Posted on October 24 2018
The first fliers I saw listed 7a Timber Hill as an as-yet named venue. The site of the former Owl Sanctuary had been bought and turned into:
Bermuda Bob’s Rum Shack and Hi-Fi
The Owl was grotty in a comforting way. Not really that bad. Just the walls got sweaty on a busy night and the dark decor made it feel small. This place first reminded me of Gonzo’s Tea Room (or at least, Gonzo’s the one time I visited 3 years ago for a drag night). Dinosaur head on the wall, slightly incoherent design themes. Lots of ancient Egyptian stuff for a Caribbean/Pirate place, bright and dimly lit at the same time. I did feel welcoming and I liked the brightly painted walls. Glad I didn’t wear a Hawaiian shirt, as I might have been mistaken for staff.
Cocktails
Not to be two young women who work in the arts… but we had to. I’ve reduced my once or twice a week alcohol consumption to once or twice a month. Got to make the drinking day a good one. They were expensive and pretty and delicious. The staff were great, manager really knew his stuff, even had his favorites etched on his skin. One of these was a daiquiri of sorts.
Ladi Di
It’s bigger up here, now. The green room had been removed to be replaced with a bar - used to be in the dance floor - and the stage removed. Still, with the late start there were enough people were here for act 1 that the space didn’t seem empty.
“We are Lady Die… or Lady Dee… we haven’t decided yet”
“We can only hope The Express don’t hear about it”
Lady Di were a bit nervous and a bit all over the place. A three piece without a vocalist, I thought. By the end I thought it could be punk and singing right might be for snobs. I keep thinking of the owl. I liked the guitarist yelling.
The bathroom
There are nice. What’s with that? Almost like the place is new.
Easifreak
On of the things the Owl had that this place lacks is a half-drunk old punk shouting at the bar “Go and support the band!” Without him and with the loud music downstairs we couldn’t tell when the bands were on. Easifreak were next.
Odd Box must like putting them on. Maybe because they are good. Two musicians who have been playing long enough even I can tell ‘they’re good’.
My friend didn’t rate them and I understand why. Some of it got discordant and the not-dance-y kind of experimental. Thanks to backing tracks you get a lot of sounds for two dudes.
Vocals reminded me of Coldplay. When it was live singing and not unpleasantly distorted. Other parts spoken word or samples of astrophysicists - This is funny because the bassist/singer was part of the Neutrinos. Drum beats made a consistent flow as the samples and bass and bleeps came and went.
I think I liked them better when I was sitting down in NAC’s bar. I’m tipsy and wanting to dance and while the beat is stable enough it’s not what the space has me geared up for.
Rum
I quite liked Dead Man’s Fingers, once I’d had the double watered down with extra coke. My friend didn’t like her last cocktail but said she didn’t know what she’d ordered while the were making it. Trying new ways to say ‘oooh that’s strong’ is fun. Got appropriately giggly. Ready for her to put up with me singing along to:
Happy Coloured Marbles
Is this the fifth time I’ve seen them? It’s the second with the expanded live band. This was much better that their last performance as a four. Much more together. That extra month or so shows. The lady on synths had much more of a presence in the vocals this time. Delicious on the rearranged [don’t know the name has the line I want more than I can even handle]. Good to hear the horny guitar work is still there.
Not sure how to make a bass line sexy but they do it. Korn and The Weeknd also do it.
Live drums are a nice touch. Just kinda brings it together. Comparing HCM as a two to a four: I have to pick the four. I heard this was their third gig as a four but I know the drummer from other projects. The new additions are used to playing.
Obviously I like them. I’m starting to know the words to the songs they don’t have on soundcloud. To review singing along to the chorus of Ineluctable with my best friend is only going to get five stars.
They are great to dance to. My brother maintains they are shit and can’t sing. It’ll grant they are not the best but he listens to vocaloid and you can’t beat Miku for being in tune.
They ended on a new one. More keys and female vocals. Their older catalog only gave places to harmonise with the guitars where as this gives an opportunity to play around. More rock; less syrup. There is still a quiet bit for just drums and fancy guitar nonsense. I like it but I hope for my sake they don’t fully move in this direction. Fully going to turn into that old person at a gig requesting songs of the first album.
Shouts of more gets I can’t seem to shake you. They play faster than I remember with more synth flourishes. Harder to dance to. More frantic tone. Seems like the temptation they feel is threatening. I like it up hope to get a recorded version of the slower, saucier, version I heard last time.
Back downstaits and quite merry (and quite merry) I was ready to say ‘release an EP you bitches’ but they had tshirts! I am easily placated. I just want to give them my money.
Bermuda Bob’s?
Yeah I like it. I will just keep calling it the “Former Owl Sanctuary R I P” for the foreseeable future. I like the design overall. Not sure how long they can stick to the “the only beer is cans of Red Strip” policy. Guess they will make so much on the rum.
Will return for the next Odd Box gig. They always have something I’ll love.
