Aberdeen Gig Promotions have definitely restored some interest back to The Tunnels in the last couple of months, appearing out of no-where to suddenly booking some cracking line-ups and promoting the hell out of them. So it comes as no surprise that the Tunnels is heaving this evening with a headliner that has appeared all over the music press in the last couple of months.
Steven Milne is the busiest man in Aberdeen; frontman of The Little Kicks, Barfly promoter, Adventures Close to Home DJ and founder of the weekly Dirty Hearts Club. Oh and he plays solo shows every other week it seems. Not that anyone is complaining as the audience packs down the front to hear what could be the cities best songwriter. Even stripped down to an acoustic guitar and Steven’s voice, Little Kicks songs like Don’t Give Up So Easily and One More Time sound powerful and like the hits they should be. The set comes to a close with a cover of New Order’s Temptation which works wonderfully acoustically and we are reminded why we can’t wait for The Little Kicks to return to the live stage next month.
Semi Finalists are an odd bunch. Brightly dressed, energetic with a certain Dev “Lightspeed Champion” joining them on bass, they played an entertaining set that mixes between funk, pop punk and heavy rock riffs, with distinctive vocals that are reminiscent of Billy Corgan and Brian Molko. Definitely ones to watch.
And then the even more oddly dressed Lightspeed Champion, after spending most of Semifinalists set showing off his bass skills with his back to the audience takes to the stage to prove why he seems to be the most talked about artist of 2008. He’s joined by a large band featuring members of Semifinalists for what is a delightful set. This is modern pop at it’s finest; timeless and unique while still owing much to the likes of The Beatles – George Harrison in particular seems to have influenced his guitar style, while the violin accompaniment giving the songs a very melancholic feel. The only criticism of tonight is that the guitar and violin wasn’t loud enough and was difficult to hear over the drums. Still, nothing can ruin what was one of the most enjoyable bills in Aberdeen in a long time.
more photos of Lightspeed Champion, by Andy Thorn, on Flickr