Vessels / Her Name Is Calla / Bromtide / 7 Hertz

@ Leeds Brudenell Social Club

7 Hertz, for all those not in the know are a) collaborators with David Thomas Broughton, b) the frequency of the brown note and c) an experimental classical / jazz quartet. Comprising of upright bass, two violins (one could be a viola) and various wind instruments, their look is Pimms on the lawn but the sound is anarchic, disturbing, fluctuating from funereal be-bop to Purim jigs and whirls, from Charlie Parker to Bartok. Not an easy listen and tricky to get an angle on in the circumstances, but an interesting gateway to contemporary jazz and 'classical' music.

Brontide are a small package providing a small but perfectly formed packet of joy. Led by ex-I Was A Cub Scout William Bowerman from the rear… actually, forget IWACS, that will only distract you. William is the perfect rock drummer, playing the part and laying down some serious beats. Timothy Hancock and Nathan Fairweather are no slouches either, wowing with their twin tapping technique and providing the best of riffage throughout.

Her Name Is Calla at The Brudenell can be… not so good, and with Tom's under-amped vocals, I am worried that we are going to get the first lacklustre performance of the evening. Fortunately what Tom lacks in vocals at first is made up for in sheer fury by the rest of the band. As the sound warms, Tom's voice shines through, a ray of darkness, as he bends almost double in pain and frustration. Sophie now adds vocals as well as trumpet to the mix, giving the set an emotional high register to Tom's middle and Thom's uncertain low.

When Vessels' set starts, it is more by intimation than announcement. Slowly, the melody lines emerge, suffuse, bind and explode. '100 Miles' really sets things off, with Tim and Lee mirroring each other on the drums and Tom and Pete similarly mirroring each other on vocals - it is a masterful display of musical symmetry. Of course, that's only half the fun of watching Vessels - the other is watching things fall apart spectacularly but somehow hang together.

Watching Martin Teff immerse himself passionately in guitar while all hell breaks out behind him is hilarious. The result of such chaos is worthwhile as the sound obtained by careful tweaking strikes your sternum and stops your heart… just enough to allow 'Yuki' to creep inside and warm it. True, there are some slow spots and the overdubs to get a bit… overdubby at times, but you could not ask for a better evening of cerebral melodic entertainment. And I didn't mention the genre once.

Rob Wright

Orphan Boy / Das Wanderlust / Syd Bozko / Four Dead in Ohio / Low Risers

@ Manchester Joshua Brooks

Armed with a truly authentic sound, Low Risers kick off tonight's 5-course music medley with genuine feel good tunes, fit to put a smile on the saddest face. Vocalist Scribble is in her own little zone as she hops about the stage all the while hitting every note with conviction and passion. Combined, Low Risers create a sound you might encounter if Joni Mitchell suffered a bout of Disco Fever. Interesting, feel good listening with a real talent in front woman Scribble.

Clearly seeking to pull off a Deep South tinged set of raucous rock, Four Dead in Ohio fell slightly short of expectations. With vocal doses of Tom Meighan and Bobby Gillespe, FDIO seemingly clambered to replicate an overall BRMC sound. Unfortunately, this has been done before, by BRMC, and they do it a little better. Comparisons aside, FDIO have the attitude, the look and the tunes, but they lack a little class and ability.

It would appear that someone forgot to tell Syd Bozko that the Madchester era died some years ago. Trying in vain to exhume the sounds of a bygone episode, Bozko pampered to an audience proudly wearing their Stone Roses T-shirts, convinced that this was indeed 'the second coming'. Regrettably, this was not the case. Despite creating a great atmosphere, Syd Bozko failed on the fronts of originality, lyricism, musical ability, dynamism, flare and so on…

Unlike previous two bands, Das Wanderlust were totally original, unless you've previously encountered a nightmarish Super Mario acid trip? Utilising an array of pings and pongs from a keyboard, manic drums, low-fi guitars and the odd chimed note from an infant's xylophone, Das Wanderlust mastered an incomparable sound. Lead singer Laura punctuates the music with high-pitched yelps akin to an excitable child. When the shrieking dissipates however, she exhibits real singing aptitude. On this display though, perfect harmony is not what DW are about. They're more of an 'outside the box' setup and if you're curious as to what exists outside the box, go and see Das Wanderlust.

Hammering through a bona fide set of venomous punk, Orphan Boy provided a glimpse of what early Clash gigs may well have been like. Audience covered in piss, elbows flailing, chants, all manifest through Orphan Boy's collection of fantastic tunes. They coincided brilliantly with the dingy underground setting, spitting, kicking and creating a true anti-mainstream sensation rarely found outside of the late 70s. Really, really good.

Simon S Wright

NERD

@ Sheffield Academy

To be honest, many things about this gig seemed a bit like an afterthought. It appeared to be announced late, (which maybe explains why one of the world's biggest hiphop acts has failed to draw a sell out crowd), there's no extravagant stage show, and I'm staggering in (un-)freshly back from a heavy festival weekend. If NERD weren't so effortlessly good, they might struggle to make this work. Of course, in the end, they pull it off with style.

Pharrell rolls casually onstage dressed in a hiphop approximation of grunge geek chic, including oversized glasses and lumberjack shirt. It's not long, though, before he's shedding this Clark Kent exterior and transforming into, well, perhaps not superman but a pretty awesome frontman nonetheless. It's difficult not to be won over by his exhortations to party, particularly when he turns his ire upon people standing around snapping photos on their cameraphones, or wannabe 'gangsters' hanging coolly at the back of the room. Ending his rant with the 'Sir, yes sir!' of a boot camp sergeant just adds to the comedy of the proceedings. In fact, the only surprising chink in the armour of Pharrell's otherwise flawless showmanship is his singing, which, while note perfect, is not always strong enough to stand out above the band's brilliant backing.

The incredible tightness of the group is celebrated during a short succession of solos, which Pharrell watches in amazement, before inviting the audience back to each musician's hotel room. By the end of the show this continuing flirtation with the crowd has led to a swarm of women storming the stage to dance with their musical heroes, which, though fairly controlled, leaves the show drifting slightly towards farce. Basically though, NERD were amazing. I wonder what they'd be like if they were actually trying.

Tom Schrieber

The Fullertons

@ Leeds Trash

Tonight, Trash has a little secret up it's sleeve. The hidden gem comes in the form of North London based four piece, The Fullertons, who visit Leeds as part of what they describe as, "their tour of Yorkshire".

The band waste no time in filling the basement room at Trash with their tight, melodic pop tunes that combine the warm tones of the Hammond Organ with trashy guitar and driving rhythm, each member throwing everything they have into the set, like their lives depend on it.

I was taken back to the day I first heard 'I Should Coco' and left the album on repeat for hours. Like Supergrass, The Fullertons write songs with such catchy hooks that you won't be forgetting them in a hurry.

'Find Your Own Way Out' is a perfect example of this: it's simple but unforgettable and sounds like We are Scientists jamming with Good Shoes. Other set highlights include 'Let You See Why' and debut single 'Halfway Out'.

The set passes by quickly and leaves you wanting more. If there is any justice though, the next time I catch this band in Leeds I hope to see them playing to a much bigger crowd, and the fact that midway through the set, bar staff deliver the band complimentary shots on stage, suggests that they will also be trying hard to ensure that the band make return to the city centre venue.

For tonight Trash holds on to this little secret, but for how long? If tonight is anything to go by, you will be hearing a lot more of The Fullertons!

Katie Davies

Skeletons / Detriot Social Club / Michael Eden / Jody Wildgoose

@ Sheffield Harley

Kicking off the inaugural 2poor2pitch festival the legendary Club 60 provided an impressive line up to get things off to a flying start. Opening was prodigious talent Jody Wildgoose, solo on this occasion, with acoustic guitar and oozing emotion through some excellent lyrics. 'Stereo' just one example in a low key but enthralling set.

Michael Eden treated us to a wonderful acappella opener then played electric guitar via various loops accompanied by his operatic voice and even using an old phone handset as a mic on one song. Solo for the most part he was joined by renowned musos Simon Stafford and Paul Blakeman for one track and closed to well deserved cheers from the audience.

The crowd increased in numbers throughout the gig to a near full house for Newcastle's rising stars Detriot Social Club who upped the tempo with a rousing set driven by creative and performance leader David Burn, a charismatic character with a great line in banter to accompany his excellent raw vocals. Management stablemates of the Arctic's, most of whom were present, their brand of bluesy indie creates an impressive wall of sound, highlight maybe their new single 'Rivers & Rainbows'. A performance that brought deafening cheers at its end.

Not many bands could follow that, but after headlining the unsigned stage at Leeds / Reading, Skeletons relished the challenge and delivered an electric ultra high energy set. The band's stage presence is something special but that shouldn't divert attention from their music, in Liam Creamer they have a frontman with an extraordinary vocal range, his falsetto on 'Oh Brother Oh Sister' is sensational. Despite being the focus of much hype they live up to their positive press and with 'Badd Captain' nearly bring the house down. A quality start to this three day festival, accessible to those struggling to afford the camping experience of Glasto.

Sean Bruce

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