The Mayhem Effect - The Club Congleton 16th April 2010
The Mayhem Effect
Setlist: Set 1: Hard To Handle / On A Ride* / Sweet Emotion / Get To Know You* / Light My Fire / Lost All Control* / Feel So Good* / Iron Man / The Instrumental
Set 2: Just Desserts* / Crazy Train / Take You Home* / Back In Black / On My Case* / Sweet Home Alabama / Move Your Feet* / Play That Funky Music, White Boy / Danny California / Ain’t Got Nothing On Me // People Are Strange / Easily Pleased* / Foxy Lady / Paranoid
* = original song
Set 2: Just Desserts* / Crazy Train / Take You Home* / Back In Black / On My Case* / Sweet Home Alabama / Move Your Feet* / Play That Funky Music, White Boy / Danny California / Ain’t Got Nothing On Me // People Are Strange / Easily Pleased* / Foxy Lady / Paranoid
* = original song
Tim Amson
Last Friday, in a small club out in the boondocks, I was hit, full force with The Mayhem Effect, and I couldn’t be happier about it!
Going to see small, local bands can often be a trying experience, especially if they happen to be people you know. You feel obliged to be nice about their performance, no matter how dreadful they may have been. I was relieved to find that there were no such worries with this band, which is just as well, because I’m just not good with N-I-C-E. I have this problem, you see, about being honest in my reviews and, if it’s a bad gig, I will say so, no matter who it is.
Going to see small, local bands can often be a trying experience, especially if they happen to be people you know. You feel obliged to be nice about their performance, no matter how dreadful they may have been. I was relieved to find that there were no such worries with this band, which is just as well, because I’m just not good with N-I-C-E. I have this problem, you see, about being honest in my reviews and, if it’s a bad gig, I will say so, no matter who it is.
Karl Prestage
The Mayhem Effect is four young men from the Staffordshire/Cheshire area who, at this point in their career, are playing some covers, with a good dose of some very strong, original material. The thing I really like about their choice of other people’s songs is that they are not, necessarily, the ones you would immediately think of when you consider Aerosmith, AC/DC, or Black Sabbath. Whilst they are very popular songs by those bands, they are not the ones you will catch every covers act performing. Moreover, the inclusion of songs like Play That Funky Music, White Boy, juxtaposed with Back In Black and Sweet Home Alabama adds a curiously quirky flavour to the setlist and shows the versatility of this group.
The other thing that struck me (which only became clear to me after the gig had finished) was that I had just assumed that the songs I didn’t know were covers of songs I just didn’t know, by bands I’d possibly not even heard of. I didn’t know why I didn’t know the songs but. to me, the band’s original compositions were easily good enough to be covers of songs that would have been known to the younger members of the audience; I didn’t know they were originals. I hate to admit it, but I was impressed.
The other thing that struck me (which only became clear to me after the gig had finished) was that I had just assumed that the songs I didn’t know were covers of songs I just didn’t know, by bands I’d possibly not even heard of. I didn’t know why I didn’t know the songs but. to me, the band’s original compositions were easily good enough to be covers of songs that would have been known to the younger members of the audience; I didn’t know they were originals. I hate to admit it, but I was impressed.
Andy Morgan
In the last year, I have been to some amazing gigs, placing a tick against the ‘Seen Live (at last)’ box for Eric Burdon, Dave Matthews Band, Riot, Bruce Springsteen, Pavlov’s Dog, Chris Rea, Mott the Hoople, and Bad Company, whilst renewing acquaintances with Ace Frehley, Chris Farlowe, Foreigner, Gary Moore, Journey, ZZ Top, and many others (it was a busy year and the list was a long one!) I love going to gigs and seeing live music, but I expect a lot from bands, be they big names, or complete unknowns.
As far as I’m concerned, I’ve paid my money and I expect to go home happy. It’s all a question of scale, you see. A local band, in a small club, in some ways, has it harder than, say, Journey on the massive festival stage at Sweden Rock. When the punters are just a few feet from your face, you have nowhere to go, and you have to give the people what they want, or it can get very ugly, very quickly. The Mayhem Effect gig, for me, left me as pleased as any of the shows by the aforementioned big names.
As far as I’m concerned, I’ve paid my money and I expect to go home happy. It’s all a question of scale, you see. A local band, in a small club, in some ways, has it harder than, say, Journey on the massive festival stage at Sweden Rock. When the punters are just a few feet from your face, you have nowhere to go, and you have to give the people what they want, or it can get very ugly, very quickly. The Mayhem Effect gig, for me, left me as pleased as any of the shows by the aforementioned big names.
Jamie Barlowe
The band is tight and the musicians good. Singer Karl Prestage has a fine set of pipes and the ability to sing not only songs like Back In Black and Iron Man, but also Hard to Handle and People Are Strange. Tim Amson, on guitar, is an imposing figure, seemingly always half in shadow, with the look of a younger Tony Iommi about him. He does his talking with his string-bending and lets fly with a plentiful sufficiency of blistering solos to keep even the most demanding headbanger happy. At the back of the stage drummer Jamie Barlowe is an even more imposing figure. A big lad you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of, he hits the drums fast, hard, and often. Along with recent addition, superb young bassist Andy Morgan, these two comprise a fine rhythm section and really do keep everything solid. As a band, this quartet has the potential, if it can get the breaks. A good support slot on a tour, or a well-placed festival appearance would do them the world of good and I think they could win a lot of fans, given the exposure.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable gig. I had a great night, listened to some good music played by good musicians and even took a few nice pics. What more can you ask from a Friday night out in the boondocks?
Go on. Live a little. Experience The Mayhem Effect!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
17th April 2010
Go on. Live a little. Experience The Mayhem Effect!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
17th April 2010