REVIEW OF THE OPENING NIGHT by MATT DOONER for Ryans Gig Guide 25/2/2011 Baseline Venue's Opening Night:

Synopsis, Red Line Ratio, Broken Glass, The Picture, Target by Numbers, Affinity With the demise of JBs only a few weeks behind us, Dudley - a town that still has an active and very passionate music scene - is screaming for a new music venue. The stakes therefore are high, as The Baseline prepares to launch their opening show at the Earl of Dudley Arms - for this, and because of the tributes made to Steve Cutler from The Picture, who was tragically killed in a motoring accident a few weeks ago. The first act are Affinity, who comprise of Jodie and Nichola singing popular cover songs. Taken for what they are, it's pub singing, however there is a lot to be said for being good at what you do and these girls are very, very good. They don't pretend to be there for anything other than to 'warm you up,' but they certainly get a warm reception from a large and obviously familiar crowd. And not without reason; songs like Use Somebody (Kings of Leon) and No Good (Amy Winehouse) will always be enjoyed in an atmosphere like this, and they sing them very well, creating some impressive vocal harmonies in places. There wasn't a member of the audience unmoved by their emotional performance of Snow Patrol's Run, dedicated to Steve from The Picture and an unnamed family member. Next was Target by Numbers. Introduced as being influenced by Oasis, they don't necessarily have the same 'Wall of Sound' that the Gallagher brothers were famous for, but they certainly take their cues from the mid-90s brit-pop scene, more akin to Blur and The Seahorses. This was their first show, though this isn't obvious from the execution. The song writing and lyrics are excellent, and the sound was great as well - the guitars were as loud as they needed to be, and the use of effects was complementary and tasteful. The result is a tight and professional set that maybe runs on a little too long; however they drew a large crowd, and were rewarded with a suitably good reception.

This was followed by a short poignant set from the surviving members of The Picture, while a collection for charity was made. In spite of feeling the loss of their guitarist Steve, the band put on a very confident show. The set is short one rock song, one ballad - but given the circumstances, that's all The Picture need to make their point. Nobody who saw them play would disagree. A tough act to follow, but Broken Glass take the stage - booked in at the last minute to play a full set in The Picture's stead - and they're here to turn up the heavy! Their sound is a mix of influences from heavy rock, a bit of Nickleback/Alter Bridge here, a bit of Nirvana/Foo Fighters there, no small amount of AC/DC. The band have a huge personality in their front-man Aaron, making sure that EVERYBODY in the audience

is having a good time, backed up by a solid rhythm section and a lead guitarist who's style is reminiscent of Slash; no mean feat! The result is an energetic and furious performance, without being overly abrasive - Broken Glass is the sort of band that everybody needs in their lives.

The hour is late and the crowd is starting to thin out; those that remain are treated to a set from Red Line Ratio, who play the good kind of indie rock; effect-drenched soundscapes and wellconstructed lyrics creating a hugesounding, ethereal atmosphere. There isn't a "trump card" as such, but to pick any one element from Red Line Ratio would be missing the point. They're remarkably tight and the songs are very well written and executed, the lead guitar hits the right amount of notes to be busy but not overly intrusive, the easily-overlooked rhythm section do as much as they need to carry the songs. There's not a huge amount of stage presence, particularly after Broken Glass, but relying on your songs to carry the band's set is a very nice position to be in. Finally, the night is rounded off in style by local heroes Synopsis, described as PostGrunge Alternative Rock. Whatever that means, the band certainly sound like they mean it as they launch into an onslaught of furious rock riffs, superbly tight breakdowns and impressive 3-part vocal harmonies. This carries on throughout the entire set, peppered by an ultra-heavy cover of Helter Skelter by The Beatles. But what's really impressive about Synopsis is their longevity; they've been going since at least 2005, and it's the same 4 people in the band, playing in many cases the same songs, all that's really changed in that time is the band's gear. For all that, they don't take themselves too seriously - and therein lays their charm. You know what you're getting with Synopsis: Heavy rock with a fine sense of fun involved. It was a great way to end the night. The Baseline is currently planning its next night. Judging by how well this one went, coupled with the large number of bands to choose from, nights at the Earl of Dudley Arms are well worth looking out for in the future...