The Miles Hunt Club

First things first, it's lovely to see Miles in somewhere small (for my own personal gratification) without lots of people in very very old t-shirts reliving their pasts and thinking that they are 20 year olds trapped in 30something bodies. I must admit that towards the end of The Wonder Stuff's most recent set of gigs I was itching to see Miles again in his own right. The past is a lovely place to visit, but the dangers of turning into cabaret nostalgia act, a la Echo & The Bunnymen, is not something I want to see. Especially when he's as good in his own right.

So first up are Sum Demeaner. I have no idea why this lot were chosen to support, excepting that some of them are/were in Jesus Jones. It's fairly clear to see where the alleged talent in Jesus Jones is, and its somewhere else. They're able players, that's for sure, but the big problem I have is two fold. Firstly, there is a severe lack of memorable or original material.

Secondly, the world already has far too many bands with "ice maiden" lead singers who think that sexy involves wearing tight leather, jiggling their hips an inch either side, and having the stage presence of a bar of soap.

Whoever she was, the general impression I got was that she thinks she's great - well there's never been a blond lead singer before has there? - and both wandered on, and off, as if being on stage was some kind of general chore.

And onto the Miles Hunt Club's debut gig. To be fair, I haven't actually seen a bad Miles Hunt gig in a long time. And tonight - the fateful event that see the Miles Hunt Club lose their virginity - is not that much different. Despite what seems like only 12 songs (not bad for a bands debut gig by the way), there's a lot of 'old' songs from his sadly obscure solo back catalogue that will be reappearing in "new & improved" form on the forthcoming album.

Firstly, for those of you who know the older material, this is how it should sound - a intriguing whirl of noise and guitars that breathe with vitality and something else, something I can't quite put my finger on, but sounds right (and for those of you who haven't been to a gig yet, the mp3 demo of "Amongst The Old Reliables" is a good guide to the noise in their collective heads).

The other songs - some taken from his lowkey solo EP's in the year 2000 - such as the roaring "Truth At Last" and the could've been hit "Feeling I've Been Waiting For" are just as good, if not better, than the originals. The Miles Hunt Club, featuring "Animal" Andreas Caruso on drums, Micheal Ferentino on guitar, and Stuey from the Wonder Stuff and Understand on bass are the kick up the arse the previously solitary songs needed.

It's a bit of a leap forward from the previous solo sound, on CD or in concert, and for those of us who know the old versions inside out it's a bit of a shock. But then again, its one well worth getting. "Traces" - or "Been Found Out" as I thought it was called for at least 24 hours - sounds as good as anything else he's done. As does the shiny new version of "Everything Is Not Ok" (released as a single on February 11th I think).

And he does seem to be enjoying it. The Jason Donovan impersonation after Muzzle ("and he's taking the Muzzle off" ala Joseph & h Magc Dremcoat)is oddly accurate, excepting Miles now has more hair than Jason. And a sad,but necessary tribute to Zac of EMF begins "(I'd Hate To Find You) Amongst The Old Reliables".

Trouble with debut gigs is that bands are always finding their feet a little. It doesn't matter really how much they rehearse - the first tentative public steps are always a little uncertain. But they know where they're going, and they're going to sound great whilst going there.