ninehertz

See, what is it with gigs on a Sunday? It's just not cricket, you have to lounge around all day, then just as you are settled its time to wrap your self up in a hundred layers, wander down to the venue, realise that doors are never on time, pop into a pub (where you get back in to the 'settled' mode) then its all over again to the venue through the cold. Thankfully with tonight's line-up, it's all worth it.

It's been a while since I have been to the Rock City in Nottingham, probably too long as I couldn't find the toilets for ages...having the smaller of the two downstairs rooms was a good idea as these guys, as good as they are, are never going to bring a huge crowd but the room is comfy by the time Gonga arrive on stage. Now the last time I saw these I was stupidly drunk and they were supporting Mondo Generator (I cant remember the other support) but they did seem to be more 'stoner' - kinda like an indy Kyuss but they were good which ever way so I was stoked to see them again. This time, however, I think thy may have been playing a slower doomier set to fit in on the tour. Still good, just I think I would have preferred what I remember. Anyway, a few good songs and some blatant Sabbath riffs later and all is done. These guys are doing well and with their luck at hooking up with cool bands to tour with they should be going far and soon.

Next up... Ramesses. Now I have no idea who I thought these guys were but I was wildly wrong. I was convinced they were going to be ultra doom and that they had 2 guitarists, wrong on both accounts. Ramesses (for those of you who do not know) are the former drummer and bassist (now playing guitar) of Electric Wizard. Now, as I've already said, I was expecting just a slow dirge and songs about maybe Vikings and possibly some elves and witches, but no, this was doom but very much like Electric Wizard, in fact to me they sounded more like the Wizard than the Wizard now do, so I suppose that you can guess where a lot of the sound came from, despite word of them being slackers. But I digress, three guys, lots of noise, some awesome riffs, some pointy bass strings and every single drum fill known to man. These guys rock and I'm gonna be hunting down some of their stuff as soon as I can...but maybe not from their merch stall, £15 for a t-shirt (a good one admittedly) but I think not, stock them high sell them cheap my friends. Sorry I can't write much more about these but I was mesmerised by the drummer (occupational hazard), but make sure you see these guys. You wont be disappointed.

And lastly to 5ive, I've seen these a couple of times now and always been impressed, the amount of noise 2 guys can make is phenomenal. If you haven't heard of 5ive before shame on you, but they are a 2 piece of guitar and drums, no bass no vocals. Their first album was kinda trippy, kinda Kyuss meets Isis, big fat riffs that smash your face off and don't stop till you're just left a pile of bones and a mush of skin, the second and subsequent EPs have been a little more 'arty' but shear brilliance all the same. When I say they are just guitar and drums, what I mean is they are guitar and a whole host of secretive noise making guitar porn and drums. There is so much going on behind the monitors it's surprising the building hasn't been fused. Playing a little quicker than normal (late running, early close probably had something to do with it) they just rock from the start, straight at you and no stopping. However tonight they try they really do but it's the first night of the tour, they are both tired from the flight and there are serious equipment problems that keep bringing the guitar to a sudden halt, all in all this brings what could easily be fantastic later into the tour into a luke warm show. It's not that they were bad, they just weren't as good as they should have been. I'm glad I saw them again, but I think I would have rather seen them on a different night.

And then its back into the street with not a pectoral muscle or a queen rip off / collaboration for miles around.