If you want to write a review on this gig - which you should, since I know you have nothing better to do, then send it to one of these in an email:
theemaestro@aol.com
OR
gant_gant@hotmail.com
...and i'll wack it on the site.
-Gant
Its Wednesday night, its Leeds City Centre's Headrow; and I'm queuing outside in the rain at 7:45. The members of rock and roll band Vinyl Beat signal to me and the rest of the waiting crowd through the window of The Vine, hiding their terror at the prospect of performing their stage debut.
Some of them are sympathetic (bassist Pete signals that the doors will open in ten minutes), some of them are jokingly offensive (guitarist Gant points and laughs as we shiver in the rain), but all of them are grinning like smug bastards, because for once, Vinyl Beat are in the warm. Ok, so The Vine is hardly Wembley Stadium, but its a big step up from the borrowed garages and cramped practice rooms that the four Leeds fellas have been writing and rehearsing in for the last four months.
We are finally let in, the lads mingle with the overwhelming amount of music lovers that have turned up before sheepishly strumming a few chords. They swig beer and shake their heads, laughing amongst one another at not being allowed time to run through just one song before they must take to the stage. I ask guitarist and lead vocalist Melia how he's feeling, to which he replies "Bricking it buddy, bricking it!" and I watch, nervous for them, as all four members gather ouside the fire exit to say their last prayers. They line up onstage and turn to face the crowd...
Melia counts the band into Ever Changing Eyes and I'm immediately hit by the drums and bass, as Tucker and Pete face their music-hungry audience and kick start the gig with high volume and higher spirits. Melia and Gants guitar riffs follow and the rabble of onlookers promptly shuts up and takes notice, gaping in disbelief that 4 eighteen year olds can produce such an awesome rock sound with such accuracy, and when Melia opens his mouth and sings, Vinyl Beat decide to give it all their worth. Giving the audience no chance to applaud or cheers, seems to be the theme of the night, and in one of the bands most memorable numbers Surf Song, the first song Gant wrote back in 2002, the energy created onstage surges through the audience and a cheer rises as Melia and Gant break into a short guitar duet - possibly one of the best moments of the night! During Looking Pretty I overhear one audience member groan "Shit! They're fucking good! I coulda done with a laugh tonight and all". That seems to be the general consensus about all of the guys, especially when Melia breaks out the acoustic guitar and sings English Rose, as well as an excellent cover of The Pixies' Where Is My Mind?
At the end of the set, the guys shake hands and go back to mingling. Gant brushes down his blazer and buys another bottle of Bud, Pete wipes away the sweat from his forehead and goes to check the football score, Melia shakes hands with his Dad then runs off for a piss, and Tucker slinks off tucking his drumsticks into his pants as he goes. The crowd are amazed. Vinyl Beat are completely knackered, and overwhelmed, but ready to do it all again.
- Pixie
