| Black Eye Friday @ Independent
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Written by Administrator
Friday, 26 February 2010 14:06 |
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| It’s been facking snowing for facking twenty-four facking hours solid. No let up. None whatsoever. As a result, tonight’s gig attendance figures are pathetic. Conforming to cliché, white powdery stuff has messed up a night of musical performance. Doh. As if that’s not enough, the soundman’s going out of his way to make himself the most hated man in the postcode by cutting band after band off mid-set. Where’s the Christmas spirit I ask you? Oh well at least the DJ’s shit hot and Ben’s put on a free bar for the bands and Manifesto staff.
First up are a beret-and stripey-jumper-clad Senor Beatnik, playing messed up instrumental rock. They’re OK but you sense that, had they had a bit of a crowd watching them, they’d be playing with a lot more energy and vigour. Next up Rainfalldown playing their lovely freak-folk. Footprints in the Snow is the highlight of the night. Well done for writing their own Christmas song, no lazy Slade cover from them. From here on in it all gets a bit hazy, in no small part due to the complimentary Sambucca. It’s quite possible that Static From Stereo went on next, I remember enjoying their set and that they were hastily cut off before they could perform their rendition of White Christmas.
If I recall correctly, Pontiffs played next. Then Sunday Best…Then Sonner…. Then Black Cab Casino. A blizzard, a blur, a blowout, a bonanza of bollocks |
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| Sonner
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Written by Administrator
Friday, 19 February 2010 14:28 |
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We eventually arrive at the Mallard about 9:45 after a struggle for our taxi driver to find the place. Its nice to see such a good turn out as in my experience a lot of people don’t make the effort to support local music. Tonight is definitely not the case, the pub is heaving and we take our places at the back of the room!
Sonner start with an instrumental of “Tunnelvision” which grabs the attention of the room and the “wahey hey son” local pub banter hushes down as all eyes are on the band. A quick introduction and the band launch into “The Real World”. The two girls with me are Sonner virgins but they can’t help but tap their feet along to “Let Me, Save Me”. It’s less of the foot tapping and more of the diving about when Sonner cover “KOL – The Bucket”, a song that reminds me of when Diva used to be good. They also do an energetic cover of “The Who – The Seeker”
Forget being stood at the back, the drinks are flowing, the music’s caught us, and there’s only one place to be for “Rogue Town” and that’s down at the front! There’s not much space to move but there’s still plenty of people up and dancing. There are a few cheers as the band pull out “Green Park” one of their earlier tracks.
The band wind down the night with their “candles in the air” single “Timechanger”. The grand finale is an uplifting “Remember the Days” which gets everyone on their feet including Mick’s Aunty who has been at the front the whole night wearing a very much Sonner’d up t-shirt.
There were calls for an encore and a slight debate between the band members over it clearly torn between thriving off the energy of the gig and knowing when to stop however the final outcome was not to tarnish an unspoiled set. Having seen this band from the very early stages, play gigs at both smaller and larger venues, experience both fallouts and technical difficulties it’s clear to see they have overcome the obstacles and came out the other side a much more smoother band. |
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