Worcester Music Forum

(15/08/08)

Only time this week for a swift break from the festival orgy we've all enjoyed over the last few weeks before the Big One next weekend - so literally down to the Cellar Bar in Worcester for the grand launch party of local clatterpopping superheroes And What Will Be Left Of Them?'s latest album - called 'Hi-Fi Low Life' - which is pretty much what you'd expect from this bunch of loveable eccentrics. Home to the 11-47 acoustic club nights the Cellar bills itself as the 'biggest clique in town' - so apart from Lucy, Pete, Matt and Chris from AWWBLOT good to see Siani and Stu of The Donns, James 'Mr 11-47' Perry, Paul, Will and John of Skankbox and also Mike and Beti of Hereford supergroup We Do Kung Fu - schmoooze!!

There was a mouthwatering selection of two-counties talent on show at The Firefly the next night - but while he's got a fine range of strange tunings and some classy Giltrap right-hand work I'm afraid acoustic opening act Tim Parkes from Stourbridge wasn't one of them. Trouble was that he started late and his set ran on far too long for the acts to come - I think you know where we're going here

Namechecks for Matt of BSN[4:20], James and Alan (ex-Plot Against Paris), James Perry (again) and Joe of Expedestrian - their album launch at the end of the month.

I'd billed this as my 'Gig of the Year' and Bromyard blues-rockers Smokestack lived up to expectations with Ebony, Scarlett and the other two guys laying down their mighty foot-tapping riffs. Sadly I can't see this outfit remaining local for much longer as it won't be long before some shrewd A+R man spots a marketing dream come true and starts thinking about his retirement home in the Seychelles - fair warning!

No such subtleties for the sparkling AWWBLOT spin-off that are Girls On Film - who've taken howling feedback to their bosoms, given it a gentle burp and unleashed their dysfunctional offspring into the world - with only a diaper of Poguesish respectability to preserve their modesty.

'A hard act to follow' said Cape Of Good Hope's Willis - not wrong mate

- as the dreaded Herdsman Syndrome had kicked in by the time Dandelion Killers belatedly took the stage (everyone had gone off to the clubs). Credit to the Ross threesome for teethgrinding their breezy set out to a near-empty Firefly - but I'm reliably assured it won't happen again!

Down to Drummonds the next day for the Worcester Music Festival launch party with Jamie Knight, Blue Radio and Flo Rowland providing the sounds and Alan Avery (36 Stone and Fallen Angel), Jim Cook (Dudes Of Neptune) and Nicky Patrick (The Brethren and Fuse) the smalltalk. But let's give it up for Chris (Not Just Sauce) Bennion, Lisa Ventura and Tony Gibbon who've got together over a hundred bands playing in 22 venues over the weekend. It all kicks off loud and live here in Session at the Marrs Bar next Friday - I think I've got my work cut out folks!