Amateur Historians - The Menagerie, Belfast
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Cedric Has A Name, Bouts, Amateur Historians
The Menagerie, Belfast
12th April 2012
There are a few heads around tonight for the local music triple header, and only 拢3 at the听door?! Where would you get it?, that鈥檚 where. Chris Steenson, AKA is 铿乺st to the mic. Armed with 2 guitars, a nylon string and a fender and no听frills he starts with 鈥楨mpty Avenue鈥 a song from his upcoming E.P. to mucho applause, after听which he mutters "I don鈥檛 know why you鈥檙e clapping, that was f***ing awful". It was far from听it; it was quality and this self-deprecating approach makes it all the more endearing. He鈥檚 a听handy guitarist and the songs are great, tonight though he鈥檚 not getting the order he听deserves. His music would be more suited to the quiet and more intense venue
and听audience. He does beg comparison to the likes of or but there鈥檚听nothing wrong with that, it鈥檚 a good thing. He 铿乶ishes with 鈥榃hat We Want鈥, a harmonic-laden, catchy number from his 铿乺st E.P. It鈥檚 unassuming and humble music at it鈥檚 best. We听like. With more gigs under his belt and the right venue set-up 鈥楥edric Has A Name鈥 is听destined for good things.
Next to the stage is . They鈥檙e all handy players and put on a tight performance. After a strong start, they听lose the interest of a few until they launch into 鈥楪et Sick鈥, one of their recent double A-side听releases. A good, catchy chorus that once again grabs the ears of the Menagerie. Despite听a broken string and a couple of lulls in the performance it鈥檚 a solid Belfast debut from the听Dubs.
Our headliners this evening are local lads . Their brand of indie pop-punk is why most of the crowd is here this evening. They start with a new song that听apparently they鈥檝e only played 3 times before, which doesn鈥檛 show. It鈥檚 cheeky summer听music with plenty of instrumental breaks and choppy changes, the lads are a tight unit, no听doubt about it. Sadly the sound isn鈥檛 doing them any favours and the vocals are somewhere听in the distance. Tonight though that doesn鈥檛 really matter, they are playing for a crowd they听know and that crowd don鈥檛 mind a jot. The band hit the scene in late 2010 so it鈥檚 early days听but with more gigging you get the feeling it鈥檒l be super-slick. All acts tonight could afford a听bit more con铿乨ence and conviction, that鈥檚 50% of the performance apparently...ask Mick听Jagger. 鈥楢mateur Historians鈥 have the home crowd up bopping by the end and you get the听feeling that the local music heads will be blasting 鈥楢mateur Historians鈥 tunes this summer听on the way to Glasgowbury. Hurry up and give us the album lads!
Eamon Murray.
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