Tuesday 11/04/06 Bromheads Jacket, Hot Club De Paris, Oxfam Glamour Models, 28 Costumes @ Korova, Liverpool

On entry the cash collecting cat draws what looks like a cock and balls on Gigwise’s hand. After some deliberation we realise that it is meant to be a backwards double P, representing Ping Pong, who are running the night. We have the necessary time to work this out as precedings are running quite, quite late. Having left us propping up the bar for some time, 28 Costumes, Liverpool’s finest, eccentric punk-pop operators, finally land on stage.On top form, they gives us jerky-joy crackers like ‘Hurricane’ and one of the few songs with a snoring solo ‘Walking At Pace Uphill’, along with new single, yer typical tome on fancying ‘You Excite Me’, heating the gathering nicely.

Down from the North-East Oxfam Glamour Models do indeed look like they have just been down the charity shop, as they arrive complete with school cardigan, Owl mask and fake chest, fronted by a skinny sailor-hated singer who looks like a young, dinky Iggy Pop. Ah but were here for music no? So, what’s that sound? Well, pretty much yer standard, abrasive garage punk all told. The band bend over, have a staring competition with the floor and pound their instruments while the aforementioned singer wobbles on top of the speaker cabinet like a deranged cabin-boy and cracks crap jokes about football. Quickly tiring of the spectacle the audience wander but to their credit OGM remain really into their thing despite the crowd buggering off, but we don’t blame the indifference of the spectators.

Continuing the marine theme, Hot Club De Paris meander on stage and fire off punk sea shanty ‘Shipwreck’, they may be a three-piece but they have the force of ten men. They come with lyrics that tell mad tales from a madder world and amps filled with more than enough riffs and jangles to keep it exciting. They’re also a little keen to get on in the world as they show with ‘Slump life’, yer age old ode to boring dole days, but such lives are good training for bands and they translate their frustration well into urgent energy. With jagged but bouncy melodies and a penchant for harmonising they invite comparisons with The Futureheads. But this trio are tighter, spikier and, who’d a thunk it, even more of the wall with tunes like: ‘Sometimesit’sbetternottostickbitsofeachotherin... eachotherforeachother', which raises a smile on the face and a serious tap in the toe of the audience. Top cats de Scouseland.

The much talked about Sheffieldians Bromheads Jacket top the bill tonight and they begin their kitchen-sink punk adventures with a song about a car wash, while late night takeaway anthem ‘Lions On The Prowl’ is not far behind. Singer Tim quickly gets bored of the stage and decides to surf the crowd, managing to survive all the way back despite the low-ceilings. But his jaunt costs them dear as the silly git breaks his guitar lead, so we get treated to a chatty tea-break as another one is sought. Suitably re-wired they return to the scheduled programming of hard and stiff punk tales of cash machines, microwave eats and doing dirty things in ditches-their microphone-chewing vocalist sounding a tad cockernee despite Bromheads Yorkshire roots.

It’s all very well and good but the whole shebang starts to blend after a while and though it remains spunky enough to keep you looking in their direction it wouldn’t take much to distract Gigwise’s attentions. The barrier-pushers at the front however, seem happy enough with the Bromheads business and vibrate along accordingly. But not even an inspired cover of Mr Skinner’s ‘When You Wasn’t Famous’ with the audience singing the chorus, can convince Gigwise that the better bands were not on earlier in the night.