Sal Paradise at The White Room Saturday 19th March 05 By Anthony Baine Photo gallery from The Sesh - 8th November 2004 Sal Paradise supporting Turismo By Mo

Photograph Gallery   Sal Paradise Gallery 1,    Gallery 2,    Turismo Gallery 1,    Gallery 2.

This is the first article I've ever written for thisisUll.com. Even though I've logged on regularly for the past year or so, and I follow the local music scene avidly, I've never been moved to put pen to paper. Until now. About six months ago, I wandered down to The Sesh to watch the ever-great Turismo. Support came from a new band called Sal Paradise. have to admit I wasn't really paying attention, but I do recall finding myself tapping my feet to the occasional catchy riff or whatever.

Last Saturday night, I found myself in The White Room having a few pre-Spiders beers, and after support from a covers band called Hour Glass, I was confronted by Sal Paradise again.

They seemed in a hurry to get on, probably to make the most of a good turnout. They also seem to have lost a member, as if memory serves there were five of them at The Sesh. After a nervy Good Evening from the singer, a supersonic roar of guitar led into the ferocious opening track. The bass line was insanely catchy and the rake thin guitarist weighed in with a needling solo. When the song crashed to a close the audience didn't clap instantly, like they didn't know what to make of it, and the band looked a bit sheepish, apart from the bass player who started laughing.

The next song, Spastic Romantic (one of only two songs that were introduced by name) featured more excellent bass work and much twitching of the leg from the singer who looks like a blond Jarvis Cocker. When this one clattered to it's breakneck conclusion, people were clapping properly.

Nerves seemingly gone, the band tore through another six or seven numbers, including a brilliant, almost unrecognizable cover of Joy Division's Transmission, at least two songs with incredibly un-P.C. lyrics, a punk-pop track which contained a great Yeah, Yeah, Yeah singalong chorus, and the one which stood out for me - a slow, abrasive guitar masterclass which featured the best drumming of the night, a snarled lyric about always being poor and an awesome instrumental break during which the guitarist was alternately punching and tickling his SG.

Meanwhile the bass player's guitar was smouldering like the cigarette stuck, John Entwistle-style, in his headstock.

For the last two numbers the singer donned a battered Stratocaster and they belted through a two-minute Nirvana-esque tune, and then all came in one at a time for the set closer, an lengthy number called Introvert, which started with just singing and the singer's own wonky rhythm guitar playing. Gradually the band came in and the outro featured a frantic rap-style vocal, wonderful drumming and incredibly twisty guitar-work. It was a fine ending to a fantastic gig. I approached the singer after the gig while he was smoking, slouched in the corner, and offered my compliments.

The response I got was a welcome change from the arrogance and pretension I've come to expect from people in bands round here. Merely a polite nod of the head, a cheeky grin and thanks very much, that's very kind of you.

Looking back though, this is what this band are; a welcome change. They sound like nobody else about at the moment, certainly not in Hull. They are not Pete Doherty-obsessed, two-chord walking haircuts like so many local bands I could name. They genuinely sound original and you get the impression they're in a band not because it's cool to be in a band, but because they want to make challenging and provocative music. And they are certainly doing that. Sal Paradise are absolutely brilliant.

Check the thisisUll.com Gallery Photographs courtsey and Copyright © Mo 2005

Photograph Gallery   Sal Paradise Gallery 1,    Gallery 2,    Turismo Gallery 1,    Gallery 2.

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