Friday 14th October 05 - The Subways at The Asylum By Andy Tullock

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Whoever said the quote best laid plans... and all that, must not only have had a better memory then myself but also must've been under the thumb of The Man, like me. The plans had been set in stone for The Subways gig at Asylum for well over two days, and were looking pretty water-tight. However, when I stupidly agreed to do a job which I fancied I could finish by about 7:30pm, I was not only pleading ignorance by not checking ALL the bands on-stage times but also playing with fire, and with that of my fellow gig-goers (having their tickets also nestled in my back pocket).

So when I found myself softly bending the speed limit, whilst coming down Cottingham Road, I decided that, in hindsight (that magnificent invention that makes things either seem worse or better depending on your half-full, half-empty look at life) it would've probably been a better idea to have dropped my colleagues tickets off earlier in the day/week. Oh well, If I'm going down you're all coming with me.

Like I said I'd also forgot to check the time that The Subways and their much anticipated support band The Kooks, who I desperately wanted to see, would be gracing the stage. Luckily this error had been mirrored by everyone else in my party, who had also insisted on finishing their drinks at the local watering hole before making the short trip to the Asylum; therefore not my fault, as far as I'm concerned.

Walking into a set of the band you've paid hard earned money to see, and passively worked the week through looking forward to, can be one of the most deflating feelings. A straight line to the bar is normally the answer and sure enough, after a refreshing sip of the holy amber nectar, we were ready to ably fight our way into a position of some worth. By this time The Subways were already well into their repertoire, well 10 minutes, and it felt like the proverbial faeces had well and truly been splattered in the air conditioning.

Having been taken for a Alton Towers-style journey on the price of the round, I was mumbling to myself about 9:30 being an early time to place a headline act on stage mind you, looking at the intoxicated 50% that made up the crowd, you would probably beg to differ Please Note: This was the clean censored version of this paragraph, the all together Channel X involved the Bar bill leaving me walking John Wayne style through a crowded hall of like wise individuals

Anyway, there seemed to be this sudden sweep of atmosphere started to envelope us, as we found ourselves being won over by an amazing accurate performance of each song and all of a sudden had a fair view of the three-piece that filled the stage. The energy that the band had had clearly rubbed off on every single person in the club, and when Mary came on, I found that I was bouncing along like an alchy on Special Brew.

And this overwhelming influence carried on through the whole of the set. I never imagined writing any article of any worth of a band I had walked into ten minutes after the start but slowly this gig became one of the best I have witnessed in the last few years and showed just how much potential these kids have. Perfect renditions of Oh Yeah and Young For Eternity threw bodies up and over in the pit that had been created below, many more rushed passed me to be the next chosen one lofted into the sweaty, smoky aura that was beamed from the three newly found rock gods in front of us.

Both Billy Lunn and Charlotte Coopers vocals where pure unadulterated perfection, with every crackle and broken note, not that there were many, slotting instinctively into place.

Continued...... Next Page

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