Music
17 Jan 02

Having a ball: Bacardi Hotpress Plugged competition, Dublin Heat

The final outfit to hit the stage are Horizon, and there's no doubting the classic, American rock influence running through them. The judges thought they did enough to give them the nod in what was a tight contest indeed.

In the days when the mere sight of a set of turnables onstage next to an electric guitar is enough to provoke a nu-metal cold sweat, the wonder that actually is 8 Ball is a glory to behold. Easing from the DJ Shadow/Unkle vibe of their opening instrumental to countryesque harmonies and a harmonica playing DJ, via some neat dub bass and blissed out echoes of the Doves and the Beta Band, their opening twenty minutes is by far the finest of the evening. Not all their ideas may work, but give it time and this might just be the most inventive band out of the city since the Jimmy Cake.

Not that Limerick’s Zeppo are content to play it straight either. Blessed with a bass player who looks like he should be in early era Metallica and a guitarist who should be in some obscure US lo-fi art rock band, their sound is a fair approximation of the two. Swathed in shimmering guitar effects and off the wall keyboard stabs, they manage to rock, as well as throwing in enough sudden turns of direction to keep the alternative crowd happy. Impressive.

New Vegas are the first bunch to look as if they’re actually playing in a band contest, and seem a touch out of their depth. There’s a slight lack of stagecraft and polish, though made up for in energy and sheer enthusiasm.

In Age we have the first, probably only, potential rock star of the evening. Charismatic and confident in the extreme, their singer dominates both the room and the stage. Sadly, their music is not quite so potent, a rather earnest mix of David Gray and Starsailor.

The final outfit to hit the stage are Horizon, and there’s no doubting the classic, American rock influence running through them. Not the most cutting-edge thing in the world, but they have good songs and a good singer to sing them.

At times they hint at a slightly darker, more edgy side which I would certainly like to see them develop. In the meantime, the judges thought they did enough to give them the nod in what was a tight contest indeed.

One down – five to go!