The Fire Beneath The Sea - The Blue Room Blackpool
21st February 2014
The Fire Beneath The Sea
n.
13 piece, Liverpool, UK band, leaping between genres such as Hip Hop/Funk/Jazz/Ska/DnB/Afro Beat and much more (we like to keep it interesting).
On the face of it, yeah, that's as close to a pigeon hole as you're likely to get it. It seems so easy when you put it that way.
Well, that's a short review...
Oh, wait. That's only part of the story. There is a secret ingredient... If you're good, I may tell you what it is.
So, there I am in Blackpool, to spend a few days with 'The Dad' and, who should turn up for a gig, in [one of] my former hometown[s], other than The Fire Beneath The Sea? And, I just happened to be walking past The Blue Room when they arrived. What a coinkydenky! Not buying that? Didn't think my discerning readership would, somehow. I may have made some arrangements to be in Blackpool on the night...
When I was looking for an intro bit for this piece of scribblage, I cut and pasted that description of the band from their Farcebook page (other social media sites are available). I started reading some of the quotes and thought, oooh!, that's good. Then, of course, I realised, it was good. I wrote it! Does that make me shallow? Anyway, that is all totally irrelevant and only included to massage my ego; I have a huge one, you know.
n.
13 piece, Liverpool, UK band, leaping between genres such as Hip Hop/Funk/Jazz/Ska/DnB/Afro Beat and much more (we like to keep it interesting).
On the face of it, yeah, that's as close to a pigeon hole as you're likely to get it. It seems so easy when you put it that way.
Well, that's a short review...
Oh, wait. That's only part of the story. There is a secret ingredient... If you're good, I may tell you what it is.
So, there I am in Blackpool, to spend a few days with 'The Dad' and, who should turn up for a gig, in [one of] my former hometown[s], other than The Fire Beneath The Sea? And, I just happened to be walking past The Blue Room when they arrived. What a coinkydenky! Not buying that? Didn't think my discerning readership would, somehow. I may have made some arrangements to be in Blackpool on the night...
When I was looking for an intro bit for this piece of scribblage, I cut and pasted that description of the band from their Farcebook page (other social media sites are available). I started reading some of the quotes and thought, oooh!, that's good. Then, of course, I realised, it was good. I wrote it! Does that make me shallow? Anyway, that is all totally irrelevant and only included to massage my ego; I have a huge one, you know.
Nevertheless, I do know Blackpool and it has two distinct sides. It's a little Dr Jekyll and a little Mr Hyde. There is the touristy side then, there are the mean streets. Not really sure which one is Jeykll and which is Hyde but, you get my drift. Ten minutes walk back from the bright lights of The Promenade and you are in the Blackpool that the locals know. There is a long tradition of good music venues in this town, especially rock, blues, and Northern Soul. In the '70s, Jenks was one of the best small music clubs in the UK. Need I mention Blackpool Mecca? In the '80s and '90s, my late friend, Mick Schofield, put on some of the best Blues acts I've ever seen at The Kite Club. And, back in my time here, The Blue Room was, all things taken into account, assuming you got out alive, a pretty good place to catch a band.
There is one other thing you need to know about Blackpool audiences: they are very into their music and they love a good turn. OK. OK. Technically, that's two things. Work with me, People! If an act is good, they will go apeshit over them and will demand that they come back time and again. If the band is not good, they'll be lucky to get out alive. Figuratively speaking, of course. Either way, they will give them a fighting chance to prove themselves and, once they have, it will be as if The Gods themselves had smiled upon their cherubic, upturned countenances. Or, you know, something like that...
There is one other thing you need to know about Blackpool audiences: they are very into their music and they love a good turn. OK. OK. Technically, that's two things. Work with me, People! If an act is good, they will go apeshit over them and will demand that they come back time and again. If the band is not good, they'll be lucky to get out alive. Figuratively speaking, of course. Either way, they will give them a fighting chance to prove themselves and, once they have, it will be as if The Gods themselves had smiled upon their cherubic, upturned countenances. Or, you know, something like that...
And, so it was on Friday. At the beginning, the crowd could, politley, be considered ambivalent. Yeah, there's a turn on... I've never bloody heard of 'em... They're not local, you know...
Sensing a challenge, the band rose to it. It took about three tracks but, slowly, the onlookers looked less and, danced more. By the end, they were hooked on the unpigeonholeable sound of The Fire Beneath The Sea. Ultimately, for the scouse boys, it was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. They knew, all along, that they could win them over. The set was very well thought out and structured to, not only, showcase the many individuals on the stage but, also, to bring the crowd along on the journey.
A splendid, mature performance from some very talented musicians. They really are quite good at this.
What? The secret? You're not ready yet. You go and see them live then, you'll find out for yourself.
Mark L. Potts
22nd February 2014
Sensing a challenge, the band rose to it. It took about three tracks but, slowly, the onlookers looked less and, danced more. By the end, they were hooked on the unpigeonholeable sound of The Fire Beneath The Sea. Ultimately, for the scouse boys, it was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel. They knew, all along, that they could win them over. The set was very well thought out and structured to, not only, showcase the many individuals on the stage but, also, to bring the crowd along on the journey.
A splendid, mature performance from some very talented musicians. They really are quite good at this.
What? The secret? You're not ready yet. You go and see them live then, you'll find out for yourself.
Mark L. Potts
22nd February 2014