Casket Case [Gig Review]

Teenage Casket Company [TCC] + Three Thirds Below + LeeTabix

Tap N’ Tumbler [TNT]

Nottingham

30.01.14

For the first time sine the Noize Level Critical all-dayer back in May of last year I’m off to see Teenage Casket Co. play a full ‘plugged in’ set tonight at the Tap n’ Tumbler in Nottingham and I can’t wait. I’ve been going to see TCC since 2005 an unbelievable nine years ago, coming through several trials and tribulations over the years the current line-up of the band, Rob Wylde (lead vocals/guitar) Rob Lane (bass) Mike ‘Spike’ Hollinshead (drums) and new boy Dave ‘Silverjet’ Kerr (lead guitar) give a different dynamic and slightly different direction than previous line-ups have. Most of the old favourite TCC songs are still in the live set occupying around 50% of the stage time were as the rest of the time is filled up with their new songs off their brand new album, the aptly named Still Standing.  

But I’m getting a head of myself a little, it’s Thursday night here at the TNT and around the corner at The Rescue Rooms The Quireboys are playing an acoustic set so the turn out at this gig is quite a remarkable achievement and speaks volumes for how much TCC are loved in Nottingham. First up tonight are a last minute (and I mean last minute) replacement support band called Three Thirds Below a four piece local group who describe themselves as a post hardcore alternative band, I’ve never seen them before but after playing around a forty minute set I would definitely go see these young guys again. They sounded like a melodic ‘classic rock’ band but they had a hard core edge and boy can they play. 

During the changeover between the bands we were entertained by one man oral percussion orchestra LeeTabix this guy is an insane ‘beatboxer’ with an amazing talent, you wouldn’t believe the sounds he can achieve however at the risk of sounding like an old fart, I just don’t get why he was playing this gig, musically his repertoire had nothing to do with rock music and belonged more in a R&B club.

Back to the main action and TCC’s set opened with the title track off the new album Still Standing, this was swiftly followed by other new songs First Night of Your Life, You only Love Me When You Hate me and Takes a Little Time. For a couple of years TCC went out as a three piece and the one guitar approach to their material didn’t work in my opinion so with ‘new’ boy Dave Kerr, an accomplished guitarist, lead singer and song writer in his own right joining the band their sound is now ‘full’ once again. In fact all four members of TCC have many other musical projects on the go all at the same time, Rob Wylde is a current member of the glam rock legends that are Tigertailz and Rob’ Laney 74’ Lane has played for many other bands in his time including LA hard rockers the Bullet Boys and together they form half of the Poison tribute band Poizon.

Spike plays a plethora of instruments as well as the drums and peruse many solo projects whereas Dave Kerr front’s his own rock band Silverjet.

Sadly I had to leave at the start of TCC’s penultimate song, Cocaine a song from their 2006 EP Eat your heart out, it’s Thursday night and when the last bus goes GD Manofmetal is out of here, maybe starting the show a tad earlier on a week day would be the sensible approach. Having read the set list I know another old favourite, Don’t Look at Me Like That was due to be the
last song of the night but by then I was on the Rainbow 1 heading for the boarder. 

The Videos below were shot @ the tap n' tumbler Nottingham (30.01.14)

Check out the bands on their websites:

Teenage Casket Co.: http://www.teenagecasketcompany.co.uk/

Three Thirds Below: https://www.facebook.com/Threethirdsbelow

LeeTabix: https://www.facebook.com/leetabixuk

GD Manofmetal.