Blog entry recovered from MySpace archive, first published Saturday May 20, 2006.
The Answer, Pig Iron, Steranko and CODA at the Peel
Another fantastic line-up for the Peel. I had been told to expect good things from all four bands tonight. The most satisfying was undoubtedly the closing set of the Answer - more of which later - but the biggest surprise of the night was just how flaming good CODA were. Hannah Kirton has a belting voice, without sounding like either a fish-wife or a foghorn as some powerful "singers" have a tendency to do. The backing were were slick, and trundled along providing a solid foundation. A good solid classic rock performance. If there's any criticism to be made it's that not only did the band look like they were taking it easy, they sounded a little that way too. Good stuff, though, and I'm bummed that I missed out on the CDs being handed out.
Second set was from Steranko, and proved to be the only disappointment of the night. Temper tantrums do not belong on stage, even if the monitors are giving problems. There's only so much that can be blamed on a bad sound set-up. I'm told that they're actually a very good band, but there was scant evidence of that tonight. The performance they turned in and the ego on display would have been more at home in a punk gig 30 years ago. Unimpressed.
Pig Iron were third up. They have taken quite some time to mature. When I first saw them some 2 years ago, the sound was "messy" for want of a better word. There wasn't anything you could put a finger on specifically, but the end result just wasn't right. No more. Another very satisfying classic rock performance, and a perfect precursor to...
The Answer. This is a band that I sorely misjudged in the first instance. I first saw them supporting their fellow Irish in Alter Bridge at the Astoria, and the best that could be said about that performance was that it was disappointing. I don't like the Astoria as a venue, at the best of times, and it certainly took its toll in that instance. I was fortunate enough to see the Answer again at an industry showcase gig last month on a tiny stage, and the scales fell from my eyes (or perhaps ears). The same with this appearance at the Peel; a whole different ball game. Powerful, passionate, blues-influenced rock harping back to styles of earlier times, without ever feeling outdated. Hints of AC/DC, stronger tones of Led Zepelllin. It's no surprise that they've won praise from no lesser person than Jimmy Page himself. And to beat it all, they're just such hugely pleasant blokes, too. I do so hope their album The Rise, releaed next month, takes off. It couldn't happen to anyone more deserving either as musicians, or simply as people.
