Sunday 13 September 2009

Screaming in an empty room

September Cross / Trucker Diablo / Common Bred Trigger - Rockd @ The Limelight, Saturday 12 September
I’ve been in and around the music business in this dirty ol’ town, on and off, for coming on a quarter of a century, and, I tell you, it often is a hard graft. Belfast is home to some of the most talented people on the planet, but sometimes it seems that no matter how loud you scream this fact from the rooftops, you might as well lock yourself in a padded cell and mumble quietly to yourself in the corner for all that people seem to listen.
My most recent foray into the darkness of the Limelight on a Saturday afternoon was yet further evidence of this: week after week the good folk at the Distortion Project knock their melts in bringing some of the finest rock and metal acts around to the venues historic stage – and for what? If my counting is right, about £100 in door receipts. It must be disheartening, not just for them, but for the bands as well – in this case, Common Bred Trigger, Trucker Diablo and September Cross.
CBT are visibly nervous (even faced with a virtually empty room), particularly vocalist/guitarist Karl. Their Nirvana/Pearl Jam inspired garage grunge sound is nevertheless tight and effective, boosted by big Anty’s doom-fused bass playing.
The name Trucker Diablo suggests Suvern good ol’ boys, and that is what this tight quartet deliver: ZZ Top-inspired blues metal fused with 21st century post-power-thrash sensibilities, a band soaked in whiskey and wimmin delivering ‘Black Rose’ era Lizzy a la Black Label Society, with attitude. Just a pity their blues-infused power rawk again was delivered to a ‘crowd’ of around 20 people.
September Cross are another outfit specialising in classic rock, this time from the more traditional metal school side of the house: sort of new wave of new wave of Belfast heavy metal, if that makes sense. ‘Insanity’ displayed their heavy early period Megadeth influence while ‘Devil Behind Blues Eyes’ introduced a similarly early Maiden vibe. An enjoyable romp.
More next week with Gacy’s Threads, By Any Means and Hero In Error. Let’s hope for a bigger crowd.

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