Deltasonic Christmas Concert: Carling Academy Liverpool.


The Zutons, Candie Payne, The Rascals, The Suzukis

Saturday 22 December 2007

Shakenstir was invited to Liverpool based label Deltasonic Records Christmas Party. With a rich musical history there’s no surprise that Carling chose Liverpool as the first host for Carling Local - a celebration of the city’s best local music. Liverpool is one of the greatest musicall cities in the world and the new talent there is astounding and Deltasonic is supporting and shaping it for the future!

Deltasonic Records is a prime example of this passion for music, having taken local acts The Coral, The Dead 60s and Little Flames to a national audience. The 1,200 capacity Carling Academy Liverpool is a hub for music in the region and has played host to many of the best live nights 2007 has had to offer. Tonight should prove to be no exception!

So myself and TP get into the Carling Academy just in time to see the opening act take to the stage, and to be honest it does not matter who they are, or what they do as it’s so fucking generic that it leaves me colder than I was outside. Ok they were two chaps with acoustic guitars singing nice songs, but from The Everly Brothers through to Simon & Garfunkel it’s been done before and so much better, so just get yourself records by those two artists and it’s job done. Fuck me even the crowd just stood around chatting like they were not there, so they fuck off and some DJ plays shit songs to himself, including the mix between Happy Mondays and The Breeders which was laughable. My daughter can do better and she’s only twelve (next year they should call me, at least I would play relevant tunes and make the audience feel involved!).

Next up we get The Suzukis who are one noisy little bunch of fuckers… They have a singer who never learned to take his hands out of his pockets except for when he has a beer or a microphone in his hand. Thankfully the songs are great and I love their Reducer E.P. which certainly made them ones to watch. But after seeing them live it’s obvious that they are better to listen to; that whole Gallagher-esque swagger and fuck you attitude is so outdated unless you are him. But the music pulls us through and I feel this band will do great things in 2008, probably by default.

At this point I (Jj) had to leave (Dj duties at a Liverpool club called)TP was left to continue the review. (TP)So while JJ is hot-footing it through the Liverpool streets for a long night of the best dj-ed alternative music in the world (yes, he’s that good), I’m still pitting it with my ton of camera gear dodging showers of beer and I dread to think what else…

**page*



It’s time for a three-piece outfit from the Wirral with more cheek than J Vega… Yes folks it’s the irrepressible The Rascals, formerly known as the Little Flames. Now these Merseyside boys, led by a permanently-smiling Miles Kane have been a busy bunch supporting the likes of Arctic Monkeys and many more since their transformation from a girlie-led 4-piece to a lad-led 3-piece. In other words the game has been upped with the word being that in 2008 these guys could explode (not literarily you understand).

And it’s not difficult to see why. Musically, although not my cup of cha, there’s melody by the truck-load, and enough stage savvy to keep the audience bubbling – big time. Frontman Miles has a half-decent voice with guitar-playing skills to match, and a real sense of enthusiasm about him that the Suzukis lacked. With live music becoming more and more popular with the paying punters it’s becoming vital for acts to finely hone their live skills, perhaps even more so than their studio skills. As the main warm-up act for the main course for the night, these guys rocked.

Before the main course for the night, The Zutons featuring Candie Payne, Deltasonic Records main man appeared on stage flanked by several young people to announce how much money had been raised for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital through this annual event. It still amazes me that events like this have to be held to raise charitable donations for a children’s hospital in a country that is supposed to be the fifth richest in the world, but there you go… The event illustrated the generosity and enthusiasm of the Liverpool community for a treasured local institution. Good on you all and well done!

Now I’m not going to pretend that The Zutons is a band I would go out of my way to buy on record, and not because it’s a crap band which it definitely isn’t. No, it’s the band’s music which I cannot connect with but perhaps I’m guilty of dismissing it too hastily… Time and time again I come across bands that actually are preferable live, regardless of music style and content. By the time the band appeared the venue was crammed with Liverpudlians who seemed to know every one of the band’s songs by heart. The vibe was incredible, and I’m understating here! Fronting the band, David McCabe was stupendous but it was the band’s later addition Abi Harding on sax and backing vocals that ‘made my day’, and just about everybody else’s I suspect. She was dynamite as she jitter-bugged around the stage while blowing and singing. Bloody great! The Zutons capped a wonderful party night with musical exuberance and skill in what was certainly one of my best shows of 2007.

Congratulations to Carling for putting on an excellent show, the acts for giving their all, the guest DJs and Shameless MC who filled the gaps, Deltasonic for providing the acts. And finally a big heads-up for the warm-hearted Liverpool punters who are amongst the finest and most generous audiences anywhere. I have to say that this whole idea is inspiring for Ice cold Carling and the best local music featured during Carling Local will return in 2008, for more information visit www.carling.com.

For more information on Deltasonic visit: www.deltasonic.co.uk / www.myspace.com/deltasonicrecords

www.thezutons.com

www.myspace.com/rascalmusic

www.myspace.com/thesuzukis

www.candiepayne.com

www.myspace.com/thetigerpicks