Twisted Wheel

As a writer based in the cultural dump of Grimsby it's not often I get an assignment at my local. And that's all The County is technically, a small pub with requisite warmth, pool tables and an eccentric group of regulars. Just how it managed to attract a band of Twisted Wheel's status boggles the mind, but nevertheless it was set to at least be an interesting evening from its announcement.



Compared to its usual somewhat stagnant atmosphere you could tell it spit shined itself up for a rare event but at the end of the day it's still a generic English pub. Early on I was unsure if this is simply perfect housing just a generic English band or if something is genuinely going to happen in these quaint surroundings. The demographic of people wasn't instantly impressive, adding credence to my early worries. They seemed like the exact kind of people who would go there if a band was on or not.

It wasn't a fantastic start as Twisted Wheel took to the stage but this was partly my fault. Sitting in a questionable perch at the back with my notepad I actually hadn't noticed the band had come on in between jukebox ramblings. I could hear indie rock, rather contrived at that, distantly in the background as surrounding conversation far surpassed the band in volume. Confused I decided to take the pilgrimage closer to the stage.

With each step things seemed to take on a new life, those sat at the back uninterested by the proceedings faded away as people came closer together and grew quieter. The music seemed to have more of an edge to it than before and the true potential of this gig became readily apparent. At first it seemed for the majority of these people it was just another night out, this time with real people to shout out of key at rather than a karaoke machine. But then I realise my misanthropy was getting the better of me and they were having a genuinely brilliant time, far from the usual drab norm. Even if a lot did come for the novelty they didn't wave it off lightly. But, just when tension was becoming elation the unthinkable happened. The power shorted.



Nobody's spirit waned in the slightest, and Grimsby chants filled the air to summon the young musicians, frantically searching for the offending plug. The camaraderie gained in that little break proved essential, and when the band re-graced the stage they were a whole new beast. An engaging frontman conducts a tightly packed following up front. True, they're only playing run of the mill guitar music but it takes charisma to get people to overlook bland song writing. Charisma is clearly something they have in spades, shrugging off power difficulties in favour of just having a plain good time.

They bounced through catchy singles like 'You Stole The Sun' to crowds screaming the lyrics throughout, and I realised this band have a huge potential for live performance. Reviews of their recorded material have been lukewarm at best, and I can't see it doing anything but adhering to that formula; however their live performances are raw, sweaty rock and roll with absolutely no gimmicks. This is what I like about them, for an old fashioned rock concert they should be actively searched out.

Keep Twisted Wheel in mind for occasions like this, forget about them for the majority of the time because I can't see them providing any major thrills in the near future; that is of course unless you're in some obscure pub somewhere, three pints away from sobriety and another four from a kebab.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.