OK. So the bands don't get paid, they're here to help sell a draft beer which actually comes in a bottle (in this case, Miller "Genuine" Draft), and their job is to get people into the venue so they will drink, but hey, at least the price is right.
This gig was part of The Mill, an on-going series of gigs sponsored by the beer brand mentioned above. Despite the corporate marketing muscle behind The Mill's fortnightly Thursday shindig, free admission to catch some of Scotland's supposedly cutting-edge young bands is not to be sniffed at.
Last night's show at Cabaret Voltaire featured bands based in Edinburgh (Action Group), Glasgow (Cryoverbillionaires) and Aberdeen (The Little Kicks. It was Cryoverbillionaires who got things under way in truly explosive style. These pent-up laddies are clear fans of Biffy Clyro and Muse, and their three-pronged aural assault on the senses was wasted on a small, yet polite audience who were probably a few bottles of beer shy of showing their true appreciation.
The Little Kicks, who sold their CDs at "recession prices" and urged the audience to dance during the filming of one of their songs, appeared delighted to be performing to more than the 23 people they said they had played to the previous night in Newcastle. Frontman Steven Milne had trouble keeping his guitar in tune, however the Chris Martin-sound-alike must surely be one of few singers to ask the house sound engineer to "put more vocals in my monitor" and make it sound as if he were singing an actual lyric. The Aberdonians have a healthy profile, having racked up good reviews and several appearances at well-known rock festivals in recent years, but at last night's performance, The Little Kicks came across as merely a perfunctory Coldplay tribute band. That doesn't mean they'll no doubt go on to become a great success, though.
Later on, home-brewed act Action Group finally took to the stage, apologising for their delayed start. An introduction from the organisers would have been a nice touch to announce the headliners, but instead the band let their music do the talking. Their mash-up of Pixies-sounding tunes, quirky rhythms and penchant for hitting things for percussive effect certainly makes them a watchable act.
Lots of colour and lots of noise, the Capital-based band have been on the go since 2004 so it's little wonder their tunes are confidently nailed tight. With tunes such as their monstrous beast Breaking Windows and the ticking bomb of Can You, rarely has a band accommodated acoustic instruments alongside synthesisers so well. One of the band members was wearing some sort of sling during their set, which just goes to show it'll take more than a sprained limb to keep this group from springing into action.
Overall, then, a mixed bag of styles and performances representing Scotland's three major cities. You might not know what to expect, but then, that's what makes The Mill so, ahem, genuinely appealing.
