Post by neilcrud on Mar 16, 2007 9:02:33 GMT
20FT NINJA
TEAM UGLY
Dudley Arms, Rhyl
10.03.07
TEAM UGLY
Dudley Arms, Rhyl
10.03.07
(review n pix by Neil Crud)
They call it sod’s law, or Murphy’s Law… I call it just fucking bad luck..! I spend a week hyping up a band, getting people to come out and yes… The twats don’t turn up. Portrait of A Lifetime were suspicious by their absence leaving me to wipe the egg off my chin and apologise for dragging people out to see them on my enthusiasm (sorry Mum).
I had earlier in the week received an email from 20ft Ninja suggesting I ventured under the seedy railway arches and into the Dudley tonight to check ‘em out. This leaves a band wide open; not only have they invited me to come and review them, they’ve also got me thinking they’re cocky twats for believing they’re good enough to warrant the wear and tear on my typing fingers! (Not that is any amazing feat, nor is my opinion!)
Fortunately for 20ft Ninja they are more than good enough and I wondered why I hadn’t chanced upon this Bangor band before.
Team Ugly
Unfortunately for 20ft Ninja the swelling mass of people that buzzed around the Dudley when we got there, were present to watch the opening act – Team Ugly - a wonderful and befitting name.
I had overheard one of their own entourage admit that the band weren’t very good, and after seeing them it, it was a comment I couldn’t argue with – out of time songs, out of tune vocals – a befitting set insomuch it was ugly music for an ugly world.
The masses ebbed away after the set, perhaps hoping the band will get better, and they will, and they are doing it the right way. The song ‘Psycho Tattoo’ is simply amazing, and no doubt a tribute (or gripe) to the parlour of the same name in Rhyl – if they wrote one about a Tanning Studio, and another about a Kebab Shop they’d complete the set of outlets in the town!! And the recording of the song ‘Beers’ is absolutely spot on – listen on the site – link below.
I’ve always advocated bands should get out there and do gigs rather than rehearse for six months. Gigs are the best way to rehearse and gain experience. OK, so I’ve complained when I have had to sit through a dismal set that is under rehearsed, but I do think it’s the right way and the MASE set up in Colwyn Bay is perfect for such bands. (I’m still humming ‘Psycho tattoo – psycho tattoo’ now!)
20ft Ninja
With a small, but enthusiastic crowd before them 20ft Ninja played their power punk set, although you may well ask ‘What is punk?’ And if you saw the rash of posters (particularly around Bangor) late last year, you’ll be pleased to hear the band were caught red handed by the fly-posting police and issued on-the-spot fines – ha ha ha! Now this is a band who probably did lock themselves away before venturing out (am I contradicting myself? Probably. Usually!) Although sometimes sailing close to that horrible whining emo-core-bore stuff that fills the airwaves, they’ll slam the rudder down and steer away from the ‘punk by numbers’ with some interesting song structures. A good voice, great guitar work and an overall voluminous experience that was good enough to inspire a few punters to try and rip each other’s jeans off. A strong set of songs – ‘they even watch us in our sleep, welcome to 1984, welcome to our war’ – some touching upon our shit world, left me feeling blessed and bold enough in the future to drag people out to see them….