- Tank Trap
- Vivid Nation
- My Life In The Making
- Blackwater Revue
Saturday night at the Bar Below in Folkestone saw a Below the Radar Events and Promotions gig that was a little bit special. It was a line up of four bands not to be sniffed at by any stretch of the imagination. In fact I would go as far as to say four bands all worthy of headlining!
Blackwater Revue are a heavy blues rock band from Canterbury/London. I’d never heard this band before but their reputation preceded them and I’d already been told they were good. Good is an understatement. With influences ranging through from The Doors to Pantera they bring a different sound to rock, but there is one thing for sure, its loud, balsy and heavy! Oh and pretty damn awesome at that. Perfect band to open for a gig that is headlined by Tank Trap. Their lead singer, who on first glance looks like he should be sitting in the halls of Oxford or Cambridge university (I hope he won’t mind me saying that), has one of the most powerful voices I have heard. Not only powerful, easily carrying above the range of instruments, but with a really dirty, gritty edge and pitch perfect to boot. A really tight band producing some amazing material and a sound I dare you not to love. Seeing Blackwater Revue is not an option, its a must!
My Life In The Making are a 4 piece metal band from Ashford/New Romney and I recently had the pleasure of reviewing them live at Club Q in Ashford. So I’ll try not to cover the same aspects again and instead give you the link to go and read their previous review, its was good one! (Club Q gig review) Now if you’ve read my last review (and I hope you have) you would already know that I really like this band and that I thought they were really good. I can honestly say this time I thought they were even better and yes, I told them that on the night. Vocals were even tighter and clearer but I am aware Ken was on pain medication and suffering a bad back last time. Thom was minus his own kit on this evening but that did not seem to mar his performance in any way. The band has the most energetic bass player I have ever, and I do mean EVER seen in Sam and they just gel! They are professional and perform extremely well but also have fun with it, really enjoy it. There are times you feel there is a private joke going on among the lads with the smiles and looks they give each other and you can see they are playing with the instrumentals. Thus they are that accomplished musicians they can do that live and from looking around, some people weren’t even aware of it! A band I will never tire of seeing.
Vivid Nation are an alternative rock band from east Kent and I’ve seen them a fair few times but never live reviewed, only photographed. I have to be just honest up front here because this is a band I have always liked but they are also a band I’ve also always believed are right on the cusp of a break through. They’ve already had airplay on BBC Introducing and seven other Kent radio stations and are currently getting ready to record their debut EP. The new material the guys are playing live now, is pretty damn good stuff and has that same slightly commercial (not too much) but still alt rock sound to it. They have a really distinctive sound to them, one that can never be mistaken and sets them apart from so many bands on the scene. Their songwriting ability is pretty outstanding with really clever and interesting lyrics and their live performances already give them a rock star status. A set full of broken strings (both accidental and due to ripping them off the guitar at the end of the performance), band members whizzing around the stage in a Tasmanian blur, high kicks and guitars played above heads, behind backs… well what more could you ask for? I’m expecting great things from this band.
Well last but by no means least! The mighty Tank Trap a blues grunge rock band from Gravesend who I don’t think will be playing too many small venue gigs for much longer! Having deservedly won a competition recently, they are now playing main stage at the Isle of Wight Festival this summer and I feel after this, they will be very much in demand. However, I’m pretty sure they will still be playing smaller venue at times as they come across as a band that will never forget their routes and are pretty humble and lovely lads. On the note of playing small venues, I had seen them once before and the stage was tiny. This performance was better, so they need to make it too ensure they get those nice big areas to showcase themselves at their best! I photographed this set, or attempted too any way as I have to say, even I was taken over and had to keep stopping to join in the dancing and at times mild head banging. A set jam packed full of mind blowing originals that everyone attempted to sing along too, with some awesome The Doors covers and this was a performance so worthy of headlining. I just hope I get to see them again very soon as their brand of bluesy grungy rock, it would appear is just my thing. Judging from the rest of the audiences jumping around and headbanging, many other peoples also.
Sarah Quinn – GIGgle Pics & Kent Sessions
Blackwater Revue – give them a listen here
Find them on Facebook
My Life In The Making – Beneath The Surface Find them on Facebook
Vivid Nation – You Just Gave It Away Find them on Facebook
Tank Trap – Bite the Bullet Find them on Facebook
Below is a very small amount of photography taken at this gig. For full evenings photo’s please go to Facebook, this gig only
Photo’s by Sarah Quinn – GIGgle Pics & Kent Sessions
GIGglepics 