There seems to be something of a rock renaissance in the Preston live music scene with this the fourth gig ROCKFLESH has reviewed in the town in recent months.  At the forefront of the charge is The Ferret, long a bastion for live music and until recently under threat of being lost, but now fighting back with a vengeance.  And tonight, it plays host to a three-band bill encapsulating three very different branches of the rock family tree.   

First up are Pulverise making the trip over the Pennines from Yorkshire; completely living up to their moniker, from the moment singer JoJo spits out the first lyrics, it’s a full-on short sharp shock of a set, that certainly has a meaty impact. A big overwhelming slab of a sound, Pulverise meld heavy swirling riffs, hip hop attitude and a thoroughly nasty groove in a maelstrom of fiery energy and power that is nigh on irresistible.  

JoJo, is charisma personified, completely committed to her performance, a kinetic force in constant motion, stomping, high-kicking and bouncing across every inch of The Ferret’s stage with crimson dreadlocks windmilling. And if JoJo is the focal point, then Daz on bass is the throbbing heart of the Pulverise sound. The opening one-two of ‘Sulk’ and ‘Fooled You’ exemplifies this perfectly with bass lines that are felt as much as heard, snarling chainsaw guitars and powerful vocals delivered with equal parts venom and precision.  But in amongst it all there is a thoroughly rocky element, that would surely satisfy any metalhead’s riff addiction. 

Between one of the songs JoJo describes Pulverise as “heavy angry meets peace love” and this seems a perfect distillation of the essence of the band.  It’s quite the contradiction but one that works incredibly well indeed; this is a band that really need to be experienced in the live setting to fully “get” them and the frenetic energy they exude; those members of the crowd who’d turned up early doors, were treated to an exhilarating showcase of their unique talents. This sort of cross-over may not be for everyone but for those willing to give it a listen and try something that little bit different, it certainly rewards them royally. 

Bastette couldn’t be more different from their predecessors if they tried, a point that vocalist Caroline Kenyon makes early on. But that is what makes triple bills like this and the smaller festivals that we are lucky to have in the North-west, like the brilliant SOS Fest, Rockwich and SpringFest, such must-see events.  A chance to check out the old favourites and maybe discover a new obsession on the same bill, this cross-pollination of styles and sounds can only make the scene a richer, more diverse and eminently more exciting place for us all. 

Bastette’s is a polished slice of sophisticated modern rock, built around Caroline’s smoky vocals. Kicking off with ‘Hunter’, a couple of minor technical issues slightly arrest the flow, but once they’re ironed out, we’re off again and they’re soon forgotten as the impetus builds once more.   

And as we hit the midpoint of the ten-song set, the crowd having warmed up nicely are firmly behind the band, the gathering momentum firmly pushing those both on and off stage to greater heights.  ‘Sunglass’ is for me one of the highlights of the set, by turn, delicate, dramatic and emotive, involving the crowd with phones held aloft, the 21st century equivalent of lighters in the air. The dark and powerful ‘Sick and Twisted’ carries on the atmospheric vibe, an intimate and swirling tale that pulls you into a dark world of power and control; rounding out this triptych, ‘Talk About It’ is another epic study in light, shade and strong narrative storytelling, By the time Bastette leave the stage to the resounding approbation of the crowd, they’ve undoubtedly won over many more fans than they started the night with. 

A storming overture heralds the metal majesty of Fury as they take to the stage, and from the very first note of ‘If You Get to Hell First’ to the final beat of ‘Casino Soleil’, the quality, excitement and fun that is the trademark of the band is lapped up by an appreciative Ferret crowd.  Second number, ‘Prince of Darkness’, sees Nyah Ifill step up to take the lead vocal, and what a vocal it is. Nyah’s unique contribution is just one of those special elements that makes Fury such a beguiling live band. With new (ish) guitarist Tom Atkinson now having been in place for over a year, this seems to me to be the definitive version of a band who seem incapable of giving a bad performance.  Romping through songs from as far back as “The Lightning Dream” to most recent album “Born to Sin”, this is an object lesson in how to entertain and delight your fans. It seems churlish to try and pick out individual moments as each song is pretty much a highlight in its own right, however... ‘Embrace The Demons’ with its storming bass groove stands out, as does the epic singalong of ‘Burnout’.  There’s even time for a ballad (in its truest bardic storytelling sense) with the plaintive and delicate ‘Upon The Lonesome Tide’, allowing Justin Jenkins full vocal rein, a moment of calm beauty before the full on metal histrionics launch back in. 

Last time I reviewed the band (which is almost a year ago to the day strangely enough) I committed the unforgivable sin of not mentioning the rhythmic prowess of Fury’s drumming powerhouse, Tom Fenn.  Well, there is an old adage that a band can only ever be as good as their drummer, and if that’s the case then Fury should by rights be considered up there with the best of the best.  Every beat, every stroke, every crash of his gorgeous red Paiste cymbals is meted out with surgical precision and a dazzling technical ability that is both stunning in its dexterity and awe-inspiring to witness up close and personal in the live setting.  Couple that with Becky Baldwin’s virtuoso iron-fingered bass lines and you have a rhythm section of globe-conquering quality.  Having such a strong foundation is what allows the rest of the band to flourish and fly, with special mention due for the lightning-fast digits of Tom Atkinson, his fluid and effortless soloing quite simply a joy to behold.   

Fury’s music makes grown men unashamedly play air guitar like they were fourteen all over again, without a hint of irony or shame and that can clearly be seen tonight.   It entertains, inspires and gives a huge amount of pleasure in equal measure, and looking around the crowd there’s an inordinate number of grins on the faces of the assembled masses.  There is a purity to what Fury do, an infectious charm to the band and their approach.  The brilliantly Motorheadesque ‘It’s Rock n Roll’ - complete with thunderous double kick drumming and a mesmerizingly sinuous and perfectly judged bass solo - captures this to perfection, a joyful paean to the music we all love and what it means to us all. As Justin sings “it resonates deep in your soul” and after an evening spent in the company of Fury, there’s surely not a single person in The Ferret who doesn’t keenly feel that sentiment and agree with it wholeheartedly! 

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Fury, Bastette, Pulverise