Worcester Music Forum

review by Will Munn @ www.rhythm-and-booze.co.uk

For as long as I can remember the streets of Worcester has been alive with the sounds of music, since my first formative steps as a teen into the various bars and venues of my home town up until right now there have countless local bands and acts that have left a lasting impression upon my fragile mind.

We have always lucky here, we've had been treated to a wonderful musical stew featuring every flavour and ingredient from rock to metal via the blues, country, folk, classical, experimental, avant garde and so and so on. Over the past fifteen years ir more I, personally have listened to numerous groups and solo performers plying their various trades and if someone was to ask me how would I describe the local music scene I'd reply "varied and ever evolving". 

Actually I'd try to build them a time travelling device and take them back to a month or so ago when our fine city hosted the first Worcester Music Festival, a wonderful event that took place over three days and a plethora of music venues, pubs, clubs and cafes. The event highlighted the broad vision of the cities many musicians, we were served up an incredible feast of sounds and styles over the long weekend, catering for music lovers everywhere. Now I only managed to make it to just a handful of performances but the various reports and eye witness accounts hailed the festival as a huge success.

Ok then perhaps building such a contraption may prove to be somewhat problematic so perhaps instead I would point the inquisitors towards the festival's accompanying double CD.

This compilation goes someway to showcasing the local music scene, the selection is firstly broken down into two seperate CDs, one titled "Loud" and the other "Quiet" or perhaps you'd prefer "electric" and "unplugged". 

Over the course of the two CDs we're treated to a number of stunning tracks and impressive bands, on the "Loud" CD we're kicked off in great style by the Alternative Country Rock boogie of Neil Ivision & The Misers. From here we're taken off on a journey of discovering stopping to take in the stunning red hot blues of Smokestack, the psych rockers The Dudes Of Neptune, the political hip-hop/rock frenzy of Calm Like A Riot, the punk filled fun of The Donns and the unrelenting power and thrust of Metal band Tenth Aggression to name but a few.

Over to the calmer, quieter CD and we're treated to a wonderous mix of folk, acoustic hip-hop, stripped down blues and even a touch of acapella. This half of the compilation begins with the lovely folk lament of As Long As You Win by Lou Richardson and continues with the likes of the feisty Flo Rowland, the singer-songwriter/hip-hop collective Blue Radio, the gorgeous vocal harmonies of Foxtail Soup (who deliver a jaw-dropping version of Marillion's Lavender) and the majestic poetry of local songsmith Jamie Knight among others.

If you want to know what Worcester has to offer the world of music, then you could either try and attend every gig in the city or pick up a copy of this diverse, eclectic musical mash-up.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.worcestermusicfestival.co.uk

www.notjustsauce.co.uk