The original draft.........
ALTRES - Dundee's leading electronic music band - a trio and part-time quartet, they feature synthesizers and electric guitar. Their brand of electronic music takes in influences from traditional Krautrock, the synthesizer music of the seventies (as evidenced by Tanngerine Dream and Jarre) as well as Moroccan, ambient and Hawkwind-influenced space- rock. Inventive, commercial and addictive, they are capable of chilling you out and taking you to another dimension before taking off with the power of a Saturn V!!
RACHEL ANDERSON - Dundee's finest female solo, acoustic singer-songwriter with a pure and high register vocal somewhat akin to a British version of a more sultry and laid-back Joni Mitchell. Performing sets that mix warm-feeling originals with the occasional classic cover, she needs to be heard by a hushed audience to appreciate the full range of her writing and singing talents, also playing a mean acoustic guitar along the way. From tender to good-time, unusual to familiar, she's got the talent to rise above the rest.
AWAITING EXILE - Carnoustie's finest rock band, they play a brand of metal that has as much of its roots in the classics of rock such as Guns 'N' Roses, as it does in the supercharged nu-metal scene of today. Complete with two guitarists, this band's sets build to a rip-roaring climax. One to watch.
BIG BIG SOUND - Taken from their website: "Big Big Sound is a 10 piece outfit based in Dundee, Scotland. We're a sound clash / mash-up of everything that's influenced all of us over the years - and that's a lot. Be prepared for a finely tuned, but edgy, blend of hip-hop, drum 'n' bass, reggae, ska, electro, techno rock, jazz and all else".
BOX - The solo project of Neil McIntee, Box could be called an avant-garde electronic/electric music act, but with every concert a different experience, the music is much more than that term applies. From drifting waves of sound through rhythmic muscle to squalls of drones, searing guitar textures and treatments, and beyond, you never quite know what you're going to hear when he plays live - heck, even he doesn't know, some of the time - but the one thing you can be sure of - as a sonic experience it will be unique and intense.
DIRTY WEE MIDDENS - In terms of seventies punk as evidenced by the likes of Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and the like, mixed with a healthy shot of Goth and a roaring howl that is today's punk scene, the Dirty Wee Middens have become a tight as f**k unit that spit out some great originals and covers with the real punk attitude that got it noticed all that time ago.
DUBHEAD - Dundee's only dub-reggae band but WHAT A BAND!!!! This lot could give any leading dub-reggae band a run for thewir money. The standard of playing is astounding as every member injects pure passion into their heady and addictive brew of originals and covers. Including Dundee's finest female percussionist Cath Costello (who also drums for Isis and Hennisi) on bongos and percussion, plus a drummer/vocalist who is spectacular, guitarist/vocalist Lefty who injects the searing heat, plus sax, bass and keys, this band are awesome - rarely perform live so if you get the chance, don't miss them!!!
ELECTRA - As our "honorary Dundonian" for services to the scene above and beyond the call of duty for an American lady living in Edinburgh, what can you say about Electra - "unique" just doesn't do her justice - "wondrous" doesn't even come close - and then there's her songs!! A one-woman show (although you might expect the odd surprise), a near 6 foot blonde American will command your attention like no other as she sings her way through a set of original songs, played and composed by herself and main instrumentalist, Ian Jones, which range from sultry electro-ambience, alternative indie to all out, guns-blazing rock attack. Her vocal is simply incredible - her range is fantastic, her delivery awesome and her songs and singing to die for - promise me, you'll kick yourself if you miss her live in concert.
FMW - Of the thash and hardcore bands I've so far seen in the area, this lot has got to be one of the most enjoyable in a live setting. Their fiery brew of all-guns blazing metal attack set on an intensity level of "stun" belies the fact that these guys can play some steaming guitar work in particular, and whose own compositions are inventive and a good deal more "musical" for the genre than many would expect. Including covers of Pantera and Sepultura tracks in concert, this band is well worth catching.
HAMPER - Dundee's own slice of '80's influenced Americana in a band that features a female vocalist who's a dead ringer at times for Natalie Merchant out of the group 10,000 Maniacs. Musically, their compositions are in a similar manner, but with more of a chilled-out Cocteaus-esque guitar shimmer. With songs ranging from perfumed addiction to reflective, this is a band that can write and sing to perfection.
HANNEY - Electro-industrial punk band that play both separately and mix the two in huge wedges of floor-shaking delivery with a singer who, in concert, really commands your attention as he hollers and flies through a selection of songs that range from snarling punk with attitude to anarcho electro-punk with an industrial EBM backbone that will have your speakers shaking in their foundations or the live dancefloor on its feet and ready to burn.
HENISSI - How do you describe Hennisi - you don't - you experience them first - Indie rock? Maybe! - as good as any - only this band are soooo much more inventive and incendiary. In Don, they have a singer who grabs your attention the moment he begins, while the core unit of Cath on drums and Micheal on electric guitar provide the drive and explosive dynamics at the heart of a band with the potential to be massive. Currently in hibernation rehearsing with a new bassist, I've had a preview of the new band's songs and they are AWESOME!! The live concert return is not far away - make sure you don't miss it!!!
ISIS - Probably the most appealingly commercial and passionately enjoyable of all the Dundee bands. A trio of Zara on rhythm and lead guitar and vocals, bass god Martin and Cath on drums and percussion, they play a wondrous brand of short but infectious songs - nearly all originals written by Zara and arranged by the band - plus the occasional cover of things from Tori Amos to Tracey Chapman to Nanci Griffiths - and the effect is like a female-led Richard Thompson Band only with the gloom and doom substituted for rousing and anthemic - as song after song endear you to this band each time you hear them. If you have a liking for any of the aforementioned artists and just some fantastic, good-time songs delivered with passion by one of Dundee's finest vocalists and enjoyable bands, if you want a concert night out that is something memorable every time you experience it, then you owe it to yourself to check out this trio - and watch them fly!!!
THE LAW - Probably Dundee's leading strictly Indie band with the material and polish to do any potential label proud. The group seem to be able to deliver a consistently good live set wherever they play, judging by reports. You get the feeling that there's a few killer songs still waiting to come out, but for now, they'll please most indie fans.
MR SPIDER - "aka Anansi - an ancient African voodoo trickster God - and an ass-kickin'rock & blues band with a wicked attitude!!" - thus reads the press announcement - and it's right - for a blues-rock band that plays mostly cover versions in its set, it cooks! The trio of John on electric/electric slide guitar, Ross on bass and Paul on drums, are fronted by tour-de-force vocalist Michele McLaren and they perform legendary tracks from the likes of Cream, Free, Hendrix, Bad Company and Black Crowes to Black Sabbath, ZZ Top and AC/DC, and Michele makes them her own with a vocal performance that puts her right on top. With several originals along the way, this is a band you have to catch live - an up to 2 hour set that can't fail to have you dancing.
THE RISE - I had a message from John which summed up where this band is at right now -
"Hi there Andy, John from 'The Rise' here. Just to let you know we've had a new drummer Andy Beattie (Former medicine men) in for about 8
months now and we'v been pretty busy. We won the Scottish final of the global battle of the bands in October and play in the world final at the London Astoria on 7th December against bands from 24 other countries for the chance to win $100,000.00 and a world tour, we're also playin the ukbands.net launch party in Glasgow on 19 December and the London garage for Mean fiddler on 2nd February plus loads more.
Check out www.gbob.com for details of the comp and www.wearetherise.co.uk for other gigs etc. If you can update your site that would be great, thanks for your continuing service to Dundee music. Regards John"
So I did - and I have - and they came 3rd in the Global Battle Of The Bands competition, making them Dundee's hottest property right now.
Musically see their CD single review elsewhere on this site for what this great band is all about.
RISING SIGNS - As of December 1st resumed active service following a long lay-off. The new improved band still have all the qualities that made band like Stone Roses such a force in music but their combination of twin guitars, superb lead and harmony vocals, solid rhythm section and some great original songs, already, even after only a handful of gigs, are a musical combination that no other band in the area has got. Not a band you dance to, this is a band with similarities to acts such as Coldplay - you listen and absorb a truly excellent set of songs - 2006 could well be their year!!
THE SAME DIFFERENTS - The project of multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and composer Paula Knight, complete with fellow musician Richard on electric bass, The Same Differents are rock, indie and commercial, all wrapped up in one unique blend of songs. One listen to their demo and the songs will be swirling around your head. With influences prevalent from the likes of Alanis Morissette and similar, they are powerful and passionate in concert, music to which you can rock, absorb and watch with equal amounts of enjoyment. With Paula on lead guitar and vocals, Richard's pounding bass and their explosive drum programming, this band is quite unique, both live and in the studio.
SAZ - A blend of "old school" metal with the speed of classic punk that's delivered with the firepower of a small army - featuring the core trio of Kev on electric guitar, Marina on electric bass and Ritchie on drums - a powerhouse of furnace heat proportions - as the two female vocalists - 24 year olds Nikki and Nicola - provide the focus of attention and some incredible dual vocals, while the wholly original songs will have most metal and punk fans eating out of the palms of their hands from the moment they start to deliver the goods. Not only Dundee's finest and most commercial metal band, but one that deserves to be hallowed from Kerrangg to Metal Hammer and beyond. Live in concert, they look stunning with the best female frontline in rock, they sound fantastic and wow every audience that they play to. The SAZ ball is well and truly beginning to roll.
Read more about SAZ here
SELF MADE MAN - A ferocious hardcore band who play things highly intense with most tracks lasting quite long for such a band, as the lead singer simply transfixes you with his onstage delivery and intensity of performance, while the band just play their asses off. The songs are both thought-provoking and addictive, possessing a force, an electricity, that has you utterly hooked from start to finish. A stunning experience.
SPEYSIDE - New Dundee quartet that play quality songs that rock and riff, a mixture of psychedelia as practiced by the likes of King Black Acid and Mellonova (as was) and rocking Americana, with some sizzling guitar work from the twin leads, roaring riffs, solid rhythm section and vocals that range from forceful to yearning optimism, with some great harmony vocals in there too.
STOOR - A band that is the musical love of a number of musicians whose hands are also in other musical pies but this is the main focus of attention and, when time allows, this band comes out of action and reveals themselves as Dundee's answer to modern, on-fire, King Crimson, only with a slightly more "indie" nature. That said, their, largely instrumental, brand of "art-rock" is sensational. A CD is around, but if you get the chance to catch a rare concert, just don't miss out.
TARTAN RIOT - Dundee's answer to the Dropkick Murphys with a twin guitar-fuelled set of songs that simply ooze a good time as well as being strong originals in their own right. Complete with a sense of humour that endears their potent brew of addictive indie-punk with blazing guitar riffs to anyone hearing them, this is a band that is gauranted to leave a smile on your face as you rock 'n' roll your way through an intense wave of smokin' songs and solid playing.
THE VIEW - Indie pop-rock with a set of addictive twin-guitar led tracks but only caught them once so you'll have to watch this space for a more informed opinion.
THE WHITE LIGHT - When I saw this band for the first time, they struck me as almost a moodier Oasis style of things only more intense - as a hinterland between "rock" and "indie" the band play original material and just cook in a live setting - the quality of the playing and the brooding vocals make this band way more than "just another indie band" - check them out!!
THE WILDHOUSE - Described as "Velvet Underground-Neu" - Carnoustie's The Wildhouse are an awesome live experience that is pretty well guaranteed to leave you jaw-dropped in amazement. With Sheila on 2 drums, playing standing up, and the two electric guitarists (no bass, no keys, no synths), this trio whip up a furnace heat with the effect of a small nuclear reactor - you owe it to yourself to see this band. With a guitar attack to level small buildings, drumming that explodes and a set consisting of songs and lengthy jams, The Wildhouse take no prisoners.
