I'll say this, as much as Vinyl Beat seem to shit it before every gig they play, I have NEVER seen them sweat like they did at The Packhorse Pub.
Upon arrival, Gant's handyman Homebase instincts were set free as the upstairs function room (aka.sweltering hellhole) was without electricity. Dismay at the very real prospect of presenting their fans with a 35 minute drum solo from Tucker (Melia didn't think to bring his acoustic guitar) Gant pensively sucked on a Chupa Chups lollypop whilst clicking around with switches, but to no avail.
Watching Tucker set up his entire drumkit then to Gants own amusement asking him to move it three inches backward, the sound engineer (head honcho?) asked Gant whether Vinyl Beat would like to headline for the night seeing as the main act had pulled out last minute. Gant said "Yeah sure!" and came away grinning...until he realised what he had just agreed to, and cursed himself for upping the pressure through his own darn agreeableness.
Once the electricity was restored (and the band had trekked down to Flames for some donner...and a veggie burger!) the Beat were furthermore distressed at finding out that their support acts were...well, rather interesting. And I mean "interesting" in the Kate Bush sense, not the alternative ping-pong playing lesbians way. "Wow" laughed Trigga "These guys are gonna be a hard act to follow..." He was talking to Melia over "None-specific Ensemble, which despite the impressive nature of their name, turned out to be three rich kids with a laptop synthesiser and a coupla keyboards...oh and Pete's bass guitar...unbeknowst to him until it was too late.
After listening to fourty minutes of three geeks tinkle on keyboards and shout into echo effect microphones, Vinyl Beat were a sound for sore ears and, dare I say, a vision of beauty as they took to some REAL instruments and kicked off with a swanky new and rearranged set.
Some top notch stuff was pounded into the sweltering little room with "Crazy Monkey" achieving a massive round of applause and cheers.
unfortunately Tucker's snare broke half way through the set, much to Vinyl Beats embarrassment, but they covered it up well with some friendly crowd banter before kickstarting it all again with the sweat dripping down their faces *groupie screams*
Perhaps the real triumph of the night was hearing Gant sing their new song "Knocked Down by the Breeze". His microphone was turned down to a disappointingly low volume at the beginning, but the sound engineer soon put it right and the crowd were treated to the husky "could not give a toss" voice of Mister Gant himself, something which I know a lot of Vinyl beat fans would like to hear more of in the future.
After bashing out "Back In The USSR" for an encore (that song just gets better and better each time we hear it guys!) the fellas quickly packed up and made a swift exit before all their hoards of fans could get a chance to maul them... oh no wait, they had worked in the morning and the sweltering venue had kicked the shit outa them... ne'ermind. Vinyl beat just keep progressing and no gig has proved this like this gig did. I for one look forward to their next musical installment.
-Miss Laura "Pixie" Wilson