TOBY JEPSON, Steve Mercy, Third Angle Projection @Academy 3, Birmingham 1/12/13

If you have been reading these blogs for any length of time, you will know that RTM has, over the course of the last 25 years or so, been a huge fan of the late 80s British rock and metal scene. Alongside our love for Thunder and the Almighty, we were - and are - pretty much obsessed with the Little Angels.

We mention this, because the redoubtable front man of Scaborough's finest export, along with the best cricket ground in this country (no joke it's incredible!) was one Toby Jepson, and he is here tonight.

We last saw Jepson  when he supported FM in Stourbridge back in July. Then as now, he was armed with just an acoustic guitar. These days a producer of note as well as a fine singer, he must have enjoyed his solo experience so much it got fleshed out into a proper tour.

Sadly there is only a sparse crowd to see him - last year when he the Angels got back together places were packed - but no matter.

Local boys Third Angle Projection are performing opening duties tonight, and they too do so acoustically. As their usual selves they play a modern take on grunge. Tonight, with just a singer and a bass player it is difficult not to think that their entire set could come straight from Nirvana's "Unplugged in New York" record. At one point during "For What You Are" you expect to hear the lyric "a mulatto, an albino" being screamed out. Third Angle do eventually give in and finish things with their version of "About A Girl" which is fitting. Not bad, but grunge has never been a huge thing to us, and TAP are better when plugged in.

Former Abigail's Mercy frontman Steve Mercy is up next and he is altogether more interesting. There is a darker quality to his songs, especially "Peace of the Sun" which he co-wrote with his accomplice  Maria, who provides backing tonight. This track has a mystical set of lyrics that wouldn't be out of place on early Cult records. Others, such as "Friends Like These" are more straightforward, but more visceral. Perhaps the pick of them all though, is "Summerland" which deals with the loss of a loved one. Singer/songwriting as it should be, passionate and with a point. The pair even manage to finish with "Paranoid" with a ukulele (I think)  and make it sound tolerable. 

Any set that starts with Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" as it's intro tape has a lot to live up to,  but Toby Jepson has a body of work to match most. There aren't many more prolific than him - and for his variety of projects he could give Ginger Wildheart a run for his money. Not a lot of people exist who were singer in a band with a number one album, and who have since produced Saxon, James Toseland and written for Katie Melua, but Jepson has. Then add in his stints as singer in Gun and Fastway and you begin to get the picture.

Fittingly then, this is a set that does not concentrate solely on Little Angels material. Jepson has a new mini album ("we have to call it that so it gets reviews" he jokes onstage) out and a couple of its songs, notably title track "Raising My Own Hell" get an airing, as does  "Shadow Boxing,” which takes him into blues and jazz.

There are plenty of songs from all periods of his career, with perhaps the biggest surprise being the title track from his criminally underrated debut solo album "Ignorance Is Bliss". Best of all though is "Small Talk" a fabulously angry song about growing up in the 1980s and "Thatcher's disaster".

Throughout the hour and 40 minute set Jepson answers questions that have been submitted by audience members and amongst other things we learn that he would like to be Freddie Mercury and loves Prog Rock but moreover he speaks passionately about music throughout, particularly the Little Angels.

Of course the Angels are well represented in the show, "Don't Pray For Me" and "I Ain't Gonna Cry" are simply brilliant, while "Radical Your Lover" is funky and "Big Bad World" swings.

Jepson ends the set with medley of "Young Gods" and "Backdoor Man", before returning for another in "Kicking Up Dust" and "Too Much Too Young" and an evening which has been by turns, interesting, entertaining and funny is brought to a close.

Who would have thought that a small acoustic gig could have been this good? It simply proves that if you have great songs they can be transferred to any medium. Jepson does. And they sounded brilliant. 

I AM GIANT, Captain Horizon, Twisted Species, Third Angle Projection @Roadhouse Birmingham 12/9/12

When you are three-piece and your singer has blonde hair and you write songs that would – in 1993 – have had the word “grunge” attached to them, you probably are inviting comparisons to Nirvana.  It happens with the likes of Zico Chain and it is probably something that Third Angle Projection are going to have to deal with as they move forward in their careers. There is, though, enough potential in songs like current single “Useless” to think the band could rise above all that.

The bass player might be wearing a Pennywise t-shirt but everything about Telford’s Twisted Species is straight ahead hard rock rather than punk. Not that there is anything wrong with that, though, and there is nothing wrong with the four-piece. “Hold Me Down” and “Here I Stand” are straight out of the US-Radio play handbook. The band’s thinking is probably best shown in their choice of cover, Black Stone Cherry’s “White Trash Millionaire,” they only get to play 25 minutes but last track “Slip Away” is a highlight.

Captain Horizon, as RTM has said before, are pound for pound, perhaps the best unsigned band in Brum. Certainly live shows such as this seem to be getting better and better for the boys.

Best described, if you will, as a type of alt-rock Pink Floyd, they have taken to weaving giant songs full of hooks and choruses to tempt us all. Previous single “Angels and Vampires” was a giant leap forward and is played here along with “Here I Stand.” All of which bodes well for the release of their new album “The Lights Of Distorted Science” which is out in December.

Although based in London, three quarters of I Am Giant are from New Zealand, where by all accounts, they are more popular than the Rugby Union. Their album “The Horrifying Truth” has gone gold in their homeland and they are fresh from supporting Slash in Australia.

Now it seems they are ready for a crack at the UK, “….Truth” is coming out in October and this is the first night of a fairly extensive tour. There is a fairly sparse turnout in truth. But if IAG are upset they don’t show it – at least outwardly.

On record the sound perhaps a late 90s one – think Feeder circa “Polythene,” you know, before they went awful – but live things are taken up a notch, with opener “Purple Heart” setting the tone and being much heavier in the live arena. So much so they are almost Muse-like in approach.

Their 45 minute set sticks pretty steadfastly to the album for songs, but “Living The Crash” benefits from soaring vocals for Ed Martin (the only Englishman in  the band). Closing with the two tracks that made them household names down under “Neon Sunrise” and the number one track “City Limits” there is no encore – indeed drummer Shelton Wellright is dismantling his kit before the last chords are played.

I Am Giant make songs with bigger venues than this in mind. It will be interesting to see if they play them in the UK, but this was a promising start.