Remedy - Casbah, Sheffield, 20/6/2009

  by Peter Allison

published: 6 / 7 / 2009

intro

At the Casbah in Sheffield, Peter Allison watches up-and-coming classic-rock infleunced group Remedy, who were on their first headlining tour, play a flawless and commanding set

The Casbah, formerly known as the Wapentake, has a long history as being the pre-eminent live music bar in Sheffield, and where Def Leppard played their first gig. The building is, however, not an ideal venue for live music, for there is no stage, the lighting though intimate is too low, and the sound equipment is very much an ad-hoc compilation. Nonetheless, the atmosphere is great, as bands invariably play in the basement, which has a greater sense of immediacy with there being no stage separating the band from their audience, and thus interaction is much more personal. The first band of the night was Important Looking Pirates. I almost dismissed them as a student garage band, yet they had so much raw potential with their catchy beat and diverse songs that the Pirates, sounding not unlike Blondie fronting the Sex Pistols, were difficult to ignore. Although they lacked confidence, the potential they hold is impressive. Soul Shredder was the following warm-up band, and was the weakest. While their music was bland, they were saved from cliché by their petite singer, Cookie. My main criticism was that they lacked any form of audience interaction, with the musicians focussed purely on their instruments and sound equipment, while Cookie played air guitar when not singing. Remedy took to the centre, and demonstrated what live music is really about: visceral, raw, passionate, and utterly immediate; with a sound that is not unlike Steve Tyler combined with Joan Jett. Remedy are one of those few bands where their live gigs are far better than their recordings, and the audience knew this. The foundation of their music is the eminently talented bassist Lee Tuck, upon which Mark Dodds’ drumming demonstrates an uncommon level of skill and versatility. Lead guitarist Graham Howells is equally skilled, giving an impressive performance on guitar. Musically, Remedy are fantastic, but Jenn Cherrerre’s voice elevates their songs to another level. The power and emotional depth found in her raw vocals is sublime, and her ability to consistently hold notes was impressive. Jenn also possesses a commanding stage presence, combining confidence with rock and roll vigour, a quality that is often missing from some bands. Overall, this was a flawless performance by Remedy that I could not help but enjoy, and I cannot recommend them enough. Go see Remedy live; you will not be disappointed! The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Peter Allison.