With the world seemingly filling up with ever more news
reports of debts, crimes, wars and bickering there comes a point when you need
to just switch off the TV, put down the newspaper and make an escape to
somewhere more friendly. When that escape is needed, what better place can
there be than a gig in the company of Sonic Boom Six, The Lafontaines and Under
The Influence to cheer you up and show you that the world is actually a pretty cool
place to be?
This brings us to this evenings festivities
in the Tunnels, with a most welcome return to Aberdeen for the Manchester-bred
Sonic Boom Six headlining to brighten our evening. More of them later though, as first up
we have Under The Influence taking to the stage, for a set that takes the title from Glasgow as Under The Influence's ‘most Northerly gig yet’, and
glad we are to see them… Sadly, taking to the stage so early has its repercussions, with people only starting to filter in as the
band do their thing, which in my opinion is very much their own loss: they're missing a superb young band who have thrown their all into the show. Frontman Murph
restlessly prowls the stage and floor, mic in hand and doing his absolute
utmost to get everyone involved, and getting the crowd down the front and
moving to their blend of rap infused metal and punk. They blast through their set
at speed, which reminds everyone that they are here to have some fun and listen
to some cool music.
After a break from the music while the stage is reset for
the next band, we are all suddenly called back to attention as the voice of
‘that bloke who introduces shows on the telly’ (who Google reliably informs me is named Peter Dickinson) booms out over the PA to herald the coming of
our second act of the evening – The Lafontaines'. Taking cue from where Under
The Influence left off they spend no time getting everyone in the room
involved and pumping up the energy levels. The sort of show that doesn't fail to
leave you happy, even causing spontaneous and rather bizarre outbursts of dancing
in the crowd (it would of course just be cynical of me to suggest that alcohol may be
involved in any way). All of this is topped off superbly by a distinctly
Glaswegian twang to the rapped vocals. This gives a nice reprieve to the generic
American tones of many artists nowadays, and adds something of a local Scottish
flavour to The Lafontaines' unique style of rap/rock music.
Of course as much as the supports this evening can get
everyone involved in the show, there is always going to be the one band on the
top of the ticket that everyone has been wanting to see, and today that title
goes to Sonic Boom Six. Touring in support of last year's self titled album it is a welcome return to Aberdeen for the band (their first trip North in a few years), and an opportunity for many of us to hear the new album played live. With that in mind Sonic Boom Six launch
straight into the opener of Sonic Boom
Six with the track For The Kids Of
The Multiculture, upping the energy of the room even further and getting
everyone going. It's a timely reminder that there is more out there than the bad
stuff on the news, and they show us how to have a good time. From there Sonic Boom
Six stick mainly to the new album, with songs like Karma Is A Lady and Virus being
played fairly early by a band showing no hint of the fact they had to postpone
a gig a few days earlier due to illness. Despite sticking to the new album for
most of the set, we do get treated to a couple of older tracks to keep the old
fans happy, and as an excuse to get the melodicas out again, alongside a Streets
track as tribute to the sort of artists that got the band into music
themselves. A couple more tracks from the new album and a request
for good places to head off to afterwards, this evening's gig is a prime example
of how to have fun listening to cool music.
DL
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