Wildhouse played what was possibly the best set I've ever seen them play - even Mark, their "manager", said as much and he's with them all the time. This was definitive Wildhouse. For those that don't know, the band are a trio from Carnoustie, with two electric guitarists either side of Sheila who plays two floor-mounted drums and a cymbal, standing up, with the guitarists on an arsenal of foot-pedals at their disposal. Influences from Velvet Underground are apparent, but anyone who's heard the first Cd of Stereolab's "Peel Sessions" will understand and enjoy where this band are coming from, too. That and Can/Neu fans from the "Krautrock" spectrum. Yet this band knock all of those into oblivion at most times, but tonight they went even further. As the guitars chimed and the drums pounded in almost militaristic style, the half-whispered vocals from guitarist Paul sang out above what sounded like a cross between the Byrds with Lou Reed on guitar and Stereolab with Klaus Dinger on drums. You couldn't help swaying to the rhythm. But then they'd suddenly up the anti and let go as a barrage of sonic guitar assault completely takes over. On "Hope Is How", again it starts with chiming guitars and vocals before the band increse the intensity, a second song portion with Sheila and Paul on harmony vocals set to Peter's searing, ringing guitar leads, ensuees and then - boooom!!!!!!! - Shelia hammers out a drum thunder to leave you breathless, as the two guitarists let loose, a tidal wave of rhythm, lead, chiming, soaring and on-fire guitars coming inexorably at you as the song then returns to ground zero. Then came "String Theory2, and you could tell that this was going to be a special night as the intensity and power was gradually moving up the scale, the two guitarists now powering out a hurricane of sound as Sheila's drumming threatens to take your head apart - and then the guitarists launched into an explosion of riffs, feedback, searing leads and phenomenal ear-splitting chords. "Pre-flyte" went further with Sheila on lead vocals on a song with few lyrics but oft-repeated as the Wildhouse mantra was intoned to the tune of piledriver drums and explosive guitars. By the time of traditional set-closer, "Vanilla", the band's excuse to take off to wherever the set was is heading -with versions lasting anything between five and fifteen minutes - you knew that this was going to be the killer blow - and they did not disappoint. With Sheila's drumming now a mesmerising thunder as she accelerated, left you jaw-dropped, decelerated only to drive forward with even greater power, guitarist Paul was practically bent double unleashing a wall of riffs and leads while Peter was swaying the guitar all over the place producing this banshee wail of sound as he used the pedals to hammer, the guitar against the speakers to pummel and a gasp-inducing behind-head playing that delievered the final death knell as the guitar barrage took on a life of its own as he threw the guitar at anything stationary and bounced it back. It was like being in the heart of a nuclear explosion but loving every second of it as you simply could not believe how awesome a band could be.
On this form, they'd make Can look like Bucks Fizz, leave vintage Sterolab as also-rans and, even more remarkably, make Acid Mothers Temple look weak by comparison. This is The Wildhouse - the catch is, for now, you have to come to Scotland to see them - maybe it won't be long before that changes - you'll just have to hope!! Awesome and then some!!!

When you think about it, Altres were the only band that could have followed that - such acomplete contrast that there was no way you were going to be disappointed or comparing the two. With two synth players - Kevin and Joe - plus two guitarists - Michael and Brian - the band spent the first half playing a generally slower, more atmospheric set that, combined with the visuals, by now, had you passed through the blazing sun and out into the depths of space as your mind was allowed to wander and take in playing that was synthesizer music set free from the shackles of Jarre and Tangerine Dream, instead taking on its own identity and form. There was a gorgeously hypnotic mix of subtly changing chord patterns from the guitars alongside the sweeping synth leads and solid electronic rhythms. When the band let loose a bit more, and particularly on the closing number, the effect was like having King Crimson's Belew and Fripp (especially as Michael spent the set sitting Fripp-like at the side) as the leads in Tangerine Dream, in other words a solid and inspiring set of playing from the synths allied to some searing and fuid work from the guitarists. Overall, it was a set to which you sat, or stood, mesmerised at the flow and almost organic evolution of some truly inspired and full-sounding semi-improvised tracks. Stunning in a completely different way, but no less worthwhile or enjoyable.

Overall, a fantastic evening's entertainment - we must do it again sometime - with Electra, of course!!!