Page 54 - Black Velvet Issue 94

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good
YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

MASSIVE / TEQUILA MOCKINGBYRD / TWISTED STATE OF MIND / BEN LAGUDA – EVESHAM IRON ROAD,
21.06.17
Aussie rockers Massive and Tequila Mockingbyrd have toured to- You would never have known that such a big change had occurred
gether before but now they’re back in the UK with slightly different line- though, as the trio play as if they’ve been together their whole life. Louisa’s
ups. As a result, Evesham Iron Road sees Massive vocalist/guitarist Brad vocals fit right into the band and songs such as ‘Jagerbomb’, ‘Half Of The
Marr and drummer Jarrod Medwin joined by original lead guitarist Ben Man’ and ‘I Smell Rock N Roll’ go down a treat with the crowd.
Laguda, who has rejoined the band, plus Tommy Sunset on bass. Ben Massive’s set is, as their debut album suggests, full throttle. Songs
Laguda surprises us by playing a 20-minute solo acoustic set to kick the such as ‘Bring Down The City’ are no-frills, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a
night off. His talent is immediately apparent. He has a great voice and boiling hot day, so frontman Brad Marr announces to the crowd that it’s
plays guitar well. Between songs he asks if the crowd want a happy song his first ever show wearing shorts. ‘One For The Road’, from the band’s
or a sad song. Getting a mixture of both, we’re all left happy, and definitely current album, ‘Destination Somewhere’ is another driving rocker, while
not sad, with Ben’s set. ‘Blood Money Blues’ is like 100 fun kicks in the face. It’s no surprise that
Twisted State Of Mind from Oxford are a younger band, but also very the band are sweating with all the effort they put into the predominantly
talented. They’ve been playing hard rock since the age of 11. They sound fast-paced set. ‘Ghost’, though, is the real hidden gem of the night, an
good and know how to put on a show, despite their young age. Vocalist epic song you can feel the emotion pour out of; this one was really made
Benjamin Comley jumps onto the bar at one point, as well as frequently for an arena stage. Overall, the band put on a high-impact set, packed full
walking into the audience’s standing area. He brings a drum onto the floor of energy and great hard-rocking tunes, and even sees Ben Laguda play
and he and drummer Damon Marshall hit it. They also get some of the guitar with a bottle and Brad shake his guitar above his head. Evesham
crowd involved by giving a couple of girls drumsticks at the end of the set is not exactly the most rock ‘n’ roll town in the UK, let alone the world –
and get them to hit the drum in the final song. but tonight, Massive made it that.
Three-piece band Tequila Mockingbyrd have also had significant line- YYYYY
up changes. Bassist Jacinta Jaye, who had been standing in for Jess Shari Black Velvet
Reily, has now become an official member, while vocalist/guitarist Estelle
Artois left the band, meaning that now Louisa Baker has taken her place. Brad Marr (Massive) Photo By Shari Black Velvet

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