Reviews

heated rollers

A prelude to summer, a requiem for a dream. A treasure trove of tears await in the Sleepy House. Dan sits in the middle, his cap perched on his head and sings his sun-kissed songs of summer. I can almost feel the warmth on my cheek but alas its the AC unit. James sits to his left and plays the guitar while another Dan sits to his right and plays the bass.

The flowers are blooming and the mushrooms are sprouting as we head off on an adventure. Bows and Arrows Against The Lightening follows with pleas of "Baby come down, its more than I can take" Vocal harmonies and all skipping into Lucky #7 where the adventure really begins to pick up. Not so much a psychadelic adventure as a description of a psychadelic adventure. Mermaids and wildflowers, the jet stream of a supernova and city streets and neon blood are all mentioned. "Save me from the undertow, she's about to unfurl".

Bright colours are being painted. I can see them and so can Dan, to the backdrop of evergreens and the so! undtrack of a new song. "Remind myself what its like to have colour in my life instead of different shades of grey". Ba-Da-Da-Da. "Birds in perfect V formation exploded on the skyline. What a wonderful summer" That it was and this it is, for 30 minutes. The location skips from the green fields of england to the bustling streets of Paris for another new song. Its still summertime. The Shining Hour approaches, heralding the end of the adventure. The search for the one-eyed Jesus has taught Dan much. He relays what he's learnt in the final song Wise Blood. It coarses through his veins and makes him want to start again. So the end becomes the beginning again as with all good stories and adventures. But not today. The End.

They asked Johnny Cash "Why do you always wear black? You look like your going to a funeral." "Maybe I am" he replied. The Heated Rollers understand and they're not forebearers of doom and gloom. They are three females and one male looking to have a good time. Raw, dirty, bluesy and soulful all at once. The frontwoman sways along to the music and shakes her head. She has attitude and we respect her for it. Is it Polly-Jean? A mellowed Karen O or a wild Charlene? Put all three together and you know that sparks will fly...and they do in the first track. The cool drummer at the back, the sultry guitarist on the left and the energetic tatooed bassist on the right provide backing and support as the frontwoman apologises for not being very acoustic. No need...this is what we really want! Energy, attitude and I'm sorry to say, balls!

"Whatever turns you on you should take it, take it take it." Yes!! Thats what I'm talking about. "Do it again, I know you will" in the third. By the time we! reach the fourth she's "gonna lick your boots cos I'm a dirty girl". PJ would be proud and so would Nick Cave. Mike the man gets up on stage looking very much the rock n roll loner and we are treated to a cover of Where The Wild Roses Grow. Kylies vocal is done well and Nicks vocal is done very well. I bet Mike could do a good Tom Waits.

Suddenly we are in Sean Connery territory, a song called 007. The melody is very similiar to the Bond theme tune. Three more songs and the Heated Rollers have cooled down and rolled off. They have style, groove and for the third time a nice bit of confident attitude. I'd like to see them in an electric setting where they could really let loose. 'It'...whatever 'it' may be..was just under the surface tonight. "Why do you alwys wear black?" "Because I feel like it!"

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Ed Hutchinson