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Editors Blog...NGG Showcase – Thursday 11th September at The Greyhound, BeestonWith 3 top live bands – BATTLE OF ASHES – WILDSIDE - REHABImages by Nick Lowe www.catchingtheeye.co.ukAfter a short summer break of the NGG showcase it was good to get back to The Greyhound were an enthusiastic crowd had assembled to cheer, whistle, clap and scream at what proposed to be an exciting line up. We even had a couple of celebrities in the audience with the British Belly Dancing Champion "Sherry" and Rednex girl vocal turned Dutch record producer "JulieAnne Tulley". 
First up "Battle of Ashes" took the stage all very calm and collected. I normally like to get a set list, but these boys had decided to wing it and play whatever they fancied. This all added to the anticipation as I had no idea what they were going to play, Beethoven or Backstreet Boys. Thankfully it was neither as they eased us into their set with an old Mommas and Poppas hit "California Dreaming". It was great to listen to this four piece band who could sing, play and harmonise all in perfect pitch and time. In my little corner I was not being rude by talking, but a bit of a pop quiz was developing as many of the songs performed they neglected to tell us the song title and artiste, so a big thanks to "Ashes" fan "Kirsty" for filling in the gaps. Although I did recognise an all time favourite of mine "Down Under" by Men at Work, must be the thought of all that amber nectar down there. Plenty of other popular hit covers followed and it was all to soon that their last song was announced…so a big NGG thank you to guitar duelling axes of Gary & Danny, Paddy on bass and Andy on drums. 
Up next and the meat in the sandwich "Wildside" were determined not to disappoint and got straight into it with the Thin Lizzy classic "Rosalie" followed by The Black Crows "Hard To Handle". Up front was the versatile and vivacious lead girl vocal "Jo" giving her all on the tightly compacted stage. I have been communicating with Jo for some time trying to get them on the showcase so it was finally a joy to see them enjoying themselves were they belong. Despite having to drag in dep bass player Kev the 5 piece still made for a good tight sound aptly assisted by Jason on guitar, young Luke on drums and my old mate Kev on guitar…thanks for the pint mate. More classic rock n pop songs followed including hits from One Republic "Stop & Stare" & Robert Palmer "Bad Case of Lovin' You" and many more besides. Again there 30minute show was over to soon and look forward to hearing their full set another day. 
Our Grande Finale was from a band called "REHAB" who at the beginning of the evening handed me over a very nice press pack with CD, pics, reviews, & set list are you listening "Battle of Ashes"... Only joking boys... The pop quiz was great... Anyway getting back to "Rehab" (don't take that the wrong way) The boys describe themselves as a "professionally minded 4 piece contemporary and classic indie rock/pop covers band featuring an incredible line up of the highest quality" Quite a statement boys when you are performing in front of Beeston’s most critiqu audience... may be a hint of sarcasm there. However “Rehab” did not disappoint and did what they said on their tin. A confident up to date set with artistes covered including "Franz Ferdinand", "The Killers", "Ocean Colour Scene", "Arctic Monkeys" and more were the order of the day. The 30minute set nearly over the crowd bayed for more and luckily landlord Paul showed them the upturned thumb and we were treated to a few more numbers by "Rehab" whose members include Brian Hodgkiss (guitar), Nick Jones (drums), Nick Barsby (bass) and finally the strutting man up front Mr. Gary Butcher. Don’t forget our next NGG Showcase is at The Greyhound, High Road, Beeston On Thursday 9th October With 3 live bands including "AISTAGUCA" a 10 piece Balkan Band "VOODO KATZ" a rockabilly band "MOOD SWING" a swing band For your band or venue to be considered for an NGG Showcase contact us at info@nottinghamgigguide.com Editors Review – The Rock & Bike Fest 1st-3rd August 2008. Stanton Gate, Stanton, Sandiacre
It's been a few years since I went camping, but the prospect of driving home from The Rock & Bike Fest with no alcohol was unthinkable... So with tent and a very large cool box in hand I joined the hundreds of other camping and music revellers on the site. Three hours later and several beers the tent was up... Well sort of, tinkering time would have to wait as the first of the bands were up and playing... On stage, one of my faves who have also appeared at our NGG Showcase, “The Boatrockers” were setting the mood with a mixture of covers & originals all performed with their own impeccable style. 
Local band Stone joined in the fun with their rock covers set, closely followed by Xerox with their raunchy lead singer Wendy giving it large on the trailer staging. Topping the bill, The Mick Rutherford Band were rocking the crowd as darkness engulfed the arena giving a real concert atmosphere. Saturday was taken up with various bike comps and awards plus acoustic music in the festival tent…. More of which can be seen in next months edition of Back Street Heroes Magazine. Into the evening local band Toxic Federation were first up to get people out of their tents and onto the dance floor, well the grass at the front of the stage. All girl Oz band The Almaboobies up next were not shy to take the crowd by the scruff of the neck and shake them into action with their lively rock covers set. The girls are all sisters, but if you spotted the animal on drums, fair cop it was a geezer standing in for one of the girls who sadly was bandaged up and unable to perform. The eagerly awaited Guns n' Roses tribute band "Lose your Illusion" did not disappoint and many commented they were the highlight of the festival so far... that was until od Saxon hit the stage and rocked the enthusiastic crowd into a rock n roll frenzy. They rocked what was left of the evening, leaving the grande finale to the wet T. Shirt competition, funnily enough by the time I had got my last orders from the bar, there was not a T. Shirt in sight if you know what I mean?? Just hope Boots will print the pics. All in all it was a great first Festival for the organisers who promise next year will be bigger & better... and I for one look forward to it, especially as I can now put up a tent. NGG SHOWCASE 18th JUNE @ The GreyhoundTHE BOATROCKERS | FIREFOX | THE B BROTHERS
A good crowd turned up to see what has so far been our most varied showcase. We even splashed out on brummie singing compere Chris Douglas who even treated us to some of his Black Country humour.
First up local boys The Boatrockers were my kind o' band. A fusion of funk & rock mixed in their own unique
style was a joy to listen and watch and the crowd were mesmerised by the two duelling guitarists as they made
their instruments talk... Next up Nottingham stalwarts Firefox, who I have seen many times in many disguises over the years promised me this was their best line up yet. With a full compliment of musicians and singers they certainly had the ingredients to perform any song written on earth, possibly the universe. Glad to say we were not disappointed as they belted out classics from Sophie Ellis Bextor, Wham, Amy Winehouse and finished off with Jamelia's "Beware of The Dog". Lead vocalist Leigh caught my eye in particular and over all the years I have known this girl I have never worked out where such a big voice comes out of such a small space. This band are very modern, but don’t just copy songs, they manage to inject their own style and put their own stamp on every song they do.
Finally a bit of light hearted song & dance from The B. Brothers, a couple of feisty lads from Derby dressed up
and performing as The Blues Brothers, Jake & Elwood. All of these acts can be booked by calling Stables Entertainments on 0115 972 3399
Don’t forget our next showcase is on Wednesday 23rd July at The Greyhound, Beeston, with bands; Wildside,
The Roulette and The Hanging Men. 
Photos by Nick Lowe www.catchingtheeye.co.uk Band Reviews: Basket Case, Red Hot Dutch, Harry KingWe had a great turnout despite Man U & Chelsea trying to outdo us in Moscow on the same night, so it was good to see the good folk of Nottingham supporting live music. Basket Case were first up to the mic and I was not quite sure what to expect from the four wiry characters before me. I was soon put in the picture though as they fired up with a mêlée of archival punk classics from The Ramones, Clash, Ruts, Buzzcocks and my old fave Swords of a Thousand Men by Tempole Tudor…timeless!!... This was great, I was back in my teens, the radio stations just don’t play these tunes anymore for fear of upsetting their advertisers. Basket Case were rattling out songs like a machine gun on heat, if there’s a world record for songs per hour these boys must hold it, if Basket Case were a sports car Jeremy Clarkson would be at the wheel. Their supposedly last song was the Sex Pistols version of My Way, a very apt choice, but the crowd were having none of it and were baying for more and I'm sure they slipped in another 17 songs in the 10minute encore. For more on Basket Case go to www.basketcase.gb.com They say many a good tune is played on an old fiddle and Red Hot Dutch were a case in point. Sorry chaps but my intensions are honourable and good tunes you did play and with the subdued lighting effects it could have been 4 eenagers up there. My good friend Rob really came out of his shell in his new role on lead vocal and led the jolly old codgers through a very modern routine which included songs from Green Day, Razorlight, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and more of that ilk. I was even more shocked to learn this was the guys first gig together so hats off to you and long may you continue to show the young whelps how to do it. Talking of young whelps Harry King were next up and all fired up to follow two great bands and were in no mood to take prisoners. They eased us into their imaginative set with a few cover versions by Lenny Kravitz, Black Crows and ZZ Top. They then began slipping in a few of their own numbers of which were gladly appreciated by the knowledgeable crowd. There were a few out of tune notes and moments of madness, but hey this is live music, raw and untamed by 4 very talented and enthusiastic youngsters. There swan song “Harry King” band by name and of song is a great anthem, I’m just trying to think has this been done before, please enlighten me?. It will be interesting to see which path these boys take, covers, originals or a mixture of both, a real dilemma for these performers desperate to succeed in the music industry. We will follow their journey with interest. Don’t forget our next show is Wed. 18th June at The Greyhound with Firefox, The Boat Rockers & The B. Brothers. Cheers, The Editor Band Reviews: by Nick LoweJunktion 7 Canning Circus last Friday 9th May. I was lucky enough to get a free ticket to the Blaze Bayley gig, I didn’t know anything about him except he fronted Iron Maiden when Bruce Dickinson sort of retired for a couple of years. upstairs at Junktion7 there was a cross section of styles in the audience, from middle aged men and kids wearing denim jackets with the sleeves cut off and Saxon Denim and Leather sewn into the back. (Kids who couldn’t have been born when that particular album came out come to think of it) and people with purple hair and more tattoo than skin coloured skin, not that there is anything wrong with that, it's a free country, allegedly. First band on was Keltic Jihad about whom, to be honest, the less said the better. Three guitars is probably at least one too many and my erstwhile companions and I decided that it was probably two too many in their case because the sound was woolly and the kick drum and vocalist were so lost in the midst of all the noise you simply couldn’t make sense of any of it. I was beginning to think the sound engineer (Ok The bloke on the mixing desk) was not very good and it was going to be a long night. Back to the bar and a few minutes later a really clear yet distorted ripping guitar sound caught my ear as Voodoo Six got on stage. Maybe there was hope. Two guitars, bass and drums ramming a massive sound into the busy room and you could hear every single instrument and my suspicions about the sound engineer were proved unfounded. Enter stage right vocalist with half a white face, dark eye make up and a scream that was part Bruce Dickinson, part Robert Plant. No big histrionics no big headed arrogance just a bloody brilliant band with well crafted songs and a great all round sound. I’d never heard of them but obviously a good number of people in the crowd had. They have an album out called "First Hit For Free" and are releasing a single "Faith" very soon and I’d at least say risk a few pence on a download from the website www.voodoosix.com you never know until you try. Blaze Bayleys band came on and once again the quality of musicianship was notched up one more level, and Bayley himself was a showman of epic proportions. A proper tour taking in Europe and even Brazil promoting forthcoming album “The Man Who Would Not Die” Lots of new songs being played, no stage set, no fancy lighting just hard dirty metal being played by master metal craftsmen. Don’t let the fact that the room had half the number of people in it that were there for Voodoo Six give you the impression that Bayley wasn’t able to cut it, he's got everything it takes, his fans knew all the old songs and he totally stayed away from any of the old Iron Maiden material he could have plundered from the time when he replaced Bruce Dickinson. For me though the band of the night were without a doubt Voodoo Six, the last time I saw a support band out perform the headliners was when the Black Crowes blew away the Dogs D'Amour at Rock City about 20 years ago. Blaze isn't going away any time soon but Voodoo Six are on the way up, watch out for them on a TV Screen near you very soon. Band Review: Stone at The Greyhound, Beeston (19-04-2008)
by our very own rock chic "Gwendoline" Hey where were you Saturday night?...The Greyhound was the place to be. Decent sized pub, good beer and the venue for a night of passion with the band "STONE". Stone by name but definitely not cold. Hot rock!, solid rock!, they breezed through cover versions played with enthusiasm and energy including "Paranoid", "War Pigs", "Sin City" and many, many more to the delight of the assembled crowd. The gig was buzzing and this chic was rockin’. These four everyday guys performed together for a night of magic and rawness the sight & sound still trembling in my bones. Animal Andy on drums, laid back Lol on bass, new vocalist Justin with a strong gutsy voice and Johnny Boy on lead guitar, this guy makes it bleed pure sweat and tears. First set to warm you up is foreplay of an experience in love, just to get you in a relaxed mood, chill out then your ready for action! Heart racing, pulse throbbing, head spinning and sheer excitement trickling through your veins. We’re begging for more with every song and we're not disappointed. You want to let your hair down, no matter what your age, you know that feeling, no inhibitions, well come and hear "STONE" and feel alive. Remember you only live once, let go and play your air guitar, gyrate, feel and hear great rock music from the past to the present, these guys are definitely the band to see. I was a truly satisfied chic. Never mind "I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes".. Huh!! , I felt it every goddamn way but loose..ha! ha! As Billy said with "Rebel Yell" we just wanted more, more, more. Oh yes please we weren’t "Pretty Vacant", we were well and truly stuffed with pleasure, soaked to the skin in sweat and gratitude for a fantastic night out. Thankx boys, loved ya!, can't wait till the next time. Nottingham Gig Guide’s Live Band Showcase 19/03/08 - By Fiona SnowPhotography by Nick Lowe 
A decent crowd turned up to see three of Nottingham’s up and coming bands play their hearts out at the Greyhound pub in Beeston on Wednesday 19th March 2008. First on was Harry King, playing a half hour set comprising of mostly cover songs with a taste of their own work. Among the cover songs were Are You Gonna Go My Way? by Lenny Kravitz, Hard To Handle by Black Crows and The Heat Is On. It was only their second live gig in front of an audience and they were nervous but eventually warmed up and I would like to have seen more and look forward to reviewing the boys full set when they get it together. 
Next on was Capone, the only band I’ve ever seen to introduce each song at the beginning and thank the crowd for their support at the end, which was great (and helpful for me!). They played self-penned Demons, Deano, Strawberry Suicide and Autumn Leaf before treating us to a cover of the Pigeon Detective’s Take It Back then finished off with a couple of their own, Neighbours and Day To Day. Someone behind me said the singer had "got a bit of the Liam Gallagher about him" which I could see; the delivery was very a cheeky chappy style, which complimented their sound. Each song was a bouncy care-free tune, with my favourite being Paradise for its slightly melodic touch.  To complete the running order was The BuzzBand performing covers of well known pop and rock songs that went down well with the high spirited crowd. The male members of the band donned white shirts and black ties, simple but effectively eye catching. They played Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Love Train Running by The Doobie Brothers, Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival, This One Goes Out To The One I Love by REM, Don’t Get Me Wrong by Chrissie Hynde, Get It On by T. Rex, Denise Denise by Blondie, Walking On Sunshine by Katrina And The Waves, Born To Be Wild by Steppen Wolf and encored with Summer Of 69 by Bryan Adams. Before the gig started I had a chance to quiz each band briefly and here’s what I learnt... With Aaron and John from Harry King 
Aaron – vocalsMiles – bass John – guitar Sam – guitar Tom – drums
Tell me about the band
How would you describe your music?
How do you write your music? 
Who are your main influences?
Which Nottingham venues do you enjoy playing in?
What can we expect from you at your gigs?
Have you got a discography or any new releases you’d like to mention?
If you could put together your ideal band, who would it consist of?
If you could have a super power for a day, what would it be?
Where would you like to be a year from now?
What are the pros and cons of being in a band? With Tom (and occasionally Paul!) from Capone 
Tell me about the band
Tom, what made you want to play guitar again two years ago?
What happened to the Spanish flamenco guitar?
Which Nottingham venues do you enjoy playing in?
How do you write your music?
Who are your main influences?
What can we expect from you at your gigs?
What other Nottingham based bands do you like?
Do you consider Nottingham to be a good city for bands such as yours i.e. venues, promotions, general interest etc?
What do you think of Nottingham as a city on the whole?
If you could put together your ideal band, who would it consist of?
If you could have a super power for a day, what would it be?
Where would you like to be a year from now?
What are your hopes and fears for the future?
Have you got a website? With Heather and Tony from Buzz Band (Briefly, as it was during Capone’s sound check!) 
Tony – bass
Tell me about the band
How did the reunion come about?
How do you choose which songs to cover?
How are you writing your own music?
What can we expect from you at your gigs?
Have you got a discography or any new releases you’d like to mention?
Do you consider Nottingham to be a good city for bands such as yours i.e. venues, promotions, general interest etc?
What are the pros and cons of being in a band?
Have you got a website? MARS BONFIRE REVIEW by Fiona Snow
As I was listening to the sounds of Led Zeppelin being delivered to my ears I found it almost impossible to believe that I was watching a group of lads from Hereford aged from 17 to 21. It was their first time playing at this rock pub "The Tap & Tumbler" on Wollaton Street. I had sensed their nervous excitement as I chatted to them before the set, their enthusiasm oozing and contagious "Good Evening Boys & Girls" came the voice of lead vocalist Martin Martyn and the band went straight into self penned "See The Light". From the first few notes I knew I was in for a rock and roll treat. Everyone around me were turning their heads towards the stage as this youthful 4 piece took them back to the 1970’s. Attention fully grabbed they wasted no time in playing into their next song "This is for the people who like the blues" announced Martyn, already in the knowledge that their music needs no introduction; It speaks for itself, although Black Dog did get introduced as "this is for the lady in the Led Zeppelin T Shirt" by Martyn (pointing at me) aw shucks. During the break I spoke to Remi Harris (guitar) complete with a paisley shirt and beady bangles – about his foot peddles, it was quite a piece of impressive equipment. He told me the base comes empty for the guitarist to add whatever they like, it was a PODX3 and it was only the second time he’d used it. Martyn asked for my thoughts so far. I told him that as I like backing vocals to feature quite heavily I thought Harris & Shane Dixon (drums) could contribute more as Karl Dixon (bass) was a bit quiet, other than this, it was fine and Karl Dixon sang lead brilliantly on "Walk & Show Down". His bass playing is also brilliant and he really looks the part. I had to feel sympathy for Shane Dixon’s drum kit, as he was giving it the lashing of a lifetime, an excellent backbone for Mars Bonfire. Martyn has got a fantastic voice, vocal range and front man persona. Harris is a very talented guitarist, not needing to look at his guitar during intricate melodies. Every member of the band seems to be in deep concentration to make every note count and also seem to be in deep enjoyment of this. Mars Bonfire had people dancing and playing air guitars as they nailed some Led Zeppelin classics in a medley including "Heartbreaker", "Rock & Roll" and "Living Loving Maid" (She’s just a woman) from the albums Led Zeppelin & Led Zeppelin 2. Even the man who had been heckling them during a technical hitch had been won over and was singing along. During "Walk" somebody screams out "f…… brilliant" and I had to agree with him! 
"We’re going to play one more song and then we’re going to f… off home coz we’re all knackered. This is a song you might know to sing along if you want" They belted out "Johnny B Goode" before leaving us feeling thoroughly rocked by their groovy rhythms and amazing riffs, Mars Bonfire are going to make it. The crowd were demanding more, sadly, for tonight, there was none. I had to see Mars Bonfire again and was treated to a second helping at The Greyhound in Beeston, where I was equally impressed and witnessed Harris playing his guitar with a power drill!!! I highly recommend going to see them, they’re one of the best up and coming bands out there.
You can see them next in Nottingham on
For more information, CD’s, News, go to BAND REVIEW – They ain't sunglasses my friend
I am not a great fan of the blues so was a little apprehensive at the prospect of going to see
Dumpy's Bluezz Intoxicated
at
The Greyhound
in Beeston last Saturday. I arrived for the second set,
my senses a little numbed with a few welcome beers. As I got through the door I thought I had arrived on
Christmas day... was that Santa Clause on stage!!... After talking to "Dumpy" after the gig I was amazed to hear that I had been treated to the Asda version of the Dumpy show and that the Harrods version was in fact Dumpy's Rusty Nuts. This was Dumpy's main band performing at festivals up and down the country with the likes of Motorhead, Status Quo & Hawkwind with whom Dumpy is often invited to guest with. We were even treated to his live version of Silver Machine complete with Dumpy on all fours as he tweaked an array of effect knobs and pedals, it was like watching a bizarre game of twister. I gleefully grabbed a handful of CD's with enticing titles of "Hot Love", "Spacenutz", "Get out on The Road" and "Somewhere in England". If you want to see this band live you can check out their site at www.dumpysrustynuts.net Cheers. The Ed Happy New Year! (02-01-2008)Well I hope you all had a wild & wonderful new years eve and are up for all the gigs we have to offer you in 2008. It's normally a slow start at the beginning of the year but there are a couple of gigs that have caught my eye this month. Steve Steinman's new show "The Meatloaf Trilogy" comes to Retford's Majestic Theatre on Friday 25th January.....also on Friday there is a treat for 60's memorabilia fans as "The Crew" entertain at the Soldiers & Sailors Club in Sawley, Long Eaton. Nottingham Arena have a big year coming up featuring major headliners including this month Linkin Park on the 24th, Westlife - March 24th. Boyzone - June 3rd & 4th. But quite why Lee Evans is doing 4 nights in September is a mystery to me... is he that good?
I do like the look of the 80's show with: What a line up and all appearing on Friday 9th May at the Nottingham Arena, has to be one for my diary Cheers, Ed!
Christmas Countdown (14-12-2007)As the countdown to Christmas approaches, there are loads of gigs over the festive period to choose from. If your band or venue is not listed, don't worry we never sleep here at the NGG and your events can be emailed to us at any time and they will normally appear within 8 hours... or less. One such short notice gig I have been informed about is The Crew appearing at The Rose & Crown, Lenton, this Saturday 15th December. It is The Crew's Xmas special and no doubt there will be some very special guests alongside Andy and the boys. This band have a great pedigree and are truly entertaining with their huge repertoire of classic hits from the 60's. Band strike up around 9pm and admission is normally free. For another party night, The Midnight Pumpkin Trucks will be rocking their socks off at The Factory, Long Eaton on Thursday 20th December, belting out hits from The Beatles to The Kaiser Chiefs. Kick off for this one is a tad later as this is after all a nightclub, I normally slope in around 11pm and crawl out around 1am.... admission is around £2 after 10.30pm. Incidentally The Midnight Pumpkin Trucks are looking for a new singer!!! and if you're really brave they may let you get up on stage with them at The Factory. For more details contact Steve on 0779 0725 755 Don't forget keep the gigs rolling in, we need your support in keeping the NGG the Number 1 guide in the Midlands. One Mans Meat (03-12-2007)
I was really gutted Meatloaf threw a sicky and cancelled his date at The Nottingham Arena. I had my free
press pass ticket and a pint with my name on it... Well Christmas is nearly upon us and I will be surfing the Nottingham Gig Guide pages for my nights out.... I fancy a bit of The Kommitments Kristmas bash at The Factory on Sunday 23rd December, should be a great night with the Irish tribute Jiggers, most of whom hail from Carlton... watch out for the dodgy Irish accents..... still a great band though. Those of you who like a bit of The Drifters.... Ye olde "American Drifters" are on at Stage One on Saturday 15th December. I have seen these guys before...and they really are yanks...even though they now live in Blackpool.... what a bummer! they must miss Detroit....
Well thats my blog for this week.... |
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