Sunday 10th September 06 - Fonda 500 at The Mela Festival at Pearson Park By Becky Martin Photographs by Kate Langan

As we slowly made our way to Pearson Park dragging our tired limbs behind us from a drunken night at Spiders, we emerge in the middle of the Hull Mela 06, a celebration of Hull's cultural diversity and acceptance of an alternative lifestyle, with its catchphrase of bring nothing but an open mind.

The grassroots-style venue is a huge mixing pot of different cultures, foods, objects, people, incenses, and music, including bongs, didgeridoos, tattoos, different coloured hair and even a guy walking around on stilts.

It's got something for everyone as there's organic juice bars, face painting, herbal remedies, Indian dancers, and there's workshops on Yoga, Reiki, Tai Chi, juggling, even plate spinning.

There's a graffiti workshop, hand drumming, Salsa dancing, and as we make our way to the stage we see a woman alone in the audience with a poi, doing her thing and entertaining the crowd while the bands do their sound checks on stage, and soon a crowd grows around her.

There's a huge celebration of different types of music throughout the day and the crowd gets bigger as Fonda 500 take to the stage. After a few technical problems that give them a hectic and tricky start, they manage to win over the crowd as their energy on stage gets the crowd going and dancing along with them.

Their upbeat, catchy songs have a huge electronic influence as the three keyboards almost drown out the guitars (and the vocals). The lead singer (Simon) wears his trademark black hat (that makes him look like a bear), and soon the crowd are warming up to them. Sadly, they only manage to squeeze in a few of their songs as the schedule is full with other bands like Dholl playaz, Wild Wood, Los Feos, The Bagdaddies, and AKALA, but Fonda 500 will remain one of the best local bands I've seen in Hull for a long time and can't wait to catch their next gig.

They're the highlight of the day and looking around, I realise that Hull not only has a unique and sometimes overlooked culture, but a colourful and vibrant one and Hull does a great job of bringing them all together and celebrating with pride. Check out Fonda 500's myspace for downloads and info on their next gig, www.myspace.com/thebandcalledfonda500

Going Down - Hull Mela Festival Sunday 31st July 2005 by Jane Foster
	This year saw Hull's first ever Mela festival held at Pearson Park. A Mela is a traditional festival which originates from India. A welcome event (especially as there was no Grassroots festival this year), it brought together and celebrated the diverse communities of Hull. It was a successful day, well attended and enjoyed by both the public and the performers. Read more...

Music Reviews - Stop It You're Killing Me, Monkey Boy and Freaks Union at The Adelphi By Becky Martin Photographs by Kate Langan
	The crowd's full of teeny-bopper emos and hardcore metal fans tonight in a glorious mixture of piercings, tattoos and spiky mohicans, as Stop It You're Killing Me kick off the rock night with their own brand of heavy guitars, energetic drums, and screechy vocals. The hot female bass player weaves in her own soft vocals towards the end of their set earning them a great reception Read more...

Music Reviews - 6th September 06 The Cherry Cobb Cartel at Durty Nellies By Michelle Dee
	So here's the set up you take an old Irish pub introduce a few musicians who jam their way through popular covers. Hits from Chuck Berry to U2, The Beatles to The Eagles with perhaps a few soul standards thrown in for good measure. This blend of talent and refreshment paves the way to a relaxed evening of fun socialising. Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 17th August 06 - The Tommys and Garden Gang at The Lamp By Becky Martin Photographs By Kate Langan
	The set couldn't have been more varied as Lamp proudly presents Garden Gang and The Tommys, one high energy glam punk rock fest, and the other contemporary girl rock that'll knock your socks off! German born band Garden Gang kick off their set with a mixture of influences including American 50's rock'n'roll, 70's punk and the new wave Read more...

Music Reviews - 22nd September 06 - Tonik The Shine and AfterGlow at The New Adelphi Club By Michelle Dee Photos By Mo
	Tonight is a night for Cilla to have a blow out; god knows she of all people deserves one. We arrive in a very wet Adelphi car park where great puddles make the footing precarious and more than one person ended up ankle deep in cold, muddy water. Perhaps some kindly building contractor might dump half a ton of aggregate on the car park next time they pass. Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 21st September 06 - Freaks Union 10th Anniversary Show with Monkey Boy and Stop It You're Killing Me at The Adelphi By Michelle Dee Photos By Mo
	Lads sporting fine Mohican hair do's standing tall, ladies in their tightest t-shirts, make up done just so. These are the punk kids piling in to the Adelphi during a heat wave. Tonight the celebrated punk band Freaks Union are putting on a special show to commemorate ten years in the business; ten good years as front man Jimbo proudly announced. Read more...

Music Reviews - 19th September 06 - Paul The Girl and Matt Edible at the New Adelphi By Michelle Dee
	Its blisteringly hot the air cons knackered there are young louts on stage pretending to be bad ass gangstas from da Bronx with little or nothing to say. They go on about being open to ideas, accepting everyone for what they are and being free doing what you do, but it is all bullshit. Judging by the racket they were making in the corridor whilst the visiting Read more...

Music Reviews - Sunday 17th September Aberfeldy Catherine Feeny and The Rocky Nest New Adelphi Club By Michelle Dee
	What a delightful night of live music; once again I found myself down at the Adelphi Club in Hull. A night with a strong billing that attracted a fine knowledgeable crowd. Aberfeldy the Scottish folk/electro five piece on their third visit to Hull not counting the two nights supporting The Beautiful South at the City Hall in July I arrived just after eight Read more...

Music Reviews - Leeds Festival - Part One By Joe Hakim Photos By Stuart Mountain and Mak
	My mates decided to throw a party the night before we were due to set off for Leeds. I initially thought about taking it easy, but the alcohol began to flow and before I knew it I was as pissed as a fart. Some of my mates went outside to have a game of football in the street, so I necked a half and sat on the windowsill and watched them play. Unfortunately, Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday 2nd September 06 - The View at Yo-Yo By Michelle Dee Photographs courtesy and copyright Perra Negra
	The visit to Hull by recent chart-breakers The View had been talked up for weeks and 600+ music fans came to see one of the hottest new bands to emerge from north of the border. The View hail from Dryburgh in Dundee and are currently on a mammoth UK tour. The chorus on Wasted Little DJs is exceedingly catchy and the song is quickly reaching anthem status among Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 23rd August 06 - Analogue Consumption Quick To the Observatory and The Clauberg Opera at the New Adelphi Club By Michelle Dee - NEW Photo Gallery by Tim Sinister
	Tonight was a night of firsts, three of them to be exact. The First "first" was Analogue Consumption's debut; a progressive three piece with heavy New Order influences. The bass driven sound was pleasingly at odds with the low key vocal style of the charismatic front man. Those around me said it reminded them of someone; that muted vocal style Read more...

Music Reviews - Tuesday 22nd August - GST Cardinals The Vultures and Park and Ride at The Sesh By Michelle Dee Photos By Michelle and Rachel
	Just got back from The Sesh on Princes Avenue, I had to strip off as soon as I was in the privacy and comfort of my living room because I was so hot and sticky. Sat naked now, I write this appraisal of tonight's eventful triple header. GST Cardinals were in fine fettle taking a rare early slot they proceeded to rock the Sesh to the rafters. They played a mix of Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday 18th August 06 - Disarm, Maeven and Slite Return at The Ringside By Dick Spring Photo Gallery By Mo
	ROCK! This is something that seemed to be sadly lacking in Hull in recent years, though once again Ringside seems to be at the forefront of this with some visionary booking. Such was the case tonight, with RingsideLightning Jack Cane and his rock revival disco in the downstairs bar of Ringside, with a sizeable number of real rockers Read more...

Music Reviews, Galleries - 16th June 06 - Cherry Cobb Cartel, The Vels and Redshed at The Ringside By Mo
	Checkout this 6 page photo gallery of Cherry Cobb Cartel, The Vels and Redshed at The Ringside By Mo. I know more about UFO's and the New World Order than I do about writing music reviews so you'll excuse my excuse. Please link back to us ta. Read more...

Music Reviews - 27th July Bridging The Gap at Christopher's featuring So and So's, Kill Surf City, Iodo, Ernest and Starter By Michelle Dee Photos by Mo - FULL Galleries Added !
	We at thisisull had originally chosen the band Tarifa to go with Ernest to play at Christopher's but sadly they had to drop out. Luckily Cilla kept her eye on the ball and soon had vintage beauties Kill Surf City on the bill instead. Yours truly did somewhat have the wind taken out so to speak, so all credit to Cilla and Brian for holding this one together. Cilla, Mo and I Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 9th August 06 - Prologue to Leeds: The Unsigned Bands Showcase at The Welly By Joe Hakim Photos By Mo
	So I get up late, overwhelmed by an uncontrollable lust for hummus. Goddamn those funky mashed up chick peas, I can't get enough. I'm still managing to hold onto my common-as-fuck credentials though - I eat it with chips. Putting my nibbles issues aside, I get my shit together and head off to The Welly to see the Carling stage warm-up event, Read more...

Music Reviews - Bloc Party, Mystery Jets and The Infidels at The Welly - Thursday 21st October By Andy Dykes, Photos by Darren Rogers - NEW GALLERIES.
	Once again, Sweet and Sour at The Welly have provided the people of Britain's critically acclaimed crappest town with another great line up including one of Britain's hottest new bands. I've heard that Bloc Party are the favourite band of the kid who plays Harry Potter in the films, and as I stand in the queue Read more...

Music Reviews - Sunday 16th July 06 - Humber Fest (otherwise known as DarrenFest) By Michelle Dee Photographs by Roland Standaert
	If you were there that Sunday, a mile outside of Barton on the North bank of the Humber River halfway down the Far Ings Road, in the glorious sunshine, you will know you were part of something very special. If you were not then you missed out, unbelievably so. Yesterday's nine hour Humber Fest music marathon will become the stuff of folklore. Myths will be created Read more...