(SG part) for full review of all bands see Sonic Dice
Venue: Junction, Cambridge
Date: 24 Nov 2008
Stone Gods (5/6), like a phoenix from the ashes of The Darkness’ car crash, have arisen to become a seriously hot prospect. With their debut album, ‘Silver Spoons + Broken Bones‘, they’ve proved that somewhere within all the falsetto posturing was the beating heart of rock n’ roll. They kick off with one of the best opening couplets ever – ‘Burn The Witch’ and ‘You Brought A Knife To A Gunfight’. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Richie Edwards has proved to be a force with Stone Gods and he has become one of the most exciting frontmen in rock. Like a sprightly Rob Halford he postures and fist-pumps his way through the set, winding the fans up, flashing his blindingly-white guitar at them, initiating crowd-chants and hand-claps. Dan Hawkins is still the same blissed-out solo-muncher he always has been, deeply at one with his music, foot on monitor, hammering out classic riffs to a baying audience. Across stage the bassist Toby MacFarlaine refuses to join in the fun, preferring to hide beneath his fishing hat and concentrate his efforts in doing his best impression of a grumpy Noel Gallacher.
As the band fire up ‘Knight Of The Living Dead’, Edwards suddenly realises his guitar has lost power and his guitar tech gets a mouthful through repeated failed attempts to kickstart it into action. By the end Edwards is trying, but failing, to hide his frustration and snaps – “does anyone want a guitar” mock-thrusting it towards the straining arms of those in the front row. When it finally starts working again he’s even more tightly wound and vents his fury through the power of song. The crowd are lapping it up. One chappie is so impressed he bellows “Fuck, yeah!” and Edwards leaps on it, encourages a round of chanting with “Fuck, yeah!” morphing into “Fuck you!” by the end. A beaming smile appears and he shakes his head seemingly amazed at such a massive turnout on such a windswept Monday night. Through the applause he screams “Cambridge, let’s make this a Saturday night. Can you do that?” The inevitable response brings them to their set-closer, a storming rendition of ‘Defend Or Die’.
