Tuesday 14th August 07 - Open Mic Night at Durty Nellies with David Elf, Cox Brothers and The Peasants Revolt Words and Pictures by Lady Of Leather

Photograph Gallery   David Elf, Cox Brothers Gallery ,   The Peasants Revolt Gallery 1,   Gallery 2.

It was most certainly a damp grey night, but cobbles glistened reflecting the streetlights, spirits were cheery and bright on entering the old town Irish pub Durty Nellies. I sashayed to the bar in tight leather to order a pint of Masham's finest ale Black Sheep. Drinking in the atmosphere were customers from Queens Pub and more than a handful of Zest regulars.

The big draw tonight was The Peasants Revolt; now a four piece with recent addition Steve Kerry (ex-Sons of the Desert) on bass for them. The acoustic sounds began with acclaimed local musician David Elf jamming through a few numbers the best of these was one called Déjà Vu which showcased his guitar skills via complex fingering. The pub steadily filled amongst them a few seafarers just back from a journey along the North Sea coast to the Scottish Isles.

Next up were the Cox Brothers a new name to me but it would seem that this trio have been around since 2004. The band released an album The Pluto Underground in September 2006. Tonight they comprised of two guitarists on semi-acoustics and a percussionist on a hand drum. They played a number of original tracks with top end thrills sounding more like piano keys.

I spoke with Kipper, (Hull Blokes writer) about the strange arrangement of sound holes in one of the guitars and being a musician himself he explained their purpose.

Two tracks stood out for me in an entertaining but easy going set. The first being Why Don't You Learn and Brilliant Failure for the drum sequences and the contradictory title. The band finished with an enjoyable reworking of the Sting comeback tune Fragile, which resulted in a more enthusiastic response. This band with their laid back, easy going style would probably work well on the Sunday afternoon programme at Pave.

"We're off," a revolting peasant shouts from the stage. "About bloody time," comes the response.

A rousing opening number complete with heckles from on and off the stage then it's Hit Me Baby One More Time in A minor. The mandolin trills and thrills from Al Catton, as the original cover band gathers steam. "Well, you said you always wanted to do Britney," quips guitarist Pollard to Bernie on vocals. The bass is wiped dry with a lime green towel as workmates in the corner murmur, "He'll never live this down."

The band get their groove on with Sweet Home Alabama then move into a favourite of mine Fishermans Blues by The Waterboys. The Peasants Revolt have got the whole routine going on, laugh a minute these peasants you know. No questioning the musicality within the group but Wishing Well is Paul Rodgers and Bad Company not Terence Trent D'arby, guys. The mandolin is switched for a guitar and the band play on and the crowd love them. More memories and rock bravado relived as Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi, gets the audience singing along to the chorus.

There follows more marvelling at the top end thrills from Al on Rio by Duran Duran, and a highly amusing Hotel California. The popular Eagles standard done Gypsy Kings style sees Kerry on bass rocking out back, for those that can take their eyes off the front three. "I was rocking one out," says an excitable young cat at the bar later.

And you will too because they are a must see band. Leave your music snobbery at home, join in with the laughter, the heckling, the good humoured banter and subvert cool with The Peasants Revolt. Next show 18th October at Stripped Wellington Inn in Hull. www.myspace.com/revoltingpeasants www.myspace.com/africastudios www.coxbrothers.net

Photograph Gallery   David Elf, Cox Brothers Gallery ,   The Peasants Revolt Gallery 1,   Gallery 2.

Music Reviews - 19th July 07 - Stripped 2nd Birthday At Wellington Inn By Perry Farrell Photographs By Michelle Dee
	I made notes at the gig, then got a bit too drunk and dropped them into the bar room spittoon at The Queens Hotel just before last orders. Thankfully, I can still remember enough to provide this brief but highly accurate and concise review of proceedings. By the way - for those of you who can't be arsed to stray off Prinny Ave these days - The Wellington Inn Read more...

Music Reviews - Tuesday 3rd July 07 - Classic Rock Music Night At The Wellington Pub, Russell Street By Michelle Dee
	After a hard day at the office, I sallied forth to Wellington Pub , home to the ever-successful Stripped nights run by Pat Gradwell on Thursdays, and to a little known Classic Rock Night on Tuesday evenings. We were in the special pub last Tuesday about eight o' clock when a group of chaps came up to us and said, "Hey you'll have to move, it's our music night." "Music night!" Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 11th July 07 - Lecorum, The Riffs and Riley and The Mumps at Lamp By Katie Ashworth Photos by Michelle Dee
	Despite the recent smoking ban that was predicted to cause a blow to bar and pub custom, it is safe to say that this is one of the fullest Lamp nights we have seen - the stage front becomes packed towards the end of the night, and you can still see people in the seating area and outdoor area, all providing ample support for these all-Hull bands. First support is Riley and the Mumps. Hard to guess Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 27th June 07 - Maul and Reign Of Chaos and Mechanical Breeding at Ringside By Ian Johansson Reign of Chaos Photos by JWA Photography
	This was one night that shouldn't have been missed. It was one of the biggest nights I had seen at Ringside in my two years of living in Hull and attending a lot of local gigs. The night kicked off a bit late but the atmosphere strong and tense, the first band up was a band named Mechanical Breeding. The guitarist was possibly the only decent member in the band, Read more...

Music Reviews - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals By Chris Warne
	I'm always amazed by the amount of musical talent on MySpace that goes unnoticed, often hidden behind endless streams of lesser artists trying to promote their "songs" by friend requesting the world and it's husband. But sometimes - just sometimes - you make a rare discovery that blows your mind! Last week I logged on to the profile of Grace Potter and The Nocturnals Read more...

Music Reviews - Sunday 24th June 07 - The Sonic Hearts at Lamp Words and Pictures By Michelle Dee
	Just lately I've found myself down at the Lamp checking out the very different range of artists performing there. Tonight was a pleasant surprise; one new band The Sonic Hearts. Another reformed, with a new name in Kalels Cape and one with two new members and new songs, Red Night Strip. I'll start with Red Night Strip Read more...

Music Reviews - Monday 2nd July Amy Macdonald at The Lamp Hull By Michelle Dee
	Monday night I went to see Amy Macdonald www.myspace.com/amymacdonald at the lamp in Hull. She came recommended to me by a good friend but I hadn't actually heard anything by the Glaswegian singer/songwriter signed to Melodramatic Records. Now I can't stop singing the gloriously catchy Mr. Rock & Roll her new single out Read more...

Music Reviews - 28th June 07 Jelly V Club NME South Central (DJ Set) Welly Hull By Michelle Dee Pictures by Kate Langan
	Thursday arriving early before all the prom kids arrived we slid into the lounge downstairs at the Welly. Drinks in hand we grooved to the Latino sounds of the Spanish Hustle and kudos to the DJ downstairs for spinning the Junior Jack track featuring The Cure's Robert Smith. As more prom kids came in, ready to party, the sounds Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday 22nd June 07 - ThisisUll Live at New Adelphi Club By Guest Reviewer Kane Fulton Photos by Michelle Dee
	I'm sweating like a bitch was a common utterance echoing around the Adelphi - the nightmarish toilet sauna that is the most, like, punk venue Hull has to offer. Does this detract from the enjoyment? Well, not as much for the punters, but most of the bands look practically in agony on stage. At £2.40 for a pint of Labatts (albeit deliciously chilled Labatts) Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday 19th May Great Green Concert Featuring cowfisH, Talamasca and Shindigg At Beverley Green Fair By Michelle Dee
	In the evening after the majority of stalls and stands had been taken down at the Green Fair in Beverley, the Great Green Concert took place. It was held in the darkened confines of the auditorium in Longcroft School between 8pm and 10.30. The audience who'd travelled from York/Hull and the surrounding area were treated to some top class Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday 11th May 07 - Jesse Malin at Fibbers, York By Steve Rudd
	It might have been raining outside, the weather comprehensively showering a sense of profound doom and gloom upon the grand old city of York. Fortunately, inside the cosy confines of Fibbers, Jesse Malin fired out a ninety minute set of sheer joy, as the New York singer-songwriter extraordinaire returned to the venue for the third time in his career Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday 27th May 07 - The Who, The Ordinary Boys and Jackson Analogue at KC Stadium By Julian Thorley Photographs By Roland Standaert
	The 'classic' British summer and the 'curse' of the KC Stadium looked to have struck again on the evening of the 26th May, when The Who played in Hull. It rained yet again. Not the torrential downpours of past gigs there, but it was chilly and damp enough to make it uncomfortable for those out in the open. It just goes to show though that a bit of lousy weather Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday Night at Jack Rabbit Slims By Cilla It's Showtime!
	Jack Rabbit Slims bar on the corner of Holderness Road and Wincolmlee seems an unlikely place for a night out - during the day you'd barely notice it as you pass by. Saturday night is where that all changes; the neon lights burst into life and it's time to get ready for a rock n roll extravaganza! The first thing I noticed as I walked in was a bunny girls serving drinks. Read more...

Music Reviews - 16th May 07 Soulflame Cowfish at Goose and Granite George Street Hull By Michelle Dee Pictures By Natalie Dudding
	Astounding, incredible sounds from both bands due in some part to the excellent work by Dr. Mike Shindigg at the sound desk. For award-winning five piece band Cowfish www.cowfish.me.uk tonight was a rehearsal for their headline appearance at the Great Green Concert in Beverley the coming Saturday. So aside from telling you that Simon (Cowfish keyboards) Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 10th May 07 - The Meatloaf Trilogy With Steve Steinman At Hull New Theatre Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	It makes for a rare treat when a tribute act is almost as amazing as the real thing. In many respects, when Steve Steinman 'does' Meatloaf, the net effect is sometimes even better. A couple of years ago, Lancashire singer Steve toured with a show called The Meatloaf Story in which he sung a whole host of classic tracks as Read more...

Music Reviews - From Sleepers To Yo-Yo In Three Bottles Of Red (dis-ably assisted by Cilla) By Michelle Dee
	It was only supposed to be a quick drink down Newland. At the most a glass or two until the sun set over the railway bridge turning the terracotta road a fiery orange; a pleasant fiction indeed. In reality it was turning a trifle cold and clouding over, there might even have been a few drops of spring rain dotting the pavement as we turned the corner of Ella Street. Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 4th May 07 - Ray Davies at the Grand Opera House, York By Joe Malarky
	A familiar gap toothed grin greeted the assembled audience of the bijou Grand Opera House in York. Ray Davies, founder member of The Kinks, original mod and songwriter par excellence, stood and smiled as the rest of his band took their places alongside him. The familiar punchy chords of 'I'm not like everybody else' rang out and the tone of the Read more...