SICK NOTE SHAKE DA HOUSE: Who said old people can't rock?

Sick Note, Old heads rockin' da house

Tonight we set out to see a band I have been a fan of for many years, but ended up going to a completely different gig but finding a band I will be a fan of for many years to come.

Alka is something of a legend locally, tirelessly promoting local bands in local venues, expending incredible amounts of energy for, as far as I can tell, little personal reward. He is also a hard working drummer playing with numerous bands. The last time I saw him he was with Captain Paranoid and the Delusions, as far as I know he still is with them, but tonight he was playing with a new band, Sick Note.

With it being Alka’s 40th birthday, the gig was filled with loads of faces, some I had not seen for ten years or more, there were even a few old friends from Bournemouth that had made the journey.

First up were some old friends drumming. They have been gigging for a while now and I am sure they must have a name, but if they have it escapes me (note to myself, ring them later and find out). When Alka introduced them he said “This band is a bit like being in the Green Field in Glastonbury”, which I did not think was a very good way of introducing them, but in fairness he was pretty spot on. Relentlessly thumping out a shamanic tribal beat that had toes tapping and heads nodding in time, until some people were driven to get up and groove on the dance floor. They tied in quite nicely with the funky mashed up free style trip hop vibe that DJ Christian was beaming out from his decks to those gathered in the candle lit venue between bands.

Then came Sick Note. With just drums, bass, vocals and a laptop (no guitar) they pumped out a pretty unique and original vibe. Initially the bass and drums beat out a funky dark rhythm for the vocalist to lay some Captain Beefheart style weirdness over, but as the gig went on the laptop kicked in to provide some mighty heavy dance grooves. They floated in and out of organic and traditional rhythms and full on techno stylee seamlessly.

I think it fair to say that the whole house was rockin’. It would be criminal if these boys don’t break out of the local scene and make a name for themselves.

Thank you Blackwood ‘Stute for having no idea how to put a gig on.