Capdown / Howard's Alias

Middlesbrough may well be the unofficial chav capital of the UK, but with low ceilings, blackened walls and an old school club atmosphere, The Cornerhouse is the perfect punk setting for tonight's show.

Howard's Alias are the interestingly named support act, and they provide a very worthy opening. Veering between trombone and saxaphone based ska, and abrasive, volatile hardcore, they never seem to quite settle on which crowd they wish to appeal to. For fans of both genres, it would have been a superb show, but they probably play it too far down the middle to gain any fans pitched on either side. It has to be said though, that should Howard’s Alias ever fold, frontman Matthew Reynolds could make a decent living as a stand-up, as his inter-song banter is the most amusing I have heard in a long time.

With Capdown you always know exactly what you are going to get, and tonight is no exception. This is a band who know how to get a crowd moving, and even the 'too cool for school' kids waiting for the indie club night to start can't help but nod to the same beat that the crowds down the front are going wild to.

	"In a time when style regularly takes precedence over substance, it was refreshing to see a punk band who are clearly in it for the music and nothing more."

Tearing through a set of fan favourites, the band barely stop for breath. Upcoming single 'Surviving The Death Of A Genre' receives a rousing reception, despite being on the poppier side of their output. Unfortunately we are not treated to it's b-side, a reworking of the Kelis track 'Trick Me', which has to rank as one of the most inspired cover versions ever committed to tape. ‘Home Is Where The Start Is’ gets everyone bouncing, and is undoubtedly the highlight of the set.

The lack of posturing and posing by Capdown is visible enough tonight to put other, similar bands to shame. In a time when style regularly takes precedence over substance, it was refreshing to see a punk band who are clearly in it for the music and nothing more. There is simply no question as to whether they are genuine or not, and in the present climate, that is reason enough to love them.

Sadly, the show was over all too quickly, with the band sticking to their punk roots and playing for just thirty-five minutes, but they squeezed all they could out of that short time, and I don't think anyone could have felt short changed. It is a mystery to me why Capdown are still playing venues of this size, especially after the recent punk revival, but sometimes talent and recognition are mutually exclusive, and that certainly seems to be the case here, especially on tonight's impressive showing.

FUTURE GIGS

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