WASP FACTORY/ SCHTUM/ASH/ CHIMERA/ KELTIC POSSE/ SOUND CROWD ORCHESTRA (Queen’s Freshers Ball, Belfast)

STUDENTS, eh – don’t ya just love ‘em! Er, well, maybe – can I just make an exception for the ones (tens?) who get so pissed they puke up on yer shoes? Yup, it’s that annual endurance test/entertainment extravaganza the Freshers Ball, kindly sponsored for the first time this year by your caring, sharing, student friendly Hot Press.

Myth has it that this great initiation ritual into studenthood involves throwing off the shackles of all those years under the watchful eyes of yer ma and da, drinking much too much and sleeping with far too many people whose names you never asked. Back in the real world, however, the students here tonight seem to be split between those too conservative to even dance properly (shuffle to the left, shuffle to the right), and those so pissed they’d be lucky to snog the back of their hand without cocking it up. Oh bugger, I’m much too cynical, let the myth live, OK!

Anyway – the bands, that’s what you’re interested in, isn’t it? Wasp Factory are new to me, and quite a pleasant surprise. Sharp, glammy, pop punk, a smatter of tunes that get you first time and some that’ll get you the next, all fronted by the young Toyah Wilcox (er . . . not quite!). You get the picture. Fun and then some.

I missed a chunk of Schtum as you’re not allowed to take your drink from one room to another, and I wasn’t about to abandon mine half-finished. This is because the bars are run by different companies. Sensible policy I don’t think.

Schtum are very good. Not ‘very good’ in the sense that I liked them or anything, but very good in the way that bands who produce nimble, wordy, kinda funky, metal music with that quiet/loud dynamic are liked by everyone these days. And they are very good at it. It’s easy to see why so many people have placed so much faith in them.

Ash are also very good and I definitely like ‘em. Except tonight. This was my first live Ash experience and pretty disappointing too. Some bands seem to believe that when you’re playing for an audience you ditch all the subtlety and melody and just go for volume and velocity to impress. Ash have two thrillingly good singles to their name so far, but in the flesh they just passed me by in a haze of noise. Take yer time boys.

I saw Chimera five years ago and it sounded like the same set tonight. Eileen’s voice still grates. I just don’t get it. Sorry.

Keltic Posse weren’t what I was expecting at all, being a cool, gentle, kinda foxy reggae band. From Ireland. Very refreshing. Not knowing a lot about reggae, I couldn’t tell you if they’re singing their own songs or whether they are a sort of Caribbean Commitments. Excellent none the less.

Upstairs, I wasn’t sure if I’d missed the Sound Crowd or not, these things being pretty anonymous, but hell, it was late and I didn’t care – they weren’t exactly the most up for it crowd you’ve ever seen. It wasn’t Sugar Sweet. Maybe shuffling is the students way of having fun.

Then I went home and cleaned my shoes.

• James Elliott