Twenty Year Hurricane playing at Scruffy's - photo by Jared Wilson

There’s a new gig venue in Nottingham and it seems by all accounts to be a goody – surprisingly, it’s Scruffy’s on Derby Road. A restaurant isn’t the first location that you’d imagine to be suitable for a night of quality local music played live and loud but, with its recent re-opening and change of interior, it seems that it has exactly what is necessary for the magic to happen. 

Unfortunately, due to friends who dawdled and faffed, I managed to miss the first band, Hhymn, as I didn’t get to there until 9.30pm. This, I was told by people that had managed to get there in a timely fashion, was a bit of a shame for me because they are supposedly awesome. A band of Hhymn’s prominence in Nottingham’s music scene on so early… they were being mad-heads (or had managed to double book themselves, or both) and were also playing at The Maze for a Farmyard night later in the evening. Still; one band missed, three to see.    

Second up were Twenty Year Hurricane, a three piece who are no strangers to Nottingham’s music scene either. Playing a mix up of 80s inspired indie and post punk sounds, these guys seemed to have the delicacy of the eighties moody indie boys but without the frowns that need turning upside down. Lively but still lovely, twangly but still energetic - dancing almost wasn’t optional as the rock and indie mix was just right. The bass throbbed throughout being, unusually, the prominent instrument and I approved. 
 

Fists in a calm, nu-acoustic moment - photo by Jared Wilson

Next up were Fists and they were allegedly acoustic… granted they were a member down but I still definitely saw amps and electric guitars and things.  Always remember, kids: posters lie. Never mind, they were brilliant as always. A unique, engaging band who stomp and shout and mix things up just enough so that you feel you’ve been spun ‘round like a little kid. They’ve got shared lead vocals that often clash, but in an oddly pleasing way, and the Frenchest looking bass player this side of, well, anywhere. They brought blues, indie, country, rock and much, much more to the party. We were treated to a brand new track which sounds like they’re still going to be entertaining us for awhile, even if James did drop a couple of notes at the start. 

Red Shoe Diaries at Scruffy's - photo by Jared Wilson

Following on and finishing up the night up were Red Shoe Diaries, Nottingham’s very own shoe-gazer indie band who go for subtlety over all out rock. A gentle way to end a fun filled Friday night, they charmed the pants off the crowd with their melodies and vocal harmonies. Like Fists they have a male and a female vocalist but, unlike Fists, they have a more tonal synchronicity. These guys (and gal) definitely know what they’re doing and love what they do and that is bringing chilled, Belle and Sebastian inspired tunes to folks who’ll pay to listen.  

Red Shoe Diaries, Fists, Twenty Year Hurricance and Hhymn played at Scruffy's on Friday 29 January 2010.

Red Shoe Diaries Myspace
Fists Myspace
Twenty Year Hurricane Myspace
Hhymn Myspace

LIVE: Red Shoes Diaries, Fists, 20 Year Hurricane & Hhymn