Mixed reviews - 2007 by Nick the Bookman

It's Thursday, April 27th, and on Lamma's Democracy Wall, adjacent to the Post Office, is a large poster advertising tonight's show at The Edge featuring Jaggedy Ann, Audio Traffic and Guitars & Panties. "What a load of bollocks, mate!" has been scrawled in red ink across the bottom of the poster. What can this mean? Are Jaggedy Ann a group of transvestites? Is this a preview of an awful night out? Does it mean "fings ain't wot they is?" We shall see...

I arrive at The Edge and learn that Chris B. is still being de-bugged and therefore Guitars & Panties won't be playing (hope you're better soon, Chris). Audio Traffic have drafted in a new bassist, after being unsure whether they could play, and are unlikely to do a long set. Andrew, the Kiwi promoter of tonight's show and founder of The World Battle of the Bands concept, say's he would have loved to play with Audio Traffic ("just send me the MP3 files and I'll learn the songs"). It's a face-off between the 2004 Asian and American group winners - a mini inter-continental, hemispherical rock ruck, Will it be Age before Beauty? Or Pearls before Swine?

As The Dickies version of the Banana Splits theme song fades out, Audio Traffic take the stage. The new bassist has a mohawk/dreadlock look, The drummer (is he new as well?) has some serious tattoos. I think of them as Dreads and Tatts. I've seen Audio Traffic twice at Rock It and once at The Underground and when the mood takes them, they can really spacerock.

Tonight, they seem more subdued, more country rock (like the Outlaws, or the Allman Brothers Band, rather than the Eagles). But their Flaming Lips-a-like lysergic lullabies keep breaking on through. Some fuzzy space sound, a tinge of baroque and roll, some nice noodlepicking guitar solos from band leader Adrian. The second song "Come on" (or is that the chorus? has some good clatterdrums and echoes of early Hawkwind off Space Ritual. I can hear some Rare Earth sustained rock guitar and raga riffs creeping in as well. "Fings ain't wot" I expected, but it's not a "load of bollocks", either. There are about 80 paying punters in da house by now. Music fans Clare and her friend Tim are chatting with Andrew and Holly, the Jaggedy Ann drummer. Andrew's semi-seriously considering sending the band out to flyer Lan Kwai Fong. He seems confident the girls will pull in the crowds before they go on about 2245. More people are arriving as Audio Traffic wind up their 5-song set about 2130. Adrian's already told everyone to expect a "fucking amazing band. We had the pleasure of playing with them in Auckland" (in 2004).

The blurb for Jaggedy Ann in the SCMP says they "rock to the tune of mashing Pumpkins and AC/DC". We;ve already heard "Heroes" by the Stranglers, "Turning Japanese" by the Vapours (some crafty pre-advertising for next weeks" show by Japanese noiseniks, Electric Eel Shock?). Something that I Said" by the Ruts and Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers by the time J.A. take the stage. The lissome foursome are Holly, the dependable and solid drummer. Claudia, whose back-to-bassics playing provides the foundation for the songs. Leona has rock chick swagger on the guitar while Gayla seems to transmogrify into several vocalists at once. The first song "Feeling Allright mixes early 70's UK glamrock like Suzi Quatro with shades of Girl School and Joan Jett. Leona provides some nice Poison Ivy (of the Cramps) guitar touches while Gayla seems equal parts Steve Tyler (Aerosmith) and Pat Benatar. The 3rd song "Hotter than Hell"? is more slow pounding rock riffage a la Black Sabbath with nods to AC/DC and possibly Steve Vai. Another song, a ballad called "Put my Faith in You", sounds like Janis doing "Piece of my Heart" while backed by the Go-Go's. Other songs recall REO Speedwagon in goodrocking mode (not their bleeding awful ballads circa Live Aid 1) jamming with Aerosmith.

There's some 60's freakbeat guitar while Gayla channels Tina Turner in Acid Queen mode over a cleaned up Blue Cheer riff in the song "Destructive" (dedicated to Matthew by Gayla). The new single "Shot of Gasoline" gets a small crowd of moshers moving on the floor - but not for long. There's a Deep Purple moment after the chorus and glimpses of Chrissie Hynde, or perhaps P.J. Harvey. I'm thinking that this show is more like a rock cabaret when the band announce thry're from Las Vegas and roar into "Sin City" - the most defining AC/DC moment of the night. Jaggedy Ann are more hard rock than heavy metal/industrial thrash/ and Leona proves it with a churning solo spot that heaves with cock rock cliches. Shades of the Scorpions at their best as she's on her knees phallicly plying, playing, splaying the strings on the neck of her guitar, There even seems to be a bit of Chuck Berry's duckwalk in da mix.

The encore is a sleazy blues rock cover of "Proud Mary" which starts slow and choogles into a thrashed out finale that has the respectable(ish) crowd baying and salivating. I wonder if Simple Minds (who are playing tomorrow) will be as much fun. The gig ends shortly before midnight. Time to go home. As I get off the ferry in Yung Shue Wan I see the poster is still up. The red ink scrawl has faded in the rain. To the unknown author, all I can say is the "load of bollocks" is just that, mate.


Simple Minds - The Black and White Tour. April 28th 2006.

I got my 80's retrohead in gear for Simple Minds by watching their performance on Live Aid 1. Great version of "Ghost Dancing" followed by "Don't You Forget About Me", so I'm all primed and pumped for an anthemic night out at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. It's a soggy night and there appear to be fewer than 2000 people in attendance. The doors open at 2000.

Simple Minds take the stage about 2040 and things appear to be going well. Alan Warboys review in the SCMP is probably more charitable than mine is. He got most of it right. The crowd were waving and applauding and clapping by the 4th song. I even had a little boogie up against the back wall (as several fellow Lammaniacs were quick to point out. Big hi to Pauline, Mick, Martin and Paul. Manek, the manic Underground co-M/C, looked to be having fun near the mixing desk while Willem (the U/G photographer) and his wife Linda enjoyed themselves. Their daughter Clarissa had her fingers in her ears for some of the time. The digital sound is clear, but doesn't have the same anticipation that analogue does when you know things can get better. With digital, you know that's basically it, Nothing like Spinal Tap's "these go to eleven" sort of vibe. For me, the problems were that Jim Kerr didn't identify any of the songs. It's a bit confusing as to what is new and what isn't if you're a casual listener. Some of the funkier stuff reminded me of what I didn't like about S.M. in the first place. As for the anthems, they were more anaemic than anthemic. I was disappointed that Ghost Dancing wasn't played. Ditto Belfast" and the Steve Hillage produced "This Earth You Walk Upon". The band trudged between the borderlands of banality and the mini mountains of mediocrity. The big money song is (obviously) "Don't You" and I was hoping for some inter-galactic dub rock guitar from Charlie Burchill. He's had 20 plus years to make something worthwhile of this song. He might as well have been a cardboard cutout on stage as far as showcasing his talents. Jim spent more time coaxing the audience into an a capella singalong. (I could almost see the mental thought bubbles of the audience saying "what the fuck are WE singing this for. WE didn't pay good money to do all the work"). "Don't You" started about 2155 and was followed by 2 encores, amid much grateful thanks to the audience. The show pretty much ended by 2220 - call it 100
minutes or so. At a top price of $780 a ticket, that works out at $7.80 a minute for the front row entertainment. Cheaper to buy the Live in Paris CD or download your favourite tracks. Maybe, as we don't get too much top notch overseas musical action, our expectations aren't great. In fairness, most of the audience was swaying along at the end. Rumour has it that Coldplay and the Black Eyed Peas are headed our way this summer, so something to look forward to. As for this gig, a grade C seems fair with a Could Do Better advisory at the bottom.


Red Star Rising at the Island Bar. April 29th2006.

This is the first time I've seen Red Star Rising since their brief and blistering performance at November's Dickstock Kevin has quit (to concentrate on Nude?) and his replacement Eric is more than capable. There's a new keyboard player, rancisco, while Steve and Hugh on guitar and drums are the mainstays. Hamada, from OverDogma, jams with the band on the first 3 song set. Opener "I'm In Love With You" has a slinky world blues feel that gets this party started. About 20 people inside the bar and slightly more outside. Kerry is bopping away, while Kevin and Richard (Nude's keyboard player) are in evidence.

Second track, the eponymous "Red Star Rising" heats up the room with blasts of feedback-laden blues riffage as Kumi and Linda join in the dance-floor action. The final track is "Last Ferry To Lamma" in a pleasant country rock style. It's sure improved from the rough video download jam on the last ferry to Lamma last year.

The second set features more of the psychedelic antics that I've grown to love. "Easy Come, Easy Go', opens with a riff that's a kissin-cousin to "Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix and isn't afraid to funk out a ittle. Similar to Rare Earth at their extended jam peak. Most of Nude appear to present, grooving away happily. Next song "When Worlds Collide" seems to weld the boogie-choogle of vintage Creedence with the fairground appeal of Jayne County and the Electric Chairs. Francisco is coming to the fore. An irresistably sleazy organ style, part headbanging foot-tapping Jerry Lee Lewis with the acid jazz allure of the James Taylor Quartet doing "Mission Impossible" or "The Prisoner". Eric does a passable Jaco Pastorious imitation with some slaphappy bass. At least, 9 lovely ladies are frugging away up front (and I'm sure at least 20 or so of those 9 will be saying "I was there") Set 2 winds up with "Escalator Girl " and "Shopping Malls" which is my favourite R.S.R track. I told Steve later I think it's a neo-psychedelic classic. "Escalator Girl" marry's Hendrix wah-wah with what sounds like some Peter Frampton voice-box FX. "Malls" roars along like the Television Personalities in full flight, Francisco's keys are fuzzbuzzing furiously, whule Hugh's drums merge Golden Earring with Can. (Magnus from Garoupa, also plays in this circular style to good effect).


Eric has left for the last ferry FROM Lamma so Kevin is back on bass for the final set. More thunderous blues rock on "Walk With The Devil" as Squinty John makes a belated appearance. The highlight is a brain-melting cover of "Voodoo Chile" played with the "heaviosity" of Cream or Blue Cheer in full peak mode. Steve says it's their "first-ever cover". The set concludes with the near-original version of "Ferry" and a more funkified electro-sleazy remix of "Malls". A most enjoyable night out. Probably equal to the fun factor of Jaggedy Ann at The Edge on Thursday night and way more fun than Simple Minds at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium on Friday night. Now,I'm off home for a nice hot cup of cocoa.

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