The Rittz and Friends Festival - The Club Congleton 4th August 2012
Hoodie Ledbetter
Setlist: Horror Show / We're On A Mission / Runnin' The Hoodie Down / Turn You On / Hitman / My Time / Atlas
Hoodie Ledbetter is Kirk Ward and Chris Morgan, neither of whom are strangers to the Congleton music scene. Until fairly recently, they were a power trio known as Kush. Now, as Hoodie Ledbetter, they are a two-piece rock band extraordinaire.
I know what you are thinking. How on Earth can the two of them be a rock band? Guitar and drums? What's that all about? Now, just hang on a cotton-pickin' minute and don't get your frillies in a bunch...
Chris is, without doubt, one of the finest drummers I have ever seen and Kirk is a guitarist of such astonishing talent and flair that it hurts. Together, they are a formidable pairing. Disbanding Kush was a bold move, poised as they were for success under that banner. Following a trip to Morocco, circumstances dictated that they make a dramatic change and reinvent themselves as a Power Duo. I'm not entirely sure how it works, technically-speaking but, somehow, Kirk plays guitar and, through some clever electrickery, adds bass to the sound, whilst Chris can play a range of sounds on his electric kit. Or, that's what I was told.
Hoodie Ledbetter is Kirk Ward and Chris Morgan, neither of whom are strangers to the Congleton music scene. Until fairly recently, they were a power trio known as Kush. Now, as Hoodie Ledbetter, they are a two-piece rock band extraordinaire.
I know what you are thinking. How on Earth can the two of them be a rock band? Guitar and drums? What's that all about? Now, just hang on a cotton-pickin' minute and don't get your frillies in a bunch...
Chris is, without doubt, one of the finest drummers I have ever seen and Kirk is a guitarist of such astonishing talent and flair that it hurts. Together, they are a formidable pairing. Disbanding Kush was a bold move, poised as they were for success under that banner. Following a trip to Morocco, circumstances dictated that they make a dramatic change and reinvent themselves as a Power Duo. I'm not entirely sure how it works, technically-speaking but, somehow, Kirk plays guitar and, through some clever electrickery, adds bass to the sound, whilst Chris can play a range of sounds on his electric kit. Or, that's what I was told.
I must confess that I was a bit apprehensive as I watched them set up. I was intending to shoot a little video on my camera, in order to record their first live performance for posterity, as well as grab some stills too. I was just hoping it was going to go well and that the sound would work live. They weren't even sure how it would sound live because they hadn't done it before. However, as they sound-checked, any doubts I may have had about the sound were blown out of the water. This was going to be good, I thought. I just couldn't appreciate how good. Yet.
For a first live performance, what we were treated to was nothing short of astounding. Yes, there were a couple of technical issues with a loose kick drum pedal and the guitar cables and most of the songs are still being written but, this is a truly innovative sound with such strong songs. How do you describe it? Oh, let's go with Drum 'n' Bass being brutally savaged by a dirty rock band with a bad attitude and you can imagine the sort of thing. It's easier to watch the video clips than to try and explain it. The sound is staggering and the innovation is breathtaking.
For a first live performance, what we were treated to was nothing short of astounding. Yes, there were a couple of technical issues with a loose kick drum pedal and the guitar cables and most of the songs are still being written but, this is a truly innovative sound with such strong songs. How do you describe it? Oh, let's go with Drum 'n' Bass being brutally savaged by a dirty rock band with a bad attitude and you can imagine the sort of thing. It's easier to watch the video clips than to try and explain it. The sound is staggering and the innovation is breathtaking.
The first song, Horror Show, is quite frightening. You are given no opportunity to relax into the sound, you are just blasted by a barrage of guitar, drums, and Kirk's wonderful scouse vocal delivery. It is quite brutal.
Following swiftly on from that was the epic We're On A Mission / Runnin' The Hoodie Down. Totalling around nine minutes, these two songs go from dirty electronic blues-rock, with Kirk delivering a guitar half-brick to the side of the head, to an Aliens-molesting-Santana influenced tour-de-force, bitch-slapping from Chris.
The midpoint of the set was Turn You On, one of the Kush songs that is being carried over. Of all the songs they played, this one is the most complete, due to having a full complement of lyrics. It is a good song and I'm glad to see they've kept it.
Next up was the most complete of the new songs, Hitman. Listening to this one you feel like you have just been the victim of a hitman. It is catchy, no doubt about it, but in the same way that getting a fish hook stuck in your lip is.
Next up was the most complete of the new songs, Hitman. Listening to this one you feel like you have just been the victim of a hitman. It is catchy, no doubt about it, but in the same way that getting a fish hook stuck in your lip is.
Finishing off this fantastic first live Hoodie Ledbetter performance was the double-whammy of My Time / Atlas. Once more, nothing subtle going on, just a great hard-hitting sound with some fine playing.
If you watch the video clips I shot (which I only really did for myself, Kirk and Chris, never intending to put them on YouTube) you can see the potential. Most of the songs still are being written and, as such, still require lyrics and properly working through. What Kirk and Chris have here is a truly unusual and, I think, totally original sound. They have a few more weeks of work in the studio coming up to iron out the kinks and finish of the songs and then, I think we will see something quite unique. I can't wait. (Oh, and, I do hope they keep The Spin too.)
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
8th August 2012
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
8th August 2012