VENUE OF THE WEEK: The Half Moon
- Posted on March 2, 2007 4:57 PM
- 1 comment
By Peter Coulston
Whenever I go to the Half Moon for a gig it is like going home. Located just south of the river to the west of Putney Bridge, this venue has played host to just about everyone who is anyone, past and present, at some time in their career; and has the photos to prove it. Rock, Pop, Folk and Blues have all featured here over the years and many of the stars that made it big now return to work their way into eventual retirement, whatever that is. I probably played here myself at some time or other but you know how it was in those days; if you remember it, you weren't there. Seems to me there are lots of places that I wasn't at; maybe I should go back and see if it is as much fun to be there as it was when I wasn't. The Half Moon certainly is, as far as I recall.
On this occasion, I went to see three bands that I had never heard before and had a brilliant evening. The evening started on time at 8:30, so much so that nobody realised the club was open and the first band played to an almost empty room. I missed half of the first number because I thought they were doing a sound check. This was a real shame, because Sunsoma are an excellent band. Good songs, well performed is the very least you should expect from any band and there are lots of them doing that. This outfit goes to the next stage and works as a unit; well rehearsed and as tight as Gordon Brown's wallet. Comparisons could be made to Texas, but only in passing as this band has it's own sound and image. Mel Spicer is a very competent vocalist with influences from all the best ladies in the business, and the talent to translate those influences and make them her own. She also contributes most of the songs, while Helen MacGregor on drums, Paul Owen on guitar, Maz Highborn on keys and Ian Spicer on bass provided solid support. They excelled on rock ballads such as "Lines" and "Wider", combined keys and guitar well on "Just Like Parked Cars", and beefed up the guitar on "Planetary" and "When We Know Everything". This band is highly recommended. They are on myspace and sunsoma.co.uk. and are headlining at the Grand, Clapham Junction on 24 April. Be there.
Icon were, once again, a good working band with some good songs. They seemed to suffer from a few sound problems with the bass being far too prominent towards the end of the set. Maybe it was the equipment, but the singer also appeared to be having some problems on some of the songs. There was some grunge in there and some african influences, as some of the band members hail from that part of the world. I liked "Beat of the Drum" and the last song which could have been called "Never Skip the Beat". They had fans in the audience who obviously knew.
Bailey had fans in the audience as well, lots of them. This band look, sound and behave like stars, and they will be. Taking their name from the two front men; Dominic Bailey on vocals and guitar and Oliver Bailey on keyboards and vocals, they are an event waiting to happen. They didn't need to introduce the songs and they could have encored into the small hours if the audience had their way. While there are influences of Muse and Keane in there, the classical keyboard and enhanced songwriting talents of Oliver Bailey put this band in a league of their own. The fact that they know they are good is the icing on the cake; since when was rock 'n roll about modesty. Keep up the good work guys. They are on myspace and www.bailey.info.
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Comments (1)
kt
Agree about The Half Moon it's a good, friendly place. Agree also about Bailey, absolutely blew me away, incredible,if their stuff was heard on the radio it would sell in bucket loads or downloads which ever is your preference.
Posted on March 6, 2007 12:25 PM
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