By DJ Monk

One of the massive advantages of this hoary old reviewing game is constantly being open to new experiences, discovering new bands, new sounds and new talent. And so it proved on this very evening, as three of the four acts on the bill I had never seen or heard, never mind heard of, beforehand (except for their names on the gig poster, of course). And, it may have been Friday the 13th but lady luck was definitely smiling on me, as this triumvirate turned in a trio of what can only be described as killer performances… as did our headline act, needless to say.

First into the fray are Psychic Eyes, who most definitely define the term “power trio”, with their deep, psychedelic blues sound accentuated by Nick Scott’s heavy, swampy bass and Lemmy-esque vocal style – something emphasized by their worthy cover of ‘Ace Of Spades’. They have a grungy vibe which references Soundgarden and QOTSA as much as it does Motörhead and Hawkwind, and the fact that it’s a little rough around the edges (well, this is something like only their sixth gig) adds to their appeal. Definitely a band for whom I’ll be looking out in the future.

  • Psychic Eyes’ debut EP, ‘R.A.R.E’, is out now.

The “psyche” theme continues with the appropriately named Psychedelanaut, who deliver deep, dense doom which elicits a joyous response from the small knot of fans now gathered in front of the stage. Like their predecessors on same, they wear their influences very much on their sleeves, with a very Sabbathian vibe to their sound, as evinced in an accomplished cover of ‘War Pigs’, which is delivered with a surprising lightness of touch, as well as elements of latter day purveyors such as Clutch, as they meld their own brand of doom with catchy stoner melodies, as clearly demonstrated when they pray to the ‘Cosmic Tiger’. Their bit, filthy riffs are underpinned by massively muddy bass lines, which are in turn beautifully counterpointed by percussive precision and downright nasty vocals. Another band from whom I look forward to hearing more in the future.

The first question I find myself asking when Steven McKnight opens his first power chord is “where the fuck has this guy has been hiding?” He rips straight into his set and doesn’t let go for the next 40 minutes or so, delivering his brand of hard-ass heavy blues with a shit load of balls, an attitude to match and the ability to do it on every level. With Mark McCallion’s jazz/funk basslines underpinning the guitarist’s extremely serious fret action, McKnight proves to be a stunning talent who can wring every last drop of emotion and passion from his instrument, just as he does with his gritty vocals. Heavily referencing Neil Young in much of his lyrical content, especially on the likes of ‘Woke Up In The Future’ (one of three new songs debuted tonight), he touches bases from Gary Moore to Steve Van Zandt and more. And then, as if to prove we ain’t heard nothing yet, he and McCallion climax with an ambitious duel on ‘Addicted To That Rush’ – and totally nail it! Wow, I’m in seventh heaven right here – and we still have the headliners to come!

… And they are Wild Heat, who have been kicking up considerable dust, especially over the past year or so, with their brand of late 80s/early 90s-infused sleazy rock ‘n’f’n’ roll, slowly working their way up the bill to topper status. I first saw them when they entered this year’s Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses competition, and then a couple of months later when they supported Maverick, a local band with whom they draw many inevitable comparators, due to their similarity in styles.

Although it takes them until halfway through their titular opening track to hit their stride, when they do they deliver exactly what I have come to expect from them: taut, energetic and lively r’n’r jam packed with catchy melodies, infectious harmonies and irresistible singalong choruses. Just like it says in the title, this is ‘Straight Up’ good time hard rock of exactly the sort you want on an otherwise dreary Friday night. With Carlos’ guitar bouncing off every wall in the room, their sound is underpinned by more crunch than a warehouse full of cement-eating machines. They also prove that they can thrash it up, on ‘Another Love Song’, and build atmosphere, as ‘Time And Time Again’, for example, builds from a mellow intro into its soul-searing middle section. With a new album on the horizon early next year, they take the opportunity to road test a few new songs, including the potential title track, ‘Hustle’, and they bode well for the new opus.

Another fine, fine set to round off another fine, fine evening of class rock ‘n’ roll in the heart of the city of Belfast, showcasing the breadth and depth of talent we have in this here corner of the Überverse. Let’s do it again soon.