First up local ska/rock band the excellent AC Rid. I have seen this band several times now and they are just a pop up party of a band with the most mental trumpet player. They have what looks like a long set list but it feels like five minutes when they are playing their last track. The band have a great sound and one of the best brass sections I have seen in a live act, with madman Phil on trumpet and the two girls on saxophone.
If you like fast upbeat Ska meets Ramones meets Madness then this is the band for you. They don’t stop from the moment they hit the stage and even manage a mad cover of The Vapors’ “Turning Japanese”. I urge you to go see them as you will be bouncing and leave with a smile.
The main act is next, not one I have listened to apart from the video track Hypocrite on YouTube. Syteria is a side project of Jackie Chambers (Girlschool) on guitar/vocals with Keira Kenworthy on bass/vocals (her dad was drummer with Raven 76-77). Making up the foursome are (from Argentina), Julia on lead vocals/guitar and brother Pablo on drums/vocals. Formed only in 2015 but already forming a core fan base and rightly so.
The crowd are sporting a number of Girlschool t-shirts as you would expect, but Jackie sticks to their own material with a bit of Ramones thrown in with Julia playing the guitar for a few of the tracks along with her singing. The band has a great rock sound with all of them supplying backing vocals to Julia’s soaring rock vocal lead. Jackie and all the band are well relaxed on stage, with Pablo pounding away on drums to the bass virtuoso that is Keira.
Jackie is an old hand at this gig but obviously enjoying this wee break from Girlschool. The band have a fresh rock sound similar to that which is going around at the moment, with bands like IDestroy, Eva Plays Dead and Triaxis but with a slightly harder edge. They got a great response from a pretty busy Bannermans and hopefully they will be back as they really rocked! Go see them if you can on the rest of the tour which is ongoing as we speak.
All photos by Gary Cooper
Syteria: official | facebook | twitter | soundcloud
AC Rid: facebook
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