Sandwiched between the two local bands, these two proved to be the sensations of a rather excellent concert all round.
RBRBR entered to a totally dark stage with the three main players wrapped in strings of lights that illuminated themselves in the gloom, while either side stood a guy in a jet fighter pilot's uniform and a guy in a ninja outfit. Visually striking right from the off, they launched into this massive sounding opener that was a mix of industrial electronically programmed drum rhythms, live acoustic drums, this huge morass of loud fuzzed-up bass and soaring guitar textures, all topped off with sampled voices and the lead singers gliding vocal delivery, the whole thing daring you not to dance as you stand in awe, marvelling at the brew that's cooking right before your very ears. That they then start at melting point and climb higher is quite spellbinding, as the beats and depth continue apace, with the omnipopular "27 Russian Friends" drawing gasps and aplause from the dancers at the front - and some at the back - as its trademark sampled voice introduces this slice of rampaging megabeats and storm force electric bass thunder while the drums propel the piece and the guitar cuts through with searing force. Having last seen the band over a year ago when they played mine and Rudi's dance night, and remarked that they were more laid back, ambinet and progressive than overtly dancey, this gig proved just how incredibly tight the band has become in the interim. That they are now occupying a dance-related zone is ample proof, but that what they are playing is also thoroughly unique, is even better. This isn't techno or trance, neither is it blues or funk, neither is it rock or industrial - instead it's some amazing amalgam of all of this, fused together in a way that only this band can do it. The whole gig was awesome, and the sort of concert that makwes you yearn to see the whole thing again, just as soon as is humanly possible.
Although a million miles away in terms of musical content, Le Reno Amps also had exactly the same effect. A quartet, they played this smoking mix of what can best be described as a cross between The Clash and Jason & The Scorchers, mixed with a soupcon of early seventies blues-meets-country rock. With a galloping frenzy attached to most of what they played, the dual guitars hurled out a superheated cauldron of twangy rhythms, wall-of-sound riffs, sky-high leads and wickedly forceful interaction as they duelled, roared and riffed through a set of tracks which proved to be uterly incendiary beasts. The rhythm section propelled it all along with explosive powewr and dramatic dynamics, twisting and turning with absolute precision as the fiery beats ran from fast to mid-paced, and back again, in a heartbeat. Anyone who's heard the album would have been delighted at the way the songs performed live have an electrifying intensity that's even better than on the CD, the band fulfilling every aspect of what they promise - and more. The songs are delivered by lead and harmony vocalists to perfection, that snarl of Clash-like proportions mixing in with an almost country-punk perfection as you can't fail to be swept along by the songs. This was one gem of a gig and anabsolutely blinding performance from a band that, on this evidence, are climbing up the ladder of success at a breathtaking pace. Anyone into great indie rock that's rooted in some4 of the greats of the past and is mixed with the urgency and commercial appeal of solid immediate seventies punk and scorching country rock, not only owes it to themselves to see this band but you really have to hear the stunner that is the album.