大象传媒

If ever an explanation was needed for the condition included on the majority of concert tickets which reads "Under 18s must be accompanied by persons 21 or over", tonight provided elucidation by example.

Three bands occupy this evening's bill - at one end are hometown young-guns Speak Mango, at the other are veteran post-rock punks And So I Watch You From Afar, and somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, Belfast alt-rock trio-gone-foursome, mojoFURY.

With local boys Speak Mango hailing not too far from this neck of the woods, their schoolmates and youth-club chums make up a significant contingent of tonight's crowd. Well, at least it keeps the youth from hanging about street corners on a cold and windy Saturday night. Cheered on by their mates, the three piece passionately rattle through a handful of original indie tracks with a postpunk veneer. It's angsty, youthful rock music, and it works. They exit the stage in true rock and roll fashion, throwing their guitars all over the shop, but the absence of a guitar tech means they have to clamber back onstage to pack them away. Comedy. With that said, these threes guys are certainly worth keeping an eye on - provided they manage to stick together, continue to develop and make it through a set without breaking the kick-drum pedal.

By the time ASIWYFA are set up and ready to go the venue is quiet, with the majority of onlookers exiting after the departure of Speak Mango. But as Chris Wee and his three brothers-from-other-mothers begin to play the opening bars of 'These Riots Are Just The Beginning' a few heads peer through the door, and the place begins to slowly refill. It's relieving - it would be a shame if this experimental Belfast band's first gig at the Arts Centre proved futile. Fresh off the back of a short jaunt across the UK, tonight's set sounds the tightest yet. And exclusively on show for the folk of Lisburn is a newly penned track, as yet unnamed, which goes down an absolute storm. If things continue to progress for ASIWYFA at this rate, they won't be playing venues of this size for too much longer.

mojoFURY are last to take to the Arts Centre stage, with an additional member to the line-up we've come to know and love. McGreevy and company are joined by a new percussionist, unknown and without introduction, leaving Mike Mormecha to concentrate on vocals and guitar. It's a surprising choice for a three-piece who have built a reputation on the role Mormecha had fulfilled previously as drummer and lead vocalist. At any rate, the decision has proved sound - the mystery man showing that he can do more than just hold his own on the sticks and skins.

There's a mix of old and new material on display, but there is no getting away from the fact that tried and tested favourites like 'Kill.Cock.Robin.' and 'Shooting For A Living' go down best. Perhaps it's down to the fact that these are the more practiced of tracks, or just simply the best known - only time will tell if the new material is as well received as the first EP, 'Visiting Hours Of A Travelling Circus'. The fourpiece leave Lisburn in similar fashion to their earlier support, McGreevy launching his bass guitar wayward, the enigmatic drummer narrowly escaping death. With parents arriving to pick up their youngsters from this all-ages gig, all questions of the fairness of placing an age-restriction on rock concerts have been put to bed tonight.

You'll never win anything with kids.

Sully