The Joiners, Southampton
The Joiners is synonymous with staging gigs of future stars; Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, Don Bronco, Twin Atlantic and even Green Day have all played shows here early in their careers. South Wales Rockers Those Damn Crows are beginning to make some serious steps towards moving their band up into the premier league. Their 2nd album, “Point Of No Return” recently charted at number 14, they completed a sold-out tour of the UK and still to come is a future arena show with Thunder and an extensive German tour with Massive Wagons. Tonight’s show was originally planned for 10th February, however frontman Shane came down with an illness which prevented it from going ahead, thankfully it was hastily rearranged and it tucks nicely into the band’s schedule ahead of the Planet Rock Winter’s End headline show in Poole. Tickets have been sold out for tonight’s show well in advance and this small venue is packed to the rafters with excited fans looking forward to an intimate show.
The band have brought with them two hand-picked fellow Welsh support acts to kick the evening off in style. The first band are three-piece Tribeless, featuring Lydia McDonald on vocals, Latif Bryant on guitar/vocals and Max Rhead on drums. The trio create a unique sound using enhanced effects to create music that is bold and proud. Opening with “The Journey”, they show their ability to bring together melodic guitars, with infectious electronic rhythms, which with Lydia’s substantial vocals and the male harmonies make the audience take notice. The band are sadly limited in their ability to move around, as the amount of equipment on this small stage means space is at a premium. That said, they do their best with what space they have and tunes like the beautifully atmospheric “Angels” and the set closer “Glass Souls” earn them plenty of positive applause.
Next up are another Welsh trio called Florence Black; these guys use the original rudiments of rock music with very little modern enhancements to create a great no-nonsense sound. With copious amounts of hair flying all over the place these guys rock hard, whilst showing their skilful hand at providing us with some energetically charged entertainment. Frontman Tristan Thomas is a thoroughly accomplished guitarist and covers every inch of his six-string Gibson’s fretboard, adding some effective Wah Wah Pedal. The rhythm section cannot be faulted either with the shape-shifting Jordan Evans on bass and the powerful Perry Davies on drums complementing Tristan’s guitar work perfectly. With tunes like the infectious “Same Again” and a rip-roaring version of Budgie’s “Breadfan”, they leave the audience totally satisfied. Needless to say, they will be back in town at The 1865 in May for Nozfest Lite.
By the welcome that Those Damn Crows got as they take to the stage, you’d have been forgiven into thinking that they were local Hampshire lads, not from 150 miles away in Bridgend. Kicking off with recent radio play-listed single “Who Did It” the band show themselves to be on fine form and vocalist Shane’s voice is clearly back to 100%. This band does not only just make great music, but they are all great guys who are modest and clearly appreciate and enjoy the current status that their loyal fans bestow on them. They deliver track after track which feature an anthemic guitar sounds and infectious rhythms that show them to be amongst the leaders of the evolving New Wave of Classic Rock (NWOCR) scene. The lyrics are clearly important too and as they launch into a brilliant piano lead version of “Blink Of An Eye”, I spy a tattoo on a lady’s arm with the poignant lyrics inked – “You gotta hit the lows to feel the highs”. The band are clearly connecting with their audiences with the meaningful content of their songs.
You cannot fail to be carried along with their momentum, with the heart of the band being drummer Ronnie; with his ever-present smile he delivers in all areas with his rhythm partner, the very energetic Lloyd Wood on bass. Shane is full of banter, with every opportunity he gives a plug to the new album, reminding us what position it made in the charts with some poetic licence. With the use of his radio mic, he tries to break the barriers between the audience and the band by joining the audience on various occasions, delivering his vocals in the heart of the crowd. You cannot fault the two guitarists, Ian “Shiner” Thomas and David Winchurch who give the band their melodic sound with some really creative big riffs. You can see clearly that all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are in place for Those Damn Crows to really take off and become the band that they have always wished to be. Performances like this and the Winter’s End slot are really beginning to put this band on the map, making the future a really positive place for them.
Set Lists
Those Damn Crows
Who Did It
Long Time Dead
Behind These Walls
Fear of the Broken
Set In Stone
Be You
Someone Someday
Never win
Blink of an Eye
Kingdom of Dust
Send the Reaper
Sin on Skin
Go Get It
Don’t Give a Damn
Breakaway
Rock N Roll Ain’t Dead
Florence Black
Same Again
Ghost
The One
Down
The Ride
Breadfan (Budgie Cover)
Tribeless
The Journey
Angels
Lifetimes
Risen
Gravity
Glass Souls
Videos
Links
http://www.thosedamncrows.com
http://www.florenceblack.uk
http://thetribeless.com
Words, Pictures & Videos by David Chinery.
Additional Media by Joshua Chinery.
