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Trip

Bar Hannah, Liverpool 18.04.05

trippin like a twat!

(review n pix by phil newall)

 

I had intended to offer a full review of this event; the Bar Hannah (Liverpool) sponsored Battle of the Bands Final. The prize being an all expenses trip to New York, with a couple of gigs at the Bar Hannah (New York), and some studio time; however staff at Bar Hannah put paid to that!

The Final took the form of an all day event, with each of the four bands performing an acoustic session during the day and a 40 min gig in the evening.

I arrived in time to see the first evening slot, taken up by Wirral band TRIP – paid the princely sum of £4 and was given a ‘groovy’ silver wristband..

 

Trip took to the stage, to an enthusiastic crowd and admirably set about beating the funk out of their instruments, since the last time I saw them, they have noticeably got tighter, and have also gained in confidence, this was displayed in easy banter with the audience and also the ability of singer Ivan to not just play but to perform.

However, and this is just my opinion, they seem to have over complicated the songs, throwing everything into the mix, the result being that the song, the hook is getting lost. The one constant being the bass, a solid driving line that holds the whole thing together; that’s not to say they did anything wrong, far from it, if just seems to have lost that cutting edge. In the past I reckoned they sounded not dissimilar to the punk funk of Pere Ubu, that New York sound, however tonight things were just edging too close to funk and too far from punk.

A forty minute set included newer numbers ‘Five Year Plan’ and the excellent ‘Red Memories’, but set highlight remains ‘White Noise’ which tonight took on an intensity not heard before – solid bass, clear vocals resulting in a set ending high. Tonight TRIP offered up an admirable set, that should of left them in a strong position for the contest.

If you like your music to have an intelligent edge, with interesting chord changes etc then TRIP really do have something to offer, look out for forthcoming dates...


Next up – well there wasn’t a next up – Bar Hannah you are wankers! My groovy silver wristband only allowed me entry into see TRIP, if I wanted to see the three other entrants I had to pay £4 for each band – in total £16 for four unsigned and virtually unknown bands! Work it out that’s more expensive on a bands per pound basis than attending Glastonbury and The Wireless Festival together. I appreciate the organisers are expected to make a living and are not running a charity, but getting the punters to so blatantly pay for the prize? So apologies to the other bands, I don’t know who you are, as Bar Hannah whilst promoting ‘new music’ wont actually let me hear any new music; tonight each band played to friends and family and gained no new admirers, what’s that about??

And lastly sorry for the shite pix, taken on a phone as I didn’t even know I was attending until the very last minute, so no camera.

 

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