10,000 Things @ The Vine
By Matthew Evans
Unfortunately I missed the opening band but arrived just in time for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. This band is a six piece playing a kind of punked-up Faces/Stones rock'n'roll with no less than three gutarists (for some reason). The set was notable for accomplished drumming and a variety of complex hairstyles. All that was missing was some memorable songs. Perhaps if the frontman had spent longer learning to sing than tying his cravat the set may have been lifted above the mediocre.
Soberskin are next to take the stage. A three piece who sound like much more, using synths and sequencers to augment their sound. To me they were reminescent of a less-metal Nine Inch Nails, with a sleazy bass (or synth) groove driving the dynamic set. The offer of free CDs appeared a popular one as Soberskin's high energy performance and well-crafted songs appeared to win the approval of the audience. Well worth checking out.
10,000 Things headline and are clearly the band most people have come down to see. A flawless set was duly delivered. Polydor should be kicking themselves for letting these guys go. Few live bands can put on a show of this calibre, with fancy dress, good tunes and lots of rock'n'roll posturing. Midway through the set the band take (a bit of) a rest as a guest appearance from The Spanish Dave Experience performing covers by the likes of Little Richard, Steve Harley's Cockney Rebel and the Proclaimers left the croud in an even better mood for the final part of the evening. 10,000 Things leave the Vine, probably exhausted, to the sound of screams for more, the only thing which would make the evening better would be if they had returned to the stage for even more.
