The early start time and work commitments mean that RTM misses Birmingham’s Alunah, who were originally slated to come on second. A shame, because last year we were impressed – ironically enough when they opened for Stone Axe at The Asylum, and were looking forward to seeing how their Sabbathy psych-rock had developed.
However the sliver lining to the late running order swap is that we are there to see Argentina’s Banda De La Muerta. And they prove that metal music truly is a universal language. Singing in their mother tongue they are no less enjoyable for that. Their obvious debt to the classic British Heavy Rock sound means they were always going to go down well here.
Like Alunah, Trippy Wicked And The Cosmic Children Of The Night were with Stone Axe last year. Since then Axe main man T Dallas Reed has lent his mellotron skills to their new album, and their set is a fine one. Wicked are perhaps the most overtly experimental of the bands on show tonight and they play a riff heavy take on psychedelica. New track “I Want Another Drink,” with its key line “I got my weed and my Innis and Gunn” about sums them up. This is all about having fun.
Following them are Stubb. Keen students of the Brit underground scene would know that three piece contain two thirds of Trippy Wicked. Bassist Pete Holland (guitarist and singer in Trippy) and drummer Chris West are joined by frontman Jack Dickinson and offer a more straight ahead rock option. Their just released self-titled debut album (produced by the ever busy T. Dallas Reed) is a magnificent affair and its highlight and opening track “Road” is ripped into here. Ones to watch.
Final support band are Venezulas Cultura Tres. They are the heaviest band on show by quite a way, with a quirky, sludgy sound. Most of their tracks are Spanish, although, like Banda De La Muerte this barely matters. Their message is one of hope and inclusion and the fact that music can bring everyone together and there is nothing wrong with that.
There is nothing wrong, either, with Stone Axe. RTM – and we will admit it – are totally besotted with the four piece from Seattle and have been since hearing the marvelous “There’d Be Days” a few years ago.
Here is a band that – almost literally given the t-shirts they are wearing – wears their influences on their sleeves. A little bit of Led Zep, a bit of Free some Sabbath and a whole heap of Thin Lizzy all adds up to a sound that is both retro and superb. Playing the UK is something of a double-edged sword for them since, as singer Dru Brinkerhoff, only half in jest, notes: “You guys know where we stole this from.”
We know and we don’t especially care either, to be frank, Not when songs as good as the aforementioned “…Days” are rubbing shoulders with stone cold (or should that be Stone Axe?) classics in waiting “Shine On” and “Chasing Dragons.”
They are called back for encore that proves either they genuinely good actors or genuinely weren’t expecting to be, and they finish with the song that might well be on their epitaph “It’s Still Rock N Roll.”
With the classic rock revival in full swing (and serving us rubbish like the execrable Morning After) you would love to think there would be some way for the likes of Axe to break out of the basement shows. We all know, though, that the music business being what it is they will always be something of a cult.
For those of us in the know, however, they are the best-kept secret in rock music. Join in, you might just find your new favourite band.
awesome write up. Thanks so much for supporting the band!
ReplyDeleteA Sweet write up, thanks guys, was an awesome night. (Mez Heretic Promotions).
ReplyDeleteWonderful article. Fascinating to read. I love to read such an excellent article. Thanks! It has made my task more and extra easy. Keep rocking. battle axe
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