The Nightmare Before Christmas - Frostbite / VX / Kut Throat Kougar / Due South / Damage Case -
live @ Ma Nelsons, Belfast, 18/12/2011
(review & pics copyright Caustic Pen, 2011)
There was five brand new cross genre young bands in the 15 - 19 age range featured on this early evening bill ,each with varying degrees of charisma and ability . Yeah! they were all a little rough around the edges ,but thats not necessarily a bad thing at this very early stage in each bands developement , plus it'll be easily sorted out through time. But what they all had was was those priceless commodity's known as youth and enthusiasm which was evident here in spades and that made up for all the bands relative lack of live experience. Each and everyone of the bands put their hearts into their performance, even though they were all battling with the sound mix from hell and a distinct shortage of stage lighting ,at times it was so dark up there they might aswell have been playing in a cave. There was a lot of cover versions played and you wouldn't expect anything else ,but there was equally as many pretty good original songs performed ,and that has to be a very positive and creative sign. Well done to all of them, one thing is for sure the future is looking bright for the local music scene. 'Damage Case' were already well into their set of metal covers when I arrived, they were more or less a young 'Metallica' tribute band and they were making a damn good job of it . Very good musicians and the frontman interacted well with the audience .They are ready now to introduce some original material into their set and they should do it sooner rather than later.
I liked 'Due South' ,they had a rough edged punky / indie vibe about them . Though their choice of cover versions left a lot to be desired ( err! Kings of Leon) ,they redeemed themselves with a couple of good original tunes (Black Sheep +1) and a sterling rendition of The Subways 'Rock'n'Roll Queen'.
They looked like a teeny metal band with all the patched denim and rocker accessories , but 'Kut Throat Kougar' actually played a punky low fi set full of 'Misfits' covers (Astro Zobies / Last Caress) ,with an original number ( I'm the Jealous type) and the Jerry Lee Lewis classic'Great Balls of fire' thrown in for good measure.
They were rough and ready and they suffered most from the atrocious sound mix ,but their covers of Bobby Boris Picketts 'The Monster Mash' and the Beastie Boys 'Fight for your right' had everyone smiling.
Next up it was the long-awaited live debut of 'VX', and they didn't disappoint anyone. They came on with a FU attitude and looked like they'd been strutting their stuff onstage for years, even though in reality this was their first public performance after spending months in their rehearsal studio working towards this moment.
They opened their short five song moment in the spotlight with the self penned and proposed first 45 'Tribal Rights'(of the new saturday nites) which made it clear to the audience exactly were 'VX' are coming from and that they meant serious business with their hardcore set of covers such as 'Hail Destroyer & The Downfall of us all' aswell as the other original played here 'Blue Salt'.
'VX' had a stage presence that the other bands up to now had failed to display,and they rounded off their set in style with an A7X cover 'Unholy Confessions' which featured some impromptu showboating from '$$' doing a one handed guitar solo while standing amongst the audience who were cheering and egging him on.which brought the set to a very successful conclusion , job done!.
Things didn't always go to plan and it wasn't all perfect , plus 'VX' were victims of the shitty sound mix just like everyone else. But out of all the bands on the bill 'VX' who are still far from the finished article looked to me to be the band most likely to succeed , then again I would say that wouldn't I ? . The only thing is and this is not a porky pie I wasn't the only one who thought this.
Roll on 2012 , its going to be a big year for 'VX'.
Headliners 'Frostbite' are nice guys aswell as being a very competent band, they were well supported by friends and family and went out of their way to create a friendly atmosphere of camaraderie by inviting all the other bands to participate in parts of their performance ,which they all readily did . Again like all the other bands who went before they played a set containing rock covers and original songs.
On the night 'VX' proved to a hard act to follow and for me the much less aggressive but more live experienced 'Frostbite' ,who had slightly better lighting and sound than everyone else still struggled to compete.
Thanks to 'Ma Nelsons' for putting on this new rock talent showcase, it was a great way to kick start the yuletide festivities and to show our support for the next generation local up and coming bands. Long may it continue.
Merry Christmas! everybody.
Caustic Pen Belfast 19.12.11.
There was five brand new cross genre young bands in the 15 - 19 age range featured on this early evening bill ,each with varying degrees of charisma and ability . Yeah! they were all a little rough around the edges ,but thats not necessarily a bad thing at this very early stage in each bands developement , plus it'll be easily sorted out through time. But what they all had was was those priceless commodity's known as youth and enthusiasm which was evident here in spades and that made up for all the bands relative lack of live experience. Each and everyone of the bands put their hearts into their performance, even though they were all battling with the sound mix from hell and a distinct shortage of stage lighting ,at times it was so dark up there they might aswell have been playing in a cave. There was a lot of cover versions played and you wouldn't expect anything else ,but there was equally as many pretty good original songs performed ,and that has to be a very positive and creative sign. Well done to all of them, one thing is for sure the future is looking bright for the local music scene. 'Damage Case' were already well into their set of metal covers when I arrived, they were more or less a young 'Metallica' tribute band and they were making a damn good job of it . Very good musicians and the frontman interacted well with the audience .They are ready now to introduce some original material into their set and they should do it sooner rather than later.
I liked 'Due South' ,they had a rough edged punky / indie vibe about them . Though their choice of cover versions left a lot to be desired ( err! Kings of Leon) ,they redeemed themselves with a couple of good original tunes (Black Sheep +1) and a sterling rendition of The Subways 'Rock'n'Roll Queen'.
They looked like a teeny metal band with all the patched denim and rocker accessories , but 'Kut Throat Kougar' actually played a punky low fi set full of 'Misfits' covers (Astro Zobies / Last Caress) ,with an original number ( I'm the Jealous type) and the Jerry Lee Lewis classic'Great Balls of fire' thrown in for good measure.
They were rough and ready and they suffered most from the atrocious sound mix ,but their covers of Bobby Boris Picketts 'The Monster Mash' and the Beastie Boys 'Fight for your right' had everyone smiling.
Next up it was the long-awaited live debut of 'VX', and they didn't disappoint anyone. They came on with a FU attitude and looked like they'd been strutting their stuff onstage for years, even though in reality this was their first public performance after spending months in their rehearsal studio working towards this moment.
They opened their short five song moment in the spotlight with the self penned and proposed first 45 'Tribal Rights'(of the new saturday nites) which made it clear to the audience exactly were 'VX' are coming from and that they meant serious business with their hardcore set of covers such as 'Hail Destroyer & The Downfall of us all' aswell as the other original played here 'Blue Salt'.
'VX' had a stage presence that the other bands up to now had failed to display,and they rounded off their set in style with an A7X cover 'Unholy Confessions' which featured some impromptu showboating from '$$' doing a one handed guitar solo while standing amongst the audience who were cheering and egging him on.which brought the set to a very successful conclusion , job done!.
Things didn't always go to plan and it wasn't all perfect , plus 'VX' were victims of the shitty sound mix just like everyone else. But out of all the bands on the bill 'VX' who are still far from the finished article looked to me to be the band most likely to succeed , then again I would say that wouldn't I ? . The only thing is and this is not a porky pie I wasn't the only one who thought this.
Roll on 2012 , its going to be a big year for 'VX'.
Headliners 'Frostbite' are nice guys aswell as being a very competent band, they were well supported by friends and family and went out of their way to create a friendly atmosphere of camaraderie by inviting all the other bands to participate in parts of their performance ,which they all readily did . Again like all the other bands who went before they played a set containing rock covers and original songs.
On the night 'VX' proved to a hard act to follow and for me the much less aggressive but more live experienced 'Frostbite' ,who had slightly better lighting and sound than everyone else still struggled to compete.
Thanks to 'Ma Nelsons' for putting on this new rock talent showcase, it was a great way to kick start the yuletide festivities and to show our support for the next generation local up and coming bands. Long may it continue.
Merry Christmas! everybody.
Caustic Pen Belfast 19.12.11.