Sovereign @ Woodkirk Valley Country Club
By Nick CoplandThe first band up was Sovereign. With guitar band influences from Nirvana, Hendrix and Oasis, but with a sound all their own, Leeds-based Sovereign put in a superb performance, treating us to some excellent new material for the first time, including an excellent acoustic number. The overall effect was polished and powerful, despite the fact that their bass player had only been with them a few days!
Skiver from Bradford brought a touch of old-school indie class to the proceedings with a set of melodic and catchy tunes, an exceptional female vocalist and plenty of enthusiasm. A true song-writing talent was in evidence as the band delivered a well balanced and dynamic set. Highlight of the set though was a quite phenomenal cover of John Lennon's Working Class Hero which received the biggest reception of the night.
Last up was element from Scarborough. At a disadvantage from the start due to a distinct lack of fans resulting from a problem with their minivan, the young band took it all in their stride. Uncompromising, hardcore nu-metal that would have made Marilyn Manson's ears bleed and a sound that left nothing to the imagination. Their performance was as accomplished as it was energetic and at times genuinely dangerous as the lead singer balanced on tables and chairs to deliver his vocals more directly to those sitting around the corner.
