The Sheffield Scenester

This was the first Iain Hodgson’s Raw Talent nights I’d been along to and with five bands on the line-up...it was shaping up to be a good night! As an added bonus The Dead Dolls were the DJ set for the night, and I must admit, I’d never really given much thought to the DJ before...but lately have realised the impact they can have on the general atmosphere of a gig like this...so I was curious what they’d play. So with Iain Hodgson jumping up on stage with his customary enthusiasm, he welcomed everyone and introduced the opening act;

First up on stage were The Ratells, after a pretty successful show at Henry’s Bar the week before, they were back in their comfort zone (an audience full of teenagers). From their initial walk on and throughout the entire set they looked relaxed and quite jovial; when singer Ash and bass player Rory bumped into each other before the first song of the night they just seemed to burst into uncontrollable giggles. Trying their best to get serious they opened with ‘Furnace Hill’, as Ben hammered out the introductory tattoo on the drums even he couldn’t stop grinning ear to ear. This was yet another solid performance from one of Sheffield’s finest young bands...with Ben going all out, drenched in sweat and wearing a huge grin, his determination and enthusiasm couldn’t be denied. With a collection of (what for me) is their greatest hits, the bunch of fans at the front of the stage loved every minute, Ash willingly obliged their outstretched hands by stepping down to the barrier and ‘acting the rock star’...this is another example of how far this band has come, for I remember a time when he wouldn’t go near the crowd! Finishing the set with easily their best track ‘Something more’...which quite frankly any band would be proud to call their own, really got the evening off to a great start. Even though they deserve to be higher up on the bill, it’s easy to see why putting them on early is more of a tactical move than a hierarchy placing, as now, the crowd are all having a good time and are ready for the next act, whoever they are!

That particular duty fell to The Beaus, a three piece that blended a laid back poetic hip hop vocal with easy going indie. Musically there was nothing too complex about what they did as every song was a vocally driven tirade about one topic or another. The first track ‘Cappuccino Swagger’ started off quite badly unfortunately since the microphone was dead...but once that problem was sorted the lead singer never let up. With an obvious passion for his craft he just seemed to enjoy the limelight, unfortunately the crowd who had flocked to the barrier for The Ratells, had by now pulled back, so the poor lad looked like he was playing to an empty house. To be fair though he did lighten the mood by jokingly asking for a bit of noise from the crowd! By the time they’d finished their set with the track ‘In the Red Corner’, the lead singer was still smiling away...makes you wonder what they were serving back stage! So whilst it may not have fitted in with most of The Ratells fans tastes...it certainly had enthusiasm. Now between each set The Dead Dolls were doing their thing by playing several tracks to keep the mood bubbling along, how could they go wrong when I found myself foot tapping along to ‘Black Betty’ at one point and even singing along to the Eurythmics ‘Sweet Dreams’, I even enjoyed ‘Rio’ later on...so kudos to all three of them!

Now it was time for Dead Like Harry...a band guaranteed to put on a great live show anytime or any place, and opening their set with one of their catchiest numbers ever...‘Satellite’...couldn’t have been a better start if they’d tried! Cramming all six members on the stage didn’t stop their visually infectious performance; it may have been slightly restrained in the interests of personnel safety, especially as bass player Robin Baker has a habit of throwing himself...full pelt into every song! As one great song followed another culminating in the addictive ‘I Couldn’t Love You Anymore’, I was left wondering as I always am, “why aren’t these guys making it big?” They have the sound, they have the on stage persona and they certainly have the knack for writing intelligent well crafted songs...so by rights something should be happening for them...It must be that age old problem of being in the right place at the right time!

next up was another band stuck in the same predicament, Elephant Keys, and they have pretty much the same qualities; they know how to write and they certainly know how to perform, you combine this with lead singer Phil’s relentless banter and you must have a winning formula somewhere! The room by now seemed packed out with numerous fans (as well as other local bands) that always turn out to see Phil and co perform. Opening with ‘The Truth’, they instantly got the crowd in a dancing mood; in fact it was the first dancing I’d seen all night...which was a shame really when you consider the quality on show tonight. Singing as if his life depended on it Phil ploughed through the likes of ‘Whatever Gets You to Sleep at Night’ and ‘Sebastian’ before winding up their set with ‘Fashion Queen’. Of course he took time to step down to the barrier and stick his guitar in some happy fans face. As ever it’s a pleasure to see these guys perform (because like we’ve said on numerous occasions) “they never put a foot wrong”...it doesn’t matter what the atmosphere is like in any room, as soon as they play everyone just gets up and joins in, another great set!

The final act of the night was Arch Nazards, a group that were definitely new to me and judging by the way they got themselves sorted on stage, it was going to be an interesting experience. For some odd reason they planted a plastic bird on top of one of the synthesizers...but by the time they came to play, it had fallen off so they just left it to one side. The drummer was a woman...which is quite a rare sight even these days, but she seemed a happy enough lass, in fact this was someone else who kept grinning throughout the entire show....so now I was really curious about the backstage refreshments! Once the band had gathered upon the stage, the show began in earnest, well sort of since the opening track was a cover of Spice Girls ‘2 Become 1’...not what I expected from a headline act at all...but it did introduce us to the lead singer. Not to put too much of a fine point to this...but he was one strange character, he spends a lot of the show skulking about at the back of the stage..?! Sometimes even wanders backstage whilst still singing..?! But this just seemed to be part and parcel of his enigmatic stage persona. Musically the set was pretty good, as each song had a simple but catchy rhythm to enjoy....but it’s just lyrically that I can’t quite get my head around...as the singer seemed to personify someone who is a law unto himself in that department! To be fair though he had kept quite a crowd with him...I imagine that it was the younger contingent that had left early...so there are plenty of people out there who ‘get’ him! He dedicated the song ‘Physical’ (yes the Olivia Newton John one) to Firth Park...not sure where that came from...but at least the song made sense.

Well it certainly was an evening with a difference, seeing three bands of which I have nothing but the utmost respect for mixed around with a couple of new acts...well new for me anyway! Definitely a night to remember...even if a bit surreal at times! So when the next Raw Talent night comes around no doubt we’ll be there.

Words and Photos by Geoff Buckthorpe