大象传媒

Through the snow and ice this reviewer travelled to reach the warmth of Auntie Annies, the new venue for the Skinny Love gig night as the Menagerie takes a month off for renovations.

First up were More Than Conquerors, whom I had never heard before but felt quietly optimistic when they started playing. 听The lonely drum beat followed by clapping hands and quiet vocals lulled us into a false sense of security, before exploding into heavy guitar riffs. 听The songs sounded a little (dare I say it) emo to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. 听A few cracks could be seen in the set, and the youth of the guys was possibly a factor in why they seemed somewhat nervous on stage. However, they ended their set with a song called, 'Go On, Go On, Get Out' and it was the tightest they'd been all night. With a few more gigs under their belts these young lads could go far.

When the Rupture Dogs took to the stage, they immediately seemed more comfortable in front of the audience. The energy and heavy guitars drew the crowd's attention, and the cheeky smile of Gareth on drums seemed to filter through onto everyone else's face. 听Lead vocalist Allan McGreevy's vocals were top notch, despite his 'claims' of a sore throat! (If it wasn't then it is now!) Some of the songs sounded slightly repetitive but 'Rupture', implementing some slap bass, and drum march led 'Today and Tonight' were a treat to watch and hear. 听I can't help but feel that some of the awesome energy seen at the start was lost by the end, and as enjoyable as it was, I think we were all ready for the night's headliners.

Mojo Fury are a band who have been relatively quiet recently, what with front man Mike Mormecha's solo project Clown Parlour taking off and the recording of their new album. 听They began playing with no need for an introduction and for the first time tonight the crowd were standing right at the front. The lads are clearly practised at gigging and ooze confidence. Mormecha is the perfect front man, never outshining his band mates but captivating the audience all the same. 听The discordant intro to 'What Colour is the Bear?' kept things fresh, and there seemed to be the beginnings of an audience love-in at the front of the stage during 'Pill Pigeon'. 听

Highlights of the night included a new song 'Runaway', with James swapping his guitar for keyboards and adding some electro beats to the heavy rock they're known for. 听'Ray Brown' and closer 'Secret' showed the bands versatility, becoming a bit more dark and moody, with vocals distinctly full of emotion. They downed instruments after a short thanks and the crowd were left wanting more, myself (with a 6am start) included!

Sarah McGlinchey