ROCK OF AGES

Sometimes you’re just mildly blown away by an experience, a little tingle up your back and other times your spine shakes as though 1000db just pumped through you.

I speak of a gig that, just maybe, it was the sound engineer that tweaked it just right, that you felt every decibel. I was stupid enough to go close to the speaker whilst grabbing a papparazzi style shot and it near damn blew my ears off. My eyes were having a similar feeling.

Thankfully the show I witnessed wasn’t a fleeting experience, because I genuinely craved more. The night at 229 Great Portland Street, a underground venue; begun with a fantastic three piece rock band called Niche and ended with October Drift a four piece behemoth of guitar toting energy.

Lee Harding who plays drums and doubles up as the lead singer on occasion, said it himself when introducing October Drift to the baying audience. “If you thought we we’re good, these are good.” Not an easy thing to rattle off the tongue when you’ve just given a standing ovation performance. The audience had just watched a rather sublime performance from Niche with some unexpected moments of powerhouse distortion. I don’t know if they expected more but October Drift had better deliver. It was a night of strapped in guitars and you kind of thought they might struggle to entertain without a lead vocalist flaying their arms freely, but no, we were entertained. Lee Harding, the drummer gives us smashing displays on the drums that brings you back to your heady teenage years.

So why entitle this Rock Of Ages and why keep mentioning Lee harding? I remember seeing him live 20 years ago and he just get’s better like a fine wine, but it was a show of two generations with the other only slightly having the edge, but more than enough to have given the audience a night they won’t easily forget.

October Drift are their generations leading lights. It’s been awhile since i’ve heard anything of this rock genre that had me wanting to stop going on about the Kings Of Leon. There are bands like the Velvet Starlings in the U.S that colleagues of mine are calling the future of Rock and Roll. Check them out on our Artists Page, but there seems to be more leading lights coming through that give me no concern for Rocks resurgence. October drift are mesmerising to watch and apart from my ear drums being somewhat blown out – i wouldn’t encourage anyone to go mere inches to a speaker when they’re performing – they have beautiful songs embroided seemlessly between thrash and grit.

It has been ages since i’ve been rocked so heavily, the last time watching Dub War in Guildford. You are advised to go out and watch any of the aforementioned rock outfits as soon as possible.

Niche and October Drift Rock BIG TIME!!