大象传媒

A lot of mystery surrounds this ambiguous charity event, the only information we are graced with being that the gig is to be held in the Retro Bar in Portrush and that the proceeds are going to a worthy charity for Multiple Sclerosis. It didn't take a troubleshooting committee of scientists and wizards to work out who was going to be on the bill: the north coast facilitates the north coast. The one shock tactic came in the sheer enormity of the acts, Fighting With Wire, ASIWYFA, LaFaro and other big hitters joined the bill in a lineup that resembled a mini Glasgowbury in a squat.

Arriving fashionably late means missing the genre mongrel hip hop of Bomb City 7, a new act that has been rubbing between the lips of a certain cross section of the Northern scene for the past few months. I didn't distress too much as LaFaro quickly follow, playing an unfamiliar slot to a very familiar crowd.

We're treated to the usual LaFaro juggernaught experience; imagine being strapped to a rollercoaster and going on a topsy turvy journey through a deafening stereo of grinding rock music, and you're nearly there. They also treat us to a few new songs to give us a taster of what new releases may be on offer.

Fighting With Wire step up to the crumbling stage next, with stage diving, moshing and crowd surfing are in huge abundance. This intimate setting acts as an insight into the beast that has been formulating for the past year and a half - Fighting With Wire's much anticipated second album. It's an exciting sound, less raw sounding (live) than the first, but with more hooks than a Killybeg's cloak room.

The Holy Trinity of north coast noise mongers Axis Of, Team Fresh and ASIWYFA close proceedings. Each set was equally raucous, with a lot of home town support coming in the form of insatiable and often extremely dangerous crowd participation. This in my opinion is what gigs are meant to be especially one with so much vicious punk, rock and hip hop music conatined within. My view however may not be the one shared by that of a health and safety officer, bouncer or most decent members of the public. The outer city crowds always seem to be a little wilder, less tamed than what you may find in the familiar city dwellings, but equally attentive in their own sporadic way. In short this was a great gig for a great cause in a *unique* venue; I wouldn't change it for the world.

Philip 'The Midnight Cowboy' Taggart