Miss Black America at the Adelphi Wednesday 10th December By Cilla

I was as always, in a blind panic - half an hour to get ready (unheard of - and a girl my age needs time to apply the slap!) - late news that Miss Black America were playing at the Adelphi - tonight - the band that apparently John Peel (my hero) had heralded as 'the next big thing' ... and the batteries for the camera still hadn't recharged from the its last outing ....

Late again, but the Adelphi was really heaving - obviously more people read the Daily Mail than I thought. Jane (thisisull.com's ace wannabe music reviewer who'd spotted the ad for the gig) and I decided to try for a beer in the back bar. A wise decision. There was Seymour Glass, Miss Black America's lead singer and front man, tuning up his guitar, preparing his play list and chatting at the bar. I introduced myself, we shook hands and agreed that maybe I should talk to the band after the gig - time was tight. He was really charming, sincere and polite.

Just before they appeared on stage, Jane and I wandered up to the front. I wanted to be in a decent position to get some photos - and as the club was packed, I had to be right on top of them - the dreaded speakers that blow your eardrums into oblivion - and without an ear defender. Oh well, it was only the Adelphi ...

So, the music began. It was loud, very, very loud. My hearing is beginning to return to normal now, 3 days after the gig. There was a bit of jumping in the air, swearing, festive greetings (Happy Fucking Christmas) and a really brilliant bit where Seymour handed out mince pies to the audience. It was really bloody entertaining.

And what a character change - wow, this maniac on the stage was really the same calm, quiet, polite guy in the bar half an hour earlier? That made it all the more interesting for me. He could sing and shout and the band behind him were pumping it out - there, with him, at every outlandish theatrical prank he could come up with.

I must mention his guitar - it really caught my eye as a brilliant piece of memorabilia - hope he keeps hold of it till he's too old to pogo. I guess the broken string is a nightly occurrence .. but at least I got a photo of it first.

I'm not sure the Adelphi owner, Paul Jackson, was too enamoured at the end of the night when Seymour launched himself from the stage (in our direction - Jane was hoping her luck had changed!) and ploughed into the Christmas tree - which ended up much the worse for wear. But at least the lights still worked.

I never did get my chat with the band - they had to clear off sharpish after the tree incident, I suspect, but I did share a roll-up and briefly talk to Simon Cooper (drums) who told me that they were all tired and looking forward to returning back to their native Bury St Edmunds after their tour. He said that his 'lucky' gig shorts needed a wash and that they, along with the band, loved to be touring. I hope he'll be in touch again to let us know when they'll be back! continued below

Miss Black America at the Adelphi Wednesday 10th December continued By Cilla

Since the gig I've looked at the bands web site - www.missblackamerica.net/ its as lively as they are - and discovered that maybe my first impression wasn't so far off the mark. I read that earlier this year the band toured for the Anti Nazi League Love Music Hate Racism campaign. I read what Seymour Glass said. He's a thinker. I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him.

'What supporting Love Music Hate Racism comes down to really is a simple question: do you think it is acceptable for people to be abused, hounded, terrorised, demonised, beaten, maimed and killed just because of their race, their religion, the colour of their skin, what their parents do or did, their sexuality, upbringing, accent, class, dress sense, taste in music, political views? If the answer is "yes", then you are a Nazi, and it probably is political for you. If the answer is "no", then you are a human being, and politics has nothing to do with it.' Well, I'll drink to that.

MISSBLACKAMERICA is

Simon Cooper drums	Mat Anthony guitar
Seymour Glass voice/guitar	Ryan Banwell bass

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