Rank Berry may currently be a man
down, and the infamous five may now be the fearsome four for the moment, but
with vocalist Jamie filling the vacant guitarist spot the train most definitely
kept-a-rolling.
With this, their first appearance
at King Tuts, they did however seem to be a strange addition to the bill.
Strange because while all three
acts are rock bands, the Rank Berry boys exist on the opposite end of the spectrum
from both The Feud and Sick Puppies.
While the headliners, and tour
support, have pop influenced hardcore and industrial leanings it was Rank Berry
who were very obviously flying the flag for a more traditional sound.
A sound that while bereft of
samples, whistles and bells was warmly embraced by the crowd in attendance going
by the reaction they received.
It’s a testament to their
abilities as a band that they can win fans over from cold, and that’s not
something that should be overlooked, and neither should the talent and
experience that has taken them to the cusp of stepping up a rung.
A quality studio release and some
more appropriate supports could very well see them hitting the ground running
sooner than some are expecting.
Quite simply put the performance hinted
again at what could be within their grasp if they manage to position themselves
in the right place at the right time.
They are walking on a tightrope
and carefully balancing themselves above some very disparate scenes.
There are elements of the
industrial-lite post hardcore material that is so beloved of the likes of
Kerrang readers, hints of industrial noise that could draw comparisons to NIN
if Trent Reznor was aiming to have his music played on the dreaded 4Music, and
an attempt to hold it all together with a mainstream dance sound.
It really shouldn't work at all,
but mid set they hit their stride and managed to hold it all together in a way
that would probably draw the attention of someone who was looking to have a
band to appear in a club scene of their latest teen vamp masterpiece.
Of course that could be taken as
a negative, but I'm happy to leave the musical snob at the door and accept that
while the band might not deliver much of what I am interested in, they are very
good at delivering within the remit of what they are aiming for.
I wouldn't be surprised if they
managed to carve a niche in the alternative teen market for themselves.
If that’s their intent then it’s achievable.
Probably a move stateside would
be beneficial.
And talking of moves to the US , Sick Puppies haven’t done too badly by
relocating there from Australia .
Elsewhere their success has taken
them too much larger venues than King Tuts, but while the UK are playing
catch up at the moment this tour could change all that.
With attention on the band initially
coming from their song ‘All the same’ being used as part of the free hugs
internet campaign they certainly seized the day and maximised on that
opportunity in a way that other acts could learn from.
Since then they have released
some solid material that has eclipsed their foot in the door track, and with current
album Connect they have moved forward yet another step.
This incremental growth of the
band has been welcomed by the fans, if not the critics, but as the band begin
to build up some steam in their live set it was nice to see that the focus wasn't
on pleasing the critics, but instead on creating an inclusive experience for
the band and fans to enjoy.
It’s this foundation stone that
they keep their feet firmly planted on that will maintain interest in them as
the bands career progresses.
Critics can come and go, but real
fans are worth their weight in gold.
It’s good to see a band that so
blatantly gets that.
As for Glasgow it was a case of Sick Puppies sized the
city up, stepped into the ring and left victorious.
As someone who was aware of a
handful of tracks and casually impressed with them I left with the opinion that
I had just seen a great band who aren't ever going to be seen as one that enjoyed
a momentary moment in the sun, as these guys aren't going anywhere soon.
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