Strung Out

For an alternative / punk / rock bill this is possibly as varied as it gets. The double billing of hard-edged So-Cal punk crew *Strung Out *and synth-pop, avant-punkers *The Start *may be a strange one, had they not shared the same manager. And the fact they’re sharing the stage with old-school hardcore act *Cry For Silence *may also confuse some of Strung Out’s poppier punk throng.

As for *Not Katies *though, they probably felt right at home. But being the first band on Not Katies’ intense pop-punk style meant very little response from the kids filing in, but watching their frontman throwing himself about the stage in a Vinnie *Movielife *fashion it seems only a matter of time before they get their just rewards.

With *Cry For Silence *however, it’s a mystery how a band with a hardcore sound so basic, safe and downright boring can play alongside The Start and Strung Out. It is, frankly, an insult to the bands and although their posse of mates were strutting their macho stuff in the pit, it doesn’t escape the fact that there really is nothing special about the music.

Thankfully though, The Start are here to alleviate the pain. Containing none other than Human Waste Project’s Aimee Echo and Snot’s Scott Ellis (playing guitar) they are finally here to woo us with their breakthrough sound, encapsulated on their import-only debut ‘Shakedown!'. Although plying us with a couple of tasters from their new EP they get the small number of fans down the front dancing to the likes of ‘Nemisis’ and ‘Hang On Me’_.

Despite losing her voice during a fanzine interview earlier Aimee Echo’s stage presence is just mesmerising, her slinky figure effortlessly swaying round the mic-stand while her roughled, newly-layered bleached / black tresses fall gently over her eyes. And I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one with shivers as she stomped her way through the disco-punk anthem _‘Gorgeous’ _as she commandeered the stage.

Unfortunately though, this may have been the wrong audience for The Start’s futuristic punk sound, many of the teens here obviously looking for something faster, heavier and punkier. It’s just as well then that Strung Out *are here to round off the evening. Always one of the more technically proficient punk bands of the Fat Wreck / Epitaph variety Strung Out play an absolute blinding set, taking in hard-hitting tracks from the awesome *‘An American Paradox’ *album like *‘Lubricating The Revolution’and ‘Velvet Alley’, it’s Pennywise-like drive only gaining in intensity in the live setting. The Cable-esque ‘The Kids’ _is aired before the _“only cover we know”, Ozzy Osbourne’s 'Bark At The Moon', with the obligatory devil-horn throwing!

Having approached their ten year anniversary Strung Out appear to be getting tighter as a unit every time they play. As for upstarts The Start, this long-waited show has hopefully proved to their label that they have exactly what takes to headline this venue themselves, thus warranting a UK release of their album.