Rock is dead! Or so they say. Personally I'm not convinced; I believe that rock is very much alive and kicking. With the ever changing music industry it is harder to come by new rock acts, but they are out there. Take tonight for instance, on the bill are three young and hungry bands at varying stages of their early careers.
First to take to the stage here at the Waterfront Studio in Norwich are local lads Walkway. I first encountered this four-piece supporting The Darkness and Black Stone Cherry in a forest a couple of years back. They were impressive then and are once again tonight. Walkway have gained a loyal following locally and now seek to widen their fan base, something which with performances like tonight's looks likely to happen.
Cage The Gods are another step on in their career, having already garnered attention from the rock press and been pitched as ones to watch in the future. Tonight, they show why there is so much interest in them with a strong performance. The venue tonight isn't sold out but there has been a decent crowd from the start. I'd suggest that most of the audience will now be converted in to fans of this great young band. With performances like this and their debut album on the way, Cage The Gods are surely set for big things.
Our headliners tonight are at a make or break point in their career. That band is Cambridge's The Treatment whose second album 'Running With The Dogs' came out today. Having already supported the likes of Alice Cooper, Thin Lizzy and Steel Panther, as well as a prestigious slot opening for Kiss and Motley Crue in America, the band need to step out as headliners in their own right.
They will be hoping that their second album will be the springboard needed to make this happen, but they will also be well aware that a disappointing reception to it might just nail them firmly to the support act mast for good. Only time will tell how the album fares, but as a live act The Treatment are an exciting prospect. I was first initiated a few years back when they supported Black Stone Cherry downstairs in this building, and have kept an eye on their career ever since.
It's a career that at such a young age has already delivered two albums, countless support slots, headline shows and festival appearances. It's through all of this that they come across on stage as a tried and tested group, despite their youthful looks. Vocalist Matt Jones can command a crowd as well as any of the big name rock stars out there, and the musicians in the band are as tight as the legendary acts they have already toured with.
Tonight's is a performance packed with youthful exuberance, passion and energy that thrills the delighted crowd. The set list tonight is a mix of their two albums, debut 'This Might Hurt' and today's release 'Running With The Dogs'. Old favourites like 'Drink, F*ck, Fight' and 'Nothing To Lose But Our Minds' elicit the best responses from the audience but it's new tracks 'I Bleed Rock And Roll' and 'Emergency' that are the stand out tracks for me, which can only be a good thing for the bands future.
So, tonight has seen three top performances from three decent young rock bands trying to keep the genre alive. Rock most certainly isn't dead. It may be wounded but all is not lost. I therefore issue a call to arms to all you rockers and metalheads, get up off your sofa, dust off your leather jacket, head out to your local venue and support the plethora of young bands trying to keep rock music alive.
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.