overlap

You know there's something right in the world when even in 2009 you can go to a gig and stand behind someone with a shock of peroxide hair and a Theatre Of Pain era back patch of Mötley Crüe on their denim jacket. At first glance, unknown support band Sharks might seem lost in a timewarp. The guy in front of me says that if we were in 1977 they'd be hailed as the next big thing, and he's got a point. Nevertheless they are an engaging mix of a pocket bass player whose backing vocals definitely add something, even when it's only 'ooooooh', a guitar player who looks like a fifteen year old Bruce Springsteen doing an impression of Pete Townshend and a frontman whose voice might be the only slightly weak point, though that may just be the volume and what you get at third on the bill. Ultimately their secret weapon might just be the drummer whose playing is absolutely immaculate even though you could be forgiven for assuming that he's bunked off his geography homework to make the gig. Either way, I'm showing my age and they aren't, but if they were to launch into SLF's Two Guitars Clash or indeed The Clash's Safe European Home, it wouldn't be remotely surprising. They play with a load of conviction and provide a diverting half hour, but special mention has to go to the spectacle of the guitarist's plectrum slipping out of his fingers and flying out into the crowd as he fires into the start of a song, landing at the feet of a guy in the crowd. Thirty seconds later, he's picked it up, and he's offering it back to the guitarist, who stops playing for a few seconds to take it back. You just haven't made it yet baby, but I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. Tony Wright shuffles onto the stage like the lost puppy of Brit-metal, and immediately reminds me how he is such an engaging frontman, albeit one from the lost planet of Yorkshire. There's something very authentic and natural about his unaffected accent, and while it might not get him a long way in Hollywood it seems that couldn't be much further from his mind. I'm reminded of another non-giant but airliner-flying frontman in terms of sheer born to be singing songs on a stage in parts. Some of the Laika Dog material is a bit more bluesed out than Terrorvision's uptempo pop-metal, which doesn't do so much for me, but Mad Dog and Piano Song sound great. With a pre-gig email warning that no Wildhearts songs would be aired due to there being enough solo material to learn as it is, anything could happen. I think this is the first time I've seen Ginger solo with a full band since Silver Ginger 5, and to be honest the main attraction in the gig for me is getting to see one of my favourite guitarists, Jase Edwards. The Wildhearts may have better songs, but to me Wolfsbane will always be the better band, and getting to see Jase in the substantial flesh is always a delight. He seems to be having plenty of fun too. Ginger mentions a couple of times that it's the first night of the tour, and there's a bit of the telltale raggedness that shows that, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Highlights of the set are This Is Only A Problem and Girls Are Better Than Boys, and a couple of disarming responses to lame heckles - I especially liked "I'd love to talk to you all night long, but there are some other people... who exist, and we're going to do some more songs for them". Three entertaining acts, and the night is rounded off nicely by Jase spotting my Wolfsbane shirt in the dark and commenting 'nice t-shirt!' on his way out, adding that he too is looking forward to the Quireboys shows. Can't wait! Jase the gentle giant: Ginger: * Divine Imperfection is a song from the Silver Ginger 5 album, Black Leather Mojo

Labels: gigs, Ginger, Jase Edwards, Jase the Ace, Laika Dog, Tony Wright, Wolfsbane