Good work, everyone!
The six bands have drawn lots to determine tonight’s running order, and the tension’s palpable. The reason? Fireball’s Hottest Band 2019 Competition has reached the Midlands, and two outfits – one from the Birmingham area and one from Oxfordshire – will be selected to hook up with Flogging Molly and The Bronx for an opening slot on December’s Fuelling The Fire UK tour.
They’re performing tonight at Birmingham’s O2 Institute in front of a panel of expert judges, including representation from Kerrang! and Kerrang! Radio. For those hopefuls who still look a bit nervous, there’s eye-boggling quantities of cinnamon-flavoured Fireball whisky cocktails to hand, and the prospect of a headline set from local heroes Templeton Pek to look forward to. So let’s grab some shots, find a good vantage point, and indulge…
Pop-punk collective One State Drive have the slightly unenviable task of opening the show, a challenge they rise to with guitar guns blazing. Frontman Addy Walker tells us that Rivalries is about family, and to share the love he even leaves the stage and joins us on the floor. Despite the early hour, closer Keeping Score gets the front row bouncing and features a neat, crunchy time change. Of similar ilk are Cheltenham band Lightblue. Like a junior Neck Deep their music charges and jolts with big, smiley tunes. Third song In The Back Of My Room is a particular ray of light, guitar tones gushing with warmth on a distinctly autumnal evening.
Lake Acacia
As enlivening as that is, it’s Lake Acacia who win the judges’ vote. The impressive trio might play caustic, angry alt-rock, but heartfelt three-part harmonies provide the necessary light to their music’s shade. There’s a sense of urgency and hunger, comparisons juddering from Brand New to Alice In Chains via a good dose of Therapy?, and nobody is left in any doubt as to how much this means to them. Even drummer Joe Homer jumps to his feet, roaring on the audience while maintaining a tribal beat. Worthy winners there.
Among the Birmingham entrants, no-one is going to forget Blick Black And The Chilliholers in a hurry. Anarchic and persuasive in equal measure, they play jittery alt-rock like a more ragged Placebo. It’s music to jump around to in the quirky, jerky way you would if you thought nobody was watching, and to the band’s credit, that’s exactly what some of the crowd do. Brixton Alley are equally disconcerting – in a good way – and is that really Russell Brand fronting the trio? Turns out it isn’t, but the band are every bit as unpredictable as the flamboyant comedian. Minor Details is a dizzy, gripping stomp while Shark’s slightly shrieky hook contrasts with quickfire verses.
Wood And Nails
Both come tantalisingly close, but neither can dethrone Black Country rockers Wood And Nails. They’re punk – in the way that The Gaslight Anthem are punk – and play accomplished music that obviously comes from the heart. It’s entirely wholesome with razorblade vocals and rough hewn guitars; punk ethics merely underpinning expert musicianship. These are songs that speak of roots and homeland, Steven Cook wrenching raw emotion from his guitar by only playing the notes that hit hardest. Yes, it’s been emotional, but there’s no doubt that Wood And Nails are a perfect fit to support Flogging Molly.
The sport may be done, but there’s still time to enjoy the headliners flexing their Peks (see what we did there?). Birmingham trio Templeton Pek have survived some tough times, including a major fall-out with an ex-manager, but they’re in exuberant form tonight. The Awakening, a timely call for unity from a band that’s improved exponentially in recent years, is dedicated to Boris Johnson for “making it harder for musicians to tour in Europe”. On this form, we’d selfishly prefer Templeton Pek to stay right here.
Fast forward to December and you can see Wood And Nails opening for Flogging Molly, The Bronx, Face To Face and Lost In Stereo at Birmingham’s O2 Academy on the 12th, and you can catch Lake Acacia doing the same at Oxford’s O2 the following night. Reason enough for another round of Fireball shots.
WORDS: STEVE BEEBEE
