DANNY AND BEN @The Glee Club, Birmingham 28/1/12

About this time last year, Danny Bowes and Ben Matthews, two fifths of Thunder for the last near enough 25 years, toured the country telling stories and playing some songs acoustically.

Being the Thunder fans we are at RTM when it was announced that they were doing it all over again, we had to go.

So it is that we find ourselves back at The Glee Club to watch Danny And Ben Bend Yer Ear, which is what this evening is being billed as. The problem is, that apart from the fact that we are, just about, the biggest Thunder fans on the planet, there is not a lot else to commend this evening in advance. Acoustic music isn’t RTM’s bag, and we couldn’t claim to be huge fans of stand up comedy either. Nonetheless last year was very enjoyable, so we are back for more.

The format for the evening is an almost exact copy of the 2012 version – although from memory it is slightly longer, clocking in at well over two and a half hours. Bowes tells stories, Matthews is almost the Eric Morecambe to his Ernie Wise (insert your own contemporary reference here…we did say we don’t know comedy!!) and in between the banter, songs break out.

Some of the stories are genuinely funny; one in particular about their appearance on Top of the Pops with Take That was superb, others don’t quite hit the mark, largely it has to be said, because they are a tad scripted. The pair deserve credit too, for keeping the show more or less entirely different from last time around, with only one section, an admittedly funny tale about drummer Harry James, being retold.

The songs meanwhile fall into the same category. Mostly they are different – from memory only “Better Man” was played last year.  The Thunder songs – lets be honest this is why we are here – are rapturously received and it is a treat to hear “Englishman on Holiday” and “Back Street Symphony” in this setting. The covers are innovative too, and the jazz version of “War Pigs” (no, really!) works better than you might think.

One area where this was better than last year was in the audience participation stakes. Whereas last time “Blackbird” was just too knockabout, the version of “Unchain My Heart” this time, which saw a chap on a cowbell one side of the room and two others onstage was far better.

Last year we wrote of the evening: “Less of a gig more an informal gathering of friends, you wouldn’t want every concert to be like this – but you are glad this one was.”

We stick by that this time too, but at least in 2013 we will get to see Danny And Ben doing their day job when they open for Whitesnake in May – and that will be even better!

EMMA SCOTT PRESENTS: Only The Good, Glassbullet, Eradikator, Bullitstorm, Elysium @Academy 3 Birmingham 12/1/13

The crowd is pretty packed in the Academy 3 for this first Emma Scott Metal showcase of 2013. Elysium are nearing the end of their set when they tell us about their new EP. “Its got a special guest on it,” says one of their two singers. “Who has heard of Sonic Syndicate?” There is – and there is no other way to put this – stony silence. “Well that one died on its arse,” says the other vocalist, grinning. “Just Google em!”

The happy chaps in Elysium are a new band on us at RTM, but one that we suspect we will see more of. Their approach of one clean vocal followed by something more growled works oddly well in their sound and closing number “Slave” is very impressive.

The name Bullitstorm when first we saw it made us think of either an old school thrash band or something more death metal. In the event, the Walsall four piece are more akin to Saxon or Iron Maiden. Dedicating their first song “Drumhead” to our troops, their half hour is entertaining. “Drumhead” in common with some of their other songs, goes on a little too long, but their guitar work is exemplary. Ballad “Innocent Victims” changes the tempo and is welcome, while last track “Shake Your Bones” with its slightly questionable lyrics perhaps didn’t work as well. Good fun for the most part, though.

If the first two groups have been playing metal for a bit of laugh and because they enjoy it, then vibe is altogether different for Brummie thrashers Eradikator. These boys mean business – and frankly they are quite stunning. The four piece kick off with the majestic “Hells Sentinels” and throughout the rest of their half hour proceed to be the best new thrash band we’ve seen in years, perhaps since Evile, and if sounds like high praise then it is well deserved. You know the influences but Eradikator are doing something fresh in a superbly paced set that ends with a Thin Lizzy cover. Frankly it doesn’t get better than that.

Glassbullet have to follow this. And do it pretty well. Beginning with a bluesy jam, they are the most hard rock of the bands on show tonight. They also choose a cover – theirs a little more obvious in “Paranoid” but also play a drum solo in their slot, which seems odd given the time constraints. It is also a shame as when they play their own songs, such as “Find My Mind” they are much better.

Disappointingly the crowd, which had earlier been close to filling the venue, has thinned out a lot by the time that headliners Only The Good hit the stage, but if they are annoyed by this, they don’t show it and instead plough through a very decent and pretty polished half hour.

Theirs is a twin guitar sound and with guitarists Jase and Liam clad in Megadeth and Iron Maiden t-shirts respectively, you know the drill here. What they do though, is wrap the riffs up in a very catchy way, and there is much to enjoy about songs like the title track of their new EP “Time Flies,” “Do Or Die” and “Black White And Grey” – the latter shows some talent in other areas too, with its almost punky vibe.

The tunes groove nicely and the solos are superb and they are an excellent way to end what has been a fine evening, even if Eradikator, did for our money, take the honours here tonight.

BRIT ROCK ARMY PRESENTS: Demise, Severed Ties @The Flapper, Birmingham 8/1/13

The first week of the New Year is a weird thing. It’s not Christmas, its not festive. No one has any money, no one has been paid, and no one really is feeling up for much.  If this partly explains the lower than would be ideal turnout, then it only tells part of the story.

Add to that the not inconsiderable headache that one of tonight’s trio of bands has pulled out on the day of the event, then you can only commend all concerned for putting the thing on at all.

It must be difficult organising these types of gigs on at the best of times. And – lets be totally honest about this – January 8^th when it’s raining outside and when Villa are in the semi-final of a cup, isn’t exactly the best of times.

This hasn’t stopped two of the West Midlands most promising rock and metal bands from taking the stage with relish. Severed Ties have only been around for a few months, having formed last year, but have already been gigging extensively and released the fine EP – (which you can download for free from Bandcamp)

RTM owes them an apology, however, we didn’t manage to get there until 8pm, by which time they were around halfway through their set. One of their number is wearing a Behemoth t-shirt, while singer Aidan is sporting a Slash one. Quite apart from the fact that at RTM we always like it when bands wear gig t-shirts, their sound has very little to do with either band. Their ambitions seem to be somewhat more in the prog metal sphere. Not many young groups stick out a “semi-conceptual” first EP but these boys have. They clearly have plenty of talent, as a pretty faithful cover of “Creeping Death” by way of a closer shows. Ones to watch in 2013.

Cannock’s Demise have been together a little longer, but are still to unleash their debut recording on the world. They bill themselves as a “riff-heavy Southern rock band.” But if the term “southern rock” conjures up images of confederate flags and “Sweet Home Alabama” then you are in the wrong area. When these boys say “Southern Rock” they mean New Orleans, Louisiana and the same swamps that brought us Down, Eyehategod and the rest.

Demise have evidently – and ashamedly, given their cover of “Lifer” – listened to plenty of Phil Anselmo’s mob over the years and seeing as they one of our favourite bands too, there is a lot to like.

That is not to say that this is a mere derivative pastiche, however, in fact they echo the groove heavy riffs of Black Spiders in parts. They are blessed with a fine lead guitarist in Craig Williamson and his excellent work lifts songs above the norm.

With only two bands on the bill they get to play an longer set than normal, which after “Contender” closes things actually sees Severed Ties Aidan join them for a good fun, knockabout version of Pantera’s “Walk” which both groups clearly enjoy. It brings a real good, fun night to a close.

It is a night that proves – if nothing else – underground metal in the West Midlands has plenty to shout about this year.

THE SWORD, Lonely Kamel, Alunah @Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 6/1/12

We first clapped eyes on Alunah not far off two years ago. Since then they have released the “White Hoarhound” record and are developing very nicely. Opening at an early time tonight the crowd is a little thin, but the local stoner mob have a nice line in slow, Sabbathy tunes. The title track of the new album is perhaps the highlight of a set that not even the loss of vocals halfway through and frontwoman Sophie struggling with a sore throat can spoil too much. Here is a Brummie band playing traditional Brummie metal and doing it well.

Lonely Kamel were a new one on us. Not really surprising considering that it was, according to frontman Thomas Brenna, their first time on these shores. They Norwegian’s bill themselves as “Blues Boozers” and although they are broadly – like the rest of this bill – a stoner outfit, they are one in the same vein as RTM faves Stone Axe. Rather than Sabbath, they take their cue from classic rock bands like Thin Lizzy. It also helps that they give the appearance that they live in a van.

Their sound is built around the superb guitar work of Brenna and lead axeman Lukas Paulsen and such is the fun they are having in their 45 minute set they carry the audience with them. “Rotten Seed” and “Blues For The Dead” have an instant appeal, but really, the whole thing was a copper-bottomed triumph. One of their songs is called “Roadtrip with Lucifer” for goodness sake, how does it get better than that? Our new favourite band to bore everyone about – bet your last pound on it.

Austin, Texas foursome The Sword have plenty to look forward to right now. Tonight is the first show on their European tour and this is not just any tour either. It is one to celebrate the majestic “Apocryphon” record and happily they play most of it during their frequently brilliant set.

It is with the album’s title track that they kick us off this evening, before moving us right back to their debut record “Age of Winters” for “Freya.” Indeed it is a well structured show which sees the song “How Heavy This Axe” from the second and the fourth “Tres Brujas” being from 2010’s “Warp Riders.”

“….Brujas” neatly sums up the band. It’s verses about “the sacred smoke” wrapped up in an extremely catchy and tight track. It is a style that the “Apocryphon” album has built on superbly and its second track “Cloak Of Feathers” sounds incredible in this setting as does set closer “Veil of Isis.”

There is a time for an encore of “Winters Wolves” with frontman John D Cronise explaining it was the only choice for a gig in a place called Wolverhampton. At its end you are left to reflect on the jaw-dropping power of the group.

There is nothing remotely flashy or gimmicky about The Sword, indeed, if they suffer from one flaw it is a slight lack of charisma. They are a group, though, that rather like obvious brothers in arms Red Fang and Mastodon, prefer to let the music do the talking. It didn’t so much talk tonight as shout very loudly.

A quite superb way to start 2013.