I'm not even going to mention the words 'short' and 'notice' as I'm beginning to sound like a broken record. Speaking of breaking records, how about 'longest time trying to get a gig in TJ's before being randomly invited to play by our new best friend, Mike Brown'. (How about 'longest record title'? - Ed.) Anyhoo, first on (supporting 'Skinflick') the sound was massive, playing a set list decided minutes before taking to the stage. The show was described as 'blinding' by one audience member. Finally, a crowd that likes metal!
A somewhat remote location in what is apparently one of the roughest housing estates in Europe. Appropriately, the weather turned grim just in time for the cars to be packed and remained so into the night. Turnout was reasonable (mainly families and friends of the other bands) and despite a crackly PA the sound was OK. It should be mentionned that this was a battle of the bands. The first band on were in their early teens and played a couple of Metallica covers. The second band were in their mid teens and played a bunch of emo songs which might as well have been covers and the fourth band (we were third) were in their late teens and should have played covers. The second band won, no suprises there. There was a certain feeling of being a little old for the event and a strange air of 'Phoenix Nights'. Still, all the free CDs were given out to young enthusiasts so expereince must count for something.
The 'Nerve Live Saga' continues into uncharted territory - Swansea, once again playing with 24 hours notice. A certain sense of deja vu accompanied the evening; the barman thought we were too loud (Mason's Arms), we set up and played in front of the other bands (early Malster's gigs and many others for that matter) and the room was the size of Dave's bedroom (like when we played in Dave's bedroom in the 'Mini-Gig' days). The event went well as a whole and the crowd enjoyed themselves (some a little too much in the case of a naked bloke joining in on one of the headline band's songs). Hopefully there will be more Swansea appearances to follow with a little more notice next time.
Possibly Nerve.424's weirdest gig to date. Here's the story...
Once upon a time, a bloke called Ben (who looked uncannily like Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons) joined a biker club. This biker club wanted a band to play at their party so Ben said he would ask the best band in all the land, Nerve.424, if they would play. They agreed and travelled for many miles along dirt tracks deep into the enchanted Forest of Dean to the Mason's Arms. The locals, astounded by the amount of noise coming from only three people, feared black magic was afoot. After they had finished, they all sat down to a feast of Chinese food and potatoes cooked in a giant bonfire. Fireworks and card games continued long into the night until Nerve.424 and the biker club, weary from their exertions, settled down to sleep in an abandonned skittle alley. The next day they awoke to a marvellous breakfast cooked by the freindliest of landladies. They then played on the rope swings and handled the pet ferrets. But alas, it was soon time to go for Nerve.424 have many more gigs to play in many more welcoming rural venues. So continues the 'Nerve Live Saga'...
As Nerve.424's first official gig in Bristol and only the second gig in England, the event went suprisingly well. Of course there were some problems; difficulty in navigating through Bristol Centre, forgetting some equipment and then intermittent bass while playing but none of this detracted from an enjoyable and successful gig. The new songs 'Clinical' and 'We'll never be apart' were included proving their worth as regular set list components and a few CDs were given out.
To a small group of lairy locals hungry for 'Rawk', including the rather simian drummer from the Stereophonics, Nerve.424 got the first chance to use their new PA, albeit without a soundcheck.
Nerve.424's first gig in England! What a corker it was too. Being presented with their own dressing room (right) and the headline slot for what was billed as 'The Wrington Rock Festival' Nerve.424 played to a refreshingly open minded audience. Moshing commenced upon the first few chords of the first song (Ideal Standard) and crowd surfing was soon to follow!
Nerve.424's shortest and most stressful gig...ever! Matthew's guitar narrowly escaped death by drowning courtesy of copious amounts of beer spillage, whilst time constraints forced Nerve.424 to exit the stage after only one song (a particularly psyched-up version of Thinking Time) - Naturally, not before they'd indulged in a barrage of mic-amplified language colouring though.
Feedback problems helped fuel a particularly aggressive performance, in which the Deftones' My Own Summer (Shove It) made an impromptu appearance. Never Happy kick-started the set whilst The Same Way finished it (and almost the band) in the now customary painfully-intense manner. Fellow Merthyr-ites Infectious provided support.
