Live music roadtrip

We drove fast up the A30 to get to the gig for 7.30pm. It was just out side of Bristol that we discovered the maps printed from the net were for the most part useless.

The directions posted on the Thekla website however saw us good and we pulled into the car park by the river at about 8.30pm. The venue, a floating iron box of a boat, was dirty looking and closed. Our spirits, from the knowledge that whatever happened the gig would be awesome, were not dampened.

After a poor meal of stodgy chips and dubious pie at the chain-pub opposite we joined the queue, feeling suitably bulked for the alcohol to come, at around 9.30pm.

The support band, Smerins Anti Social Club, a blend of ska brass and techno acid and beats that broke into up lifting breaks and vocals, induced a near frenzy. The small packed hold of the boat, where you could feel that you were right down in the bowls of it, oozed an amazing party atmosphere.

The slackers two hour set was brilliant. Each player playing with the skill of an artist, fusing to create an old skool ska sound with an irresistible groove.


Next night was in Cheltnem Frog- An open mike night that saw the best and possibly worst of the cities underground live musicians jamming.
The line up on stage changed every two songs or so. The atmosphere laid back... anything goes and the packed room loves it. A good sort of gig: easy going, nice seating and good humour.

Set up in an ancient barn of some sort with huge oak beams and chunky wooden furniture, the gig-jam flowed through and around rock and indi by way of mad-crazy frenzied guitar hitting and screeching vocal chords.