Mistys Big Adventure / Dead Like Harry / Watch This Fire Spread

@ Sheffield Boardwalk

After the openers pulled out, the event started a bit later than expected but the fast growing crowd were treated to a great evening's entertainment eventually opened by Watch This Fire Spread. A seven piece with three great singers, big voiced Justin, soprano Gina and the delicate vocals of Louis who alternate lead and harmonies backed by impressive musicians lead by keys player Mark. Playing many tracks from their recently released album 'Picture House Soul' including my personal favourite, the chaotic yet emotive Waitesque 'Misery And Wine' their set got the night off to a great start.

Next up, to the crowds delight are Dead Like Harry, celebrating the bands 10th birthday and their new single entitled 'Fight'. Great harmonies are again the order of the day with Alice's vocals complementing Sam's almost perfectly, like on 'When We Were Seventeen' and at times they use four vocalists harmonising, Some of their catchy pop sound has quite heavy country influences like 'Walk In Through The Morning' and the audience love every second. Despite sounds problems towards the end of their set they rightly getting a near deafening ovation.

Cue the unique Brummies Misty's Big Adventure led by Grandmaster Gareth , reminiscent of Kings Have Long Arms, and featuring the amazing Erotic Volvo, dancer extraordinaire with full red body sock with dozens of stuffed blue gloves attached ! As you can imagine it's a very visual show with Gareth's deadpan humorous vocal delivery covering subjects like 'The story of love has a beginning, middle and an end'. They have a very effective brass section providing a wonderful backing beat and by the end of the set at least 50 fans at the front are dancing, mimicking the manic Erotic Volvo. A night to remember for many reasons!

Sean Bruce

Random Hand / Mike TV / Toon Union / The Rutherfords

@ Derby Vic Inn

There can be various peaks and troughs when witnessing what is essentially a punk gig, and a relatively low key one at that. Despite lacking a certain spark and lustre, local brotherly trio The Rutherfords show that punk rock comes in a handful of its many forms tonight at the Vic – that is until the next act, possibly booked under some sort of typo appear in the form of a funk band, named Toon Union. While the moniker doesn't exactly pull reels to catches, the simple punchy grooves and dynamics of these local ducks certainly suggest otherwise, and also appear to get the resident Bez of the evening bouncing around gracefully with a tambourine. That said however, before the climax of their intro break-in, it all grounds to a halt, thanks to a snare lapse. Some unintentional carrot dangling there from the Toons, in fact, exactly the same time in the set as last time I saw them, so is this dangling of theirs deliberate? No they say afterwards, in good jest.

And then along come Mike TV (here we go). Firstly, the lead guitarist stands under his pseudo "Cruella Deville" barnet, next to the frontman who looks like the American Dennis The Menace 20 years down the line yet still vastly pre-pubescent, while the bassist sports a Devo T-shirt. Accompanied by the land's most irritating facial expressions, there is literally only so much I can take visually let alone the music itself. That of which is played well and an acquired taste, but in the division that it could only be sucked up by those with the most immature tastebuds in the galaxy - lets say, punk rock's equivalent of Steps fans. Formerly called Pickled Dick, they are the support act for the tour and the banter tonight between them and "the headlining band" seems jokey yet tense. This could well be due to the complete poles-apart clash of backgrounds, regionally and class-wise. Or it could just be the music.

Random Hand, on the other hand, are a manic wrecking ball of force and vigour, and do by no means hesitate in stirring up the moshpit like a bubbling casserole of life. The skills of lead vocalist and trombone maverick Robin Leitch work wonders towards their ska / metal sound and performance, along with the "working class Yorkshire lad" persona making them ridiculously more likeable, especially when they demand Mike TV to make their brew in between songs. Classic. Tonight they simply prevail, with fists in the air. However, when I talk to the 'Hand after the gig, they tell us how the "lost-up-own-arse" Leeds scene has allegedly dented their praise in Sandman. Well if coming to Derby is what it takes, then here is that very praise – right here in black and white.

Allan Judkins

Oasis

@ Sheffield Arena

As Sheffield awaits Oasis cock in hand I find myself a safe spot just back from the front. Ahead of me it's thick with lager swilling little Liam's and already pint pots of piss are being launched every which way. It's like a steamy firework display as the golden shower drenches everyone beneath the stage light.

In the middle of it all some scally's up on his mate's shoulders. He becomes a target for every bursting bladder in the venue. And he loves it. Mouth open wide he's stretching to catch every last drop of this second-hand amber nectar and in no time at all he's soaked – we're literally pissing ourselves with laughter. Funny as.

Minutes later Oasis swagger on to be met with a great volley of adulation. There's an army of 12,000 heads in this hall who still regard this outfit as the best in the world. If you think otherwise, you can tell it to the pigeons or take it outside. The response is reverential.

And you know what? As the Gallaghers serve up a set laced with Slide Away, Supersonic, Cigarettes and Alcohol, The Masterplan, Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova and much, much more it's undeniable. These songs have defined a generation.

Of course, there's a smatter from this year's fastest seller Dig Out Your Soul. The Shock of The Lightning is an instant hit and Liam's I'm Outta Time is lapped up as well. It's all good to see. As is the sight of Liam strutting the stage. You can't help but wonder what he's thinking as he poses statuesque, glaring out across us all, feeding his rush as all his people belt every lyric back his way.

After 14 years and seven albums it's still brilliant to see Oasis in all their pomp. That wall of sound, the bravado and the adoration is every bit as powerful as ever. And, as we leave the arena to I Am The Walrus, even a piss bomb in the back can't dampen what a great gig we've just seen.

James Saunders
Pics by George Coppock

Millencolin / Templeton Pek / The Strawberry Blondes

@ Nottingham Rock City

After spending the summer playing to huge festivals all across Europe, Sweden's Millencolin arrive in Nottingham to play to the cramped and half empty Basement at Rock City.

Support came in the form of Alternative rockers, Templeton Pek from Birmingham and The Strawberry Blondes also from home turf, bringing a nugget of the old school punk scene back.

Nottingham, for Millencolin, comes about half way down the list of an almost year long world tour. Their energy levels have obviously not been affected in the first half of the year as lead singer Nikola jumps around the stage, the crowd needing no encouragement to copy him. Their set is relentless as song after song is delivered. Each song uplifting and fast with the exception of "The Ballad", the only slow song in their set. The night spanned their career and was injected with audience favourites "No Cigar" and "Detox", the latter taken from their latest album "Monster 13" which was released in Europe in April of this year. Their sound could be called immature by some with some riffs being reminiscent of bands such as Weezer and some American Pop Punk bands, but they pull it off with a strictly grown up air that adds credibility to their style. Millencolin are one of the more listener friendly modern punk bands to come out of Sweden. Fellow Swedes such as Raised Fist often tend towards a more violent and hardcore approach, whereas Millencolin would not be out of place on a radio station. Although famous across the rest of Europe, Millencolin seem to still be something of an underground band here in the UK with a small hardcore fan-base, but given the airplay and magazine coverage, their modern sound will surely attract them a larger gathering.

Abi Lambton

The Deirdres / Plans And Apologies / My Psychoanalyst / Ben Walker

@ Derby Vines Bar

A queue? For a Vines Gig? Hats off I must say, but because of the chances turned reality of this, my hat must now be eaten. The Derby venue is rammed tonight (geddit?), thanks to the cheap drinks and the hearty line up of purely local acts - half of which are sadly parting ways. A strangely touching mixture of deadpan, twee, and angsty styles from this gent conjures up mixed reactions from the still-multiplying crowd with guitar and piano-led tales of sorrow and instability, yet with title choices like 'You Be Woody, and I'll Be Buzz'. Somebody give him a hug, quickly.

"Hello everybody, we're The Deirdres" (cue the MIDI keyboard demo and an array of cheesy dances) greets James Machin… of My Psychoanalyst. The twist being that this evening, contributing to the festivities of The Deirdres' final salutation, the band come dressed as the headliners, clad in granddad jumpers, ponchos and rudimentary breasts that gradually fall askew as the set ploughs ahead. Swelled up in lusty layers of guitar and histronic ambience, it's not exactly music to get the toes a-tappin', though neither to steer one's mind into post-rock cloud nine. It's actually all good clean singalong fun, but that of a spatial ambient nature; and this is totally backed up by their epic, chant-heavy finisher, 'Covered In Hair'.

It's the penultimate show from Plans & Apologies and the crowd are literally crying for their restoration already. Heckles like "Don't split up! We'll give you a tenner!" are appreciated by the band, that tonight are effortless in jerking a smile from well minded folk in the audience, and also the startled reviewer at the front who is both enlightened by their quirky angular approach on simple songwriting, and also relatively gutted that he only gets to see them this once.

The Deirdres, who have lately overlooked their live hometown appearances of late, in exchange for better performing grounds such as Scandinavia and, er, Butterley Railway Station, could not be more in their comfort zone tonight. This is partly because of the fact that more or less half of the band work here at Vines, but for a last show it would be nothing more than ill-mannered to please the local Derby massive. The supporters have come in heaps and bundles tonight in the form of friends, family and bands they've played with on their wacky expeditions afar and nearby. Some of which form to generate what could be classed as a moshpit, particularly during personal favourite 'Sir Michael Of Aspel', making such pit look as menacing as drummer Fairy's makeshift hedgehog outfit tonight. After experiencing such a display of melodicas, trumpets, smiles and downright silliness, plus an almost panto-esque grand finale, it's sad to have to admit that by the time you may have read this article, this fair city is now a few key players short.

Allan Judkins

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