Get yer motor running for Enduro India fundraiser

Guitarists 2,200km bike trek for charity

GUITARISTS from Belfast-based band Strictly No Ballroom are gearing up for a 2008 motorbike trek round India with a fundraising gig at The Empire on Sunday May 27th.

Paul Kane and Brendan Loughran will be taking part in the Enduro India 2008 2,200km ride round southern India – and if that is not enough they will be straddling Enfield motorbikes, still built on the sub-continent to a 1930s design.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” said Paul, “even if other members of the band thought we’d lost the plot! Now we want to make sure we raise as much money as possible for the charities that will benefit from the challenge.”

Strictly No Ballroom will take to The Empire’s prestigious Botanic Avenue stage, supported by In the Name Of to help boost the coffers for the Enduro India good causes, which include the Children’s Rainbow Trust, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation and Adventure Ashram.

Brendan said: “27th at The Empire promises to be a great night of music with plenty of fun to boot as well, including a prize draw. It makes a change not to be singing or playing for our supper, but playing to help others.

“We’re really looking forward to the gig and eager for 2008 to roll round to take part in what is sure to be an adventure, albeit a bone shaking one!”

Tickets for the charity concert are priced £5, and doors at The Empire open at 8pm on the 27th May.

The Answer...coming soon

Coming soon, the review of The Answer and words of wisdom from Paul and James....as soon as I decipher the bad shorthand notes :)

Satan visits Spring & Airbrake...

London's own Death Metal Gentlemen Akercocke (http://www.myspace.com/akercocke ) will be making a welcome return to Belfast on Friday May 18th, in The Spring and Airbrake.

Three years after their last visit, and with a new album almost in the can, this is a show not to be missed by anyone, especially if you caught their devastating performance last time round.

Support comes from twisted grindcore freaks Cephalic Carnage (http://www.myspace.com/cephaliccarnage ) and up-and-coming Deathsters Ted Maul (http://www.myspace.com/tedmaul666 ), Together with Burning Skies (http://www.myspace.com/burningskies)

Tickets, priced £13 are on sale now from Katy Dalys, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast.

If you can't find some rock action this weekend...

If you can't find some rock action this weekend then give up! There's more rock and metal than you can shake a studded belt at! Tonight it's homecoming time for The Answer when the play their biggest Belfast gig to date at the Mandella Hall, QUB Student's Union. Support comes from Winnebago Deal

Also tonight Bad Boat play as part of a suicide awareness and fundraising gig at the Front Page.

If that wasn't enough, Libido Switch, Arcane, (inside), Rigger and Sage are at the Pavillion Bar.

Still not got enough rock and metal for one night? Danny Vaughn (ex-Tyketto & Waysted singer) brings his solo set to the Rosetta this evening, with support from Stormzone...

Seriously...what you doing sitting in cradling a lukewarm can of lager and watching shite TV?

Oh, and don't forget Rattlesnake Remedy are playing The Empire on Saturday night

Short clip

A short clip of 'Be What You Want' from the acoustic gig reviewed below is available at http://www.youtube.com/v/qiwVTXCmblo from the forum poster Adamwiththehair...

Acoustically charming...

Unlikely as it seems The Answer appeared today in the unlikely surroundings of Benedicts in Belfast for an impromptu gig to launch the Big Buzz entertainment awards...

For those of you not familiar with Belfast, Benedicts is more likely to be filled with saddos and people dragged along with workmates assuring them it is 'great craic'. Not the usual place for damn fine hard rockin' music.

Indeed despair was setting in at Benedicts as some no-name z-list celeb from Hollyoaks took to the cramped stage to bleat his way through a sad and tired version of George 'Me, crash a car while high?' Michael's Faith. It was bad...and sad that some there seemed to like this sort of drivel...thankfully it was a brief appearance!

The Answer were without drummer James who was nursing a cold, or if you chose to believe Cormac, practising...

Paul, Michael and Cormac were left to impress and usual they managed to lay down a solid, if brief set. Under The Sky, Be What You Want, Preacher and Into the Gutter were layed down. While all impressive acoustic versions, the tracks did not veer far from their beefier electric versions. The tracks, and the bands performance, were such that the songs were melded into a suitably passionate performance.

Cormac may have, at times seemed a little non-plussed by the venue, but put passion into the tracks, while Paul's playing, especially when using slide, was afforded a different tone by playing acoustically. Michael seemed to have added an occassional flourish to his bass playing, but then again he may have just been bored....

Given their adept acoustic performance, they may, in the future consider adding an acoustic element to their normal live set...it worked for Rory Gallagher who used to lay down two acoustic tracks as a change of pace in the middle of each show.

It was, perhaps, as well they were playing the acoustic versions today though - some of the sad gits who dared talk through the songs would have had their eyes melted by the real thing.

This, when all was said and done was a simple gig for The Answer to get through; a warm-up for Thursday's Dublin gig, and Friday's appointment at the Mandella Hall. Not that the guys need to hone already sharp skills much more!

Thanks to the guys for listening to Belfast Metalheads Reunited's pleas for tickets to this gig on the forum...

Pix courtesy of Alli!

Sabbath slip to No. 10

Black Sabbath have slipped to number 10...in the all time worst lyrics listing. Nice to know that such luminaries as the much vaunted Bono are 'better' at bad lyrics than Geezer and Ozzy...

For those of an indy/pop punk bent...

For those of an indy/pop punk bent Ash are playing the Spring & Airbrake on June 6th...tickets available from Wonderland and usual outlets...they're not exactly metal, but they can rock a bit...and Tim Wheeler burns up the odd flying-V...can't see him doing that on the 6th though!

Big up to Bad Boat

Rock and metal has always proved that it is socially aware and ready to lend a hand when needed; from the fundraising excellence of the Valentine Metal Massacre in February through to the countless donations of time and energy both locally and further afield the evidence is clear, even if unlike other people it isn't always trumpeted.

On Friday night local metal heads Bad Boat take to the stage at the Front Page as part of a line up which aims to raise awareness of suicide, and to raise funds for the Suicide Awareness Support Group. Also on the line-up are The V-Necks, Underline, The Angry Host and Throat Locust.

So if you're not going to The Answer, Danny Vaughn or the Brutal Fucking Gig on Friday, make a point to head to The Front Page. £5 to get in, tickets from Phoenix Records, Haymarket Arcade, the Culturlann or at the door.

Acoustic Answer...

If trying to blag yer way into The Answer's acoustic set on 8th May at Benedicts doesn't sound like fun, give the boys a reason to get you in at the door. This is from the band's forum on www.theanswer.ie

Hey, So the band, well three of them Cormac Paul + Micky, will be playing three or four acoustic songs as part of the Big Buzz Awards launch event in belfast on Tuesday 8th May. It is a press launch for the main awards ceremony in June. The guys will be playing from about 3pm, the event starts at 2 pm. It is at Benedicts wine bar on bradbury place. I have got 5 pairs of tickets for this intimate event. So if you want to go and check it out and share a beer with the boys reply to this post and give a good reason and we will pick the best five and email you with details of how you get in. Reasons do not have to be too serious! I will decide at 6pm monday and email the lucky five so get your post in before then.

Insider tip...acoustic answer

The Answer are to play an acoustic set at an undisclosed location in Belfast on May 14th...we'll keep you posted...