Blood Red Shoes

@ Manchester Academy

The Academy is full tonight and the sweat is pouring, each bead for Blood Red Shoes, the band from Brighton who might just make the big time with their gritty punk / blues sound are in town. Their boy / girl combo outfit has led many lazy journalists to compare them to the likes of the Tings Tings and the original duo piece, The White Stripes, but I'm not a lazy journalist and I think they are something completely different and unique, and tonight they prove just that.

The night begins as lead singer; Laura takes to the stage in a black and white striped dress looking like an extra from Beetle juice but pretty and with better hair, closely followed by drummer Steven who looks fresh faced and ready to roll. Their punky gritty rock soon has the room bubbling and the beads of sweat begin to pour from the band as they push and push to omit pure energy and passion into the audience. It works.

'This is not you' is the stand out song of the gig, Laura's melodic vocals placed neatly over Stevens crashing drums creates an element of chaos in the room and highlights the raw talents of the two mates from Brighton. You bring me down begins with punky, irregular strums, complementing Laura's 60's be bop melodies. Heads nod and jolt to the clicky beat of Stevens drums. The chorus exemplifies their ability to write strong pop/punk songs that still manage to keep their 'Blood Red Shoes' edge with their thrashing guitar and heavy drums sound. As the band end their set, by now covered in rememnents of students sweat and adrenaline it is clear that the two of them love every minute of living their rock and roll dream. And after tonight's efforts, it would be a travesty if this didn't become a reality.

Ella Byford

Nimmo Brothers / DO$CH/ Will Tang

@ Sheffield Boardwalk

A formidable night of blues / rock awaited the fast growing crowd tonight, but as an unexpected appetiser we get the bluesy / folk of Will Tang. A short set of good vocals, acoustic guitar and a mean harp unfortunately struggle to grab the crowds attention as they wait restlessly for the first of the advertised bands in the form of local rock band DO$CH. The roar from their followers lifts the atmosphere and the zany front mans undertaker hat, complete with ribbon, catches the eye before they let rip with new track ' Standing In The Cold Again'. Reminiscent of the Alex Harvey Band their bluesy lead guitar is top quality and despite some sound problems they deliver an impressive set of mainly original material lapped up by their supporters.

As good as DO$CH are though, we are taken onto another level when the Nimmo Brothers grace the stage. With support from a great rhythm section, Glaswegian siblings Alan and Steve Nimmo duel with lead guitars and vocals to produce a truly amazing set of blues. They both tour with good solo projects and Alan is also a much in demand blues / rock drummer, but when they come together its something really special. Great showmanship from dual front men and in particular Steve's blues vocals will take some bettering, one Pete Green inspired track gave me goosebumps and got the ovation of the evening. They write their own material and cracking it is too, 'Bad Luck' is a rousing number and 'Long Way From Everything ' has the crowd screaming their delight. Without a doubt they are quite simply the best British blues band I've seen live, and by the sound created after the encore at the close the audience agree too, nuff said.

Sean Bruce

Dartz! / Wintermute / itch

@ Leeds Cockpit

Leeds locals Itch open the bill tonight, with vocals boisterous and witty, and guitar arrangements jerking and Biffy-esque. Their rhythmic undertakings are imaginative and engaging, if occasionally seeming clunky and forced. Milner's expression is sincere and intense from under his helmet, and his verses and hooks play without crudeness over twangy and irregular phrases. A band to keep an eye out for.

Next up, Wintermute present us their familiar slick yet jagged indie rock, super tight in both execution and flailing. The band didn't fail to deliver the highly energised performance we've come to expect from these prolific giggers, and the dual guitar parts interlaced in ways early Bloc Party would have struggled to keep up with. This band are very good at what they do, and through their evident commitment, are going to get bigger. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you.

Dance-rock three-piece (oh, plus new guitarist) Dartz! are tonight's headliners, accessibly punchy and sociably charming. They kick out the (admittedly unchallenging) sound that has earned them shows with Get Cape, Wear Cape and Hot Club de Paris. There was, however, some rather awkward plugging of the new album which was only partly redeemed by their sense of humour, and unfortunately the new material itself is fairly dwarfed by their earlier songs. Although they struggled to bring anything to the table that the supports hadn't already (despite superior commercial success) this was a passable set from a fun band.

Michael Waters

Andy Mckee / Don Ross

@ Sheffield Boardwalk

With Jon Gomm flying the flag for ace guitar finger-picking around the place of Yorkshire, tonight's acts show that around the world others are just as good. Andy Mckee is a lad brought up on Pantera and Metallica, and Don Ross is one of the guys who inspired the young lad to take up a more acoustic side to the guitar. For anyone who has seen Mr Gomm will know what I mean, others, just believe me that sounds can be made with a guitar as well as plucking the strings. Tap the sides, play with your hands over the top of the fret board, turn the tuning keys, all during the same song and you have a layered effect that sounds like there are three people playing. Yes, Newton Faulkner does it but to be honest I think he is crap. The odd tap on the guitar body is no where near as absorbing as what these guys can do.

Take Mckee's cover of Toto's 'Africa'; mind-blowing, as is his own tunes 'Drifting' and the emotional 'For My Father'. Don Ross, as the comedian of the duo, has great skills and uses effects to echo the sounds of tracks like 'Michael, Michael, Michael' and the hip hop style of 'Afraid To Dance'. The atmosphere is certainly relaxed, with the pair having a genuine laugh. The duets they play sound ok, but I really like to hear the guys on their own, as the pure talent of each is hidden by their duelling guitars on tracks like 'With You In Mind' and 'Dolphins' by Mike Marshall. Ross even throws in a bit if singing with 'Any Colour But Blue'. Amazing talent that should be seen by everyone on the planet, but is only just coming to light thanks to the power of You Tube and other video sites. It is definitely a style that needs to be seen as well as heard.

words & pics by Danielle Millea

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