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Ellowes Band Night 4
Were you there? If not you missed a real treat last night when, to a packed audience, Ellowes Hall School presented
their fourth Band Night at Baggeridge Miners Welfare Club on the Straits.
Wild Thing - Click to enlarge
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Arriving just before 8pm (apologies to Eve and Ellowmental if they were on before this),
the first act I caught was Wild Thing. They are Year 8 pupils (12-13 years old I guess), with the
exception of Craig, guitarist from Krooked AZ, who stood in on bass at short notice and towered
Gulliver-like over his colleagues.
Wild Thing are apparently considering a name change, which will mess up their set a bit because they started with an
instrumental version of the Troggs' classic. They moved on to an enthusiastic rendering of Don't Look Back in
Anger by Oasis and finished with a well-chosen Red Hot Chilli Peppers' cover, Zephyr Song. Well done Wild Thing!
Anarkis - Click to enlarge
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Anarkis are diminuitive pogo-ing sk8er boys with traffic-light hair. It was their first public appearance, but
they performed with confidence to an appreciative audience who encouraged them all
the way. To the slight consternation of the compere they embarked on an unexpurgated version of
The Bloodhound Gang's tribute to porn star Chasey Lain. However, compared to some of the Philadelphia rockers' other
song titles we got off lightly!
Fallen Enemy - Click to enlarge
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Next up were Fallen Enemy, who have previous gig experience and took great care to get their
PA levels right before starting. Don't get too precious lads, it's only rock and roll! Singer Mike is an ideal
front man and I thought the band worked best when he wasn't behind a guitar or sitting down.
As someone who was getting Paul Weller's autograph on my parka when the Ellowes band's own parents were still at school,
it was marvellous to hear their cover of That's Entertainment. There are plenty of Jam songs that would suit Fallen Enemy's
rich and perfectly tuned guitar sound even better; have a crack at 'When You're Young' next time lads - I'll provide
chords, lyrics, and give you a tenner to do it!
Krooked Az Vocals - Click to enlarge
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What can I say about
Krooked AZ
without sounding like they've paid me to say it? Imagine The Commitments
having a go at One Step Beyond by Madness, but with the B-52's girls on vocals (OK so there aren't any vocals on
that track but you know what I mean), and you're getting somewhere near their
unique ska/rock blend. The engine room of the group is solid and exciting, reflecting perhaps the influence of Ellowes Hall
School music co-ordinator Pete Wingate. Layered on top of that, the brass section sounds
superb, especially as the band have avoided the temptation to over-use the resource, so that their contributions
carry a thrilling punch through the wall of sound. The girls on vocals put everything into their performance, with some
well worked dance moves adding to their singing talent. At the risk of offending Jenny,
who complains on their website that they are singers not models, they also look great.
Krooked Az Brass - Click to enlarge
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Krooked Az play a mixture of covers and original material co-written by the Wingates, of which Just One Day stands out, with
its memorable hook and Suede-tinged lyrics. They finished off with Wilson Pickett's Midnight Hour (The Jam did that one too
you know!), but they must add B-52's Love Shack to their set - I can just imagine the girls harmonising
on the "bang bang bang on the door baby" bit!
I thoroughly enjoyed the next act
Tinnitus
, even though they made my own tinnitus hum well into the following day.
They play post-punk punk; think Green Day and Blink 182 and you're in the right ball-park. Singer Matt is a natural,
and worked hard to get as many sweaty bodies as possible into the mosh pit. They finished with their rousing rendition of
Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit - great! (oh Matt, that second line of the chorus is 'I feel stupid and contagious'!).
I would love to hear Tinnitus play some proper punk - Safe European Home by The Clash would be perfect.
Last group on were special guests Grounder, a semi-pro act. I'm not sure what their relationship to the School
may be (ex-students? young teachers?) but they began by joking that they would get the detention book out if there was
any bad language, to which they got a well deserved "F*ck off!" in reply.
Grounder are tight and professional, and the singer has a strong and distinctive voice - like Robbie Williams
according to my wife, and she should know! However,
the night wasn't really all about polished and 'worthy' bands, and I felt that Grounder suffered from having to follow the
youthful exuberance that preceded them.
A quick 'big up' (is that what the kids say these days?) for DJ Timo and MC Mistro who kept up a barrage of
rappin' and scratchin' between acts. Plus, I can't praise the Ellowes contingent too highly; there were hundreds of 'em,
making up the bulk of the audience, and they were a credit to the school, friendly and totally supportive of their
fellow pupils on stage.
Many congratulations to everyone involved.
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