253 GIGOLO AUNTS, Scrash, Mile High Smile, Kidderminster Market Tavern, Saturday 30 October 1993

Kidderminster?? Well, Clive held a quiz night (which I won!) which clashed with the more sensible Bristol date in this potential-loaded new band's tour, so in return, we enjoyed a 1 3/4 hour cross country journey to a dilapidated prefab community centre type building, with a dingy black hall which actually was the essence of rock'n'roll! Things boded well, especially as the beer was also cheap!

Unfortunately, things didn't start off well musically, with the well named but poor Mile High Smile, a clumsy middle-aged Neds Atomic Dustbin rip-off. Better followed, as the dynamic Scrash got the locals' feet tapping. A souped-up version of EMF, with a young vocalist with an acerbic attitude, they certainly warmed the cockles with some incisive rhythms and guitar attack. Their last gig, apparently - but as I told the vocalist afterwards, he's a cocky little bugger who should stick with it, as you never know...

Following a splendid harmonic Reading Festival set earlier this year, the Gigolo Aunts really announced themselves to me with their "Full On Bloom" CD, which featured a brilliant song "Walk Among Us". Not only fantastically anthemic and soaring in its' own right, this number also featured a lyrical homage to my all-time favourite band, fellow Bostonians Big Dipper. So they'd already endeared themselves to me, but upon meeting guitarist Phil Hurley prior to their set, his greeting of, "so you're the guy who wrote us about the Dipper - and you've got a Dipper shirt on! Wow! Put it there, buddy!" only served to elevate them more!

So, expectation levels were high as the boys took the stage to "Cope", the fantastic opener from their "Flippin' Out" LP, and Clive and I were transformed into whirling dervishes as their stunning, whirling, exhilarating, effervescent pure pop belted out. Every one a winner, each song loaded with hooks big enough to land a blue whale with, but with the aforementioned "Walk Among Us" an outstanding jewel in the set. Brilliant, brilliant stuff, but more amazing was to come with the encore. "This one's for a friend of ours," was the introduction of their version of Big Dipper's "Mr. Woods"!! This was then followed by an amphetamine-fast cover of The Smiths' "Ask", climaxing a wonderfully spent hour.

Chatted for ages afterwards with the band, with vocalist Dave Gibbs videotaping Clive and I singing "Serious Drugs", and also promising to send me a copy of Big Dipper's last album "Slam"! Smiles and handshakes all around upon departing, and now I can't wait for my next Gigolo Aunts gig! An astonishing night!