5 Things – This Week in Staines

1.

Best UK unsigned band – Live in 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

http://www.buckleuppromotions.com

2.

Melodramatic Popular song…  Live at Windsor

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
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

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
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
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–

Arcane Roots

Hobgoblin – Staines – 1st March

Arcane Roots are like a rock and roller-coaster… gnashing, clawing and crashing their way through unconventional time signatures and frequent changes of tempo like an out of control Thorpe Park thrill ride might cut through a throng of ne’er-do-well pink-faced chavs playing chicken on the rails. Their combined energy, the electricity that this band produces,  could easily replace a dozen off-shore wind farms.

The sheer exhilaration and power of their stage presence reminded me of Muse.  However, although the AR songs may sometimes be sweet, and the themes melodramatic, the overall nu prog effect is actually more similar to Coheed and Cambria than Muse. The agony and the ecstasy is often ’emo’ (in a good way) and the foundations of each track are defined as solid slabs of rock.

The song ‘Rouen’ starts with gently gathered stringwork beneath a thin lace of sweetly latticed vocals posing the question ‘what are you waiting for?’ This is followed by a change of pace and some raspy distortion fueled arrangements and it is here that we witness the truly exceptional talent of Andrew Groves. Andrew is the AR frontman, singer and lead guitar supremo. Andy looks and sounds like a 1964–66 Ray Davies. He plays furious rhythm and lead guitar, often simultaneously, upon his trusty Gibson. He plays this with a surprising and terrible intensity that reminded me of a ferret in a flask fighting for freedom. ‘Rouen’ sounds ‘Kooks-ish’ with its lovely tapestry of gently chiming soulful images and high-toned voices. This tale of nostalgia and despair is a bittersweet experience for any listener. The sense of loss is magnified by the wailing, repeating chorus. The grief is spread out like a blanket might be across a corpse, the final stage of a magnificent hymn to sadness.

The song ‘Nylon’ is another tune that reminds me of The Kooks (although Andrew’s voice is not as exceptional as Luke Pritchard’s.) But there is more substance and depth of feeling in the Arcane material than within the Kooks prep-pop style- there are rusty razor-blades on their kitchen tables and the streets are littered with broken glass in the Arcane world.  Daryl Atkins on the drums adds backing vocals to the emotive harmonies of each number and plays astounding firecracker percussion on a stripped-down kit. Whilst Adam Burton, on bass, does a sterling job- but you can’t help thinking that he is always struggling just to ‘keep up’ with Andrew Groves- who zips ahead of his bandmates without so much as looking back.

‘An easy smile’ is far more ‘SOAD’ than the other AR sounds (I kept getting reminders of Serj throughout the gig) with driving chords and changes of tempo and pace. The pauses are important to the Arcane Roots…just as in good choreography, the audience is called to witness and appreciate these frequent stops and starts. Each pause is like a blinding flash of sunlight from a broken mirror. The sounds seem to be swirled around the room like silken scarves, and the sudden bolts of energy seem to whizz harmlessly away- far above your head. This evokes a feeling of disharmony and disjointedness that, perhaps, prevails in our daily lives.

Even if the room smelt faintly of old leather boots and denim, the crowd at The Hob were in fact quite young and well-groomed (on the whole). They were also unnaturally restrained. To be fair most of the punters were there for ‘the other band’ who were hosting a single release party straight afterwards- so the plaintive soul-searching of the Arcane Roots songbook was, perhaps, a little too ‘full-on’ for most of this fun-loving hip crowd. But the standout performer of the night, for me anyway, was the ferociously attacking guitarist Andrew Groves who possesses the rare emotional power of a cathedral on fire. He employs guitar techniques that are normally reserved for ‘right on’ jazz musicians – or at least prog-rock stars- techniques like glissandos & stomps on the effects pedals are all part of his glistening repertoire. I particularly enjoyed the new song, ‘To The Hold You Had’. (Andy gave me this title – so don’t blame me if it is wrong!) This song had a simple structure and an enjoyable riff but also revealed a satisfying complexity.

So the band ripped down the flag of indifference and crushed it with their teeth. Rock is a jungle and this group are the predators. Watch the blood spill and the fur fly. But don’t look away!

© Neil_Mach

March 2009

5 Things – This Week in Staines

1.

Purge and Bloodloss at Staines

Oct 31 2008      8:00P The Hobgoblin (Halloween Fancy Dress!)

SPECIAL HALLOWEEN SHOW

Purge is a furious mix of distortion-fueled guitar accompanied by seat-tearing bass and knockout percussion is shot at with a colt 45 of gravelly chants and rhyme delivering glory. Crushing heavy rock. Never a better solution

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/purgeuk

BLOODLOSS

2.

Get some Latin Voice – Georgia Mancio

Nov 2 2008      1:00P Jagz Ascot,  Georgia Mancio

Georgia Mancio is a London-based jazz singer and has been working professionally since 2000 – fortunate enough to have collaborated with many inspiring musicians including the amazing experience of performing at the London Jazz Festival as part of an acapella choir led by Bobby McFerrin. She recorded her first album, PEACEFUL PLACE, in 2003 and have just released TRAPEZE, a mix of jazz standards and songs from Chile, Italy, Cuba and Brazil. Both albums are on indie label, Roomspin Records and distributed in the U.K. by Proper. The accompanying 23 date tour for Trapeze began with a support slot at Ronnie Scott’s opposite Cedar Walton and included: The Pizza Express Jazz Club, Wakefield, Ipswich, Swanage Jazz Festival, The Hawth, the 606, Harri’s and The Fleece

Sunday, 2nd November
Show will start at 1pm to 3.30pm
Ticket cost: £6.00
Special entrance and roast lunch £12

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/georgiamancio

3.

Twickenham Locals- Marner Brown

Oct 29 2008      9:00P Filthys     Twickenham Marner Brown

Formed in 2004, Marner Brown are the next phase of Twickenham’s Rock and Roll Legacy. Fiachra Kerrigan (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar), Aaron A Grimes (Lead Guitar), Jacob Hollebon (Bass Guitar), John Wildgoose (Keyboards, Backing Vocals) and James Irving (Drums) are making music exciting, energetic and raw again. Over the past three years they have played with and supported some great acts. In 2006 alone they were on a UK tour with The Feeling, supported Whitesnake (Hammersmith Apollo, May) and The Towers of London (ULU and 100 Club) as well as headlining the T4 Popworld Promotes Tour (Madame JoJos). 2007 has been fantastic for the guys. They supported Babyshambles in January, have a nationwide tour planned for Autumn 07 and won VIRGIN XTREME Best Indie Band at the INDY awards in May out of 40,000 live acts.

It is apparent almost immediately that these guys are destined for greatness. They are an extremely tight outfit, both musically and visually. With such influences as: Led Zeppelin; The Rolling Stones; Jimi Hendrix; The Faces; Supergrass; The Stone Roses and Kula Shaker, Marner Brown have a lot to live up to. However, with these five collaborating to produce the Marner sound, they’re more than capable. John Wildgoose is an accomplished keyboard player whose pitch perfect ear makes him an invaluable member of the group and his harmonies add a strong flavour to the bands sound. Jacob Hollebon and James Irving (22-20’s), provide a tight and energetic rhythm section. Both accomplished musicians in their own right, they are the backbone of the group. To describe Aaron A Grimes as simply a guitarist would be doing him a great injustice, he is one of the brightest young stars emerging from the UK music scene. Both he and Fiachra are all round musicians. With a voice likened to Rod Stewart and an amazing talent for song writing, Fiachra Kerrigan is a future superstar fronting one of the future great rock and roll bands!

Also see them at the WESTFIELD opening:

Oct 30 2008     7:00P Westfield Centre – Showcase Stage     Shepherds Bush

Oct 31 2008     7:15P Westfield Centre – Showcase Stage     Shepherds Bush

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/marnerbrownband

4.

Hardcore Rock at Shepherds Bush

Oct 31 2008      8:00P shepherds bush empire w/ The Wonder Stuff

Without Thought

An intense blend of galloping rhythms, intelligent melodies and vocals that flow from touching harmonies to savage screams epitomise Guildford-based five piece Without Thought.

The quintet’s technical ability combines with heartfelt lyrics to create an edgy, aggressive sound – mixing the brutal intensity of hardcore acts like Give Up The Ghost with Jimmy Eat World-style melodies and quiet sections comparable to
Explosions in The Sky.

After four years of regular touring, the band have built up an army of loyal fans and continue to attract admirers with every show. Taking to the the stage with acts including Sikth, Hurt Process, Days In December, Hondo Maclean, Million Dead,
Enter Shikari and Exit Ten the band are becoming a regular fixture on line-ups across the south east.Heralded as one of the best new rock bands to come out of the UK, the quintet’s admirers already include Matt Pinfield of MTV/Sony USA and Bruce Dickinson who championed their debut single Grey Matter on his 6 Music show.

Without Thought are now set to release their debut album Get Down and Give Me Infinity. Bursting with punishing melodies, beautiful breakdowns and truly innovative songwriting, the record will soon be at the top of every rock fan’s wishlist.

Also catch them at:

Nov 20 2008      7:30P the boileroom w/ In Case Of Fire     Guildford

Dec 20 2008     8:00P the boileroom ***xmas show***      Guildford

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/withoutthought

5.

Amazing Emotional Based Rock

Oct 30 2008      7:30P The Peel, Kingston     Mann Friday

A London based band that has emerged as a force revered for producing an emotionally charged, melodic and captivating sound. Mann Friday music has also been noted for its provoking lyrical technique.

Extremely ambitious, Mann Friday have gained a loyal fan base from the London gig-circuit and have also released a riveting current independent album, ‘Blue Sky Science’. The Mann Friday appreciation is a beast that continues to grow worldwide and things are all a-go!

Having ‘Gone Fishing’ in the Summer of 2007, the Menn are currently working on their follow up album to ‘Blue Sky Science’ called ‘Sunburn And Wonder’, so get those taste buds ready.Their live performances, predominantly rock and emotive lyrics also lead to an award winning featured appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They have gone on to headline various famous London venues such as The Borderline, Bull & Gate, Halfmoon Putney (sold out five times in a row so far), Camden Barfly (broken record), the Clapham Grand & the Marquee Club.

The band was also invited to perform the topically controversial rock-show at the prestigious Riverside Studios in Hammersmith for a prime ten-day summer run.

Their ability to produce sounds ranging from big melodic rock to acoustic sets, plus being able to pen tunes gently mixed with African rhythms right through to smooth Electronica has also caught the eye of the media. A sample of their delicately crafted electronic track ‘Counting Down’ was used on Sky News’ Year in Review.

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/mannfriday

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