Tuesday May 13th 2008 @ The Medicine Bar/Factory Club, Birmingham
Words by Stephen Hudyba
Stage 2 Showcase
Fallen from Static
Fallen from Static create a unique and tidy mixture of Pop and Alternative-Rock that is wholly accessible and instantly likeable, it’s no surprise they have already amassed a small army of loyal, enthusiastic (and very vocal) fans. As a band they draw influence from a wide range of different sounds and this is reflected by a substantial range in their material. While sometimes, because of this wide scope, their sound lacks focus, yet at the same time shows their diverse ability as songwriters and performers, and on the night took nothing way from what was a very impressive performance.
To find out more about the band, or to hear their demos, visit
www.myspace.com/fallenfromstatic
Shot Dead in Vegas
Next up were Birmingham five-piece Shot Dead in Vegas. One of the most exciting Heavy-Rock bands we’ve got in their years competition, they create an energetic noise with elements of Classic-Rock, Hardcore and Screamo all coming together perfectly for something fresh and distinctive. Going full out at the Factory Club they topped their impressive performance at The Rainbow by cranking up the intensity and tearing through an excellent sets worth of material that saw them quickly establish themselves as a crowd favourite – getting them jumping along like no other band could manage on the night.
To find out more about the band, or to hear their demos, visit
www.myspace.com/shotdeadinvegas
13th Hour
The third band of the evening was Nottingham based five-piece 13th Hour. Their sound is intense, melodic Alternative-Rock all performed with energy, emotion and technical precision. They stood-out on a night with some stiff competition thanks to some first-rate material (tracks that are written and arranged expertly to squeeze the most out of their sound), an excellent stage presence all-round and frontman David’s superb vocal (not to mention some great call-response parts with the rest of the band).
To find out more about the band, or to hear their demos, visit
www.myspace.com/13thhourband
Knockout Ned
Next up were Great Barr five-piece Knockout Ned. Since we last saw the band they have performed on Sky TV and judging from the two performances they have given in this years Surface it’s easy to see why the are attracting such positive exposure. At their best when going flat out, they’ve got a raw, intense Punk-Rock sound that grabs and holds your attention like few other can manage. On the night it didn’t come together as well as it all did at The Rainbow but it was nevertheless an impressive set from a band who have got a strong sound and identity, and some of the strongest Punk-Rock material we’ve seen in this years Festival.
To find out more about the band, or to hear their demos, visit
www.myspace.com/knockoutnedrock
Flatliner
Finishing off with something a bit darker and heavier than the rest of the evenings music, Flatliner gave a strong performance of their aggressive, melodic Punk-Metal sound. On the night it proved an even more accomplished set than their effort at The Rainbow, with the band injecting even more energy and emotion into their set and their live performance really benefited from it. They’ve got some well-written material that really pushes the boundaries of their sound, and it’s to their credit that they take a few risks and how well these ideas paid off.
To find out more about the band, or to hear their demos, visit www.myspace.com/flatlineruk
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