The Ebb @ Joseph's Well
By Matthew HillI remember the days when Charly Six were Brass Monkey and I was interested to see what they would be like after all this time. I had seen Danny perform a few solo sets in the past and was quite impressed by him. The set got off to quite a solid start, Mike gives it his all on the pots and pans, Danny looks relaxed and gets straight into the swing of things and the others also look comfortable. The first few songs are mid-tempo rock songs and in these songs you really get the feeling that with the talent they have, that they could easily step it up a few gears and really blow everyone away. There is some good guitar work and the vocals are strong but it sounds like the Stereophonics, and it sounds like Danny is trying to sound like Kelly Jones. As their set flies by it is highly enjoyable and as tight as any other local band. The songs have emotion but you still feel like they're only showing half of what they are capable of; one song (Anger) is anthemic and sticks in the head with ease. Charly Six are as good as any local band I've seen but you just wish that they would hurry up and write the songs that they are capable of and work on their own style.
I had never heard Boabak Cut at all but was quite impressed by their set. There is nothing new in their sound, but they are enjoyable to watch and even though it is not the type of music I would listen to they did get my full attention for the whole set. Their sound is the tried and tested indie formula, with a baggy feel, which usually results in a yawn, but these guys are really good at it and do not sound too much like the other million bands in this genre. Their set is tight and quite well thought out and the band look like they are really into what they are playing. The singer looks confident, but not over- confident and uses the stage well instead of just shoegazing. Boabak Cut are not groundbreaking at all but they don't try to be, they are an entertaining band and are well worth a watch.
I had heard various good reports about The Ebb and was looking forward to their set. I didn't really know what to expect sound-wise so thought I could be in for a surprise or two. The Ebb are melodic rock, not too melodic and not too rock though, a very happy medium. It is hard to compare them to other bands, as although it is also a tried and tested formula they didn't sound too much like anyone else. There songs really flew by as they gave it their all on stage, far more lively than other bands in this vein. No songs really had a great hook, but the set was consistent; but they could maybe do with a few real standout songs. The Ebb are still a new band and I'm sure this time next year when they have developed and written new songs they could easily stand out from a lot of other bands and make quite a name for themselves. The crowd all night is a pretty good turn out and most people stay to watch all the bands. Not a bad night at all - all three bands are well worth paying a few quid to see.
