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iLiKETRAiNS, Redjetson, Echelon and The Reprobates

Delph Bar, University of Lincoln on 27th October 2005
Reviewed by Andreas on 31st October 2005

This night could well have been a bit of a disaster. The weather was absolutely foul, I lost a fiver (!!) and the guestlist didn't appear to have my name on it. However, with some clever talk I managed to once again find myself on the sticky floors of the University of Lincoln's student bar.

The Reprobates

The Reprobates are the kind of band you reckon must be blackmailing record labels or similar. They were terrible. Like a mix of Jet and The Kings of Leon - and taking away what little talent that bastard inbreeding causes. It's sub-blues, rockabilly riffs and some guy screaming. They have no stage presence, and the drummer is off the beat again and again. Furthermore, the sound is so loud you can't help but hear them.

This band, if heaven has any decency left, will not have a future.

Horrible. 0/10, and no url. You might click it, and that would possibly encourage them to write more rubbish music, and then making other people hear it.

Rating: 0/10

Echelon

Echelon play quite staccato, pretty indie poprock. A bit on the twee side of things, vocalist Paul Usher makes it all good. His voice does soar over the sometimes lacking band. He sings like a man possessed, wanting to front an orchestra, yet is accompanied by some jangly guitar chords, dull drums and an organ. It gets to the point where I am tempted to rush up on stage and take control and make it massive.

However, it is not all bad. When they really come together during songs like "Humble" and "Plus", you can almost feel the magic happening. It's like one of the Buckleys are back on the stage! Guitars riffing all over the place, the drums actually getting kind of interesting. But when you want it all to explode into a soundscape of noise and vocals it... doesn't.

Echelon have so much potential, if they'd just buy a distortion pedal and get a violinist.

Rating: 5/10
Website: www.echelonmusic.co.uk

iLIKETRAiNS

First off, I must say I was thoroughly impressed by Leeds' iLIKETRAiNS from the moment they stepped onstage in their matching Northern Rail jackets.

With slideshows and small films projected onto the back of the stage, they proceed to create some of the finest, most touching music I've heard in quite a while. The slow, mournful songs that turn into a massive mountain of distorted melody, accompanied by trumpets create something... Beautiful.

The mood created on a stage as small as that of the Delph bar, with the band members stood basically on top of each other, the film and slideshow in the background added to their rather spastic movements (they're literally falling over each other) makes their show a rather entertaining one. Where some bands would stare at their feet, iLIKETRAiNS positively jump about whilst smashing out such hits as "Behind closed curtains" and latest single, the excellent "A rook house for Bobby" during which a game of chess is displayed in the back, in honour of the chess champion the song is about.

Last song, "Stainless Steel" is one of the best songs I've ever heard, and all ten minutes of it - ten minutes the band spend falling over each other in a sweaty mess (always a good thing) are so enjoyable I never wanted it to end. Excellent stuff.

Rating: 9/10
Website: www.iliketrains.co.uk

Redjetson

I had to give most of Redjetson as miss, but judging by the opening number, "Divorce", they were epic! Buy their album.

Rating: 7/10
Website: www.redjetson.co.uk

What a gig! iLIKETRAiNS display a rare talent, and could well be the next kings of moody, semi-instrumental rock. In retrospect, I really regret having missed Redjetson, but they're a young band, and I'm sure I'll get another chance one day.

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