Estel, Richard Egan, The Dudley Corporation

Frazers, 27 February 2000

To be brutally honest, I went to this gig to see Richie play. Sure, I wanted the Estel single, but I went to see Richie, call it moral support, call it curiosity, whatever. We had to stand out in the cold for over an hour waiting for the doors to open, the excuse was that they had no bouncers which didn't really matter, considering there were only four or five of us waiting, no one else turned up until half nine. Anyway, they were courting disaster given it had been a hectic weekend, Immense, the Kabinboy and Victory at Sea had all played on Friday, Saturday was Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Steampig, the Connect-four Orchestra and Small Mound in two separate gigs in the same venue (Frazers), and so most people probably didn't have the money to go out again. Though, those who did probably had a good time even though it was only two hours out. Those in work early next morning were glad of the early night (myself included).

After having looked at the nicely packaged Estel single, included in the entrance fee, we settled down to that redneck Niall's crazy stories about Germany (you'll have to ask him yourself), we all embarked on a campaign to psych out Richie which didn't really work because he was pretty cool with the whole idea of going out on his own, which must have been nerve-racking because he's used to having more people backing him as well as others to blame mistakes on.

He needed neither as it turned out. He was slated to go on at 9.20 but as time dragged on, he seemed reluctant to go onstage, explaining the way he had rigged the mics for his acoustic. This was interesting but could be filed away as a trivial pursuit kind of fact, interesting but ultimately of no use. When Richie did go on, he did five songs, all beautiful, one that turned up at the Redneck Manifesto gig on Thursday, sounding a little different but gorgeous nonetheless. There were few mistakes here and there, small things that you might expect and forgive because it was his first acoustic outing. They were small slips in the guitar playing and to be honest the only people who noticed were the one or two people who heard the songs before.

Some of the lyrics I didn't particularly like, there were lines that were beautiful and others which irritated me, because I thought to myself, ' Nah, that's like saying the sun shines out of your arse,' but this doesn't happen; but that's literary taste and nothing to do with music. And a guy who I'd never seen before who was sitting beside me said it best. After one of the songs, I had half expected him to say, ' That was shit! ' But he didn't. He summed it up for everyone by saying, ' That was a beautiful song. ' And they were beautiful songs. It's not perfection that makes beautiful music; it's accepting it with all its flaws.

The Dudley Corporation was on next and it was only the second time I had heard their name. I didn't even know they were on the bill until I got to the venue. The only other time I'd heard their name was a disparaging comment about them that I'd overheard. When I saw it was the guitarist from the Null Set, I thought to myself, I'm not going to like this. When I saw the Null Set play with June of '44, I wasn't impressed at all with them, I saw them last February in the Temple Bar Music Centre with Palomine and the always rocking Waver, and I actually did like them. When they played with June of '44, it was like listening to Therapy's Nurse on bad drugs. I thought it was all awry and the drummer the worst I had ever seen. When the Dudley Corporation began playing it was just he and a drummer, and he is a damn good guitarist, he seems to play effortlessly. The first song reminded me of Rapeman, was short and to the point. He then introduced the bass player as their gimmick, but he was one of the best bass guitarists I've seen in a long time, since Fred Erskine or the Sorts bass guitarist.

There was one song I didn't like because it sounded a lot like the Null Set (duh!) but it's a pity that the Dudley's (the group, not the wrestlers) don't play more often. They are a good, noisy, thrashy alternative to EMO.

I didn't see Estel. Not because I don't like them but if I'd stayed, I would have missed the last bus home and I couldn't afford a taxi. I would love to have seen them because the last time they played was a disaster and this was their single launch. That's economics for you, I'd stretched the dollar as far as it would go. I got the single though, which was nice!

Dr.J

Estel, Richard Egan, The Dudley Corporation

Frazers, 27th February 2000

To begin I was in the very same venue the night before to witness Large Mound and the Connect Four Orchestra and to be honest I'm bitter. I have nothing to say about the quality or musical skill of the bands that were playing, my only comment is that I'm sure as per usual there were a load of people wandering around thinking "how come stuff like this doesn't happen more often". And last night it did but I wonder where all those kids thinking the aforementioned question were. The turn out wasn't great to be honest. But those who were there witnessed something special.

First Richard Egan, (God is there anything this man can't do), from his well accomplished stint as a pop-punk (or melodic-hard-core depending which side of the fence your on) front man to the genius of theredneckmanifesto. "But tonight Matthew I will be…." an acoustic guitar wielding (dare I say) emo kid. Yes songs that included the word "you" and references to ordinary life. I have to say I did enjoy. Brief but hopefully the experience will be repeated.

Next the Dudley Corpo not my bag (baby). The vocal style similar to Pavement with tight stops and starts and lots of changes, but alas nothing for me here. So if you want a real opinion ask an indie kid if I were you, cos mine is not a reliable one.

Then to the main event (yes lets call it that). The only thing I can say is great. I've seen this band go from unsure musicians to confident performers and tonight I think was the most comfortable I ever seen them. And cos of this they were very enjoyable to watch. What do they sound like? Funny you should ask I still haven't decided. They're instrumental (nothing new there), they got keyboards which kinda lead the band and a drummer that cannot be ignored. The seven inch sounds like Joy Division (but different) but live it's a different kettle of fish. I could rant off a number of bands you never heard of but I won't bother, what I will say is driving drums over, …well quite songs that build to mammoth proportions. And you haven't alreay seen this for yourself you are truly missing something from your life (no not the new four-door saloon from Opel, but the gig! man the gig!) . So do check them out. They're playing again soon enough. Oh and if you weren't there (I'm looking at you Brady) their Fabulous 7" is now available "in all good record stores". Buy it for the individual packaging and love it for the great tunes.

(ste)