freedom costs money

Berretta offer an interesting concoction of styles in their music. I am at first cynical regarding the use of drum loops via a mini disc but it works. Boldly continuing their existence despite lessening their line up I am glad to be listening to their enticing songs whilst supping on my bitter nervously awaiting our set. It being Friday 13th and all, gremlins have conspired to make sure my amplifier has thrown a wobbly but superstitiously and thankfully I have brought two with me! This is good for Berretta who I said could use our amps and I am happy to report the equipment does not let them down as their set goes down well – nice people too.....

With our sound-check not really going brilliantly I am a bit anxious before going onstage but launching into ‘New Wave Nightmare’ immediately begins to ease my tensions and I find myself immediately getting into it. I am pleased to see the rest of the band are feeling the same way. We are eager to try and be clever buggers (quite silly when Jon Gomm’s on the bill perhaps but what the hell) and thread the first three numbers into each other. It seems to work as we receive positive responses for both ‘Don’t Misinformation’ and ‘Seven Days Rest’. Even applause at the beginning of both numbers – could it be that some people there actually recognised the songs!? It is all a bit of a haze from here on in but ‘Sister’ is very enjoyable whilst I think ‘Some Torpedo’ is a little dodgy and maybe the low point of the set although I really have no clear idea of how it all sounded front of house. Feedback is positive and many people say it is our best performance to date.

Now cometh the humbling experience of Jon Gomm although the plus point of him developing such an amazingly unique style is that his music is incomparable with ours and I think I’ll leave it at that! As well as offering beautiful renditions of Bob Marley’s ‘Wait In Vain’ and Radiohead’s ‘High and Dry’, Jon proves his own worth as a songwriter tonight by giving a grateful crowd a rich taste for his album ‘Hypertension’. Not only is his voice soulful and tuneful but Mr Gomm fuses his unique fretting method with a percussive technique that would make most acoustic artists weep! He does too many things at once for many of the punters here tonight to be able to fathom including our keyboard player’s brother who is seen with his head in his hands muttering “I don’t even understand what he’s doing!” His album is available from his website but not until you see Jon perform live will it truly sink in how accomplished he is. Smart arse.

Will Gray