A Wall Of Sound.
Decades is a tiny music venue located at the lower end of Gold Street, which at one time was at the heart of Northampton's busy nightlife? However, fashions change and "in place locations " can shift as quickly as a south coast tide.
Unfortunately, Gold Street is no longer a scene of busy bars, restaurants, and the thriving masses, but The Boiler Club, Unsigned Heroes, once a month live Friday night music club, is working hard at promoting some incredible bands, and trying to breath life back into this once bohemian thoroughfare.
Friday 25th April 2008, The Strides and Auntie Alfies Medicinal Cabinet played to an enthusiastic crowd who clapped, cheered, and beseeched both bands for more music and more encores.
The Strides style of music is influenced by classic sounds that originated in the USA during the early sixties with obvious mixed elements of surf music, rock music, spy rock, and British Psychedelia.
The Strides performed amazing covers such as Roy Budds "Get Carter" (Brilliant), a startling arrangement of Smells Like Teen Spirit,(Mind Blowing), and their cutting and exciting instrumentals were as gritty and greasy enough to make these songs sound like their own. Their performance concluded with a guest female lead vocalist (Vicky Stuart)covering three fantastic jazz fushion, Hammond driven classics including a Richie Havens nugget" Indian Rope Man".
Bliss, Sheer Bliss.
Appearing alongside The Strides was Auntie Alfie's Medicinal Cabinet, and If this reviewers opinion is of any significance, it was a marrige made in heaven.
AAMC feature an organist, lead guitar, bass and fat back drums mixed with soulful and bluesy vocals .Their instrumentals simply rock, and it is the combination of magnificent Hammond tones and lead guitar and dirty, but catchy bass riffs that work so well.
What works for AAMC is the creation of a unique and powerful instrumental blend of different styles that allowed this band to approach different genres with so much confidence. Indeed, their set with encores consisted of some bluesy, psychedelic, and vintage garage rock and even a political swipe at Mr Bush.
Can't be bad.
Great stuff from a great band.
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10.11.07
Auntie Alfie, s Medicinal Cabinet played a thirty-minute set of unadulterated up-front R&B and garage rock for a particularly enthusiastic crowd at Northampton’s Decades Bar on Saturday 10th Nov.
Swirling psychedelic keyboards mixed with a rock-solid funky rhythm and sonic buzz saw lead guitar and vocals connected with a diverse collection of people who turned up to see this wonderful band.
If they ever play Northampton again, get out there and catch “em” live, you won’t regret the experience.
The Boiler Club, Northampton.
