Brno or Bust: It’s a Bomber
Written by Craggy
Sunday, 14 October 2012 04:00
Über Röck’s prince of darkness Gaz E once asked me if I was on the witness protection program, I move around so often. Well the truth is actually more dramatic than that, but until a new day dawns the reality behind my nomadic existence must remain shrouded in secrecy…
After packing my bags and finishing up operations in the Big Smoke of the UK I have unwittingly found myself in the South Moravian capital of Brno with the intention of checking out the music scene and unexpectedly whether it can occupy my idle mind for a few post-Christmas months. What, if anything, can this most colourful of central European cities offer this romantic music-seeking wanderer?
Well barely a bus-ride after touchdown I see the blond locks of Doug Aldrich decorating the posters of this fair city. I’m not sure what this tells you but at least some rock infused light does shine on these landlocked shores. The show is tonight though, and I’m simply just too busy to witness the well travelled axeman strut his exposed chest, but my attention is dive
rted to a poster next to his. It’s the listing for the Metro Music Bar, and although I’ll sadly be leaving before the Czech Faith No More play, I spy that in a couple of days Charlie the Bomber will be taking his blues magic to the stage. Sounds good to me. I see chained, Jack Daniels t-shirt-sporting comrades reassuringly regularly flow up and down the long road of Veveři , and although I’m tempted to down this wonderful Czech beer and plead with them to be my friends and show me the way to the rock, I’m too cool for that. Besides, I have other things on my mind – food. The only reason I mention this is that while I sit myself down to gladly consume a beautiful Italian meal I realise I’m listening to Lords of The New Church. I would soon find that punk and goth music continues to emit forth from the speakers of this cool little Italian, Cattani.
It is just at that moment that I realise I’m thinking about writing a piece for Über Röck, and fellow wordsmith Dom Daley, who I’m sure would enjoy this soundtrack immensely, appears in my brain. Thinking about Dom over a romantic pasta dish is unhealthy so I finish up in search of some serious soul searching and alcohol cleansing. I shoot into town to do a quick spin of the wine festival and stop ever so briefly to enjoy the high class entertainment. Two of Brno’s finest ladies belt out a string of karaoke hits, including Tom Jones’s ‘Sex Bomb’ – a track I hear is on circulation at Über HQ back in Abertillery. Keep the patriotism flying, boys!
The next night I’m in luck as I shake my way past the Oliver/Dawson Saxon posters and straight in to Šelepova No 1 for Big Band Brno. I’m supping my wine and feeling pretty cultured here after wolfing down my beef goulash. Some Czechs pointed and laughed at my side salad, but I’m hard enough to take it. I just flashed my INXS tattoo and raised my Brummie intonation and they soon scarpered. I just realised they are the band actually. They skip through some singers – a new wave Tina Turner, and some guy in shades who looked a bit DCI Burn
side, but with cool boots. This is good fun: the brass flows nicely in this dimly lit smoky room, and the sound is booming. The bassist has got to be drunk and the guitarist is just desperate to knock that volume up a notch. I could do with some rock though, certainly if I’ve gotta decide on spending some time here.
Well the next night is old Charlie the Bomber, Brno’s ultimate blues band. I slip on my worn out shoes and hop, skip and jump to the Metro Music Bar to partake in the groove, and in the super-cheap top quality beer. This group of Czech blues veterans are bang on the money and full of an energy which they increase throughout a long two-set show. The songs are all in Czech and I have no idea what they’re saying but this is great. A little way through the set I realise that the ivory tinkler is the same as that from Big Band Brno I watched the night before, and then from stage left steps DCI Burnside but looking a little more dressed down befitting a blues band, and instead of vocal duties he’s rocking the hell out of his harmonica. Fantastic! As the band is advancing to its crescendo the guitarman loses his jacket, exposing his hairy shoulders to the smoky air and makes sweet love to his telecaster. As his guitar gently weeps the band bust out some of their best songs before eventually giving up the stage.
They’ve been great to be honest and I’ve had a thoroughly good night. They have presented a warm welcome for me here in Brno, and as I’m left pondering the decision of whether Brno can offer me a place to bed down for a few months the DJ busts out some crackin’ AC/DC. However, the defining moment of the night occurs directly after as the sweet sounds of INXS’s ‘New Sensation’ blow out gloriously from the speakers. I won’t speak about how after a few tracks the music took a sudden, shocking down turn. I’ll just say – Brno, here I come.
