October Revolution, 30th Oct

Apparently this gig, which showcased 12 Bristol bands at the Student Union, was going to teach the new students the great diversity and talent in the City at the moment, ostensibly to say that we aren't about Massive Attack and Portishead and Kosheen (spit) anymore. I pity those who had to make the choice of who to invite to play, but the music on show was certainly diverse. As usual I missed the first half, due to an attack of GTA San Andreas in the afternoon, so apologies to: The Mighty Stars, Valley Forge, Sammo Hung, SJ Esau and Male.

I arrived just after War Against Sleep had started, they do relaxed, rolling, Ben Folds Five (I'm probably just making this comparison because they have a piano frontman) / Divine Comedy style 'proper' songs, but with that thing of building up the noise and intensity towards the end. I did like it, but I don't think I'd listen to it, if you get my meaning, more inoffensive than inspiring.

Because of WAS's mellow sound, I did wonder what was going to happen to the audience when Geisha took to the stage. As usual they put a huge smile on my face, and more pleasingly, the audience didn't thin out as much as I had expected. Bass player Steve was fantastically angry, and the set concluded with singer Tone running through the audience screaming. Great stuff.

Ivory Springer have a problem. Or I have a problem with them. I'm not sure what this problem is, and am willing to re-visit this band to try and work it out. At the risk of sounding too subjective, Termites or 'the' Termites are derivative, pretentious boring pop-punk of the most commercial kind. Melodies reminiscient of a little band from 1965 called 'the pink floyd' and gong as if it's new music. It isn't.

Big Joan played a storming set until the bass player's amp blew up.

Ever since being at University around them, I have had this thing for hating Chikinki. They have been through various guises in the years since then, I first encountered them being a student funk band - a fairly good one - and was always sceptical of their move into more progressive rock/dance music. I last saw them at the Ashton Court festival that happened in Hengrove Park, which was about three years ago. I was bitter about the adulation and the breaks they had, probably through hard bloody work, but I never thought their music really deserved it. So I thought it was about time I gave them another chance. By the time they played I was pretty drunk, so forming coherent opinions was difficult, but I was left with the impression that they were too damn fashionable. Following the same new wave trend that everyone else (Termites) seems to be following. I'm going to have to stay away. Other people like them so that I don't have to.