Belfast ROCKS Cork II

Clone Quartet, Komodo, PatioSounds, SixShooter, Three Tales, Party Weirdo.

An Crúscín Lán Saturday August 12 8.30pm Euro 8 Euro 5 b4 9pm

IT’S a phenomenal six hour drive from Cork to Belfast. So it seemed appropriate to have six phenomenal bands fill the line-up for the second Belfast ROCKS Cork live music gig-swap event. The upcoming indie showcase gig succeeds April’s inaugural Belfast ROCKS Cork, and will see six bands of an alternative indie-rock ilk perform live in Cork. This time around there’ll be three bands from Belfast, two from Cork and a Dublin- based hybrid of super cool indie-chicks perform in An Crúscín Lán.

Kicking off proceedings, next Saturday August 12th, will be the aforementioned three- piece-all-girl outfit, Party Weirdo - who fly in to play their first gig in Cork, fresh from a show at the Lady Fest extravaganza, Berlin. The delectable ladies - from Belfast, Dublin and Dundalk - play “driving, melodic, upbeat music, to keep the most frisky hot-stepper sweatin’”- or so they claim. Cara pounds the rat, Thérése twiddles, her flute and cello and Emily bangs the drums. Three girls expressing feminist ideals and more. Watch out boys, here they come!

Next up will be lo-fi indie rockers, Three Tales, from Belfast. Formerly known as Sixty Minute Silence, the band travelled to Cork for the inaugural Belfast ROCKS Cork but sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, couldn’t perform. There’ll be no hitches this time around however. Unless The Three Tale do something odd like ‘hitch’ to Cork and don’t make it to the show on time. Known for their slow driven rock songs, with a light country twang, Three Tales sing songs about bare walls with no windows and mice lost in snow. Don’t be deceived by the words ‘Christian Rap’, which describe their songs on their My Space account however. That’s just a joke. These guys - whose sound lies somewhere between the strains of Shellac and Leonard Cohen - truly know how to rock.

Next up will be Cork indie-kids, Sixshooter - who, despite having formed as new musical unit in only January this year, have already garnered an avid indie following of fans, who you could say keep their ears to the ground while staring firmly at their shoes. Sixshooter cite The Stone Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, The Strokes and Interpol as influences. Though some people say they could be Cork’s answer to The Spinto Band, due to the upbeat nature of their tunes. Three down and three bands to go. Only half way through proceedings and lots more quality music in store. Belfast based PatioSounds take hold of the musical reins, leading into the second half of the show and propelling the night forward with their three minute, melodic, indie-rock songs. Having played support for major acts like Starsailor and Kings of Leon, PatioSounds have proved they can pen a good tune, and are sure to have you singing ‘Say you want more’ before the show’s over.

Cork prog-rockers Komodo retrieve the reins for local music fans and will deliver a set of slow burning rock songs with perfect harmonies and intelligent lyrics. Singer, Donna McCarthy, will keep the ear a-listening with her distinctive vocals, while the band provide support with their edgy guitar driven melodies and chords.

And finally, Belfast elctro-pop rockers Clone Quartet draw the show to a close with their inimitable brand of noise. First they were one, now they are four - and for a time, there were even five members this band of clones. But anything’s possible with \ bunch of artists who have avant-garde to their core. Described by some as “colliding off- kilter electroshock rhythms into a crop of bang-on new-rock songs”; others say Clone Quartet sound more like “Sonic Youth at the disco". They’ve got spiky guitars, screamy vocals, electro beats and Cornelius-esque melodies. You’ve gotta hear them to belive them. And maybe even dance for once. Who said indie-fans have to stand still?

All proceeds to the Trocaire Middle East Emergency Appeal.