Jaz Bar 10th August 2004 The Ludes, The Mardous, 59 Violets, The Applewhites By Andy Dykes

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Photograph Gallery   The Applewhites Gallery 1   Gallery 2   59 Violets Gallery 1   Gallery 2   The Mardous Gallery 1   Gallery 2   The Ludes Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3

The classy setting of the Old Town's Jaz Bar plays unlikely host to a range of bands tonight. The wooden floors and high concrete ceilings make Jaz Bar an unusual choice for this evening's entertainment. Combined with an absence of carpets, cushions on chairs and curtains on windows and I get the feeling that there are going to be a lot of sound waves bouncing about the place tonight.

As Hull's monsoon summer continues, it seems like people just aren't willing to brave the rain to put in an appearance and show their support. But it's an eager if small crowd who greet The Applewhites arrival on stage.

The Applewhites demonstrate a garage rock fixation symptomatic of much of the alternative music scene right now. They seem to be a band still riding the waves caused by The Strokes a few years ago. Except those waves are turning to ripples, and ripples never carried anyone far. With every drum intro, I'm getting an increasingly distinct impression that these guys are Strokes fans, although in their better moments they sound like The Kinks on heat.

They do have some catchy hooks and good party tunes but it's a bit samey and the tinny guitars get a bit much after a while.

59 Violets appear much more comfortable onstage, opening their set with a loud and clear "hello". Their tunes are ballsy and brash, but it's not all as straightforward as that. At one point they unleash an atmospheric gem which has a guitar tone to it that gives a definite nod to sitar music. At times, 59 Violets really rock and are tight as spandex throughout their set. The bass is something of a secret weapon and is a constant, awesome, bowel loosening presence. They're on form tonight and deserve to be playing to a fuller audience.

Next up are The Mardous. Having travelled all the way from London, The Mardous look a little underwhelmed by tonight's sparse attendence. However they dive headlong into their set and are soon pumping out some really interesting tunes. The 3-piece have harmonies and hooks and display excellent musicianship.

It's quite a different sound that The Mardous produce, reminiscent of some of the late 90s emo produced by the likes of Les Savy Fav or even At the Drive-In. But one thing I do find novel about their sound is the lack of guitar effects, resulting in the guitar sound being stripped down and clean for the duration of the set. While many bands rely on effects and differing tones, it's evident that The Mardous really don't and it's a refreshingly alternative approach that they pull off remarkably well. Their rhythmic, minimalist sound is really pretty inspiring.

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Photograph Gallery   The Applewhites Gallery 1   Gallery 2   59 Violets Gallery 1   Gallery 2   The Mardous Gallery 1   Gallery 2   The Ludes Gallery 1   Gallery 2   Gallery 3

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