JD Set (Heat 1) Live at The Pavillion, Cork

The competition for the JD Set crown for 2010 kicked off in robust style with local bands Fingersmith and Stone Throwing Youths defending the honour of the People’s Republic against the Mullingar marauders We Go Go and Saccade from the temporary capital (i.e. Dublin).
Pop-rockers Saccade were well up for it, their frontman Steve Walker cockily and humorously leading them through a well-drilled set, heavy on stop-start arrangements that left space for the songs to breathe. Their U2-ish new single ‘See How They Fly’ is snappy pop-rock that will do them a power of good. ‘Stupefy’ was nicely noised up and had effective harmonies, while ‘Wasting My Time’ wore its full-tilt boogie attitude with style.
With ‘Nit Picker’, We Go Go have a worthy song with chiming guitars and an appealing build-up from a restrained start. ’17 X 70’ rampages from the off, and ends in a glorious squalling climax of feedback. It would have made a better set-closer though, and they lost momentum with ‘Clear Up’, and when ‘Rough’ came around the repetitive guitar riffs sounded a bit predictable.
Fingersmith, currently riding the crest of their debut album release, bring a brash confidence to their heaving rockisms. They got quite shouty on the ASBO-rock of ‘Money Bag’ and ‘Unlucky For Some’. ‘Drama Junkie’ built from a subdued intro, and ’60 Cent Skin’ is a riot of thrashing guitars and clashing cymbals.
Stone Throwing Youths are basically guitar and drums, and their experimental alt-indie makes them a compelling live act. The handsomely discordant ‘Random Instrumentals’ had elements of Sparks, while ‘Too Much Info’ was more mainstream, benefiting from the contrast of the static guitarist/vocalist Brian Casey against the backdrop of Andrew O’Sullivan’s whirling Moonisms. Two musicians making a glorious racket.
After the judges went into their customary huddle the white smoke heralded a victory for Saccade who go forward to the JD Set final in The Village on April 29.