you stand up and go crazy – this is no ‘covers band’ it is an original STAINES sound…

Robert Hart (Lead guitar, backing vox and ambience), Jamie Heath (drums), Ravi Kasinathan (Lead vox and rhythm guitar) and Warren Pegley (Bass)

Link:

www.myspace.com/5footsomething

If you manage to miss ‘em in  STAINES this week (PLEASE DON’T) then you could catch ‘em at:

Mar 28 2009      8:00P The Red Lion, Egham
————————————————

Five Foot Somehing will be supported by LOS + CHERRY BRAKEWELLS (more of that below)

2.

Sensational Trio with a 60′s & 70′s sound – Staines

Cherry Brakewells at Staines

The Cherry Brakewells
Feb 19 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines


You could say The Cherry Brakewells were born in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The girl rock trio from London would probably have been more at home in Memphis or Louisiana circa 1966 as their influences are based firmly in the late sixties and early seventies with bands like the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream and Led Zeppelin.

The Cherry’s were formed in 2002 originally called ‘Red’. After three years of playing the small gig circuit they decided to go their separate ways.

Shay set out for the USA, looking for a new direction, collaborating as a songwriter on various projects. The high point was Tina Tuner recording one of her songs for the album ’24/7′.

Chi, meanwhile went back to her successful modelling career, strutting her stuff around the worlds most glamorous catwalks, in her time off playing drums with her Family’s band, like a noughties equivalent of the Partridge Family.

As for Monique, she took time out to follow her other passion running a vintage American clothes shop in Camden, while still jamming with a couple of local bands on the circuit.

A year passed since the band split and the girls began missing each others’ company, all sharing a sense of unfinished business to take care of. After many long distance calls they got together in London to re-form the band changing the name to Cherry Brakewells along the way. A chance meeting with a producer led to a recording contract with the girls going into the studios to cut their debut album “First Bite”.

www.myspace.com/cherrybrakewells

Also at:

Feb 20 2009      Belushi’s (Camden)     London
Mar 03 2009      South of the Border     London


3.

Classic Indie & Rock Covers – Windsor

Grouper at Windsor


Grouper
Feb 20 2009
Old Ticket Hall
Windsor

GROUPER are a professional and dynamic 4 piece contemporary and classic indie rock and pop band.Featuring an incredible line up of international touring musicians of the highest quality, the band playguitar based hits from Travis to U2, Blur to Snow Patrol, Coldplay to The Killers, The Beatlesto The Stones and many more legendary artists and groups.

GROUPER have fast become the first choice for those seeking fresh and entertaining music for their wedding reception, corporate event or party. The band have a wealth of experience, having entertained clients worldwide at a wide range of wedding venues and high profile corporate events for the last seven years.

GROUPER have worked for a number of high profile clients including Pearson Education, NSPCC, The British Army,Citigroup, OXO Tower Restaurant, Warwick University and have played at most of the major London hotels
as well as stately homes and castles across the UK. They have performed at Disneyland Paris, at a large privateparty in Portugal, a multi-national corporate event in Dubai and at the end of 2007 performed at Wembley Arena
for the historic NFL American football match.

THE OLD TICKET HALL, WINDSOR, SL4
Cost: £3
LIVE BAND + DJ PLAYING 80’s & 90’s HITS – BAR OPEN TILL 2AM


Link:

http://www.grouperband.co.uk/

4.

Stunning Jazz & Latin Singer – Live in Ascot

The Strange Deal

The Strange Deal
Feb 21 2009
Old Ticket Hall
Windsor

Playing mainly British rock, punk & indie covers from the 60s to date, The Strange Deal are a hard-working 4 piece who have been gigging regularly in the Reading/Wokingham area since April 08.

They aim to strike a balance between playing numbers that are familiar to most punters with some slightly lesser known tracks that we feel deserve an airing ! So if you enjoy the music of The Who, Paul Weller, Oasis, Kaiser Chiefs & many others, check out The ’Deal – go on, you know it makes sense. + DJ PLAYING 80’s & 90’s HITS – BAR OPEN TILL 2AM

Link:

www.myspace.com/thestrangedeal




5.

Exciting Local Alt Rock Band- in Staines

Demure at Staines

Demure
Feb 22 2009
Hobgoblin
Staines


“…Demure songs have a charm and a hummable charisma that speaks of anguish, truth, unity and vulnerability. These bitter-sweet melodies are given lush and sonically-ambitious backdrops by the crew and especially by Philip Price whose tones and strings are very memorable and are the sign and seal of a genuinely unique product…. Very reminiscent of Pearl Jam with grungy guitar, contrasting song dynamics, a pulsating and luminous lead meandering through the tune and anguished lyrical and vocal content leading to dramatic conclusions…. The band plays Alt Rock in the conventional sense but with overtures towards noise rock, especially in the way the percussion and the bass are given the freedom to spread out their wings and have dissonant aural adventures of their own, but framed within the main architecture each song. This reminded me of ‘Sonic Youth’ or ‘Butthole Surfers’…”

© Neil_Mach 2009

check the ADPONTES-STAINES live review here>>>

Link:

http://www.myspace.com/demureuk

-Visit AdPontes-Staines Regularly for Staines Arts-

Turisas at Southampton Guildhall

SOUTHAMPTON GUILDHALL
Thursday 28th September 2008

Photo by Ossi Laakso, (c) Turisas 2004

Metal / Black Metal / Death Metal

“A band with Swords and Uggs”

WARLORD NYGÅRD – Voc.
JUSSI WICKSTRÖM – Gtr.
TUDE LEHTONEN – Drums
HANNES HORMA – Bass
OLLI VÄNSKÄ – Violin
LISKO – Acc.

“Toor-izz-ass, clap, Toor-izz-ass, clap, Toor-izz-ass, clap”… then onto the stage at Southampton Guildhall exploded several large blonde men (and a laydee) clad in lumps of dead sheep and (mostly) wearing ill-fitting uggs.


And Lo, this was Turisas come unto us.


Turisas is a Finnish viking metal band from Hämeenlinna. They were established in 1997 by Mathias Nygård and Jussi Wickström and designated almost at once as a Viking Metal band – named after an ancient Finnish God of War.


When I saw them last night  on their current tour (supporting ‘Dragonforce’) they exclaimed their music was mighty ‘battle metal’. Since they use accordion and violin, I find this a little hard to swallow. Since when do the massed bands of Her Majesty’s Household Division (for instance) lug squeeze-boxes and fiddles onto the battleground? But because of this morris-dance affectation, the band could also be pigeonholed into the folk metal genre ( see also Finntroll, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani and Moonsorrow.)

The supposedly heavy metal guitars in this band are, to be honest, almost extraneous and the rhythm guitar is often employed just for that-chugging out some rhythm- whilst the bass plunks away unobtrusively. The featured instrument in this band is the violin, courtesy of Olli Vanska. According to Turisas this meek little humble instrument is about to re-adjust the cosmic equilibrium that has been altered by those arrogant upstarts- the wicked electric guitars! Haven’t they heard of ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ in Finnish-land?


Any band that has, as a major feature of its repertoire, Boney M’s singalonga-cossack ‘Ra Ra Rasputin’ is OK by me. This song always was plagiarism at its finest, mixing some trad. Turkish anthems with Cozy Powell’s ‘Dance With The Devil’ beat and pretending to be authentic disco. So why shouldn’t a viking-metal band claim it is their anthem?


Even though Turisas has bouzouki and balalejka-themed pretensions, this is ultimately music that Klingon’s would listen to around the campfire whilst droning on about the House of Duras. Lots of anthemic battle-shouting and Oi Oi Oi’s, then plenty of strutting about doing semi-nazi saluting type stuff. The average age of the crowd at Southampton was about 15… so maybe this is something to be a tiny bit concerned about.  But, no, this is he-man stuff, it is comic book stuff, it is Blue Peter teenage mutant ninja turtles in a bit of sticky-back plastic stuff. A bit of dressing up (albeit as a Viking goat-ostler) and striding around looking big and sounding scary is just fun and didn’t ever hurt anyone. Did it?. When was the last time Finland invaded anything (other than the Eurovision)? And, to be honest,  these leering viking-skulls in their leather nappies are no more fierce, frightening or imposing than your average school music teacher.


Unlike power-metal, there is not much symphonic context within the sound of Turisas, just a lot of growling and some riff-based hokum. There isn’t much light there either, the dirges are battle anthems for the office of the dead. On the whole, the Nordic jeremiad’s are less pessimistic than they ought to be, relishing and celebrating death and honour rather more like football anthems than proper warrior eulogies.

The blackness is not really in there either (unlike Opeth, Trivium, Annihilator, Wintersun etc) mainly because: 1) You can’t take men wearing uggs and sheepskin throws seriously and 2) because any band that plays Boney M disco covers is about as manly and masculine as Julian Clary wearing a pink tutu whilst dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy in this season’s ‘end of the pier’ performance of Round the Horn. So this is not a band for death metal/black metal heads.  It is just a fun ‘show-band’ for the kids.

Southampton is noted for being the home of the RMS Titanic and the Spitfire, both went down well. So did Turisas. That says a lot.


© Neil_Mach
Sep 2008


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Demure – at Staines

STAINES  HOBGOBLIN
Thursday 11th September 2008

Demure- Staines - Hob Neil_Mach Sept 2008

The ancient Greeks thought that if you took the head of this, the legs of something different and the hind quarters of that thing over there you could make up a new beast. And that beast would be a viable creature. The final product – the chimera - a single organism with genetically different sub-cells is what I was observing tonight. The other thing I was thinking about was Mister David Byrne’s ‘Talking Heads’ whose 80’s band played everything from punk rock through funk and glam to world/folk music. And the band consisted of eleventeen different constituent members not always necessarily including ‘The Head’ of Mr.Byrne. It was a chimeric band.

Tonight I was at The Hob, Staines, to see Johnny B’s chimeric band, called ‘Demure’. Johnny B is the ‘David Byrne-esqe’ head of this particular creature (more of him in a moment) and he is given life and locomotion by a youthful and clean cut Philip Price, wearing a green sesame street T-shirt, on lead guitar. To his left, on bass, is Chris Caller, (looking to all intents-and-purposes like an innocent church chorister dressed up as a hugger-mugger) and on the hind-quarters is Neil ‘Stix’ Rawles on drums. (Neil appears to be slightly- erm- ‘Dutch’ looking.) With blondish long hair, bits of blondish beardy stuff poking out of his chin and wearing a scruffy alice band. If I had looked more closely I would not have been surprised to see clogs on his pedals. Someone behind me remarked that the drummer wouldn’t have looked out of place in a hairy hippie type band like ‘The Flower Kings’ and I know what they mean.

John is the lead voice and rhythm guitar of this outfit and looks like a slightly  podgy (and I mean that in a beautiful more ‘cuddly ‘way) and a slightly shorter version of Sacha Baron Cohen but with loads more black hair and lots more charm. Almost a smaller, more rounded, softer version of Baron Cohen then. The band plays Alt- Rock in the conventional sense but with overtures towards noise rock, especially in the way that the percussion and the bass are given the freedom to spread out their wings and have dissonant aural adventures of their own, but framed within the main architecture of each song. This reminded me of ‘Sonic Youth’ or ‘Butthole Surfers’.

Demure songs have an individual charm and a hummable charisma that speaks of anguish, truth, unity and vulnerability- in fact all of the themes that the Staines crowd shared some harmony with. These bitter-sweet melodies are given lush and sonically-ambitious backdrops by the crew and especially by Philip Price whose tones and strings are very memorable and are the sign and seal of a genuinely unique product. The song ‘1 Vision’ is very reminiscent of Pearl Jam with grungy guitar, contrasting song dynamics, a pulsating and luminous lead meandering through the tune and anguished lyrical and vocal content leading to dynamic conclusions. The song also reminds the listener of ‘Soundgarden’ but would be welcomed by the more ‘emo’ types amongst us, and above all, by anyone with a liking for early emo e.g. ‘Embrace’or ‘Rites of Spring’. ‘Designer Me’ has very sub-pop sound familiar to ‘Soundgarden’ fans and my friend remarked that he could definitely hear “Black Hole Sun” in there somewhere.

Not that the band is at all unhappy. I want to make that very clear! Front man John is an energetic and genuinely enjoyable performer to watch and his vocals are resonant and passionate – even theatrical at times. In that respect he is a very similar vocalist to Eddie Vedder. With brooding baritone sounds (when the mood button is turned on,) reaching pulsating highs. Unlike Ed Vedder though, Johnny is also responsible for the guitar arrangements for the ensemble, so sings with the guitar ready to be launched from either side on his return, kept ready for a rhythm blitz, but to be put neatly to one side for any dramatic lyrical moments.

Happiest and most chirpy of all is Philip who grins and gurns his way through each song with some deft fretwork, his face illuminated by a cheeky grin and a wink to the audience. Bass-player ‘Caller’ (the choirboy) is relaxed and coo-ool. He tends to lead each song, working closely with the percussionist Neil, who is given plenty of room for his own artistic freedom and, I think, is technically a very clever player with an ear for detail and with a capacity to produce explosive but, nonetheless reliable, drum patterns.

This emotional, sensitive and, perhaps, timid band is a joy to listen to and watch. They have crafted some articulate numbers that give them, and their enlightened audience, a chance of freedom and the ability to ‘jump out of stream’ without spilling their guts on the jaggedy rocks below. You do not leave a Demure concert with shattered eardrums. There are no rage-filled concert rooms or any latent desire to smash up the drum kit when you witness this band. And for this they should be thanked, appreciated and honored.

Demure means down-playing one’s accomplishments and this band has a lot to be proud of.  ‘Demure’ has many virtues, skills and abilities but it doesn’t go round town shouting its mouth off about it. It is rare, these days- any days- to find a band with as much humility as this lot and it is a tribute to each and every one of them that they are so professional, so effective and – gosh – so damned likeable!

We wish this chimeric local band every success.

© Neil_Mach
Sep 2008




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