Soundclash 2011 - February 2nd

Strange things are happening at Soundclash 2011, with the curse back in full swing. Down to two bands, yet again, and one of those were not even advertised as playing. It did not matter though, cheeky compere Andi was back with his witty banter, and firelighters at the ready…this man should really be presenting, but maybe not the family shows.

The night was going to be interesting though, as it really was a clash of sounds – indie versus metal. We had last year’s semi-finalists Wave Goodbye Sunset against Shrike, who were performing their first ever gig together. Would it be a case of the band that brought the most fans (due to the controversial voting system) would win, or would it be down to the actual music?

WGS were first up with a very laid back set. This popular band have had a lot of experience at gigs, and so why wouldn’t they be relaxed on stage. However, it may have been a case of too laid back. Now don’t get me wrong, these guys are good but there did not seem to be any energy or vibes being passed on to the audience. It felt like they were the warm up act for the event. Now WGS have many gigs lined up, including another set at Cox’s Yard, so maybe they were taking it in their stride. Perhaps it was just a case of prestige of being semi-finalists that will see them through. Great lads, great music but tonight their stage presence had to be questioned for its greatness. Only votes would tell if they had done enough.

Second up were metal band Shrike. A last minute replacement, and their very first gig, no one really knew what to expect. From their opening song, it felt like they were pros and had been doing it for years, and not just a couple of months. This was pure metal and not for the faint-hearted. The lyrics, the sound, the tattoos all symbolised what metal stands for, and these guys had it all. The audience loved it. You could see the passion and energy in the souls of their eyes…if these guys had a soul that is. The group did a great interview, and you could see they wanted to do well. Apparently they were nervous before going on stage, bless their cotton socks. However, it’s votes that win prizes, so would it be experience triumphing or performance snatching that prize money and a place in the next round? Check out the podcast to find out, and remember, you can tune in live for all the banter, interviews and sets only on Stratcast.