Face Of Cheam

Having read a positive review in an issue of Kerrang and having nothing else to do, on Monday 25th February I ventured up to the Water Rats to see a band called Rebel Yell. The review called them a punk indie rockn’roll band, and this is exactly what you got. Visually they are like the Stray Cats, the singer with a huge double bass, the drummer standing up like Slim Jim Phantom, behind a miniature drum set. I doubt any of them were alive when Slim Jim married Britt Eklund however, as all members are in their teenage years. Musically there were hints of The Ramones and The Clash. Indeed they covered ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ in the middle of their set. Their original stuff though was very catchy and one song which was about a girl being pregnant, was immediately catchy. Worth checking out again. Hailing from Leeds, and introducing theirselves as ‘Rebel Yell playing northern rock’n’roll it will be interesting to see if they can get more well known and start to play bigger crowds. Alas the small Water Rats was less than half full.
The other band on the bill I saw was Richmond. Melodic middle of the road, and although polished in between Coldplay and Counting Crows, they appear to be older than me so unless they can do an Orson I fear their time has passed them by.