REVIEW: Live music at the White Hart 21/1 (From Basingstoke Gazette)

REVIEW: Live music at the White Hart 21/1

2:09pm Tuesday 24th January 2012 in Music By Neil Duncan

SOME of the best shows I have ever been to have been birthday-party-gigs and this one, for Kristy's 21st was no exception.

There was an interesting mixed genre line-up and a large crowd in party spirit. Opening up the night was Harrison who can normally be found playing bass in Farnborough-based old school punk band The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Tonight however, it was acoustic with songs of drink and love and loss and more drink, which went down very well indeed.

He was followed by another acoustic act, Jenny, who plays under the name of Misery Squid on account of her songs being somewhat melancholy and maudlin. Be that as it may, it does not detract from the fact that she has a great singing voice, well supported by her guitar playing and with a nice bit of good natured banter with a rowdy crowd. This was the first time I had seen her play, but I would be very happy to see her opening up at more shows in the coming months.

The first full band were the amazing Sithouse now a three-piece as their second guitarist is off in America for six months. Any worries I might have had about a reduction in the power of the band were very quickly dispelled. They kicked off louder, faster, heavier than ever and delivered what you would call an uncompromising set. The songs were super-fast, super-quick and blasted at the crowd like an audio machine gun. It was an exhilarating experience and I mentally moved them up the list of bands to watch as often as possible in the coming year.

There was a slight change of pace and genre with Karrion up next - old school metal and one of the favourites of the birthday girl. It was getting a little late in the evening and the chaps with, in good spirits shall we say, so we were treated to a performance high on enthusiasm and fun, if not the most technical delivery ever managed. But that's what you want from a party, a good time, singing along to your favourite songs and headbanging if you have the hair to make it look cool.

By rights the evening should have ended there, but up and coming local legends Eagleburner were invited to top off the evening having just played a show elsewhere. They set up their kit in double quick time and within minutes, their blues fuelled hard-rock hard-core was wowing an audience which didn't believe it had any wow left in it. They did a sterling job, given the incredibly short notice and were clearly delighted with the tremendous response they got from the large crowd before them.

Kudos to all the bands of course, the promoter Alex, the management and staff of the White Hart and of course Kristy for inviting me along - I can't wait for her 22nd!

Neil Duncan, ISSUEPUNKZINE