Venus Fly Trap - Reviews
Reviews


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The Marabar Caves / Venus Fly Trap / Pat Fish /
Paul Cox + Simon Alexander + Graham Fieldhouse...,

Fri 15th June 2018 The Charles Bradlaugh, Northampton, .

To celebrate the release of volume 4 in Derrick A. Thompson's series of books 'Have Guitars...Will Travel' four very different acts showcase the diversity of Northampton's musical heritage.

Paul Cox and Simon Alexander are veterans of the rock scene playing in local acts The Earthmovers and Heartbreaker. This is their first performance together for 15 years since an appearance at London's prestigious Marquee club. Tonight they strip back the songs with Paul on vocals and acoustic guitar while Simon delivers some fine bluesy electric guitar. His guitar tone evokes images of smoky bars, most evidently on 'Nothing But a Heartache' (thankfully not the Bonnie Tyler song!) Paul and Simon mix blues, rock and folk in a pleasing manner that brings to mind Led Zeppelin. Closing their set with 'Earthmover' I hope they don't make us wait another 15 years for a repeat performance.

Up next is the wonderfully self-effacing Pat Fish. Wholly original you can't help but admire Pat, not only for his music but his ploughing a unique furrow oblivious to fads and trends and the result is the kind of set you'd get if Nick Cave had read Descartes. I'm sure Pat could have quite easily entered the mainstream but there's something about Northampton's alternative artists (think Alan Moore) who shy away from success in favour of integrity. Wrapping complexity in simplicity Pat is a real musicians musician it's clear to see why he's lauded by artists such as Tim Muddiman.

Soon to release their latest album 'Icon' The Venus Fly Trap are making (I think) their first live appearance of the year and they don't seem rusty at all. Like a pair of androids they play with robotic precision and by second track 'Morphine' they're in the groove. 'Sabotage' follows and latest single 'Vitesse' sits well with their back catalogue. Chrome reflected and fuel injected 'Rocket USA' takes off with guitarist Andy Denton effortlessly pulling riffs from his guitar accompanied by some fine angular dancing by vocalist Alex Novak. They close a fine set with a cover of The Cramps 'Human Fly' on which they put their own indelible stamp.

It's a special evening as The Marabar Caves are back together for the first time in 25 years. Their roots go deeper as vocalist/guitarist Tony Riseley and guitarist Bill Westley formed local punk band Great British Hope way back in punks heyday. Like Nigel and David from Spinal Tap they've bonded for life through a love of guitar music. Joking aside they share an undeniable chemistry and the interplay between guitars is stunning and it's hard to believe these songs haven't aired for a quarter of a century. 'Vegas' has a groove and swing that permeates much of their work and it's easy to see why they were leading lights n the Paisley Underground movement. 'The Prettiest Girl I've Ever Seen' has an almost carnival feel while the risqué 'Mick's Dick' is wrapped up in a monster riff. An encore of 'I Fought the Law' sees the band come full circle and they play with such joy that I'm sure we'll see them again soon.

Peter Dennis - Pulse-Alternative Magazine

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'Metamorphosis' CD 2007 Reviews

Venus Fly Trap + Pretty Dead Girls, Sat 31 Jul 2004, The Soundhaus.

Tonight was to be an interesting gig from the start, with two bands I'd had recommended to me by various people. Pretty Dead Girls are a real fun band: imagine AC/DC coupled with X-Ray Spex, add a slight twinge of Diamanda Galas and you're getting there. The result is classic hard rock with a dark edge to it. Great riffage, cool solos, and some pretty fine vocals make Pretty Dead Girls one of the better local bands by far.

I'd heard a lot of things about local band Venus Fly Trap: hardly anyone has a bad word to say about these guys. Featuring electronic drumbeats and bass and the inimitable Alex Novak from Spiral Archive, Venus Fly Trap are so well established that they should by rights be known the world over. However, they are relatively unknown still as far as the mainstream is concerned, although I am reliably informed that they are quite big in Poland. From start to finish, Venus Fly Trap's show is an experience. Not content with merely keeping the audience's ears occupied, the visual element has been taken care of too with a backdrop involving a sort of moving tableau, lending the whole event a theatricallity you don't get with many bands. The music is thoughtful, perhaps even challenging in some respects. There's a certain amount of gothic sensibility coupled with a mature yet fresh approach to the electro aspect of the sound. The electtric guitar adds a slightly more familiar element to the more experimental nature of the band. I have to say I was more impressed than I thought I would be. Venus Fly Trap are certainly one to catch whenever you can as gigs don't seem to happen often with these guys, or at least not in Northampton.

Monkey
- ***** 5 Stars 5/5 - 9th Circle

www.9thweb.org

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