secret fireworks

I've seen A Plastic Rose twice in the last 12 months and each gig has been one to remember. There's something gripping about this band- a rare intensity that stuns you with every track. At the Unconvention showcase, the lads were incredible- were it not for John Shelly and the Creatures they would have been the standout act of the entire gig. A particular highlight was this track, and now the wonderful Bandwidth Films has recorded a video to Kids Don't Behave Like This that is stripped back but does a wonderful job. It's a wonderful song- slowly but surely building to an incredible climax with soft vocals at times and nearly shouting at the finale. This song and this band are going to be huge. Video after the jump!

Labels: a plastic rose, bandwidth films, kids don't behave like this

The smell of pizza fills the air as we walk into the Black Box cafe for tonight’s Unconvention showcase, featuring more than 10 local acts from across the musical spectrum upon two different stages.


Seven Summits kicked off proceedings with a simple yet gorgeous set full of beautiful harmonies. The temptation for many bands is to cover weak songwriting or a lack of talent by simply making a lot a noise but it’s clearly not the case for these guys- Rory’s voice is hauntingly beautiful at times, and the songs certainly stand out even when they’re stripped back to just an acoustic guitar and a bass. “Stairs” and “Lemonade” were just two highlights.

Robert Holmes greeted us with a dark, eerie set that immediately grabs your attention. Once again he excels in the stripped back setting- despite the commotion taking place in the cafe during his set he manages to create a wonderful atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re watching something private, something raw and emotional. The vocals don’t always ring out and it’s tough to decipher the lyrics, but that just adds to the atmosphere. A wonderful performance and certainly one to watch in the next few years.

Escape Act (or rather, the lead singer, Chris Heaney) perform a very different set compared to what we’re used to. A wonderful performance of “Sullied Behave For The Stars” starts things off and it’s clear to see that this band are getting better and better. Heaney’s voice has improved tenfold- it’s much stronger and much more consistent. The new material played promises great things: while the debut album Loosely Based On Fiction contained some brilliant songs it seems the new tunes have a bit more substance and edge.



It’s the turn of the main stage now, and the best performance of the night comes from John Shelley and the Creatures. Quite frankly, it’s stunning. There’s simply not a weak song in tonight’s set, and the performance is very polished. The songs are catchy but they’re distinctive, blending folk and indie into one delightful little package. The drumming is incredible and the vocals are superb tonight. They don’t deserve to be playing in front of relatively small crowds and if their new single “Long May You Reign” does well, they’ll be a major success. Simply the best performance at this showcase.



With that in mind, it was pretty difficult for Strait Laces to follow that performance. “Romantic Issues” is a cracking song (with one of the funkiest introductions I’ve heard in a while) but the vocals, by the singer’s admission, are a little off (apparently he’s losing his voice) and it’s the same for the rest of the set- it’s energetic and there’s a lot of things going on but the vocals just aren’t there. With that in mind, it would be a little unfair to be overly critical of Strait Laces tonight.

Colenso Parade take to the stage, dressed to the nines and immediately crack things up a notch. Every song is ridiculously catchy and poppy- a talented McFly, if you will. It’s a fairly short set but my goodness, the lads give it their all. The last song “Mr Riley” sums up the band perfectly- catchy choruses, well constructed melodies, thoughful lyrics and a hell of a lot of noise.

A Plastic Rose sit at the other end of the musical spectrum- their sound is a little bit more contemplative, a little bit more moody, but they simply rock the Black Box to its foundations. The group has matured over the past few years and it’s clear to see. “Sun’s A Shadow” is jaw droppingly amazing. The whole post rock sound works so well for the lads, and probably the most stunning moment of the night is the brief moment of silence before everything goes a little bit haywire. The incredible forthcoming single “Kids Don’t Behave Like This” wraps up the set, and it’s the end to such an wonderful intimate performance.

The sound of helicopters in the background brings Ed Zealous to the stage and from the first note to the encore song it’s a non stop rollercoaster. The melodies are so well constructed and the keyboard parts intertwine perfectly with the crashing guitars. “Pretty Face” is my highlight of the set- every word is delicately chosen, with ridiculously catchy melodies and more hooks than a cloakroom. The biggest cheers of the night ring out after the encore- a great end to a night filled with superb acts. Supporting Snow Patrol in the Odyssey may be Ed Zealous’ big break- and on tonight’s performance it’s clear to see that they deserve it.

Labels: colesco parade, ed zealous, escape act, john shelly and the creatures, robert holmes, seven summits, strait laces, unconvention

There's a very, very good reason why I queued up in the freezing cold outside the Stiff Kitten on the night of St Stephen's. I could have been tucked up in front of a fire watching some fine Christmas films on the telly. Instead, I went to see two of the hottest bands in Northern Ireland. Two Door Cinema Club and General Fiasco are planning to take the UK, and indeed the world, by storm in 2009 - on the basis of this performance they've got a pretty good chance.






Two Door, as always, got the party started with their delightful little mix of drum machines, driving guitars and occasional keyboard solos. There were a couple of small technical problems and there was a small delay as the lead guitarist broke a string, but the trio fly through a wonderful and polished set. New material is tucked in between old classics: one of the best songs of the night (called 'Kids', according to the ripped piece of cardboard that passes for a setlist) promises great things from this band. The new single 'Something Good Can Work' is destined to be huge in 2009: a memorable melody, an anthemic chorus and it's simply an excellent song. The biggest cheer of the set came at the last for 'Undercover Martyn' - Northern Irish indie rock at its finest, coupled with hand claps. Every time I see this band they're something different - their sound shifts from the Cribs to Death Cab to Kowalski - but they're always unmistakably brilliant.

General Fiasco have had a lot of hype and attention in the local music press - and I can safely say, in my eyes it's justified. Rigsy wrote this article in mid 2008 and it seems he's got it spot on. The lads blew nearly all of us to the wall last night. What's the difference between General Fiasco and the hundreds of local bands knocking about Northern Ireland? They've got the look: black t-shirts, cool hair and confident but not arrogant attitudes. They've certainly got the talent (more on that later). What's more, they've written some excellent material. Most of the songs we heard tonight had been recently written and they're really rather brilliant: there doesn't seem to be any filler whatsoever and the crowd loved every tune. The new single 'Something Sometime' is infectious and shows off the distinctive sound of the trio. There aren't any passengers in General Fiasco: Owen (with surprisingly strong vocals), Enda and in particular Leaky (with some incredible drumming) seem to give their all in every song. Of course, when 'Rebel Get By' finishes off the set, the lads have got the crowd in the palm of their hand.

Take a bow, gentlemen, the world is at your feet. If you haven't seen General Fiasco yet live, you really, really, really, really should.

Labels: general fiasco, two door cinema club