Wednesday 1st February 06 - Silver Star at Piper featuring City Ghosts, Kill Surf City, The Morphines, Thief and Black Dog Sunday (2/4) By Michelle Dee

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

Thief formerly Icicle Thief, are a five-piece made up off, Jonny Horsley on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Stef Ramsdenv guitars, vocals, Michael Hudson also on guitar, vPatrick Mateer on bass and Matt Drewicz on drums. With no introductions they launched straight in to their first number, I wanna girl to kiss on the face. A song called Every Saturday, that has a good instrumental break down halfway through quickly followed the affectionate opener.

The cleverly titled Imagication followed with some unusual drum breaks and a foot-tapping chorus. I really like this one and begin to shimmy and shake whilst those around me look on bemused. It's a gig people; it's live music, you are allowed to show some passion, enthusiasm? Ah well... I continue to move as the song reaches it climax, which features a harmonica ending. Nice touch.

The next Pick it Up had potential too, and included some minimalist guitar sections that if drawn out more could improve the overall feel of the song. More of this variation in sound was evident on Bodyparts. The juxtaposition of the intense eerie middle section and the shift to softer acoustic and vocal was well realised.

This softer tone was echoed in the melodic Thieves of Love with a rising, falling chorus that was no less engaging than before. During Thousand Yard Stare, somewhere among the shifting guitars, patterns grow and evolve as Thief finishes their set amid drum breaks and rolls. A good solid band, with some creative ideas, that warrant further investigation.

A few months ago I heard from the next band that they were endeavouring to change direction and find a new more dynamic sound. I waited with anticipation for evidence of this change as the band, after a false start; a bass amp blew I think, roared into life. A small gathering, of die hard Morphinettes, creep on to the dance floor and move closer to the stage.

Lead singer seems to be trying an Ian Curtis vocal style from the Warsaw era. The songs come thick and fast with aggravatingly long breaks between them that destroys any continuity.

I'm out of breath just watching them remarks a chap stood near me. The winning Culprit kicks in halfway through the set and I find myself dancing whilst thinking about the comment I just overheard. It's a fair comment, the band put their all, in to the stage performance, but I wonder how much of the same energy is put into band practice.

I feel The Morphines need to look at Culprit and see why it works so well and then try to implement what they find into some of the other material. It really is a bloody good song and never fails to liven up an audience.

Continued..... Next Page (3/4).

Music Reviews - Bob Geldof at Hull City Hall - Thursday 1st December 05 By Steve Rudd
	December 1st 2005, in my mind, has gone down in history as an unforgettable day. It was the day I met my biggest hero. And whoever said that to meet your hero is usually a disappointing affair was wrong in this instance, and since meeting Bob Geldof (twice in one night!), I'm filled with even more respect for the man ... the god. I never ever thought I'd get the chance to meet Read more...

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Music Reviews - Friday 25th November 05 - Franz Ferdinand at Hull Ice Arena By Michelle Dee
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Music Reviews - Friday 4th November 05 - Shinobi featuring Grooverider and MC AOB at The Welly By Michelle Dee - 3 Page Photo Gallery.
	Drum n bass creeps up from your feet to your fingaz and puts a smile on everyone's face... I am aware of the genre drum n bass or d n b as it is commonly referred. A good few years ago I stayed by my radio all night to tape the Bristol pioneer Roni Size playing live on air. I watched with interest a docu-road movie on LTJ Bukem and the antics of MC Conrad. The show ended up with the Read more...

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Music Reviews - 14th August 05 - Frank's Right Hand Trouser, Shindigg, Sal Paradise and The Vultures at the Adelphi By Anthony Baine.
	So, another week, another gig. This time it's the Paul Jackson's gaff for some of Hull's top local fare. Sundays are usually quite hit and miss in the summer months while there are no students about and this on this occasion I took a seat in a half-full Adelphi just in time to witness four bands strut their stuff. First up were The Vultures. Hull's music scene at the moment consists mainly of Read more...