Only the second ever time I'd seen anyone play at The Bread. With DD Promotions on board and, thankfully, free from the rather-too-close proximity of Chambers, the set-up in the square-sized venue, worked well - loud but not too loud. although a strategically placed pillar as part of the building, meant that the first act, poor thing, had to sit there and stare at a pillar. Anyway, that aside, for a vocal PA in a pub, it worked just fine.
First act of the evening was Susan Mccathie. A kind of "blonde Beth Wilmshurst", she had a richly textured, strong voice that immediately caught your attention. The first song (that I heard - she'd started before I got there) was the sort of song you listen to with rapt attention rather than something with a particular hook or chorus, all about the voice and the lyrics without any real nod to commerciality. Sung well, with a velvet voice, it was good but not a song that's going to give you a wow factor. Next one up was more uptempo, still lyrically visual, a bit more of a chorus, but somehow, for singer-songwriter stuff, just felt "old fashioned", yet that wonderful voice makes you want to keep listening, as the word "pleasant" becomws the one that sums it all up. After this, a ballad and you have to say that she really does pour her heart and soul into the performance, clearly writing "from the heart", rich with words and vocals, and just needs a bit of a bite to add that extra ingredient. Up to now, the guitar work on her trusty acoustic, has serviced the songs fine, and not really been anything of which you're overly noticing. For the last song, a more uptempo number, the guitar work came alive a little more, the vocals had a touch more angst to them, as a very observational lyric unfolded and her voice is strong enough to carry it off with a good sense of light and shade in her wide-ranging vocal delivery, on what was the best song of the set. I'd see her again, but I'd like to heara touch of venom in there too - and the odd nod to something more memorable in the song dept.
Next on were Millsyeck. Led by guitarist/vocalist Alex Mills, tonight they performed as a trio - normally a quartet with a rhythm guitarist - but you have to say that they really delivered the goods. The first song began with a bluesy intro as the strong vocal, harmonious without being what you'd call "distinctive", carried the song through a cascading arrangement that led into the song's hook, as glimpses of sparkling guitar leads in among the strummed riffing, built up to this heated blues-rock lead guitar break, the band's style there right from the off. Second in was a faster number, in many ways, classic seventies styled blues-rock with a more contemporary twist in the form of the strong vocal and the presence of a hookline, as well as being a lot "dirtier" sounding. Nevertheless, a swirling slice of rockin' "indie-blues". Third up was a fast-driving track with the so-far rock solid rhythm section, swinging tightly as the pounding riffing underpinned vocals with a hint of menace which burn then explode, while the song's searing heat guitar break, puts the icing on a storm-force stunner of a cake. Fourth song featured a lurching rhythm as a slice of blues-rock with a more danceable beat and a more modern feel, ensued. The insistent rhythms really take hold as a burning guitar riff weaves in and out of brief, blazing guitar breaks, while the vocal just flies and the whole thing's propelled to the max for your head, heart and feet. The song really builds with its verse-as-chorus structure, a mix of urgency, tension and explosive. Up next came a huge-sounding, energetic rendition of the standard "Hard To Handle", and to be honest, it never was a particualrly great song in the first place, and, personally, I just don't think the quality of the band's originals, needs the distractions of a cover version in there, even though they do a good version. Song 6 is strong, driving but just misses the spot - the rhythm section play well and it's a strong performance all round instrumentally, but somehow the song doesn't match the playing and I felt that there's something misasing on this one. That said, there's another wicked guitar lead and all-round instrumental strength. For the final track, however, they really let rip with, arguably, the finest song of what's been a hot set, as echoes of Whitesnake/Hagar-era Van Halen are given a modern makeover on a hurricane of a track with a great chorus, a vocal that just flies through almost effortlessly, strong and convincing, with the band hammering out the rocking rhythms as the guitar riffs and solos with mind-blowing intensity. All told, a well solid performance from a crossover band that, armed with a couple more memorable tracks as the last one, could really break through.
I know nothing about The Other Side - this was the first time I encountered them, so I presume they're a local band. From the start, they revealed themselves to be a tight band playing what you'd call "classic rock" with stand-out twin guitar work and decent enough vocals, followed by a song that rises to a chorus, swept along on waves of dual lead and rhythm guitars, with some really solid bass playing and the crunch of the drums, but which needs a much stronger or distinctive vocal attack. Same for next track - bluesy rock with drive and determination, great use of the two guitars ona mid-paced stomper of a song, but ordinary sounding vocals. However, on the fourth track, oddly enough a slower one, amid deep, sonorous guitar riffing, the vocal rises up, does the job and emerges in a shining chorus, but you still ache for a singer with more guts, passion and strength.That guitar riff and its dual guitar accompaniment, really carries the song, and the longer it goes on, the more you realise that it's actually a very good song, a bit like mid-paced Pat Travers from the first two albums and quite lengthy, too. A fster, storming fifth track opens with heated lead guitar over pounding bass and drums as the vocal positively races in, equally as urgent, in between the guitar burnout. Although there's no particular hook or chorus, it nevertheless grabs your attention, particularly the lengthy guitar break over the rest of the band driving it all forward. The final track was bluesy rock, opening with another blazing guitar lead, punchy rhythm work entering and a definite flavour of Stevie Ray Vaughan or Rory Gallagher to it. The vocal is a bit flat on the ear, and it's not all that memorable a song, but instrumentally, it cooks.
Isis have no problems with their vocalist - in fact, she's arguably, not only the strongest female vocalist on the Dundee Scene, but quite possibly gott he strongest vocal for any female on the whole Scottish unsigned scene. For thos not familiar with them, a trio, without what you'd call a "traditional" lead guitar role as, instead, she spends much of the set doing everything from power riffing to caressing your heart with that guitar, only rarely breaking into antything as clean as a lead break. The bass, however, is right in your face and flying, almost defying you not to spend the night just watching, with wrapt fascination, the guy's fingers as it flies up and down that neck. Meanwhile, the drummer is the glue and the propulsion that lays the foundations for the other two to drive ahead. The opening anthem of a song, featured the guitar set on "riff" as the bass just thunders out while this immense sounding vocal powers out of the PA. Song-wise, the tracks throughout the set are fairly short, standard "pop" song length, mostly laden with memorable hooks and choruses, many almost defying you not to sing along even though it's your first time of hearing them, but delivered with such fire and passion by the band, that you can't help being spellbound by them. Simplicity on fire!! Second up was a marching rhythm, bass-led, the drums solid and tight, blazing a trail to great effect as an urgent, biting vocal powers right upfront with a circular chorus like an indie-punk-pop army on the warpath. "Over And Out" is choppy, with fast rhythms, another urgent vocal, stomping its way through on a massive bass undercurrent as the drums hammer down. Then an almost Velvet Underground-esque guitar eruption blazes over a bass guitar that's going up and down the scales on one huge, belter of a song. "Rain" is more anthemic, slower, no less biting and almost spat out with vocal sharpness as the staccato guitar riff chops down over the solid mid-paced rhythm. "Changes" is a sort of modern day indie-punk take on AOR as a classic "arms-in the air, body-swaying" anthem strides out, while "Trying Too Hard" is a building number delivered with more vocal passion than many rock vocalists manage, as a "quiet" intro leads into a guitar and bass explosion, the drums go bananas and the song takes off like a rocket. There follows a blouesy steam train of a track, a real, heartfelt ballad and the set ends with "Blue Horizon", as the train starts powerfully then heads out of control as the song takes off and just powers out, ending on another eruption of guitar and bass squall as the guitarists flies to the floor, playing so frenzied like someone's just shot the electrictiy supply through her body, as the bass hammers down, the drums crash out and it ends in one almighty instrumental inferno.