staines gigs | Ad Pontes Staines

Put a simple punk/ska song into your machine and set it to economy wash with a fast spin- and out will come this frothy knotted confusion of jolting rhythms and uncoordinated colours. But it kinda makes sense if you take time to carefully unknot each piece. ASPEX are the kind of band that set their amps on ‘turbo spin’ and set their tempo to ‘rapid wash’ and then deliver results in a riot of colours and a jumble of sounds.

Aspex is a three piece garage rock band from New Haw, Surrey- and they have just finished recording their first E.P. They say that it’s been 10 months since they last played their set list, but the happy throng at the fantastic local venue, the Hobgoblin, Staines, welcomed the boys with open arms. Stubbly stern faced ‘Peed’ is on lead vocals and guitar; New Mohican ‘Week’ is on backing vocals and bass guitar; Finally, smartman ‘Carver’ is on Drums. With influences from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Arctic Monkeys, you know you’re in for some fun, and Aspex don’t disappoint.

‘Be Yourself’ has military style drums leading to a rock and roll cavalry charge – whilst a Middle Eastern hunting eagle of a guitar screams and wails overhead – as the song evolves into a jammy verse. This is one of a number of articulate and carefully crafted numbers, athletically performed by this crew.

Then we are given a humdinger of a cover – Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” – and you begin to understand that this band exudes quality and passion for ‘The Rock Music’. Pitching is nearly always spot on and the jagged phrasing and off beat accents of their own compositions are complemented by their choice of cover songs. Rhythms often skid off the tracks, sent madly hysterical by those ever screaming guitar lines. And the chugging bass is played spontaneously and energetically by bouncing ‘Week.’

Towards the end of the performance the crowd at The Hob got a note perfect rendition of ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ - yet another example of the breadth of imagination that this band possesses.

Aspex – they never stop daring to be different. They never stop in the pursuit of total rock.

Link:

http://www.myspace.com/bandaspex

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Wow! What a show! As if touched by grace during the past six months, Albany Down put on a mesmerising and masterful show for the eager crowds at the Staines Hobgoblin last Thursday. The breadth of their musical achievement is amazing. High dancing vocals from Paul Muir, exciting solos and pushing, tearing power-chords on the guitar by Paul Turley, pounding great grumbling bass notes from Billy and wildly wicked thunderclaps of earth-shattering power from Jonny on drums. It was like an eruptive force of nature exploding onto the stage at The Hob. Those of us who had witnessed Albany Down in the past were in for a surprise. Expecting their usual subtle blends of ‘grown up’ Rock, Blues and Indie originals (with maybe a few exciting covers chucked in) none of us could have foreseen such a seismic change in the talents of this ‘conservative’ looking and ‘conservative’ sounding young band. But their new show is classic rock to be reckoned with. And this was more than just a performance. It was an urgent, volatile, flaming heart, ears buzzing declaration of power and creative energy.

The band shared a bundle of new material with the delighted crowd at Staines. ‘The Morning After’ with it’s progressive bass-play and pulsating rhythms of tension and groove constructed to create a mocking anthem for sliders and shifters… laced with those treacly lead guitars and culminating in an elegant and hummable chorus. This is an accomplished and worthy song. And ‘Wasted’ starts with a riff that is so tense that it makes you want to urgently seek much needed climatic release. This is a poisonous mix of clean-cut vocals and dirty, dirty guitars – all chugging along with that insistent drive.

Evidently someone must have whacked a rattlesnake up Paul Muir’s kilt at some stage, because he is now a rampant beast… prancing, jumping and parading around the stage like an addled Mick Jagger crossed with a libidinous Marti Pellow. He really ‘held on’ to the heartstrings of the crowd. And Paul Turley not only gave up his quality southern-soaked guitars, but also gave us some note-perfect, sizzling lead vocals on a blues number, and plenty of melodic and expressive backing vocals on other songs. Billy the Bruiser was equally flamboyant on bass guitar, lurking, leeching and leering his way all around the stage whilst wildman Jonny, on those frantic drums, provided a confetti of pyrotechnic percussive achievements.

The final four songs of the set; The Albany’s blues-style version of the Steve Booker / Duffy hit ‘Mercy’, followed up by the ‘Train Song’, ‘Jealousy’ and ‘Save Me’ draw influences from early Stones, Who even Zeppelin. And these numbers demonstrate that the band would be comfortable working in a blues club, an indie rock venue, a metal festival or up on the high altar at a stadium sized event. Such is their ability and their scale of work.

Yep, Albany Down are now as hot a volcanic ash and yet as cool as snow slippers. This sparkling band goes from strength to strength. Check them out as soon as you can. They will pour passion into your pumps, fire flames up your flares and ram jumping beans down your jumper. True quality!

http://www.myspace.com/albanydownofficial

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