Simon Rushworth
@ Newcastle The Cluny, July 5 2013
Four bands, four quid, one hot night and all for charity. What’s not to like?
Sadly the sudden onset of summer meant the majority of the Cluny’s Friday night set stayed out in the sun…while the rock rolled on inside.
And only a handful of committed punters enjoyed the best value night out in weeks – their reward a night of diversity, steely determination and some dirty rock and roll.
First up post-grunge quartet Mother Firefly delivered a set oozing confidence and understated cool. Mixing Nirvana with Biffy and Alice In Chains, the Gateshead band made a mockery of crowd favourite Silence Sez It All – theirs was the biggest noise of the night and said much about Mother Firefly’s obvious potential.
Revolver’s Oasis imitation wasn’t the most natural fit for a bill heavy on raw rock but the guitar work was tight, classy and assured. The Newcastle band were at their best when consumed by a rowdier BRMC-slanted sound but there’s a danger these sharp-dressed men believe they’re just a little too cool for school.
Third on the bill and the reformed Dirty Rock N Roll, boasting ex-Baby Rattlesnakes and Diablo Rose frontman Adam Barnes on vocals and Tooms’ Phil Davies on drums, looked every inch the veteran showmen.
With grinning bass player Lee Armstrong enjoying every minute of an electric performance, new tune Consume, Work and Die proved DRR don’t intend to rest on their laurels and rely on a back catalogue that does, nevertheless, include the classics Halo and Bullet.
Davies switched kits to back up headliners Minnie and bring a high octane night to a suitably raucous finale. Mixing garage rock, blues, punk and progressive rock, this frantic set served as the perfect curtain-raiser to October’s hotly-anticipated EP launch.
Singer Minnie mirrors a red-haired Debbie Harry with the attitude of Joan Jett and there’s no denying her intoxicating allure. Given the right stage, a permanent drummer and a half a chance the future’s theirs for the taking.
Simon Rushworth