Cryptic Vision - West End Centre, Aldershot, 13/1/2005

by Philip Vincent

published: 5 / 1 / 2005

Cryptic Vision - West End Centre, Aldershot, 13/1/2005

Planes Mistaken for Stars recently concluded a much acclaimed British tour. At a show in Aldershot, Philip Vincent watches them put on a stunning performance

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So here I was again at the West End Centre in Aldershot. I like this venue which is no bad thing considering the amount of time I spend working and playing here! Openers Ten Second Break came on with all the energy and promise of a band with nothing to lose and so much to gain. Ultimately though in my eyes it was all black T shirts and matching hair image with very little substance. Some cool double guitar harmony solos but sadly lacking in originality elsewhere. I have to say though the bass player did have a fun haircut. October File Band were next up. In two words 'oh piss off' ; Okay, that's three and I'm not really giving them a chance. These guys are like 'A' on steroids. Kind of cool when you listen on your stereo at home but you would never admit to your muso mates that you liked them. I reckon they could be big in relative terms. They have the melodies and, hey. if that dude from Busted can play in a hardcore band it can only be a matter of time before the charts are flooded with this stuff. To continue a theme the lead singer has a lovely pout. Mick Jagger eat your heart out! Actually by the end of the set there guys were floating my boat. You should check em out! Finally we come to Planes Mistaken for Stars. Flippin heck ! How hairy are there guys ? They look to me like the bastard child of 70's rock stars and fishermen! Luckily they sound nothing like either of these. Which is nice. In actual fact they remind me of those dodgy live videos you see of Nirvana in the late 80's. But they don't sound like that. Well maybe a little bit. Oh and they are from Colorado which is even better! The one thing that got me with there guys is that they move like men possessed. At the start of the show they say they are jetjagged but shift round the stage more than any other band tonight. I think that is the key. The music these guys are playing is true to themselves. There are no contrite lyrics about America or God, just songs about experience and love and pain covered with some of the most fierce and searingly heartfelt guitars I have heard in a long long time. Check them out ! They are true badboys of rock and roll, perhaps even the saviours. Dirty sweaty grinding fucking saviours.