Originally published on Panic Dots.

When I walk into the downstairs bar at the Old Blue Last I’m met by the usual Wednesday night crowd you’d find in any local up and down the country, so I order a pint, pull up a table and wait until it’s time to go upstairs. I’m not expecting it to be a busy night, but then I’ve not been here before so what do I know?
I can still hear the soundcheck drifting down the stairs, but I know better than to watch the first band set up – there’s nothing quite like it to ruin the illusion. I hang around downstairs, guarding my table from the huge surge of people that have just walked in through the Pub’s front door. Then, quick as a flash, they all disappear upstairs, and I desperately run after them, realising there’s a real chance I’m going to miss the start of the first band’s show.

The venue is packed out, and I can just about see the whole band from the little corner of space I tuck myself into beside the bar.

First off, Wayter don’t sound anything like I expected. Well, that’s not entirely true – from where I was standing, the bassist was blocked from view and he looks VERY much like the band sound. Singer and guitarist Eddie lulls the crowd into a false sense of security with his mellifluous vocals, then slaps everyone into submission with a primal scream ripped straight from the depths of the blackest soul. The contrast is amazing, and Wayter’s look, sound and crowd hark back to the days when gigs weren’t just another excuse for a fashion parade: these people are here to listen to good music, loud music, their music. The band works well together as a unit, dirty bass and drums doing an excellent job of driving the songs forward, and there’s a moment during one of the tracks when Juan and Dan, the guitarist and bassist respectively, pull off a stunning display of synchronised pedal work, both hitting their marks with pistol like precision. They’re definitely ones to watch for 2011, and I personally can’t wait for the 6th December when they release their debut single – Cheese Sandwich.

Gin Panic pull off a capable performance, but I feel they may have been let down by some sound problems, as I’ve heard them perform a lot better under different circumstances. Still, there’s very little not to like about these guys.

Finally, Moneytree appear on stage to perform the third part of The Great Indoors triptych. They’re joined by a special guest Anja McCloskey, on accordion and keyboard.
There’s a definite prog feel to these guys, each song pushing their instruments to the very limit, then dramatically shifting in tone and tempo, presumably to keep everybody on their toes. The tunes look as fun to play as they sound, and there’s a definite groove in the air, complemented by the bands confidently cheeky engagement with the crowd in between songs. They even manage to keep us all entertained with a bit of banter while the guitarist changes a string. Everyone absolutely laps up the set, and when they’ve finished I’m sure I see them shifting more than a few copies of The Great Indoors Part III

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