Date: November 27, 2009
Venue: Front Bar, Step Inn
Acts: No Anchor
Donovan Miller’s induction into the ranks of No Anchor as second bassist immediately raises expectations that their act will be twice as sludgey, twice as brutal and twice as relentless. Tonight’s performance, in the closeness of the Step Inn’s Front Bar, disproves that theory — mostly because when you make music as brutal, sludgey and relentless as Ian Rogers and Alex Gillies, it’s nigh impossible to push that particular barrow any further. Diminishing returns ‘n all that.
That being said, Butcher Birds’ hard-hitting skinsman slots in alongside Rogers effortlessly, and the band’s all-too-brief forty-five minute set is a cracker. It’s hard to say through a haze of alcohol whether they were debuting filled-out variations of old tunes, or out-and-out new material, but I know I bloody liked it.
Thanks for coming Stephen and thanks for taking the photos. They’re very cool! Sorry for asking you to step back. It was just too weird having you there under my cymbals. I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing thinking I was going to hit you accidentally at any moment.
btw, you were right on both counts. It was old and new.
I hope to see you out and about again soon.
Alex.
My pleasure, Alex. I should be the one apologising though for getting a little too enthusiastic about clambering around your equipment, being distracting and invading your performance space!
I had a great night. Thanks so much to you, Ian and Donovan for allowing me to photograph. If you’d like copies of any, drop me a line and I’ll be happy to send through a zip file.
Cool! We’d love a zip-file of the photos. And yeah, you’re always fine to take shots at our shows!
Feel free to send them through to: noanchorband@gmail.com
Thanks again,
Alex.