More buried treasure is unearthed at Liverpool Sound City 2009.
Part of Sound City’s innate charm is stumbling into the most unlikely of places and finding some lunatic freejazz rock outfit dressed like Dickensian urchins sporting fancy taches.
The place is Heebiejeebies. The band is Australia’s The John Steel Singers.
All tussled locks tumbling over button-up collars and threadbare corduroy, there’s a cracking fizzle of trumpet and trombone amid the hardrock fusion.
And despite it being early afternoon, the upstairs bar is in full swing as the sun drizzles in from the courtyard.
Slowly more bodies dispense with the outside haze cracking the flags in favour of the JSSS’s whirlwind stomp; one part ragtime, one part Velvets chugging and one part arcetypical English pop, they’re giddy with vigour and it’s a shame they’re 30 minutes passes so soon.
Just another mini highlight for the City that never sleeps.
by Peter Guy
The John Steel Singers
The Red Deltas stepped up to the sporadic crowd with much energy.
Kitted out like the aftermath of a scrap in Topman it just proves you can’t judge a book by its cover or indeed a band by it’s skinny jeans and kneck-scarves. They delivered a heady brand of danceable guitar rock.
Singer Mats Devik worked the stage with almost ‘madchester’ like swagger removing the crowd from their stagnant state.
This was all about three string bass in your face.
Losing a bass string early on could have quelled Strawhouses‘ hopes of success but that wasn’t to be.
The bassist played on with three strings, stealing the show in the process.
Gripping melodies and soaring guitars led the way in a remarkable outing of skill and perseverance.
by Liam Flanders
John Steel Singers
Strawhouses
Red Deltas
