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Last updated 08/01/2012 18:35:36

               Keep it live                                                                                                                                                                                   

Sonic Jukebox at The Charlie Roberts  - Sunday 21st March 2010

It’s good to see Ian Charles involved with local music again hosting regular band nights on Fridays and late afternoon live music sessions on Sundays down at The Charlie Roberts so this weekend I thought I’d put the tea & scones to one side and take a peek at Sonic Jukebox who were playing one such Sunday teatime slot.

The band was formed just under a year ago for a one-off birthday bash and, as so often happens, the gig went well and they decided to continue. Although the band itself is new, when you check out the line-up it is very clear that they are no strangers to the live circuit. Individually having their roots firmly planted in the originals scene not all that long ago Sonic Jukebox are Ash on lead vocals, Chris Dale (lead), Bazz Millson (rhythm), Jonny Kerr (bass) and Ollie on drums.

I found it rather strange turning up for a gig at 6 o’clock and although there was a fair sized crowd assembled in the dimly lit bar, it was unnervingly quiet at first and as if to emphasise this Ash whispered his greetings with tongue firmly in cheek as the band took the stage. They kicked off with The Manics’ “Australia” and as they settled into their first set it was easy to warm to frontman Ash as he casually chatted to his audience between songs with more than a hint of ready wit and dedicated a cracking cover of Take That’s “Rule The World” to Mr Charles who, from the back of the room and in a very loud voice, immediately questioned the band’s fee (so presumably he’s not a Take That fan).

Sound-wise, the mix was generally good from where I was standing with the vocals sitting clearly on top and although Ollie’s bass drum tended to be lost in the muddiness of the bottom end, the snare positively “pinged” through it all very nicely.

The Sonics offered a varied mix of styles but could certainly rock when they wanted to and you got the feeling (leastways I did) that they were more at home at the heavier end of the rock’n’roll spectrum with Audioslave’s “Cochise”, Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” and the Guns ‘n’ Roses classic “Sweet Child of Mine” being perfect examples. That said, Coldplay’s “In My Place” really stood out for me and they followed it up with with a marvellously thrashy “Hangin’ On The Telephone”. Bizarrely, the guys finished with “Nine To Five” but it worked a treat and had everyone shouting for more.

It was actually like stepping out of rock’n’roll Narnia as I left The Charlie Roberts at half past eight but I had enjoyed Sunday tea-time with Sonic Jukebox. They already have a decent following in town from what I saw, so if you like your live music raw with a bit of an edge, you need to catch these guys.



PJF

Ash - Sonic Jukebox

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