Saturday 26/04/08 Eastern Gun Club, Isolated Atoms @ The Actress & Bishop, Birmingham

Housed near Kerrang Records ‘the other side of the Queensway,’ Birmingham’s The Actress & Bishop has long since promoted local bands. The décor – a characterised blend of city bar, locals’ pub and amateur theatre – ensures an eclectic crowd on a Saturday night and at 2.80 a pint it was a welcome break from London’s over-priced liquor.

Kicking off were four-piece Isolated Atoms who “aiming to detonate the music scene” launched straight into a fast-paced FX-heavy set. Vocalist Grant Ashman deserves note for his drawn out notes not dissimilar to that of Paul Banks (Interpol). He is a natural on stage and is only surpassed by the drummer whose hands move faster than Michelle McManus at a Pick ’n’ Mix.

The overall feel is more 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster then Interpol with ‘Emptiness’ showcasing Ashman’s drawl on top of an incessant riff. The tone is dark and broody and without doubt standout track is ‘The Rock.’ All that was missing was the Cadillac and open road.

Eastern Gun Club have been playing in and around Birmingham for the past year now and are starting to kick up a bit of a fuss. Regulars on local mixtapes and online radio shows – their swagger is perhaps personified in the guitarist’s white boots. You’ve gotta be good to wear them and he was.

‘Back To The End’ is bass heavy – like much of EGC’s output – but laced with some sheer quality guitar work – the affect is layered and on a better set-up would create a really rounded sound. Led by the baseline once more, ‘Sink Or Swim,’ uses hooked vocals and some Strokes-esque high intensity-strumming to leave you feeling a little bit Kylie. “I just can’t get it out of my head…”

“I’ll sink and you swim/This is where we begin/I’m not leaving you out but I’m leaving you in”

‘Jane’ is without question the tune of the night. Drummer Matt Bullock takes over vocal duties and proves perfect foil for regular vocalist Driver to juxtapose with. "Jane/ You’re like a ****ing train/ Flying through my brain." The baseline screams early Kasabian and the simple kick drum adds such ferocious intensity I have to fight the urge to lamp my mate standing next to me. It’s arrogant, it’s bolshy and it’s definitely the direction these boys should head in.

Neither of these bands are the finished article but there was enough potential on show tonight to suggest confidence is high as there is more to Brum than Ozzy and a smog-laden accent.

“I sank and you swam/This is where we began/And now you’re on your way out and I’m on my way in."
 
You have been warned. Shaaaaron!