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I had done my bit by graying out my face with some grease paint, adding some fake running blood, and fitting two fangs. A few others had made the effort along with the band members, and bats and spiders had been hung across the front of the stage to add to the effect. First up were Reynolds, now minus Matt their singer. This was the second time I'd seen them live since Matt had departed and tonight they were truly on fire. Heavy guitar riffs and the usual quiet loud thing, is interspersed with shouting vocals and heavy bass lines from Phill, combined with the loud drumming from Kevin. At times Chris' (guitar) playing borders on the chaotic as he moves around the stage swinging the guitar wildly around, and getting feedback from the amplifier to get even more bizarre sounds out of it, but somehow the band manage to walk that thin line between togetherness and being a complete mess - but boy does it sound good. Geiger Counter could not be further from this - here you will find some of the cleanest and hardest playing. Jon and Jason bounce their guitars between themselves creating the most amazing complicated riffs, while Crawford plays the heaviest bass lines you are likely to find anywhere. In the meantime Paul keeps the whole thing together with the most amazing drumming you are likely to see. They appeared for the first track with strange, almost transparent facemasks, with a scary smile - like Slipknot meets The Jokers henchmen. After 'Spasatal' was played the masks were dispensed with, probably due to the heat and the field of view - concentration is certainly needed for these complicated tracks. Before American Heritage took to the stage, Kavus (The Monsoon Bassoon) came on dressed in a devils mask to announce them. "After I saw them last year, I went home and burnt my record collection." Adam (bass) was dressed in a blonde bobbed wig with dog collar, and Mike (drums) had gone all the way with a dress and blonde wig. These accessories only lasted a few minutes, however, because it wasn't long before they got down to some serious hard work. Complicated isn't the word here! Impossible springs immediately to mind. Hard, fast, furious, quick time changes, and sweat sum it up nicely. In between songs Adam does his best impression of playing the Seinfield theme tune, while exchanging banter with the audience. Andrei meanwhile plays the guitar like a demon. Arching his back while his fingers move at a million miles an hour over the fretwork. Mike meanwhile plays the drums like his life depends on it. To say he hits the drums hard is a gross understatement, but at the same time produces a very clean sound. Something new did happen tonight - Andrei did some vocals on one tune - and very good it sounded too! At the end there was so much shouting from Kavus, that the band played an extra two songs before calling it a night. Well how can you better that? We had three bands, who most people would put in the same genre, but who played and sound completely different. Nice one Ian (Damn You!) Only topped off by the excellent tunes spun by Bobak. (It's nice to hear Sweep The Leg Johnny and The Monsoon Bassoon being played at a gig). skippy Geiger Counter setlist: Spasatal / Good Crutches / August / (They Have Their Uses) Gooses / Drinking Milk |