Music Preview - Ten Men at Relax - Wednesday 12th May By George they've got it! By Curved Slightly

I must confess dear readers that over the past year or so I've developed a merciless and unrelenting addiction to Cracktown. If I don't get my weekly fix of these contemporary folk blues tunesmiths I start shaking like Shakin Stevens doing the Shake and Vac to Shake at all over on William Shakespeare's birthday. They are amongst a handful of Hull bands producing quality original material that you can both sing or dance to depending on your level of intoxication at the time.

The Silver Fox's acid tongue and vicious harmonica, combined with King Rat's thrashing guitar and increasingly impressive harmonic vocals are a joy to behold but it's the lyrics that impress most of all especially on songs such as Leaving Las Vegas and Prisoner 783 which for me are the best numbers in their sticky-paged musical catalogue.

Another bunch of artists who I have a lot of time for are Ten Men, a two piece local band who are renowned for their magical mixture of original songs and classic covers. They play everything from Cat Stevens to the Stranglers and if fancy a taste of these acoustic maestros you can catch them at the Relax Coffee shop down Newland Avenue on Wednesday 12th May at 8pm.

Now don't get me wrong, there have been times when I've seen both these bands play like paralysed weasels in an eagles nest but all in all they're as tight as a nuns crutch on a cold day and they deserve much better crowds and a greater level of respect from some of the whore-mongers who are involved in the Hull music scene at the moment. I don't like slagging off creative folk. I believe wholeheartedly that it doesn't matter how great or good you are as long as you enjoying doing it. At the end of the day your own personal happiness is much more important then any plaudits or compliments some necrophilliac writer on a web site is going to give you.

Still, it does seem strange to me that there are these bands strutting around Hull thinking they're Led Zeppelin when they are producing music that has all the originality of Rocky V and only packs half the punch. They have this unjustified arrogance about them and although I'm fully aware that attitude is the cornerstone of good rock and roll, I'm still waiting for the music to live up to the machismo. Maybe part of the problem is the lack of good, honest criticism around at the moment.

Everyone wants to be friends with bands and tell them how marvellous they are rather than criticize or suggest ways in which they can improve but I think, in the long run, it's better if they receive a little bit of negative press which they can either take onboard or choose to ignore. So in the spirit of my recent conversion to honesty I'm going to issue a little warning to the performers and bands playing the Hull circuit.

I'll be lurking in the shadows of the Adelphi, Linnet and Lark, Polar Bear and other such venues and if I don't think you're up to scratch I'll be writing a nice juicy piece describing how I was more entertained by the lights on the bandit than I was by your set, and before you roll your eyes and mutter Who the hell is this guy to pass judgement on anyone, let me say this:

Any comments I make in the future are just my opinion It's nothing personal and it's definitely not my intention to make you feel bad. I'm not the fountain of all knowledge but I do have a talent for sniffing out a good song and my taste in music covers every genre so I reckon I've got as much right to comment as the next man. I want Hull to have the best god damn music scene in the country and if I have to bust a few chops in order to achieve that, so be it.

Until next time then, thanks for reading Adios Upcoming gig Ten Men Relax Coffee Shop, Newland Avenue Wednesday 12th May 8pm

Coming Up - Ten Men at Relax Coffee Shop, Newland Avenue Wednesday 12th May
	Another chance to see and hear this excellent acoustic duo. The only way to spend a Wednesday evening - in the company of two of Hull's finest singer/song writers. Come one, come all. Chill out with Ten Men and ponder where the other eight went .. From 8.30pm Admission £2

Coming Up - Under the Influence at the Adelphi - Wednesday 12th May presents
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