Chris Helme/Homesick Aldo/The Girobabies/The Fear/Matthew Scott - 19/8/11 (Jollys Sports bar - Kilmarnock)

I was a bit gob smacked by the end of this nights entertainment.
I've banged on often enough about the amount of talent that the west coast of Scotland currently has, but it is only when it is right there in front of you that you can fully appreciate it.
A band called The Fear were new to my ears, but I'm already adding them to a long list of bands that I will have to keep my eye on.
There's a firm thread of bluesy folk music that runs through much of what the current crop of talent do, but it's not as people would expect.
While bands like the Fear will dip into it, they wont let that sound define them and there refusal to become entrenched in a specific genre is what keeps everything fresh.
It's difficult to actually nail down what they are doing.
It's not indie folk in the stile of Mumford and Sons. Far from it in fact, and I wouldn't want anyone thinking that, but instead it's modern roots music.
Simple acoustic guitar and beat box used to fantastic effect.
Another act I hadn't seen before was Matthew Scott who did a mix of original material and some covers.
I'm no longer sure of the covers he did as they paled in comparison when lined up against his self penned songs.
This young guys voice drips soul. You know that saying 'I could listen to him sing the phone book'?
Well it's about Matthew.
If I was him I'd cultivate some confidence and drop the covers. Maybe keep them for an encore, but the future isn't going to lie in resurrecting other peoples material.
Time to get into a studio and get some of the songs out there.
I've been waiting to see the Girobabies for what feels like a very long time now and when it became apparent that die to their heavy schedule of late that only two members would be appearing to do an acoustic set I'll admit that I had reservations.
Reservations that disappeared as soon as they started.
Every positive review that they have cultivated, every plaudit heaped on them, is well deserved.
In an age where people are keen to point out the negatives that people take from their environment and then promote to the wider public, here we have the Girobabies casting a jaundiced eye over social issues and spitting them back at us with humour and a glint in their eyes.
This is the real voice of the people who haven't lost hope.
As social commentary goes they are telling it like it is and if you can't hear the truth in it then there's probably no hope for you anyway.
Homesick Aldo is the dogs bollocks. He was the dogs bollocks the last time he played Jollys and familiarity hasn't equated to contempt. He's still as fresh, vibrant and manic as expected and it would be fair to say that he blew everyone away..........again.
It's not easy to forget him.
All John Cooper Clarke thin with his scarecrow hair he blows a mean harp and manages to reference the Prodigy and Robert Johnson in the space of a heartbeat.
I'm still not sure if it's genius or madness, but as it seems contagious I'll go with the latter.
Recently I've been harangued for expressing less than complimentary opinions about bands and artists, but when a band like Colour Cells comes along and stop and start, fanny about and general make a cunt of things then I'm not sure what sort of response I'm supposed to give.
The singer himself randomly approached me an apologized for being shite.
His words, not mine. So straight from the horses mouth so to speak, although he did try to quantify it by saying that 'he could have punched the sound guy as if the root of the problem was simply a sound issue.
Frankly it wasn't.
The sound was crystal clear for everyone else that performed.
I'm not sure what they were trying to recreate, but it didn't work and the attitude was a real turn off.
Not just for myself, but for virtually everyone around me.
The rumblings of discontent were very audible and I sincerely doubt that any new fans were picked up on the evening.
Thankfully Chris Helme appeared to save the night from what could have went down as a legendary anticlimax.
What can be said about Chris?
Most people would jump to his time fronting the Seahorses, but give him one night and he will show an audience that his time in the band was just one string to his bow.
It's actually when he is steering his own ship that the real Chris Helme comes out and it's a very emotive performance. Spellbinding is the word.
It's maybe this that Matthew Scott could look at and take some notes on.
Chris can play the crowd pleasing songs, but the real artistry is in the effort and connection he makes with his own material.
That's when he shines and if people aren't cocking half an ear to it due to their alcohol intake I'm sure they would agree.
The real plaudits for the evening have to go to David Hanvey though who once again pulled out all the stops to provide an excellent night of entertainment.
By Christ I'm spoilt having Jollys Sports bar on my doorstep and nights like this to fill my time with.