Ash Concert at the Carlin Academy on the 24th of October 2007

The Irish band Ash stopped at the Carlin Academy in Newcastle for their “Twilight of the Innocents” tour on the 24th of October 2007. This is probably their last tour to promote an album, seen that the band had announced earlier this year that their next releases will only be singles available for internet downloads.
Being good looking (well, depending on what you consider good looking) does not give you an excuse to make more noise than necessary. The Dodgems, the first of the two opening bands, hid their lyrics underneath loud music. There was definitely some sort of coordination problem between the instruments and the vocal cords of the singer. Ironically it was the strings of his own guitar that drowned his words the heaviest. But they the energy to be on stage, they made fun remarks in between sets and had a lot of stage potential.
Then it was the turn of the Belgians to show what they have got, the Dead 60s were next. Like their music suggests and their name doesn’t they had a lot of energy on stage. They were going a bit crazy at times, the singer kept making weird faces, but he could not beat what the guys of Art Brut have to offer in that category. One thing they seem to love is standing on the edge of the stage, holding the guitar or bass up into the air while playing it, the first couple of times it’s fun but after the 10th time you have seen the ‘trick’ enough times. And one other thing, instruments should not be mistreated, well that’s what the singer did to his guitar, he did not scratch it against an amp or walk on it, he used an half shredded drumstick on his guitar.
“You Can’t Have It All”, the first single of Ash’s newest album kicked off their set. Everyone in the crowed loved it, they all showed their affection by trying to kill the people up front, it seems to be a norm for rock concerts. Tim Wheeler the singer and lead guitarist (now that Charlotte who was a member of Ash from 1997 to 2006 isn’t there anymore he is the only guitarist) kept on changing his guitars. He had some impressive looking ones like the silver glittering one, or his golden guitar, well if it is real gold is questionable. He was linked to his amp not by a cable like it is normal but by some sort of wireless connection. This probably made the switches a lot easier between the instruments.
It being the tour for their newest album, four leafless black trees in different sizes were on stage, it gave the whole concert a different ambience, an ambience created by nature. They were loved by the crowed, and well love hurts, and it hurt me their last song “Burn Baby Burn” which ended for a mighty nosebleed for me. Besides the nosebleed it was a really great show, Ash is a band definitely worth checking out live.

Review by Solveig Werner

BC Camplight at the Cluny, Halloween 2007

To promote the second single “Suffer For Two”, of their second album “Blink of a Nihilist” in the UK the Philadelphia Band BC Camplight stopped in Newcastle for the first show of this short tour. It was a Halloween gig at the Cluny with doors opening at 8pm, most concert-goers decided to show up a lot later than that time.
When he first opening band called Your Casket Or Mine stepped on stage it must have been a bit strange in the beginning seen that the only few people that weren’t members of the other bands were present at the. For this two-man band it was only their third gig. They did have something, a different fresh energy when playing their songs. But having a lot of energy is not the only thing that is important, they seemed to forget that not every song is supposed to sound like the other, the songs after about the third one started sounding similar and it was hard to tell them apart. It gave the impression of wanting to make a much noise as possible with just a guitar and a bass.
“Come hear the music play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret!” When you see and hear the Wooden Spoons you might be tempted to think yourself in a cabaret, and no there were no topless girls in the background. The hats two of them wear give it the cabaret look, and the music they play gives the whole thing the cabaret sound. Something interesting would be a collaboration with the Dresden Dolls would be so much fun. They definitely have potential. Even if the music is loud and powerful you can still hear the singing without any problem. The cabaret tune in their music gives it that little something that makes you feel like you can’t have enough of it.
Halloween, that’s what the theme of the show, was for one band, BC Camplight. They did indicate on their blog that you should dress up, well in the public we were two people in costumes, on stage that was a different story. All the 5 members of the band were wearing a costume. The funniest thing was how the bass player Dave was standing in the middle of them all in a superman costume. But having the cookie monster on stage as well as Brian in long wavy blond hair and a dress, were also quite fun. The drummer was an Ogre, but took of the mask once he stepped on the stage. Stephanie Vernacchio (the only girl in the band) decided to dress up as Brian Christinzio the way he is pictured on the cover of the latest album “Blink of a Nihilist”, released on One Little Indian, UK.
The band had not played in this lineup ever before at least not for a life concert, that did not show at all. During the first song people were still not approaching the stage that much, but by the time “Hide, Run Away” started there seemed to be a rush to have a better view of the band. Their music is fun a bit crazy and having them on stage in the most random costumes fit them perfectly well, they should consider always dressing up, haha. But it would be a good idea. BC Camplight is definitely a band worth checking out.

Review by Solveig Werner