343 SILVER SUN, Grass-Show, Don, Bristol Fleece, Thursday 6 February 1997

Continuing some seriously top-drawer gigs so far this embryonic new year, here's one that turned out to be another top-class triple-header at the Fleece! I bopped down with Beef and Ady, getting in just in time for a beer before first band Don came on. Don were a collection of chaps who'd obviously not just emerged from a student common room jam, looking more like they'd clocked up some miles on the rock'n'roll treadmill. Despite the "muso" image, however, they played a set of thoughtful, considered and well-constructed good old rock'n'roll, kind of Kevin McDermott Orchestra meets Pearl Jam, if you can imagine, but actually better than you'd imagine that particular clash of folky rock and grunge sounds. A good start!

Sweden's Grass-Show were next up; I'd picked up their single in the cheapo box at Manchester's Vinyl Exchange the previous weekend, and filed their driving rock under Mega City Four meets Husker Du on a dark night. How wrong I was, as they played an offbeat strumalong pop amalgam, suggesting Bettie Serveert, or at their best, fellow Swedes The Wannadies. Some superb numbers, especially the next single "1962", which had an fast, insistent groove, but also some disappointingly messy, sub-metal doom-thrash wigouts. Once they tighten up their quality control, however, they'll really be a name to watch out for!

Then, at 11, came Silver Sun. A band I'd been holding my breath to see, ever since their frenzied Sparks-meets-Ash single "Lava" pogoed its' way into my consciousness and left an indelible mark. I was expecting much - rather unfairly, perhaps - but I was not to be disappointed. From the get-go they were utterly brilliant, veering from mighty strumalong numbers with soaring melodies and US West coast harmonies so evocative you could feel the surf washing over you, to all-out amphetamine rushes of songs, complete with this incredible trademark helium harmonising. Vocalist James Broad, a Hank Marvin lookalike with the angular, jerky presence of Big Dipper's Bill Goffrier (high praise indeed!!!) looks like a geek but sings like a choirboy, and this set proved that Silver Sun are the freshest, feistiest, fizziest pop band on the market right now, turning me into a ragged, one man whirling dervish in the process. The best set by a British band since... ooh, I really don't know! And surely it's too early to proclaim this one gig of 1997, although whoever beats this will have to really go some!

348 SILVER SUN, Ballroom, Bath Moles Club, Thursday 1 May 1997

After doing my civic duty and voting in the General Election, I trotted down to Bath for a second in a row at Moles (which would've been 3 if the Slingbacks hadn't cancelled their show last Saturday!). Got there early - before 10 which is early for Moles - as we were expecting a busy one! Support band Ballroom were on at 10.30 and were disappointing Suede/ Radiohead impersonators, who disgusted my brother in particular by reacting sulkily to a heckling punter. If you can't stand the heat, etc. etc.... The rest of my gig buddies stayed at the bar while "Suediohead" (as Ady called them) peddled their wares.

All hell broke loose when Silver Sun, heralded by a couple of cop car flashing lights on top of the speakers, took the stage and burst into "Last Day". A huge moshpit (at Moles? Good grief!) ensued, and I became a part of it, gammy leg and all. Silver Sun were tremendous again, affirming their status as Britain's current best band, and probably the best of British "live" since, ooh, The Bunnymen? The sound did their wonderful harmonies full justice, and they fed off the (over?) enthusiastic reception, producing a wildly wonderful set of soaring spiky spunky punky pop. The place erupted (groan!) for "Lava", and current single "Golden Skin" was another highlight of another great Silver Sun set, from whence I emerged sneezing and dishevelled, but euphoric.

A euphoric drive home too, as early Election results heralded an eventual Labour landslide - out with the damn Tories at last! In more ways than one; a historic night!

386 SILVER SUN, The Young Offenders, Bristol Fleece, Monday 12 October 1998

My Nan died today. She slipped peacefully away in hospital following a couple of respiratory arrests, with my brother and myself present. We'd already had tickets for this gig tonight, and following a whole lot of soul-searching and debate, we decided to go ahead as planned. My Nan loved going out and partying, so we figured she'd have wanted it that way. So, as planned, Clive, Rachel and myself travelled down, picking up my brother in Bristol, then repairing to the pub next door to the venue for a toast to celebrate her life with port and lemon, her favourite drink!

Into the venue at 8.30 for first band on, the Young Offenders. Favourites of Clive, they however sounded to me like a standard, slightly lumpen, derivative of the current Placebo-influenced brash glam pop sound. A poor man's Slinkyhead, even! So we largely ignored their set.

My drummer brother was off hob-nobbing with Silver Sun drummer Richard Sayce, but we other 3 had assembled down the front in advance of the entrance of The Sun, somewhat early at 9.30. Now seriously indulging in new wave chic - black sleeveless skinny T's, studs and metal stars being the order of the day - The Sun have also produced a current LP, "Neo Wave", which has received a total mauling in the press for sounding like 70's US "New Wave" proto-pop acts such as The Knack and my personal favourites Cheap Trick. To me, though, that can only be a good thing, so I decided to head for the mosh, and, not finding one in this nevertheless crowded stage front centre, I decided to start one!

Vocalist James Broad has obviously been attending frontman lessons given by Julian Cope circa 1986, as tonight he was every inch the mesmerising focus; brash, arrogant and dare one even say sexy - certainly a far cry from the gawky Hank Marvinisms of earlier Silver Sun gigs. The band themselves were perhaps a tad less surf punk on helium, and slightly more colourful New Wave rawk riffery. Drawing heavily from said new LP, they put together a splendid spiky set. "Last Day" took on added poignancy given the day's events, and solicited a high five with my brother. The magnificent "Lava" and encore "Trickle Down" were also memorable for me, as I emerged, saturated, from the mosh. The hob-nobbing also worked, as my brother got Sayce's sticks, so a bloody great time was had by all. Just as my Nan would have wanted.

612 SILVER SUN, Marie Willson, Cracatilla, London Camden Barfly, Monday 20 October 2003

Yes, that does say Silver Sun! Rachel checked the Way Ahead ticket website which revealed a comeback gig from the late 90's faves, so we decided to break our self-imposed London exile and get tickets! Left at 5ish, and despite the new M4 speed monitoring system we parked on Camden High Street just before 7.45 and hit the venue early doors.

Popped upstairs for this busy early doors gig (another sell-out!) and walked in halfway through Cracatilla's set. A young Scouse trio with a charismatic black vocalist, they "kept it real" with some punchy strum-along pop tunes, the first of which recalled the psychedelic sweeps and swirls of early Love. A good level of potential here, well received by the audience. More so than could be said for the inappropriate Marie Willson, a scantily clad blonde Christina/Britney wannabee playing a clumsy rehash of commercialised punky pop, with more than a little r'n'b thrown in, and with the fake sincerity of an Avril Lavigne. Manufactured to the eyeballs, she'll probably be huge, although with her 2 stock moves (arm straight ahead, ruffling hair) she reminded me of the appalling Transvision Vamp's equally appalling (and equally fake) Wendy James.

Silver Sun came to rescue us from this, however; on at 10 like they'd never been away, and straight into "Golden Skin" to the huge delight of this enthusiastic crowd. Initially, they were raw and ragged musically, but the harmonies, led by the original helium voiced popster James Broad (Justin Hawkins, listen and learn), were as impeccable as ever. Raunchier new numbers sat well with the summery pop oldies, proving that thankfully their return promises more of the same, guv! "Pipsqueak" was great, as they warmed to their task as the set progressed, Buddy Holly lookalike James, increasingly sweaty, expressing the thoughts of the band by saying, "I've missed this - you guys are fantastic!" Great to have you back, boys!

A couple of encores later, we hit the road after a welcome, if ragged, comeback show from a much-missed band. Tonight we partied like it was 1997!

657 SILVER SUN, The Good Time Charlies, Invane, Jarvis Fields, Southampton Joiner's Arms, Wednesday 4 May 2005

Off again 2 days after the last gig, this time to Southampton Joiner's Arms, an easy to find venue in a not as far away as you'd think town. Surprised we've not been here more often! Took a wrong turning, but still found it OK, parking up down the road and hitting this rock'n'roll chic run-down pub back room venue at 8. Had a couple of ropey supports to endure - Jarvis Fields were a dull 5-piece Charlatans/ Oasis style trad rock band, with a crap drummer who nevertheless insisted on giving us a drum solo (!), and Invane were a bunch of clean-cut young lads who played early 70's Led Zep style blues rock, with one decent number "These Demons" which really showed up the rest of their material.

So we weren't expecting much when main support, the terribly-named Good Time Charlies, took the stage, especially as they looked like old lags who'd fought the pub rock wars a time or three. However, they were great! Bursting into a nice line in raw, garagy stones rock with a smile and a swagger, with a kinetic stage presence which belied their ages, they immediately recalled The Gentlemen, no less, in their attitude and musical rawness. When they introduced their third number thus; "this one's called "Big Gay Elvis"", I turned to Rachel and said, "they're my new favourite band!"

A 12 number set, some thrashingly short, flew by with a swagger and a grin, and they thoroughly deserved the shouts for a sadly undelivered encore.

Follow that, Silver Sun! But they did, taking the stage at 10.45, singer James Broad in a white jacket which increased his similarity to Buddy Holly, and playing a superb set of their soaring joyful frenetic powerpop, with the helium voiced 3-part harmonies a feature throughout. Based largely on new "comeback" album "Disappear Here", there were nevertheless enough oldies to keep the old boys like me happy. "Wonderful" was frantic, "Lava" (introduced by James as a time to face his primal fears) was a little slower than on record but nevertheless still jumpy and bursting with melody, and set closer "Golden Skin", again slower than on record, was a brilliantly harmonic end. I once described them as potentially the best British band since Echo And The Bunnymen, and although they're some way off that now, they're back playing joyful and happy Summery powerpop, which can only be a good thing. We hit the road after a quick chat with the GTC's bassist, looping around Southampton FC's ground on the way out and home for 1. Hooray for Silver Sun!