Mika Bomb

Goths, cyber kids, and wayward teens cram their way into the tiny backroom as the first catatonic chord crashes out in a wall of distortion and hormones. Remote Control appear as a four piece glam punk band with Michael Stipe fronting in a cowboy hat. The rock monoliths of much of their set drive home, usually with tongue firmly in cheek. Mid-set the lead guitarist wanders to the front of stage to pull a full on Kiss-rock pose and twiddles a solo straight out of the poodle powered eighties'. A kick to convention and, along with King Adora, possible leaders of a new neu-glam-metal movement.

In the main, Mikabomb are an (even) trashier version of Shampoo, but occasionally they slip into more intense scream fuelled near-metal. Chopped punk riffs with three ear splitting shouted vocals combine in a pogo friendly rhythm. "Some people say we are yellow, and I guess we are, this one is 'Yellow Peril'", calls lead vocalist Mika before two minutes of something approaching the particularly hardcore thrashes of early Beastie Boys albums. Then it's back to business with the singles, 'Heart Attack', and, 'Super Sexy Razor Happy Girls', both simple punk statements on intent. How much further Mikabomb can go is uncertain, this kind of music usually filling toilet venues but rarely anything more grand. Still, simply for their enthusiasm and attitude they deserve a chance even if they are occasionally a little aurally challenged!