R*E*P*E*A*T Christmas Party

If you’re looking for reviews of David Goo and 9 Fold Punch, then prepare to be disappointed. Sadly, due to irregular train service between Bury St. Edmunds and Cambridge, I was unable to make it for the opening acts of R*E*P*E*A*T’s Christmas party. Fortunately though, all negatives are counteracted by the night’s positives – a great atmosphere and at least two good acts on the bill.

Popular Workshop explode onto the stage like inebriated brothers of The Futureheads, playing dirty rock ‘n’ roll with swagger and skill without any forethought for the state of their instruments or the audience’s ears. It’s rock ‘n’ roll that’s been done to death a thousand times over, but Popular Workshop make it sound so vital that you’ll want to rush out and discover every track they’ve ever recorded. In an ‘indie’ scene currently obsessed with style over substance, Popular Workshop make music and style co-exist without sacrificing an inch of the passion or the energy – something which will propel the trio into venues well above the pub circuit they’re on now.

Open Mouth, the solo-venture from Miss Black America front-man Seymour Glass, seems to be going from strength to strength. The demo available at gigs gives slight reasoning for appraisal, but it’s in the new songs previewed live that justify why he’s getting attention from this very website. ‘The Bone Collector’ plays with his insuppressible love with the great singer-songwriters of the past, bottled up after years of playing in an angst-ridden alternative rock band. Old live favourite - but freshly re-vamped – ‘Love Buzz’ (yes, that cover) still pertains to a perfect set closer, ending in heavy reverb and a memorable attack on his guitar. The future is looking increasingly bright for Open Mouth.

Compare Popular Workshop to the night's headliners Pilots Of The Sixth, who are much more impressionistic in the way they go about business. Although still young, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that the Cambridge-based quartet are first and foremost trailblazers of Arctic Monkeys’ uncalculated success. There’s no denying their ability of playing off each other as a group – musically, they’re very tight, and would be entertaining if they weren’t playing derivative, plagiaristic indie-rock. Everyone in the audience bar their friends look pretty nonplussed. When they find their own sound people will start to pay attention. Just ask Milburn…