Solabeat Alliance

Over The Moon (part 2) – Maidstone Corn Exchange 16.11.03

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Ok, Maidstone isn’t exactly the sort of place that you would expect one of the finest bands in the country to be coming to at the moment but there you go – they did and I’m sure they gained many a new fan. If you don’t know what band I’m talking about here then it is none other than the mighty Solabeat Alliance – a band that have managed to put on one hell of a show every time that I have seen them.

The first band to take to the stage were ‘Shittingbourne’s very own Morgans Puff Adder – the local Ska Punk favourites who went down a treat in this Maidstone crowd. They put on a set full of songs both new and old and the crowd really seemed to be lapping it up – a few at the front showing their appreciation in a big mosh pit. I however felt that on this particular Sunday night – the band in question were somewhat average as they just didn’t seem to be able to get in to the full swing of things – this was probably due to the fact that they had the ever hard job of being the opening act so it was not really their fault, was just down to being placed at the bottom of the bill. (3)

The next band up were the home band – One Day Elliott, a band who once went to MGS, a school in Maidstone but now have long since left – yet still carry around the spirit of their youthful pop punk band to wherever they are wanted (based on this performance – probably nowhere!) They really were quite terrible on Sunday night but the Maidstone crowd still seemed to be eating out of their arses – they couldn’t seem to step a foot wrong but with me not being a fan of the band I just found it all to be a bit…well – SHIT! Their music just doesn’t seem to click and as a result comes out sounding awful – they are just one of those bands that are going to be playing the same venues for the rest of their careers if they keep it up as in a crowd they are the sort of band that would go unnoticed. (2)

Dumpster Pop were the first Moon Ska band of the night to grace the stage with their presence and came in with a really odd performance – I cant really think of a word to describe their performance or their genre for that matter but it was pretty weird anyway! I have to hand it to them – they did up the level a bit after the One Day Elliott performance but I think that if Busted had come onstage after them I would have been pleased to be honest! I don’t really think anyone knew what to do when they were on stage as it was so bizarre and left everyone pretty puzzled really – bar the few drunks at the front moshing around crazily. The performance was quite solid and you could tell when one song ended and the next one started but still they weren’t really anything special and failed to really make a big impression. (5)

The first decent band of the night finally took to the stage at 9:30 when it was Graveltrap’s turn to give it their best shot – and give it their best shot they did indeed! Graveltrap put out a fine performance on this cold November night playing great tracks off of their album such as Getaway, Kickin’ Chickens, Primal Fear, What About The Marigolds and the Scuzz TV classic – SRJ. They had a warm reception from the crowd for this track – most of whom had obviously never seen the band live before but just glimpsed them on TV a few times. They put on a crazy gig and I enjoyed myself quite a lot – and that was before the alcohol intake! I became a skanking and pogoing fool for this half hour set and by the end of it had a grin pinned on my face. (9)

Solabeat Alliance was the last band to take to the stage, and it was brilliant to listen to their amazing brand of Ska. I really love this band and that is why it was the fifth time that I have gone to see them live – I really think that they have a lot of chemistry going and are one of the best bands in the UK right now. Their new material from the ‘Island Fire’ album was sounding better than ever and I am sure that they revealed even more songs from it on this particular occasion – last time I saw them in Herts Showground they played ‘All Or Nothing’ and ‘People of the World´ and they were sounding amazing but this time they were sounding absolutely phenomenal and really did put on the performance of their life time! I was really pleased with what the guys had to offer me as after seeing in 12 months, 4 shows of extremely high quality they had a lot to live up to in my eyes and managed to pull it off with flying colours. I will definitely be going to many more Solabeat shows and will hopefully get a chance to go and see them live in the very near future – the Carling Academy gig is a definite possibility for me and I will be trying my hardest to get along to it for a Solabeat Alliance experience. (10)

Big thanks to Tom for bringing the rock to Maidstone by putting on a Solabeat Alliance show – it was a great experience and hopefully more bands will start coming to Maidstone as there is definitely a good scene going down here and we need a few more bands to fuel our addictions!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Solabeat Alliance – Island Fire

June 6, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Solabeat Alliance have been featured on Alt-UK.com since pretty much the beginning – they were one of the first bands to get a band page on the site and have had many a review to grace this very site and I’m usually straight on the case to write up the reviews – however this has not been the case with the album ‘Island Fire.’ I have owned this CD for about 2 weeks now and have spent this time trying to work the CD out – it is really nothing like anything that I have seen with the Solabeat Alliance before, they have come up with something entirely different and really shocked me – it is not at all what I expected from them and has a much cleaner sound than before. With ‘Rise On Up’ the band seemed to be going for that live edge, which had not been captured with their previous 2 efforts and they came up tops. This CD however shows the band in a whole new light – the production of it is extremely different and I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to work out whether I like it or not – and about some of the tracks I am still undecided. I really enjoyed the ‘Rise On Up’ EP but feel the songs which have been recorded for the album which were on Rise On Up, ‘Summer Nights,’ and ‘Set It Off,’ have not come off as well as they did on the EP, and I feel that the magic has not really been captured in them.

There are 13 tracks here, including the bonus track of an alternative version of ‘All Or Nothing’ and of course there are some stand out tracks on the CD! ‘Heroes,’ ‘Supersonic,’ and ‘People Of The World’ all capture the spirit of the Solabeat Alliance – they are fun, fresh, and funky tunes that are sure to make you skank with their catchy, dare I say it – infectious vocals, blinding bass lines, strong horn lines, cool guitar riffs, and fast, furious drum beats. ‘Supersonic’ especially appealed to my taste as it is a crazily catchy song and just reminded me of the enthusiasm for performing that was shown when I first saw them play back in November 2002. After frequent listening, this song still fails to tire, and if I was ever to make an Alt-UK compilation CD then this song would be one of the first to spring to mind! I have always had a bit of a soft-spot for the music which Solabeat Alliance make and this is a track that reminded me of how I first came to love their stuff – and I respect it for that. This track shows me that although the production of this CD is a lot cleaner, they are not going to have forgotten how to kick it when I next see them live – and with all this new material I am really excited to see how it is all going to come out when not on record!

With final track, ‘Another Day,’ the band seem to be trying to be the next Less Than Jake, and being a fan of the band it really doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid lads! Solabeat Alliance may be a fine UK band but they are no Less Than Jake as yet and as a result this track really does not do the band justice – the horns seem to take on a different sound, the vocal styling of Tim changes and the whole outlook of the band just seems to differ on this track than to the rest of the CD. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the band deeply but this one really isn’t the Solabeat that I was first weaned into – they have always had that Pop-Ska tinge to them but this song is a bit of a step too far in my books – stick to what you do best eh?!

Bet you all thought id forgotten ‘All Or Nothing’ for a minute there didn’t you?! Oh no, how wrong can you be – I have merely been saving the best till last! There are 2 versions of the track on this CD – along version and a short version, both versions are tremendous tracks and I assure you they will not disappoint. If you have ever been a fan of a Solabeat Alliance song then you are pretty much definitely going to love ‘All Or Nothing.’ It is extremely well written, has all the Solabeat charm and is one track that the clean production really does do justice! ‘All Or Nothing’ will surely get your juices flowing, and if it does not then surely you ought to see a doctor as there’s got to be something the matter with you!

So, although I have mixed feelings about this album, particularly the re-recordings of the Rise On Up tracks, I was generally impressed with what I heard in the album ‘Island Fire’ and although my love of the band has not increased, it has certainly not put me off the band at all! You will surely see me at the Carling Academy, Islington on the 9th of April when Solabeat Alliance are supported by the fantastic band that is Route215 (having just stared death in the face in a road accident.)

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Over The Moon Tour – Boat on River Thames

June 4, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

Ah yes, the closing date of the Over The Moon Tour 2003 – and it is made highly individual by the fact that it is being held on…err a boat!

Things didn’t really get off to a very good start when Graveltrap failed to get on the boat before it left but oh well, the only way from there was up, right? As they weren’t able to play the gig with 2 members not on the boat their slot was left blank and during this time many random songs were played to the audience and everyone just took this opportunity to have a laugh and mess about so it wasn’t all bad that a band that were billed to play the show in fact did not.

The first band to take the stage were Mixtwitch, an Irish band with their take on ska/pop punk. To be honest, they were better than I thought that they would be and played an average sort of set with a few kids at the front jumping around and generally enjoying themselves. Although they were not really my cup of tea they were still OK and they had a lot of energy and spirit which at times really got the crowd going. In this time though, many were eagerly antiscipating Whitmore and I myself was getting excited and getting ready for an intake of Ska Tropica! (6)

Solabeat Alliance (Spankboy) were the next band to take the stage and right from the very start they were energetic, loud, and full of power! As they began every one seemed to go crazy and you could see many happy faces in the audience as they played tracks from Rise On Up, Medication and even a couple of new tracks that they have been working on. I really enjoyed the time I spent nodding my head and tapping my feet to SBA as they are a really fun band and every time I see them they put a smile on my face with their upbeat ska that can not be mirrored by any other band. Although I enjoyed the set, I was a bit annoyed that I could not express my excitement by jumping around and generally throwing myself around as the ceiling was about an inch off the top of my head so I didn’t really fancy cracking my head open as this would have slightly spoiled the day! There was an exiteable bunch at the front, banging on the ceiling – probably as they couldnt jump around and you could tell by the way that the windows steamed up that everyone was having a crazy time on board the Dutch master. The left and right were split in to two sides with the left of the band having to say Sola and the right of them saying Beat. Of course the Beat was the best as I was shouting it at the top of my voice and with someone like me on their side they had to be the best side right?! So a great set played by a great band here today on the Dutch Master. (10)

Last on were the Wiltshire crew, Whitmore with their Ska/Punk songs featuring whiny American style vocals. Many got really excited about this band and to be honest I think it was the mere fact that they use to be on P-Rock 24/7 because really there is nothing special at all about this band and the set was rather dull, and only being improved by the fact that the crowd were going crazy. They played the P-Rock theme and also the critically acclaimed ‘Alison’ to win the crowd over as well as some other songs from their ‘Smoke The Roach’ which I haven’t got the faintest idea of the names. Although everyone seemed highly excited, they were about 12 years old so you cant really blame them as most had come with their parents and were about 5ft so didnt have the ceiling problem which I had. So Whitmore, in my oppinion were rather dull as the show completely lacked excitement with many just sitting on the top deck sunning themselves – or in the Dutch peoples case, shouting ‘wankers’ at random tourist boats on the River Thames. (4)

So, I felt that the only band that shined tonight were the brilliant Solabeat Alliance as I felt that they were jam packed full of energy and had a lot more to give than the other bands playing. The new tune ‘All or Nothing’ was amazing and hopefully I will get another chance to see this band play. I saw them at the Astoria back in November and although it was a massive venue, the crowd really got behind them and they played an amazing set – and I had room to do what I liked there without having to duck! So, the Over The Moon Tour is over – look out for Solabeat Alliance on their next tour which hopefully will be quite soon!

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

Solabeat Alliance – VW Summer Beach Party, Herts Showground

June 4, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

A rather odd place for a Solabeat gig I must say but then again, the last time I saw them was on a boat on the Thames so there you go. They were due to kick off at 1pm but didn’t play until 1:30 in the end due to an all girl band that had played earlier that turned up and then decided it would be cool to play. The Solabeat party kicked off with Set It Off and right from the beginning you could tell it was going to be an awesome gig because the band were so energetic and had so much to offer. Everyone in the crowd seemed to be loving it and having the time of their lives. The band showed their enthusiasm for the gig jumping around and generally having a great time, John in particular stood out as having a cool time – skanking around the stage in between singing and playing trombone. Two new tracks were played from the album, ‘Island Fire’ which is due out some time in Autumn. They were all awesome tracks, both of which had been played on the Over The Moon Tour. Each and every song they played was excellent and was bursting at the seams with energy, with the band putting all their effort into their music and churning out an awesome sound. They played a 45 minute set (should have been an hour but wasn’t) and not once did I find myself getting bored as when you are watching them live you totally feed off of their energy and you can really tell that you are not the only ones having a great time as the band are also going mad and it is the band that seem to make the crowd go so wild. Solabeat Alliance are probably one of the finest Ska bands going around in the UK at the moment and certainly have the potential to become a lot bigger as they obviously have great talent and everyone watching should be able to see that. As I say, it was a strange gig but even though not many people went there knowing who the band were, I can tell you this a hell of a lot more people came out of the tent knowing who they were and isn’t that what it’s all about, increasing your fan base? So, this was definitely a great Solabeat gig and although I was completely knackered where I had to get up so early to go all the way to Hertfordshire I still enjoyed myself and will definitely be going to see them at the next opportunity.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.

SolaBeat Alliance – Rise On Up EP

June 4, 2004 by Rich Leave a Comment

This is the bands first release on the Moon Ska label and later on this year they have an album to follow it. This EP contains 4 tracks of fun filled Ska Tropica and it really shows that this band are probably the most energetic and enthusiastic band in the country right now. Each of the four tracks here capture the excitement which is felt when you see this band – trust me, if you have seen them live then you will know what I mean – if you haven’t then what are you waiting for?!. For the eleven minutes that this EP lasts you are totally blown away as everything about this band is unbelievable. The horn section is phenomenal with solos that leave you gasping for breath as they are so unbelievably great. The drumming is also good providing a steady beat and the guitars give off a nice underlying effect to provide the vocals with a nice base to sit on. The vocals of SolaBeat Alliance are what make the band so exciting though, with such energy and enthusiasm it gets you skanking around the room without a care of who is around you or what they might be thinking. They are extremely powerful and give you a feeling of immense joy where they are so upbeat and uplifting. No matter how unhappy you may be feeling, or however down you are, this band are sure to cheer you up purely on the basis of the vocals as in my opinion they are the best vocals that we have in Britain at the moment and are that of a band with the potential to be the most famous band in Britain. There is such passion in their music and you can really feel the passion which they have for their music when you are listening to it and you feel passionately about their music because of this. You can tell that they re having a hell of a lot of fun producing this music and some people fail to see that they are doing this because they get great enjoyment out of producing this music which they play, it is not their to put across some kind of political point, it is their to make you enjoy yourself and at the same time they are too.

Rating:

Rich

UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.