Stalebreak
 Young whipper-snappers Stalebreak opened up the evening with a promising performance that, despite a handful of cracking tunes and several moments of high quality riffage, never really seemed to get out of fourth gear.
These dudes have got a lot of rock to give to this world, but don’t seem to be in any hurry to do it. Chris, guitar and vocals, performs the time honoured musician’s wince when I ask him to define his music, but eventually explains that they’re “kind of soft rock”, crossed with the Foos and possibly a bit of QOTSA.
Where their music does venture into the softer territory it’s as puddingy as the flabby underbelly of a rutting hippo. However, it’s always important to remember that hippos kill more people every year than David Hasselhoff on a smack binge, and this band’s saving grace is that, at the other side of their spectrum, they can be just as dangerous as the toothy end of the aforementioned tusky beast.
An impressive skin beating performance threatened, at times, to boil over into a mild heart attack for drummer Charlie, panting, ‘I’m f*cked!’ between songs. Chris P entertained throughout; throwing some impressive bassist shapes, while guitarist/vocalist Chris pulled out a few jumping riffs, maintaining a tight vocal performance all the way. Check these guys out at the Cox’s Yard in Stratford upon Avon on 20 June.
Forgotten Sleep 
This feisty trio are lacking nothing apart from a bit of good luck to take them into the big time. Embarrassingly, my repressed male chauvinist side always recoils at the thought of women playing in rock bands but, on this occasion, was definitely shown up for the massive twat he is.
Bassist Hannah brings a feminine poise to the band’s hard driving and at times understated musical offerings, and lacks nothing when it comes to rock-star quality. She tells me about how she once had to sort out a troublesome stage invasion by twatting some guy off the stage with her bass. She is not a lady to be trifled with.
Her brother, guitarist and singer Matt, ranges in countenance between a floppy haired, meaty riff monster and haunting melodic crooner, while their massive drummer Gaz commands the rhythm section with all the aggression of Attila the Hun on a rape and pillage frenzy.
There are so many influences clamouring to get out of this band; Gaz admits to me that it’s so difficult for them to categorise themselves that they simply refer to their music as “alternative”.
These guys are definitely one to look out for. They are, all at once, brooding, dark, brutal and graceful. Their current single, a fast, punky little number called ‘The Hard Sell’, has a funkiness and momentum that contrasts with some of the moodier yet no less stonking tracks in their set. ‘Say Something’, for instance, pumps along in places with a power that makes it impossible not to nod your head. You can see these little beauties on 28 May at the Coleford Music festival.
Zico Chain
 After being told to ‘f*ck off’, by this band for being associated with the media, I realised that it was unlikely that I would get to interview them, and had to remind myself that it’s all about the music and nothing to do with personality.
I would love to say that Zico Chain were buggered on both points, but have to admit, they’ve got some solid riffs, a relatively commanding stage presence, great eye make-up and jeans tight enough to make you wonder where they’re keeping their wedding tackle.
Their single, ‘Where Would You Rather Be’, has all the hallmarks of a really decent band. Their songs are fast and hard but, for an outfit that has gigged with the likes of Wolfmother and Disturbed, I was expecting more from a live show.
Something that did surprise me was the difference in sound quality between these and the first two bands. It was a profound and eyebrow-raising improvement, but even that couldn’t make up for the fact that these shaggy haired rapscallions are bringing nothing new to the party.
 Put it this way, if I wandered in off the street and saw them in a pub, I’d be pretty chuffed. They were well rehearsed, looked the part and were in-your-face enough to get the nubile young ladies jumping around nicely, but is that enough when you’re gunning for the top level?
Headlining a night at Bristol Academy on the last night of their tour, on the back of quality radio airplay and a succession of high profile gigs, they left me feeling like I’d seen nothing special. Maybe they’ll pull it out of the bag at Download Festival on 8 June, who knows.
Review: Matt Henkes
Images © Dave Cable and Bristolbands.com |
