This is the second year that the Kick Out The Jams festival has graced the music scene. This year is heavier than ever with three established bands headlining the Blackstar stage.
The festival takes place in the heart of London's west end in an attractive underground club called the 229 club. It has two rooms, the smaller room (Room 2) kicks off first and hosts a plethora of up and coming talent such as Spirytus and Aghast. Later in the evening the main room (The Blackstar stage) opens it's doors to bands such as Breed 77 Senser and Il Nino.
As there is so much going on today I will be your roving reporter and seek out the best Kick Out the Jams has to offer.
I arrive at about 4 in the afternoon after devouring a smashing pub lunch at a hostelry near by, joined it seemed by most of the bands on today's bill.
As I walk into Room 2 I am greeted by a wall of noise that is Neverborne. A Surrey based 5 piece this powerful Goth/Rock outfit are ready to scare the pants off anyone who is brave enough to listen. With a gothed up female bass player and a more-metal-than-you guitarist they rip through their set to the pleasure of the attentive crowd.
Next up are a band called Grace and Favour who hail from London and much more laid back and melodic than the last band. Their songs are well structured and remind me of Soundgarden and Henry Rollins in parts while other songs take on a more punkier edge. By the end of the set they were really growing on me. A name to watch out for.
Mordecai are the next band to take my fancy, a 4 piece from south London. Their sound wavers from 90's influences such as pearl Jam to heavier moments that remind me of an angry Motorhead. They go down very well with the crowd and have a very loyal fan base. They recorded their debut album with Grammy winning producer Chris Tsangarides and have supported acts such as Fightstar so hopefully we will be seeing more of these boys.
After some pleasant refreshment I catch a set from a band called The Spindle Sect. These guys really know how to rock and write a catchy tune or two. Originally from South Africa they now call the UK their home and have a diverse range of influences from Cypress Hill to Korn.
The main room is now open and I enter in time to see a wonderfully tight set by 90s band Senser. Their politically charged rock is relevant to day as it was in the 90s and their latest album How to do battle is as fresh as their debut album Stacked up released in 1994. Tonight we are treated to a mix of old and new songs and seem a lot heavier and dare I say more confident than I remember?
The mixed crowd really loves them and goes wild for their new material as much as when they wheel out old classics such as Age of Panic.
Bringing up a family has not appeared to mellowed Kerstin Haigh as she quite rightly fight for what se believes. A thoroughly enjoyable set by a professional and tight band,
The penultimate band tonight are Gibralta's finest export Breed 77. Breed have been playing the rock circuit for a while now and have gained a reputation as a hard working and tight band. Support slots for bands such as Black Sabbath, Machine Head, Danzig, and Ill Nino (More of which later) prove how much repect other musicians have for them. They also have a large loyal following.
Tonight they run through a number of classic tracks with passion and creativity seamlessly moving between flamenco and hard rock as it was a perfectly natural thing to do. They really get the crowd moving and seem perfectly at ease in this less than crowded room. Their latest studio offering; Insects is far more melodic than previous albums and a fair few of the tracks on it are played for us here tonight.
After a day of ROCK it was really refreshing to hear something a little different and I can't wait to see them again.
After what seems like an age Il Nino take to the stage to a somewhat deserted room. For one reason or another there has been a delay and the boys take to the stage far later than billed which means many of the audience have left to get last trains home.
This seems to affect them quite badly and try as they may the cannot get the crowd to react at all. It was a shame as the band were on top form smashing the place apart with blistering songs from their huge back catalog.
I Hate You and the excellent What Comes Around whips what is left of the crowd into a frenzy.
All in all it was a great day out and a trudge to get a night bus home drunk and happy.
Like our facebook page and be entered into a draw to win 1000 CDs including rare, signed and promotional copies here!