Crunching, eclectic music
KORBIN, Stairwell, One Brain Short, Out Of Touch and Assignment 49, billed as Brighton's Finest Unsigned Bands, graced the Martlets Hall in Burgess Hill for a night of crunching, eclectic music.
The acts ranged through metal punk, emo-punk and grunge – with room for Korbin's cover of Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight and Stairwell's supercharged version of Andy Williams' Can't Take My Eyes off of You in between – with everything blending together nicely. On top of this, the bands themselves also blended together, with bassists, guitarists and vocalists often performing with more than one outfit.
The acts were impressive, with Stairwell and Korbin putting in the best performances of the night: Lee Meldrum's Kurt Cobain impression on Korbin's cover of a Nirvana track was particularly impressive.
A special word of mention is owed to Assignment 49 as well, who not only had to contend with an appallingly set-up PA but also had only three of their five members on stage: filling in after the eleventh hour withdrawal of T-Shirt Mogul, the trio were joined by a substitute bassist and One Brain Short's Lee Hurry* on vocals and – for the last song, a ten minute improvised medley – drums.
The event was the brainchild of Ian Avery, Stairwell's Burgess Hill born guitarist. Two months of hard work certainly paid off, and I hear another Showcase is planned for the near future. I for one am looking forward to it already.
Review by Jim Benstead for the Mid-Sussex Times
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* = Error in article. Should read Out Of Touch's Joe Hurry.
