Opening tonight’s proceedings are YOUNG GUNS, tonight playing their sixth gig together as a band. If, not knowing this, I were asked to make a guess as to how long this group of 20-something guys had been together, judging purely on their songs and performance tonight, I would have to say at least 5 years, because they put one of the most engaging sets I have seen at this café. This is partly because they surprise you at every turn. Take massive anthem Turn Back Time. It begins with a metalcore double-guitar riff backed by rhythmic drums and thumping bass. The immediate impression is reminiscent of Bullet for my Valentine. Then the vocal comes in, and you start to hear a slight emo influence as well, along the lines of Taking Back Sunday, perhaps. Then the chorus hits, and its epic, oh so very epic, with between 2 and 4 vocal harmonies at any given time. And throughout the song you flick between moments of Trivium and moments of Hawthorne Heights, and then suddenly the final chorus kicks in, and suddenly you’re in 1987 and Bon Jovi is onstage, because that’s right, they’ve shifted the key up, and its cheese city. These guys are catchy, hooky, heavy, rocky; the lead singer looks like an indie kid, the rest of his band look like a glam rock outfit, and yet somehow, someway, it all slots together and forms a well oiled, tight machine of a band who never falter in timing or tuning, delivering a rock solid set of memorable, original, well written songs. I hope to see them play here again.

Much like Black Iris two weeks ago; BOHICA have in the past been local favourites here. Guildford boys born and bred, they have been playing at Plant for several years. Their unpolished grunge-metal sound combines dirty, crunchy guitar, solid bass and steady drums, fronted by a mixture of hoarse growls, roars, and screams, with the occasional bout of singing. Bohica showcase a good mix of melody and aggressiveness- moody, heavy and rocky. And I would love to say that they played a heart-stopping show, a real storming gig to honour their home venue and show the newbies how it’s done. But they didn’t. They seemed disconnected and unengaged with the crowd. Whether this was simply an off night, or a sign that success is going to their heads, one can only guess, but it doesn’t change the disappointment for the crowd tonight. Bohica were tight, they were in tune, their songs were well written and enjoyable. But there was no spark tonight, no joy, and to be honest, no bloody fun.

HOORAY FOR ME are also Guildford lads, and are well known in the local area, ranked with the likes of Without Thought and Comanche Cipher. They peddle a dark and catchy variation of pop rock, fusing the less depressing end of emo with the more technical end of pop-punk. The result is reminiscent of Rufio, but with a tip of the cap to a mixture of acts, the duel guitar of Funeral for a Friend, the lead vocal style of Fallout Boy, and at the core of it all the unshakeable atmosphere of Hooray For Me, because at the end of the day, these guys may have many similarities to other artists, but they are undeniably individual in themselves, and tonight, they put on a damn good show, with a great deal of passion, emotion and energy.

See in you in two weeks!

Take care,

Jamie Webster