hotpress and NIMIC present: Berkeley, Torino, Gentle Ben

Gentle Ben are playing their first ever gig. They take too long between songs, there’s an appalling buzzing coming from one of the guitar leads and that’s matched only by the disrespectful yapping of the crowd. But who cares? Cause they’re bloody great!

If this band were from Boise, Idaho, Uncut would be on top of them. There are 2 guitarists – one electric, one acoustic – who share vocals. And they’re sitting down. Which for some unfathomable reason is a bonus in my world. Then there’s a drummer, a bassist and a trumpet player. A trumpet player? On your first gig? Nice!

Mostly though there are songs – with muted vocals, gentle guitar and unhurried rhythms.

Torino are here to ruin the atmosphere – or so they tell us. I am somewhat afraid when they walk onstage with their black pointy guitars – I can’t handle a brutal assault after the loveliness before. Luckily they’re more in the spiky pop vein of guitar driven music than initial expectations foretell. Beginning well, the first few songs are actually that – songs. Punchy, bright and upbeat, they draw the crowds attention. But then it all goes a bit soggy. The band seem to have run out of ideas midway through the set and one song drags into the next. Shame.

Tom from Berkeley wheels out four guitars for this gig. And a pedal board half the size of the stage. Makes me want to hate the band already. But ten seconds in and I’m a believer. Who needs bedwetters when you can have cockiness and balls? One after another they churn out manic, thrilling guitar pop (and the Petrols reference is intentional). Forget the wanky, indulgent rawk music that is force fed us by MTV2 – this is pure, it’s raw and it’s sometimes out of tune. Most of all it’s fun.