Thursday 2nd March - HULLucinations Launch at Silhouette - Dirty Dreamers, 10,000 Things, Your Vegas and The Johnsons (3/5) By Michelle Dee Gallery by Darren Rogers

(1/5), (2/5), (3/5), (4/5), (5/5).

Photograph Gallery   The Johnsons Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Your Vegas Gallery 1,   Dirty Dreamers Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Gallery 3,   10,000 Things Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Gallery 3,   People Gallery 2.

The more melodic sounds of Your Vegas come next with bursts of angst fuelled energy incorporating shifting vocals and guitars. The front man Coyle Girelli is a looker, recalling the days of Brett Anderson both in style and stage presence. He has an impressive vocal range shifting from a high tenor to faultless falsetto with ease. The rest of the band also look good and play well together. Fast guitar sequences with subtle chord changes feature in the songs as fingers grease the frets. The Hull crowd seem uninterested I think it is a case of ignorance leading to contempt. I don't know who you are, so I shan't even bother to find out, kind of thinking.

Eponymous track Your Vegas brings a few of the genuine live music fans out and they proceed to make a small posse to my left. Well done to you guys. Racy guitars punctuated by piano, open In my Head the bands next single release out May. More emphasis on melody and smooth flowing lines for this band, lines that fall in and over each other, creating subtle layers.

The crowd has grown considerably but they choose to sulk at the back once again. With a foot atop the monitor I hear a guitar break reminiscent of early New Order I listen out for the bass line, which sounds out strong, amidst a flurry of crash and high hat percussion. I notice the guitar effects kit is numbered from 1 to 10, just thought I'd share that.

An eerie piano intro introduces a slower darker number filled with menace and meaning. The song changes shape twice; first as other instrumentation is slowly brought in then after the first refrain of fight fire with fire the drums kick in. Passion squeezed from the guitar and high-pitched vocals, provide the perfect juxtaposition for the less extreme verses. The tight-trewed, open-shirted singer poses and performs with cool subtle sex appeal. More piano sounds ping the sound into life as the slightly heavier finale takes shape. The musicality is tight original and imaginative, with well worked ideas both stylish and challenging.

I feel like I'm writing in their defence somehow. I shan't let the majority influence my enjoyment even if they rip the book out of my hands and scrawl You Are Wrong in angry black letters across the page. My feelings are backed up when Your Vegas played a brilliant live set on Raw Talent three weeks later.

10,000 Things were due to headline tonight, but unfortunately their guitarist was hospitalised that very afternoon so they decided to let the Dreamers take their place in respect for invalided band member. A replacement for the missing band member was quickly found in the form of Dan. He had to quickly learn the guitar parts for the set; considering he only had a couple of hours to practice he managed remarkably well. With some cheeky banter from rebellious front man 10,000 Things went into their opening song followed by Pushing Me Away. Sam, announcing that the floor was his, took every opportunity to leave the stage and mix it with the crowds who are all jumping up and down excitedly.

That's certainly a good way to get the Hull crowd awake. I'm stood a few feet from the stage when he jumps of the stage during Dirty Bastard, lays face down on the floor, and simulates what appears to be floor sex, right at my feet. Extraordinary.

While listening to his clever lyrics, I quickly dub him the uncrowned bard of modern rock n roll. He makes the poet in me want to construct odes to debauchery and nihilism, there and then. Hull is now going crazy screaming and dancing like maniacs, as Sam continues with his master class in stage presence. On his knees he twists and contorts delivering shameless lines of sheer brilliance.

Continued..... Next Page (4/5).

Photographs courtesy and Copyright ©  Darren Rogers 2006

Photograph Gallery   The Johnsons Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Your Vegas Gallery 1,   Dirty Dreamers Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Gallery 3,   10,000 Things Gallery 1,   Gallery 2,   Gallery 3,   People Gallery 2.

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