Gig review of Tetra Splendour

Tetra Splendour @ Leeds Festival 2002

Plundering the heavy riff cookbook, Porthcawl's Tetra Splendour sure make a better live proposition than on record (fine single 'Pollenfever' excepted). Since signing to Chrysalis at the start of the year they've been touring like fiends and scooting up and down roads with the likes of The Vines and Biffy Clyro. It shows. Freed from small town hell in south Wales they've unleashed a bit of a rock beast, greatly evident in the gleeful mane shaking on show.

A major theme on their debut platter 'Splendid Animation' is that kind of escape along with cussing of various forms of transport. Hence today we get the excellent 'De-rail' with its naggingly effective chorus and liberal lashings of guitar pyrotechnics. But that's by no means all. 'Splendid Animation' keeps the buzz well and truly going for an audience getting fairly chuffed at this rather ace show. In all too short a time they sign off to liberal acclaim with 'Bless My Soul'. Bright, breezy, emotional and effortlessly er, splendid!

Find related articles: guitar pyrotechnics, biffy clyro, forms of transport, lashings, fiends.