Date: 19th of September. Venue: The Bitter End. Acts: Holdfasthope, Art of Rebellion, Sans Wilfred and The Retrotones.

Welcome back to my blog page. Unless this is your first visit, in which case I say 'welcome' in general. So yeah after all my blustering and promising I didn't end up going to a band night last Wednesday to make up for missing last Saturday's as you may already be able to tell. Though I feel I have no obligation to explain myself, I will say this; some things are just more important.

Anyway now that that unpleasantness is out of the way I will proceed to dissecting this weeks offering, and examining the contents within.

The first band on the stage were local alternative rock group Holdfasthope. Citing bands like Muse, RATM, Nirvana and Foo Fighters in your list of influences is a sure fire way to make me automatically not care about your music. Before I could say 'unimaginative' or 'kerrang!' I would think it, and be prejudiced against said band; luckily however I hadn't visited their myspace before I watched them and had no idea what they were going to sound like. Although these influence are heavily prevalent in their song's (the 'Knight's of Cydonia' riff being played between 2 of their own songs being a not-so-subtle giveaway), I enjoyed Holdfasthope. They played well, had catchy songs and didn't make me want to vomit out my music loving heart; though that's hardly great praise. They were good, but they did nothing to really touch my G-spot.

http://www.myspace.com/holdfasthopetheband

Art of Rebellion were up next, and though I initially had trouble wrapping my head around the bass player's 12 string bass with Matt Groening's bunny from 'Life in Hell' on the fret board, I let that go and let AoR have a go at charming me. Another band who cite Muse as a main influence... I forsook this as they also cite Biffy Clyro, and the singer wore a BC shirt at the gig.
Once again these influences are apparent as soon as AoR began to play, as well as a love of classic rock and an ear for songwriting. An aspect that works very much in their favor too is an air of being ever-so-slightly odd... I love a bands with a bit of a weird factor, and who can write songs incorporating different elements and themes which doesn't ultimately sound cluttered; which AoR manage quite well. Not quite on the par of HORSE_the band but if I want a mountain brought to me I'll change my name to Muhammad.

http://www.myspace.com/artofrebellion

Sans Wilfred next! This band were a little different from the rest of the line up, but only in their primary influences; they were incredibly similar in the sense that they wore their influences on their sleeves like a charm bracelet of bands better than themselves. Radiohead IMMEDIATELY leap to mind, as does aspects of Muse (again??), Portishead, Hot Hot Heat, LCD Sound System and other dance-able electro-indy acts. The mix is pleasant; Sans Wilfred write spacey, atmospheric and deep songs which make you dance into the eternal and blissful void. (And any band that successfully uses a cowbell without coming across as redundant experimentation for experimentation's sake has my respect). Though at times the songs seem to differ greatly from each other, holding onto a common thread that's so frayed it could snap at any second! That being said, SW are the most ambitious band I have seen at the Bitter End so far, more should be willing to follow in their creative aspirations.

http://www.myspace.com/sanswilfred

Finally The Retrotones take the stage to close the night. I notice to my disdain that a drunk student-type (who looked like the lead douche from the Mystery Jets) who was irritating me all night with his embarrassing outbursts turns out to be their singer... Must... try... to disengage... prejudice!

For me The Retrotones were 'meh'. They sounded like a bluesier version of The Strokes. In fact I'm fairly certain they plagiarised the main riff from 'Juice Box' in one of their own songs... They left no lasting impression, other than 'God the lead singer was a dull cunt trying to be an interesting cunt wasn't he?'. As are most students. *clarification: I'm using the term 'student' as stereotypical. Regardless of if the man is studying or not, he came across like the classic student I have come to despise. The rest of the band might as well have been a laptop for all the presence they managed to conjure.
But anyway, check them out if they sound like the band for you!

http://www.myspace.com/theretrotonescom

I will be back next week fo' sure ma ninja's!

Martin