大象传媒

A wise man once murmured, "with the lights out, it's less dangerous", and tonight in Ahoghill, with the entire town out of electricity these words seem, for once, relevant. While the soundmen work franticly to get some voltage, we wait around for what indeed seems a less dangerous hour, but a more boring one.

Eventually, a diesel fuelled generator is put in place, two yellow flood lights are set on stage and three shaggy haired English men appear through the shadows of the club. They crash straight into their riff-laden set with Nothin' To Lose which climaxes with a couple of thwacks on the old Virgin Marys gong (yeah, that's right kids, they've got one heck of a gong on the stage).

What follows is a strong set showing off everything that's great about their debut album Cast the First Stone; Ally Dickaty's impressive guitar work, Matt Rose's bangin' basslines and Danny Dolan's trademark drumming antics (at some points, you'd be forgiven for mistaking him for a stylish Animal from The Muppets). Out of Mind is a definite highlight and gets its required singalong/headbang combination from ATL.

The band's jazzier side is present in Off to Another Land, which is brought down to a quiet jam near the end between bassist and drummer, with Dickaty picking through echoed chords. Bang Bang Bang receives the best reaction of the night and several broken drumsticks later, the band are demanded to play it again, which they kindly do.

It's fair to say these Zepplin-ites are on top form on an otherwise unlucky night and they live up to the high standard we saw when they supported Slash in Belfast in June. Tonight is their second ever NI gig and the audience love is unmistakable!

They'd be fools to not come and visit again.

Shannon O'Neill