Having been to Designer Magazine events before, I knew that the bands often varied dramatically from Manchester's finest to Manchester’s worst, this held true tonight.
Opening four piece, Sandbox, single handedly justify the entry cost. This is the band’s first gig this year year, and, ignoring a few false starts, the set is note perfect. This is a band with raw energy, controlling the stage and captivating the crowd. Lead vocalist/guitarist, Lennie, oozes sex appeal and performs with power reminiscent of a thin Beth Ditto. This, coupled with flowing bass lines and one of the best drummers in Manchester, makes Sandbox “ones to watch” for the future. The only flaw in the performance is from the bands new lead guitarist, who stands stationary whilst the rest of the band give it their all, something that will no doubt improve with experience.
Debutants Hey Bulldog are clearly nervous taking to the stage, and this shows in the opening two songs. The three piece look awkward, and despite good riffs are let down by basic drumming and out of tune singing. There is a stark improvement by the third track as the band start to loosen up, performing a well written song and showing hints of potential for the band. Although not necessarily crowd pleasing, this is music that could appeal to many.
Initially sounding and looking like “another Manchester band”, Frontrunner show they have a lot more to offer. Although playing typical rock 'n' roll guitar music, they are incredibly tight and have a distinct, moody sound which has some great hooks (without the boring, ‘twiddly’ guitar solos that plague other bands). The only flaw in this combination? The killer punch. Tending to sound like an impotent Kasabian, the songs fail to kick in. The band show promise in their closing song, with great use of effects to get the “huge” sound they need, but other areas of the set are left lacking which would otherwise propel this band to bigger places.
Final band, Pitch Invasion are a real let down to an otherwise upbeat night. A disjointed looking quintet, they are one of the worst bands I have ever seen. The guitarists seemed to struggle to play, the drummer too busy flying around his kit to keep any sort of tempo, and the lead singer gives the impression of a poor mans drunken Iggy Pop. However, most of the 130 strong crowd have departed by this point, so little damage was done to Designer Magazines’ reputation.
Opening four piece, Sandbox, single handedly justify the entry cost. This is the band’s first gig this year year, and, ignoring a few false starts, the set is note perfect. This is a band with raw energy, controlling the stage and captivating the crowd. Lead vocalist/guitarist, Lennie, oozes sex appeal and performs with power reminiscent of a thin Beth Ditto. This, coupled with flowing bass lines and one of the best drummers in Manchester, makes Sandbox “ones to watch” for the future. The only flaw in the performance is from the bands new lead guitarist, who stands stationary whilst the rest of the band give it their all, something that will no doubt improve with experience.
Debutants Hey Bulldog are clearly nervous taking to the stage, and this shows in the opening two songs. The three piece look awkward, and despite good riffs are let down by basic drumming and out of tune singing. There is a stark improvement by the third track as the band start to loosen up, performing a well written song and showing hints of potential for the band. Although not necessarily crowd pleasing, this is music that could appeal to many.
Initially sounding and looking like “another Manchester band”, Frontrunner show they have a lot more to offer. Although playing typical rock 'n' roll guitar music, they are incredibly tight and have a distinct, moody sound which has some great hooks (without the boring, ‘twiddly’ guitar solos that plague other bands). The only flaw in this combination? The killer punch. Tending to sound like an impotent Kasabian, the songs fail to kick in. The band show promise in their closing song, with great use of effects to get the “huge” sound they need, but other areas of the set are left lacking which would otherwise propel this band to bigger places.
Final band, Pitch Invasion are a real let down to an otherwise upbeat night. A disjointed looking quintet, they are one of the worst bands I have ever seen. The guitarists seemed to struggle to play, the drummer too busy flying around his kit to keep any sort of tempo, and the lead singer gives the impression of a poor mans drunken Iggy Pop. However, most of the 130 strong crowd have departed by this point, so little damage was done to Designer Magazines’ reputation.
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