Jon Jones and the Beatnik Movement/The Old Romantic Killer Band @ Leeds Cockpit

We certainly are experiencing the extremes of Mother Nature at the moment. The fierce, howling gales and soaking rain are doing their best to break down any barriers we have left to stop us slipping into the black hole that is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Yes, the January blues have come and the heavy rain clouds that sit over Leeds plunge us deeper into this long and hard winter. Fortunately however, we still have our music to guide us through these harsh times. Tonight, the music on offer for the small but remarkably cheerful crowd reflects the time of year perfectly.Tonight, the crowd are treated to two upcoming bands from Leeds who couldn’t be more different from each other if they tried; and they seem to represent the very same extremes I was talking about before. The Old Romantic Killer Band are hotly tipped to cause some shockwaves this year and with dates lined up over the next few months alongside label-buddies The Sugars and also shows at SXSW in Texas, 2008 looks set to be a great year for one of Bad Sneakers newest bands. They blend together folk and blues with rawness to it that screams out the influence of The Black Keys and the punk rock riffs of At The Drive-In.

Jon Jones and the Beatnik Movement have also been sending shivers down the spines of the music press lately, and this reviewer can certainly see why. They ooze rock and roll style but do so in a haunting and exasperatingly heavy fashion. Their Myspace site describes them as;” the musical equivalent to an epileptic fit”. Fronted by long haired ‘screamster’ Irish Joe and backed up by a band of brothers in arms, the Beatnik Movement provide a musical score that delights the ears but leaves them throbbing for days afterwards. Fast lyrics with flash bang riffs and strobes that act like lightning bolts, they certainly project the image of the long, dark days, and like the gloomy hanging rain clouds and biting winds of winter, they simply blow you away with thunderous effect.

The middle room of the cockpit seems like a lonely place tonight with people milling around enjoying a beer and chatting amongst themselves. In the background a few edge towards the stage as a man with a stool and a guitar begins to strum a few chords. Before long the audience is quiet and then the realisation sets in that it’s ORKB singer Harry, and he’s on his own. The audience gathers quietly around the front of the stage and take in what’s happening.

“There should be a drummer tonight, but unfortunately you’ve just got me, and instead of cancelling I thought I’d just come up here and play a few blues songs for you” says Harry apologetically. No need to in my opinion, the mood is perfect for a quiet, soulful solo gig. The crowd stand and watch as if huddled around a warm campfire as Harry pours out his emotions in verse and chorus that is laced with crisp blues guitar and a groaning, voice that reminds me of Gomez singer Ben Ottewell. Harry sings about love and the typical bluesy subject matters and he does it with ease and pride. The crowd act as substitute for the drums as they clap along to the music and they lap up the songs as each one is delivered with perfection. It shows that this musician is certainly capable of handling a crowd all on his own though the absence of the drums may have prevented this band from delivering what they are truly capable of. Perhaps a trip down to the Brudenell Social on Feb 11th can put those thoughts to rest.

Moving on swiftly, like a quick ray of sunshine that has managed to break through the thick clouds, only to disappear again, the stage is set for Jon Jones and the Beatnik Movement. They instantly rock the place form side to side with their ‘Horrors-esque’ brand of heavy rock and roll. The songs are hard, fast and almost touch on speed-blues, whatever that is. The words cannot be made out, only the sounding snare and the thumping bass lines intertwined with whirlwind riffs that echo a lightning bolt ripping out. The third song sounds like a death march and the stage is covered in a smoky blood-red mist that creates a haunting atmosphere. Influences of Led Zeppelin are apparent and the bass orientated riffs take you on a journey to hell and back in the good old rocking sense. Singer Irish Joe, who is about as Irish as a Geordie, has style and control and delivers a brilliant performance.

All in all, we had one end of the spectrum with the quiet lonesome blues of ORKB to remind us again that all is not lost, even if winter is here for the time being .At the other end we had the screaming inferno of Jon Jones to remind us that despite the cold, the fires of rock and roll are still burning brightly for the masses.

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