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Eastbourne Extreme Battle of the Bands 2011: Heat Four

Posted on Monday, 13 June by

As I drove my Ferrari into town for the fourth heat of the Eastbourne Extreme Battle of The Bands I was reminded of summer. With the sun beaming down and the wind in my hair I gazed out across white sandy beaches to the crystal clear sea beyond. From out of the window I could see people dressed for the tropical weather and everywhere the sound of steel drums filled the air.

Of course that wasn’t the picture of Eastbourne on Sunday night, and sadly I don’t drive a Ferrari. The sun was in fact nowhere to be seen, the beaches were just as covered in shingle as they usually are, and any steel drum players were at home, shivering. I just thought I would take a leaf out of the Lawn Tennis Association’s book and portray our town as falsely as they did in their advertising campaign for the annual AEGON Tennis tournament.

Last week’s heat was a good one. The superb Monroe went through with the crowd pleasing Acres of Life coming a close second. This week the line-up featured a couple of bands I’m already familiar with; Centre Excuse from Empingham, female fronted Our Momentum, and Eastbourne’s very own Dinosaur! Attack!

The first band up on stage were an Electro-pop-punk outfit from Empingham; Centre Excuse. So far in the competition, and especially last week, there have been bands with a great amount of energy; this band make them all look like fat, tired cats lazily pawing at butterflies on a hot summer’s day. Centre Excuse, fronted by a guy whose mannerisms were very much like that of New Found Glory’s Jordan Pundik, had the crowd in the palm of their hand from the moment they started. One of the judges, Darren Monson of Audio Rokit, said; “something I always preach to bands is to have vocal hooks that are ‘sing-along-able’ in their set. Great songs are easy to sing-along with and there is no better way of engaging an unfamiliar crowd than with easy to sing hooks. What I loved about Centre Excuse was that they actually taught the crowd the chorus before playing their ‘single’ so people could sing along”. Centre Excuse brought along a laptop with which they played pre-recorded synth. Now, it was argued that this was unfair because it meant that they weren’t 100% live; a lot of bands do this on stage and as this competition expects a high standard I believe that things like that should be allowed. It was with this laptop that this young band gave their songs an edge that harked back to sounds of the late 70s and 80s. Their cover of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” was an excellent re-invention.

Next up were a band with a very large fan base on Facebook; Our Momentum. Now, it doesn’t take very long listening to this band to realise that they are all very accomplished and talented musicians. Unfortunately they are accomplished musicians jammed together into a band within which their individual talents do not work together, fronted by a girl whose voice just doesn’t suit rock. To completely dismiss Carrie Higgs would be unfair; she is a very energetic, and she can hold a note well. Their pianist, whose music seemed wasted, is superb and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he goes far in the future.  Throughout this set and throughout the atrocious cover of Paramore’s Decode, both the crowd and judges looked very bored indeed despite Carrie’s repeated attempts to get them moving. Our Momentum has a lot of fans on Facebook; I doubt they gained any new ones in this heat.

Before I go any further it must be pointed out that during this set a speaker blew which meant it was at times difficult to hear Carrie sing. Never-the-less I think that it was still apparent that the band were no match for the other two bands. I also think that the constant comments made by those connected to the band were pathetic and made it very difficult for Sian Hutchinson, the organiser, to sort things out for them. The final band to take to the stage, Dinosaur! Attack!, were given the opportunity to call off their set and comeback at another time when they wouldn’t be hindered by technical hitches; in truly admirable style they chose to continue.

There was a short delay between the second and third band. During this time Dinosaur! Attack! played hauntingly beautiful music that I’m sure I’ve heard in nightmares and chucked around their mascot; an inflatable dinosaur. Drummer Weezey eventually signalled that it was time for things to get going by prancing around the room banging what I think was a cowbell. With a sound that constantly crossed over between being chilled out and beautifully chaotic D!A! showed the crowd a great time and played music that was made to rock out to; bassist Hayman extended his stage to include half of the room, drummer Weezey was a joy to watch, dreadlock-haired frontman Wildi was as great as usual, and guitarist Lex performed some brief, but amazing, riffs. Dinosaur! Attack! were above all a fun, dramatic band that put on a great performance and played music that was, at times, simply brilliant. They are, to put it simply, exactly what would happen if The Joker formed a band with his henchmen. Brilliant.

Last week’s bands left those competing this week with some very big shoes to fill; i think two of the bands filled them surprisingly well. I felt that Centre Excuse had the best stage presence, the most chemistry, the best crowd communication, the best single, and gave the best overall performance. I felt that Dinosaur! Attack! did well to carry on and really showed off just how great they are as musicians and as people. I felt that the antics of the “Our Momentum camp” after their performance should have gotten them disqualified. My personal ranking for this heat was; Our Momentum in last place, Dinosaur! Attack! in second place, and Centre Excuse to go through.

The judges felt that a lot of what Centre Excuse played was the same; fortunately they thought what they played was brilliant. They felt that they had superb crowd communication and they should be commended for actually teaching the crowd the chorus of their single. Centre Excuse came first with 1030 points meaning that they go through to the final and currently hold the top spot in the overall ranking.

It was thought by the judges that Our Momentum always seemed to have something missing and at times sounded a little evil. The judges commended the pianist and said that he definitely deserves more attention. It was said that they could have been sharper and that they looked better than they sounded. Our Momentum came third with 716 points and are currently second to last in the overall ranking.

The judges thought that Dinosaur! Attack! reminded them of both Pink Floyd and The Doors. They felt that the drummer should come to the front as she has awesome power and that their whole performance was “like being hit in the face with a meteor”. Dinosaur! Attack! were commended for pushing through the technical problems but criticized for talking over each other when they spoke to the crowd. They came second with 909 points and are in third place overall.

Next week, the fifth heat, will feature Juno, The Regression, and Gutterfly.

  • Claire

    Hi there,
    I was at the gig on sunday and I recall the judges called our momentum ‘medi-evil’, not ‘evil’ and believe your article to be inaccurate.
    Throughout the performance I watched the sound technician continue to press his MUTE BUTTON on the singer whilst she spoke between songs, and who was desperately trying to sing over the top of a mic with very little gain. I have heard the band perform at Audio, Brighton and Barfly, London and in both were completely different. The sound technician at this event is known for not setting up female vocals correctly and the EQ’ing was all incorrect. The pianistwas lined in, therefore could be easily controlled, but I could see the soundtechnician ignoring the poor singer trying to communicate with him.Screaming over the top trying to be heard doesn’t really count in my opinion as a performance and it was made very unfair to them.This was the same for the last band D.A, whom most of the audience, including myself thought didn’t even have a vocalist!! Terrible sound technician. Centre Excuse was only good because they had most of the control over the sound balance. GET A NEW SOUND TECHNICIAN HE SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Andrew Nicholls

      Our Momentum didn’t stop moaning throughout the judge’s opinions so I’m sorry for mishearing someone.

      As for the sound guy; So far things have been fine. Are you familiar with how his equipment worked? I’m sure you aren’t.

      Our Momentum do not live up to the hype. They only have 3,000 fans because they spam people.

      • Claire

        You are being very spiteful towards them. They did try and address the problem but they where ignored. The judges having a humane approach would be fine, it’s only a small run down competition for kids! I am qualified in music technology, I am a sound technician myself, so yes I am familiar with what was going on and I understand there was a speaker problem and there was a dreadful buzzing noise. However, in this profession the correct way to deal with the situation would be to tell the band to hang on and check the sound correctly before the started or tell them to hang on after their first song..otherwise that would have made the competition unfair. I feel the same way about D.A, they ruined both the last 2 bands music.
        There were complaints from two young girls I met whilst I was there, and even audience members could tell what was going on! I saw the singer try and tell the sound technician and HE MUTED HER! A correct sound technician should be able to get a squeek out of a mouse and balance things correctly..i’ve seen many others do it with this band.
        Either way I suggest you edit and take their part out since you were not given permission by the band to post an article review on them. I have passed this page onto them to make them aware this is up

        • Andrew Nicholls

          I don’t need permission. In their careers every single one of the band members will come across bad reviews; you have to be abble to deal with them.

        • http://TROLLTROLLTROLL TROLL

          TROLLTROLLTROLLTROLLTROLLTROLLLTRO

      • David

        Well Andrew you certainly seem to have it in for Our Momentum! I was at B of B and came away more than concerned. I understand Our Momentum should have asked for a sound check after their first song. It was apparent all was not right. However, these are kids not professional musicians, they rely on those who supposedly know what they are doing. In my opinion they got a raw deal. As for CE well, I fear for the future of music if we all end up clapping and singing to a laptop!!! At least Our momentum can claim to be a true live band. It was true this was not their best performance but hey, what did you expect when the sound tech did not control the situation??? Our momentum can hold their heads high, no recorded music, no miming, no pretence. The band playing real instruments! Looking forward to their next gig.

      • Mick

        I’m disgusted that this competition was won by a computer! In my opinion the two bands that lost were sabotaged by a bad sound technician. I wonder if the band that won can actually play an instrument (apart from the drummer?)A total farce! Unfair! Our momentum rules even if Andrew Nicholls doesn’t like them!!! Btw I’ve not been spammed Andrew!! Why would you say that? I thought a review was meant to be unbiased? Clearly not!!!

        • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

          In what world are reviews meant to not be about opinions?

    • Terence

      I can see that everyone is a sound man……
      and the button was PFL not the MUTE BUTTON….. as for the vocals coming and going it was not from foh….

      • barry mast

        youre a useless sound man my nan could do better!

  • Ryan Weekes

    I have been to all the Heats so far and reading this there are points i would agree with but, i do not feel the same about the comments especially for Our Momentum.
    It was quite clear there wasn’t something right with the sound balance. I feel that taking it out on the vocalist isn’t fair. The sound technician should have made sure before the band played that everyone could be heard at the correct levels. I would say the reason is that the mics had been set for male voices and were just left for the female vocalist with here higher pitched voice.
    Also as the article states, there speakers had blown, this would have also affected the quality of sound before they had blown. There is no need to have everything so loud that it is distorted and ruins the quality of the music. This affected the bands score in the sharpness of the sound overall.

    I believe there are other who feel the same.

    • Andrew Nicholls

      I totally agree that the speakers would’ve affected things. I would certainly have been one to fight for them perhaps having some points added to their score to make up for the problems if they hadn’t acted as they did. To be honest though…. a few extra points wouldn’t have helped them.

      I hoope you’ve been enjoying the gigs anyway Ryan. Let’s hope there aren’t any problems next time.

    • Claire

      Amen someone understands, I completely agree with you. Many members of the audience who didn’t know music professionally understood what was going on. I feel sorry for the band personally because it wasn’t their faults and they kept trying to tell everyone what the problem was…i think it was awful they were ignored and shunned aside like that..

  • Scott King

    WOAHHH WTF YOU ARE A FUCKING DOUCHE! posting this on Our Momentums wall with a load of shit. I’ve seen these guys play with stars of the search party they were fucking awesome. TWAT TAKE IT DOWN WTF!

    • Andrew Nicholls

      Thanks for the compliment ;)

      • Will

        Andrew you fucking dick you suck, what right do you have to decide what is good and what is not, you biased little prick.

        • Andrew Nicholls

          It’s called being a critic.

  • LOLZ

    Maybe they should mime next year and use computers – then they will get through!! :L

    • unnistickzzz

      yeah I thought it was battle of the bands, not battle of the computers.

  • Michael Hamer

    Obviously written from someone poorly educated in music , nothing to worry about guys. He is right, you have to deal with things like this in the industry. Although I do think all the comments should be taken into account here for anyone that reads

    • Andrew Nicholls

      The irony of your first sentence made me chuckle.

      • Will

        Your shit reviews make me chuckle you ARSE

  • Linrah

    Hi I have to say that I was present and agree with most of the review. All the bands recieved some good criticism and some bad critisism. It was fairly clear that our momentum could not take the bad criticism. When the judges and sian were trying to speak it was not being taken in, not to mention I don’t recall our momentum being present for half of the last band’s set. Bad sportsmanship in my opinion.I think it was clear from Dinosaur!Attack!’s set that they didn’t let the sound issue get in their way. They have a female vocalist also with similar vocal ranges to our momentum’s frontwoman and he managed to set up her vocals properly. D!A!’s music was not ruined; that was the best performance i’ve ever seen them do and their score reflected this. They got terrible criticism last year, very demoralising things said and have turned it around this year to get the mark that they did; this is why all criticism NEEDS to be taken into account. I work with alot of sound engineers and personally he is in my opinion one of the better.

    I would also like to thank Andrew Nicholls for having the guts to write such an honest review.

    • Linrah

      Also would like to add that I think Our Momentum are a very good band, clearly all very talented but it just didnt work on the night.

  • Claire

    Well I didn’t see O.M arguing. I saw D!A! last year and overall seen them perform 3 times now and they were the same, it wasn’t their best performance and they didn’t recieve bad feedback at all last year what are you on about! No matter HOW LOUD OR QUIET a voice is, the technician should be able to get them heard, so comparing singers isn’t very intelligent of you. Their songs were a lot harsher, so where easier to punch out. It wasn’t the same type of music so yo ucan’t compare! You can’t badly criticise something that was badly set up and out of control! I think they were upset they had been fucked around with and they had to struggle through their set because of it

    • Linrah

      Ive seen D!A! about 20 times. They are a truely live performance orientated band and It was their best performance.

      • Lucy

        I’d say about 40 :P

  • Linrah

    D!A! were not the same as last year. They received bad feedback and the lowest score by 200 in the finals. I was also not badly criticising Our Momentums music. Not once did I say they were bad musicians. They are clearly all VERY talented but I think the judges nailed it when they said that it just didn’t work on the night, whether that was down to the pa messing up or not. I don’t think this should get in the way of a band’s performance though and criticism needs to be taken. I agree some of the comments in this review were a little harsh. I was also not comparing singers but may I just make the point that you generalised when saying the sound engineer could not set up female vocals when he set up the drummer’s absolutely fine even with pa problems.

  • Joe

    I played in last weeks heat and personally thought the sound technician was extremely useful and helped to work with us to get a good sound. I am also a graduate in Music Technology and in particular have been trained in Engineering Live Sound. The sound for centre excuse was superb, and if i recall was described by one judge as sounding so good, it could have been mimed to a CD. Dinosaur! Attack! have a very raw sound as it is and do not rely on vocals to be as clear. Fair enough, producing sound for a female voice is very different to male vocals, but this requires the band to communicate to the sound engineer prior to the gig. Which is why bands are given an hour before opening to have a sound check.
    I would also like to comment on Andrews review, although very brutal, it is extremely honest. He is a brilliant writer and i thoroughly enjoy reading his pieces. Being in a band myself, I would rather a journalist give us a brutally honest review and help us to improve rather than treading on egg shells around us and let us believe, naively, that we put on a good performance. It is very sad for the music industry, particularly in Eastbourne, if bands can not accept constructive criticism. Im very disappointed and ashamed to read obscene comments directed towards Andrew Nicholls, the sound engineer and event organisers by the band in question and their fans. This country believes in freedom of speech, so let Andrew some. Organisers have put in a lot of work to give bands this excellent opportunity. a bit of credit and thanks should be given to Sian and everyone who has helped her to put on this event. But lets not let these comments take any glory away from Centre Excuse, who were truly brilliant last night.

    • Amram

      Very pleased you had a positive experience Joe but as for Andrew Nicholls giving a honest review check this out http://www.eastmagazine.co.uk/news/2010/11/profile-our-momentum
      Maybe he needs to make up his mind? Sorry Andrew but as you say if you cant take it….

      • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

        Haha. That was my third piece. If you read it i didn’t give my own opinion BECAUSE i thought they were shit. That was an article about the band and NOT a review.

        • Amram

          Looks to me like you dropped yourself right in it! Two faced pillock springs to mind! I wouldnt hold out too much hope of a career in music journalism if I were you! Ha ha!

          • Amram

            I think the only shit is between you ears! lol!

          • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

            I was writing profiles. I could only use positive info, or at least at the time I thought I could. I didn’t like the band so I chose to only describe them as THEY did. As I said it was one of my first pieces. If you don’t like it that’s fine, i don’t really give a shit :)

          • Joe

            i can see your opinion on the change of tune between articles, however Andrew firstly wrote about the band in general, this second review was reviewing only their performance at the battle of the bands. I believe he is entitled to a change of opinion

        • Mick

          What I would like to know is how come the organisers feel it is right to employ an idiot trainee journalist (whether paid or not) to make that sort of derogatory comment about one of the bands? I think they were shit is not constructive, highly unprofessional and from what I can see would inflame an already volatile situation. It’s disgusting!

          • christine Hutchinson

            Hi Mick……could u please note that as Andrew works for a magazine he is entitled to write his reviews on any music going on in the area…..he has not been ‘employed’ by the organisers….. As I have explained Sian does this for no pay/gain and I can assure u she gets less out than she puts in….I am fed up with people condemning her for trying to give Eastbourne/area some fun and to show case young bands, all because she loves doing it.
            She cannot be held responsible for what Andrew or anyone else says….
            This is an amateur event and is meant to be fun for everyone……it is not feeling like fun to me!!
            I have been to all of the heats so far and this ONE time there was a problem with a blown speaker, that is Sian and Terence’s fault, YES?….

            Thank you to all of you who feel it is ok to slate Sian and Terence for just trying to do their best and help the young musicians for no personal reward.
            But dont worry …I’m Sian’s mum….I will see to it that she is ‘shot at dawn’ I will then hang her out to dry….Oh just realised I dont need to as some of you already have!!

  • Lucy

    In repsonce to Linrah’s comment on D!A! performance last year I agree, they recived some harsh comments and recived 730 odd points. They have basically spent the past year working hard, gigging lots and working on new material and BOTBs comments last year. It was this that lead to their epic performance last night, their best so far in my opinion (and theres rarely been a D!A! gig Ive missed).

    The fact that Our Momentum got simular comments and score as D!A! did last year, it is clear how a band can turn themselves around in so little time. We also forget that this is a chance for us to see the potential this town has for music. Our momentum clearly have talent and potential from what I saw and ENJOYED, but just like D!A! did a year ago there is no harm in locking yourself away, working hard and coming out smacking people in the face with how you’ve turned around. How you deal with the issues on stage show through what kinda people you are, whether thats techniqual, crowd behaviour or power cuts, if you deal with it well the audience see your true band and I personally was proud that they played through no matter what. Also it takes MASSIVE balls to take on a Paramore cover…I like bands that take a risk.

    As far as Centre Excuse go… catchy yes, but anyone can use the same beat and synth over and over. Impressive for their age though.

  • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

    to be honest, i don’t think any of the bands have any talent at all, complete mainstream, chart music s**t.

    • Andrew Nicholls

      Really? With the exception of maybe Our Momentum which band sounded mainstream?

      Can mainstream bands not be talented?

      • Amram

        Check out your own review Andrew. So sorry if you suffer from short term memory loss.

    • Lucy

      Everythings mainstreame, each has their own audience its directed at hence why there different genres of music… to be non-mainstreme you have to be, as you quite elegently put it, ‘sh*t’.

      • Joe

        no actually, mainstream is music that is familiar to the masses. All succesful music types have their own audience, but this doesnt mean it covers the mass population. Music like Punk Rock, Jazz Fusion, Heavy Metal etc is too radical to be considered ‘Mainstream’. Infact most Punk Rock artists would be offended to be called mainstream. infact their movement was referred to as anti-mainstream. Being shit doesnt make you not ‘mainstream’. so i’m sorry lucy i dont agree with you at all there.

        • Lucy

          But what can be defined as mainstraeme in a BOTB sence? Are we thinking in terms of the perticular auidence on the night, the genral puublic or the the judges view or internationally. What is familer to one person isn’t necessarly to another. Surly hardly any of this music is known to most of the ‘culture’ surrounding it, as most people involved are there to support a perticular band, so therefore their is no defined mainstreme such as in popular culture. Therefore we can only look how each of these bands would build withing their own related sub-cultre. And with the non-mainstream/sh*t relation I was mearly emphersising the point to demostrate that each of us have our own view on what is ‘popular’.

          • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

            all the bands are shit though, i want to listen to music that licks the inside of my ear, not music that just fly’s by it like an annoying bee.

  • Crumpet Basher

    your all shit trolololol

    • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

      this is true

    • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit
      they are all shit

  • Reuben

    “The judges thought that Dinosaur! Attack! reminded them of both Pink Floyd and The Doors”

    What the hell are they on about?! I’ve seen D!A! live a few times now and I honestly don’t see how they could remind anyone of either of those bands. At The Drive In and Mars Volta yes (to name the two most obvious influences) but Floyd and Doors? Sorry but they must have had their ipod shuffles in their ears by mistake.

    • Andrew Nicholls

      That did puzzle me as well. The only thing I can think of is that they were alluding to the “drug haze” nature of the songs.

  • Joe

    to be fair to the judge who said this, he probably doesnt listen to music like D!A! in his own time (i personally really enjoyed their set) and he was using his own preference of music to best describe his opinion of a genre he is not familiar with. He was full of praise for them too!

  • Reuben

    Andrew – I’ve not picked up on the “drug haze” nature of D!A!’s songs, if they have any it’s definitely not the same drugs that The Doors and Floyd were writting about!

    • Lucy

      Listening to the lyrics and music I’d say the songs cover a wide range of subjects from Werewolfs and Vampires (Daywalkers Don’t Have Theeth like me), Pop Culture icons (Papa Lazarous Revenge) and a play on words and music with ‘Waltz’

  • sian hutchinson

    Right where the hell do i start!!!!!!!!!!!!.
    Firstly as a performer whether it be dance, theatre, music or football….you will always recieve positive or negative feedback…..go to stage school you will perform each week in front of a panel of judges who pick your work to pieces…WHY……to make it better, to help you adapt and better yourselves as performers…you may not like what you hear, but you take it on the chin and either choose to remain the same performer or get better…..all this competition wants is to get the best of of young people and there performances, last year Spaniels Ears got feedback there fans didnt like and dinosaur attack got negative feedback……both bands went away , looked at the comments and adapted…what happened…..spaniels ears came back from second to last to win the whole competition and dinosaur attack came back a fresh new superb band…..(oh and by the way they wanted distorted vocals it was part of there style), the speakers blew during the end of Our Momentums set, the lead singer clearly hadnt warmed up her vocals before her performance and this was proven half way through the set when they become stronger after warming up inthe first half of the set……the highs speakers were blown when she choose to scream and blow the highs!!
    Myself and the sound technician were stood 8 feet away from the lead singer throughout….never once did she communicate with us, she took it upon herself to continue and swap her mic……all bands did a sound check and i clearly asked if they wwere happy…..as a performer myself…..i would have seen the first song through and then communicated with us like a decent human being and say hey can we just take one moment im not happy with my vocals sound somethings wrong..can we fix it before we continue.didnt happen..
    secondly…..the minute you take away one person (solo) and two people (duet) and add a third it becomes a band….you are creating music, whether it be on a dustbin or a laptop ….the band had a drummer, a guitarist and a vocalist who used a laptop they created music , they have as much right to perform as anyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    My main thing is…..if your not big enough to take critique…dont perform…….To review or discuss critically is part of the Performing Arts, Our Momentum showed a real lack in professionalism by sometimes not even looking and continuing to pack away whilst recieving feedback and then to argue with the judges……its well known in the industry , that when standing in front of a panel you listen and you leave end off…you dont argue and you certainatly dont storm out like 5 year olds when you dont get what you want!!!
    As the organiser of this event who single handily finds the funds to support the event and give exposure and opportunity to young bands i am truly angered, i do this purely for the love of live music and young people who far to often get bad press……every single band in this competition have a talent, no-one is totally shit…but one thing you must ALL learn is…..“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

    • Andrew Nicholls

      Great post Sian. You cleared a lot of stuff up.

      And guys; fibbing won’t get you anywhere ;)

      • Harry

        I watched this and our momentum didnt storm out. I feel verry sorry for them to have the lady in charge and person called andrew nicholls saying untrue and unkind things. Ive heard them befor and carry is beautiful and has a beautiful voice. All my friends like her to. None of us like the lady in charge and we dont care if she reads this.

        • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

          Nothing said by myself or the judges was untrue.

        • Greg

          ohh nnoooo… Carrie wins the popularity test because all of Harrys friends like her so we should all bow down to her and worship the ground that our momentum walk on… ah no fuck it i’ll listen to real music by real performers

    • Joe

      hear hear, well said Sian. As a member of one of the bands who performed in the 3rd heat, I am very grateful for the oppotunity to play such a high profile event! and i appreciate that a lot of work is put in by you and others to ensure it all goes ahead! Although we received feedback we were extremely happy and proud of, we too received constructive criticism! Amongst other comments, the judges requested that we came up with a slower paced song that gave our singer an opportunity to show his voice. We took this advice on board straight away and wrote a song that week. We are proud of the song and cant wait to show the judges at the finals! If anything, we are glad that the judges criticised us, as this resulted in us working twice as hard to patch up any bad points and better ourselves as musicians!

    • Tammy

      I’m a fan of Our Momentum and it wasn’t through spamming as Andrew Nicolls has very unprofessionally said. Although I can understand he is unhappy because his ability as a sound technician has been called into question. Our momentum didn’t look happy but who would when a sound technician trashes your performance??? If Our momentum or anyone else decides to enter this competition I would advise them to bring along a CD, a laptop, mime and pretend they are playing instruments.

      • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

        When I was a member of the Our Momentum facebook group they CONSTANTLY told everyone to invite their friends. I’m all for that; but not as often they did it.

        The sound technician didn’t trash their performance. Did you think i was the sound tech? :S

    • Mick

      As an organiser surely you have to ensure a level playing field regardless of whether you do this for the love of music or not? Also professionalism one would hope would creep into it somewhere? Your comment about one of the bands on a public site says a lot about your approach. Also that of Mr Nicholls. I wonder if anyone else apart from you and your organisers saw the event you are referring to? I suspect not! By your reaction I feel your organisational abilities and your organisations approach to this contest have been rumbled! The whole event can only be called amateurish and to blame Our Momentum for your own failings of communication and equipment is an indictment of your lack of professionalism.

      • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

        I’m not involved in this event. If things go tits up i’ll be very dissapointed but I will not be at all effected financially thus I have no need to lie. I saw the event in question because i was WATCHING the performance.

        This event has been well organised and those involved should be commended, not bitched at by people hiding behind keyboards.

        • Mick

          May I point out you are also behind a keyboard?

          • andrew nicholls

            I’m not hiding though.

    • Mick

      What happened to freedom of speech and expression when you take my comments off? Firstly do you think it’s professional and appropriate to label teenagers as not decent human beings on a public site as you have Our Momentum? These are kids that have worked hard to establish themselves and have been successful in many of the gigs they have played. I think it is spiteful and unprofessional. The decent thing to do is retract and apologise for what seems to be a deliberate attack on a young band. The fact that you do this for the love of music does not give you the right to unconditionally and with malice rubbish the band

      • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

        I wasn’t trying to rubbish your opinions, you’re entitled to them, just clear things up :)

        I didn’t set out to rubbish Our Momentum; they played badly and i do not believe they work well together as a band (although i have said that they are all talented people). I merely wanted to highlight that the way they acted at the event was unproffesional.

        • Cody

          Shoot the sound technician or get a new one! He ruined the last two bands!
          Dinosaurs! Attack!

    • Andrew Wells

      Hi Sian,

      I don’t know if you remember me, I was the drummer in skywards last year and you asked me to enter a band this year (I’m trying to get one together now but that’s another thing to ask about! ;) ) anyway I just want to say you do an amazing thing – I’m sure I dont know the half of how hard you work to do such a good thing for the local music scene – you seem to almost BE the local music scene at times. PLEASE dont be put off and keep putting on gigs and getting bands out there, You gave my band a place on stage last year and we had an amazing time – didnt have time to get an entry in time this year (if you still need a band by the end of july PLEASE let me know!) so on behalf of all the people you ever helped, thanks. youre awesome. dont stop doing what your doing x

    • Charlotte

      their*

  • Reuben

    Joe – I don’t really listen to music like D!A! in my own time but I’m still familiar with that kind of genre. I went through my At The Drive In phase a few years ago (still got a lot of love for ‘One Armed Scissor’) and listen to Mars Volta when my housemate plays them. But my point is that if a judge of live music is going to compare a band to other bands then shouldn’t they at least not swat up on their musical history a bit? Otherwise it’s somewhat misleading to people who havn’t heard them.

    • Joe

      I do agree with you to some degree, in that a cross between The Doors and Pink Floyd would come nowhere close to giving an accurate portrayal of D!A! – but i dont think this was the judges intention. I think the judge was being honest with his lack of knowledge of this genre, and using his good knowledge of music he listens to, to pinpoint certain elements of D!A!s music (in his opinion). I thought that D!A! did an excellent performance and I certainly agree with your ‘Mars Volta’ comparison

  • Reuben

    Or in other words if the band belong to a genre you’re not familiar with then why compare them to bands which don’t belong to that genre and don’t have any bearing on that bands sound? It doesn’t make sense I tells yer!

    • Joe

      yeah fair enough, i understand your point! but no band will ever claim they belong to one specific genre. the best artists will take influences from musical genres all across the board. I would say their is a massive jazz influence in D!A!s set (time signatures, rhythms etc) and as a judge i may compare them to various Jazz artists, doesnt mean i think they sound like them, but i appreciate where they may have taken influence from

  • Reuben

    If the judge “was being honest with his lack of knowledge of this genre” then he should been directly honest and admitted he didn’t know who to compare the band to! This could have worked in D!A!’s favour anyway, I think it’s a good thing if you can’t compare a band to anyone else.

    • Joe

      yeah totally! and all the judges said that D!A! had full marks for originality. its not that i disagree with you, its just i dont totally agree with you. but hey, everyones entitled to their own opinion

  • Reuben

    I agree but personally I can’t hear any influence from Pink Floyd or The Doors in D!A!s music. And to say that a band ‘remindes’ you of other bands to me is pretty much another way of saying ‘sounds like’. Sorry if I sound a bit pedantic but it gets my goat!

  • Reuben

    I think it’s always dodgy ground when you start comparing bands to other bands, it’s too easy to do and is done far too often by people in the music press. Better to judge a band on their own merits I feel.

    • Andrew Nicholls

      As you said it is dodgy ground as someone’ll always disagree. The odd twang of a guitar string, or a single note is sometimes all it takes to remind someone of another band. How many times have you been listening to a band and thought a riff sounded like they had taken it from somewhere?

      Glad you’re so passionate man. I’ve never seen so many comments on a post before!

  • Tammy

    Ok, Let’s get this right. 3 bands in a competition. 1. The first band (Centre Excuse)has their music studio manufactured ie polished and prerecorded. Everything is checked beforehand as A1,working and tuned in. 2. The second band (Our momentum)start with no sound at all on the first mike and second mike is muffled. They play live and the sound is so bad throughout you can only hear high notes from the singer and the instruments are drowned out by the drums. 3. The third band (Dinosaur! Attack!)play live and the vocals cant be heard at all. I was under the impression they were instrumental (no singer). Surely the sound technician should have sorted this before starting???? Also at one point a missing speaker! I applaud Dinosaur! Attack! and Our Momentum for carrying on after they had been put in a difficult and embarrassing situation! My impression was of a unprofessional approach to what could have been a fair and fun competition. The organizers should take note.

    • Ed Lewis

      Hi Tammy, I’m Ed Lewis and I’m the manager of Centre Excuse.
      As you stated ‘Let’s get it right’ I thought I ought to clarify a couple of points regarding your comments on Centre Excuse.
      Firstly, NOT one note of the bands performance on Sunday evening was ‘prerecorded’- All the drums were played live and as the Judge Darren noted you have to be an exceptional drummer to play to a click track, All the Guitar was played live, All the vocals were live. As for the multi-layered synthesizer parts (which are fully written by the Lead Singer Teddy)although not prerecorded, they have been programmed into the computer and the main synth which does play all the tracks live (and let me assure you like a musician on a bad night, computers can go very wrong!). Many professional artists/bands throughout the world like Pendulum, Prodigy, Enter Shikari,Lady Gaga and many thousands of others use technology in exactly the same way to create the sound they want for their art whether that be in the studio and /or live. It takes Teddy between 3 & 5 days to fully write and programme the intricate layers of the synthesizer parts for each song, which is done in his bedroom rather than any grand studio environment.
      It would actually be significantly easier for the band not to use synths(particularly as Teddy can play both Lead & Bass Guitar and Jamie can also play Bass), but that’s just not the sound the guys want to create.

      As for the ‘polished’sound that’s just simply the fruit of continuous hard work from a rigorous schedule that includes a minimum 50 hours of rehearsing and practice a week. Sunday’s performance was their 4th gig that week!

      OK you might say…’well they should still have all the keyboard parts played by people’. For the band to do that, it would require 3 and in some cases 4 keyboardist’s, something that Jamie(Guitarist), Alex(Drummer) & Teddy(Singer and Synths)has made clear is just not for them. They’ve all been great friends since Teddy was 8 and live within a 3 minute walk of each other. They know each other exceptionally well hence why the band’s chemistry and dynamics are just so good and natural on stage.

      The guys themselves thought both Our Momentum and Dinosaur!Attack!were excellent bands, got on really well with the other band members personally and even asked me about the potential of doing some gigs with both bands.

      Personally, I’m really surprised that in the 2nd decade of the 21st Century, when artists like Tinie Tempah, Dizzy Rascal, JLS, Take That etc, etc listened to by millions across the globe, there are still people (not suggesting you are one of these Tammy)being almost xenophobic about the use of technology in music… just like over 30 years ago in the early 80′s.

      Finally, again not targeted at you Tammy, I am disappointed that some people here are leaving baseless comments that fundamentally victimise 3 young, extremely hard working talented guys for giving their all and delivering a professional performance, which is fair to say beyond their years, just because they use a computer!

  • sian hutchinson

    i can definatly hear those influences,very hallocagenic,festival vibe,and the drug haze of it i agree,felt like bein on mushrooms in a massive field in a massive tent with intense visuals the judge wasnt sayin they were like thedoors and floyd,he could see influences that may have inspired moments in the pieces

  • Tammy

    I also wonder if Andrew Nicholls was at the same venue? As far as I could see apart from the first band there were technical problems throughout. He has also misquoted the judge as saying the band were evil! lol! MEDIEVAL! Get it right Andrew! Lol!

    • http://www.sqmagazine.co.uk Andrew Nicholls

      It’s difficult to hear the judges sometimes over the crowd and seeing as I just have to scribble down everything I think i can be forgiven for missing the odd thing lol

      • Joe

        Andrew was there, i saw him

  • David Hutchinson (judge)

    In the 2 years ive been judging the Band i have never heard a band ive not found Talent in . Not allways my cup of tea but all fantasticly creative & talented.Its that part that i try to be constructive about, But never Destructive. In the short time ive been a music lover. 55 Years of over 1000 Concerts God knows how many Records , CDs,Tapes,etc, etc,Ive allway heard an influence or 2 . That is my right & every ones right to express there own personal opinion. It took the BEATLES 15 years before they realised they had been influenced by Dylan. Music is the greatest form of comunication. Every ones right & Every ones wrong. Or Maybe we all have DIFFERENT OPINIONS HOW WONDERFULL.Happy listening.PS Good luck to all the Bands it takes a lot of GUTS to do what you do and an awfull lot more to take a bit of HOPEFULY HELPFULL FEED BACK. X

  • Linrah

    Several people have now put on here that they thought DA had no vocals/were instrumental. I think some people are fibbing. There’s 3 videos on this page clearly showing AUDIBLE vocals http://www.facebook.com/pages/DinosaurAttack-Fanpage/317727192130

  • http://www.facebook.com/acresoflife Sam

    ACRES OF LIFE YEAH ALRIGHT! :D

    • Anonymous

      haha, yeaaah don :D

  • Mitchell

    I’d just like to remind people that this is an amateur Battle of the Bands, and a chance to source some new, young talent, have a bit of fun, and through judge’s comments, hopefully improve some of the already flourishing talent bands have to offer.
    It sucks that there were technical difficulties and regardless of whether it was the soundman’s fault or not, I don’t think people should be so punishing with the criticism! I’ve seen highly qualified sound technicians screw up of Reading Festival mainstage. It happens sometimes and it sucks but no one is perfect and sometimes equipment fails.
    Regardless of people’s taste, this was always going to be an event full of diverse genres so there’s always going to be something (whether it be “mainstream” songs or laptops as mentioned above) that you like or dislike. Everyone should just accept each other, support each other, and look forward to cheering on each other’s band in the finals.
    Sian, please do not be disheartened by what you’ve read on here – you’ve done a brilliant job of organising the whole event and I look forward to Eastbourne Extreme. =]

    Peace!
    Mitchell, Drones

    • chris Hutchinson

      thank you Mitchell…..that was kind of you, Sian has been quite dis-heartened today…you with you kind and sensible words will change that.xx

  • chris Hutchinson

    Hi …..firstly I would like to say well done Andrew for an honest and brave review (although I believe you are now a sound technician lol).

    I have to say I have read the above remarks and am saddened that people are so quick to moan and complain.
    My daughter (Sian) has run BOTB’s for the past 2 years….she does this because she loves live music and wanted something in Eastbourne to help showcase the youngsters coming through….Before this (to my knowledge) there wasn’t anything for the upcoming musical talent in the area.
    Can I point out to ‘all you moaners’ that this is done free of charge, Sian, Terence, the judges etc all give their time and energy for the good of all (not because they have anyone personally involved)
    Sian…has spent hours on the phone asking for sponsorship and equipment for this event, she also types all documentation, judges sheets etc from her computer and then prints these out….she does NOT take money for the phone calls, ink, paper or time that all this takes.
    I know for a fact that Terence has researched where to get the replacement parts for the speakers, at the best price and will then repair the speakers in his own time!! The cost of these parts will have to come out of BOTB’s funds ….these speakers were loaned to BOTB’s by the local area panel, again to help facilitate this event.
    Sian is a mother of two children, she also works 6 days and 1 night and still gives her time and commitment to this event.
    Terence picks up the drum kit every sunday from Bonners and sets it up and then takes it down….I then return it every Monday morning.
    Sian, Terence and the judges do the best they can….maybe you that are quick to critisize might do better to get off of your rear ends and do something helpful like raise funds to get the standard of equipment that u believe my daughter should supply!!!

  • Silvervalver

    Have to say I feel the review is quite unfair In the sense you slate the band when really the Most noise came from Carries mum! Not their best but they do haven’t talent and to be honest do sound good as a group. This I know because I have heard it when everything was set up properly and not by an idiot.

    Still agree that feedback, good or bad is useful and helps people to develop. I would say to the Our momentum camp to look at this performance and try to find a positive to take from it and develop that.

    However having read comments I feel that the author of this review has been unfair and certainly shouldn’t be spamming their Facebook. This is hardly professional level stuff and writing harsh comments does you no favours. You are hardly Simon Cowel so tone it down a little.

  • Silvervalver

    One thing would suggest for the organiser is turn the volume down I had ringing in my ears for two days. Would probably help with distortion and prevent speakers blowing ;)

    • Joe

      what do people not get about taking constructive criticism??? Sian organises the event brilliantly! Terrence engineers the sound brilliantly! The judges give good, helpful feedback brilliantly! Andrew writes reviews of all the heats brilliantly! Why are ‘Our Momentum’ and their fans the only band who have made a fuss out of 4 weeks of the event running? ever considered its more likely NOT to be everyone elses fault, and probably down to the band themselves? It seems to me as though the band are unwilling to admit they had a bad night and are trying to blame it on everyone but themselves

      • Billy

        I strongly agree with Joe’s comment. I have read through all the comments and was there myself and it does seem as though Our Momentum cannot take the criticism. It is not very productive for all of a band’s fans to go onto a review and blame the fact that they lost on a speaker blowing and a bad sound man. I think the performance would have been the same even without pa issues. Dinosaur!Attack! managed to carry on fine so why couldn’t Our Momentum?

        • Joe

          Thanks Billy, and yes i agree with you too. its totally unfair to give Sian and everyone else involved stick for this. Centre Excuse and Dinosaur! Attack! both pulled off amazing sets!

  • Joy

    My response to Our Momentum…”a bad workman always blames his tools”.

    I’ve heard recordings of Our Momentum and they sound no different to how they did on the night. Carrie has a very weak voice that is not suitable for rock and the band sound like they’re playing different songs at the same time. I suggest Our Momentum work on their chemistry as a band and start again. They are great musicians but currently do not work well together.

    I feel the comments made about the organisers by the Our Momentum camp are extremely childish. It was also very unprofessional to have their parents kick off like they did at Sian, the sound tech and the judges. This is the first heat that has had a problem and I’m sure the judges took the sound issue into consideration when scoring. If anyone actually LOOKED at the judges during Our Momentum’s set they would have noticed they looked like they were cringing throughout. I was actually very surprised at the score and thought it to be very high.

    As for this review, it is an honest opinion (however brutual it may be) by Andrew. He should be commended for having the balls to say things that others wouldn’t. I’m pretty sure he only said the things he did to point out Our Momentum’s weak areas so they could improve on them. Attacking him personally is disgusting! I read the profile he did in November last year and I cannot see why people can read anything he wrote as a personal opinion. I appreciate it must be very hard to agree to write a piece on a band only to find out that they really aren’t that good.

    As for the spamming comment, I back Andrew up! A friend sent me a Facebook suggestion that I become a fan of Our Momentum and I agreed. But after a month I was fed up of comments asking me to suggest them to all of my friends and constant posts. Seeing as I had also listened to them at this point I made the decision to ‘unlike’ rather than hide posts.

    Dinosaur! Attack! should give themselves many, many pats on the back for playing a blinding set even though they were at a massive disadvantage. Vocally they are very good but it was also a pleasure to hear a sort of instrumental set as they are such amazing musicians. I look forward to seeing them at the final (because you know it’s gonna happen!).

    Centre Excuse were simply amazing! I have seen many bands live and I was more impressed by their performance than I have been of any other major rock band. I saw their manager’s comment about how many hours they put in a week and was shocked but it is bloody well paying off. As for having a laptop with pre-recorded synth on it, I saw 3OH!3 last year and they also played stuff through a laptop and Enter Shikari do the same. Is it also much further than what Joe Hahn of Linkin Park does?? I feel the Our Momentum camp are merely trying to have a pop at everyone they can for their massive failure.

    I wish Centre Excuse (and hopefully Dinosaur! Attack!) all the best for the final. And I hope Our Momentum come back next year bigger and better after working on the negative. I also hope they don’t take this review too badly (although I realise it must be a big blow).

  • Tammy

    ok, I now understand that the music was produced on a computer and yes it’s what most people do these days. However, the point I was trying to make is in any competition you have to have a level playing field. If it takes your son 3 to 5 days to produce the synthesizer music and I’m sure he is a hard working chap, so it will be precise, any mistakes can be rectified & therefore not the same as playing live. This doesn’t mean he doesnt have talent or doesnt practice and I wasnt suggesting the situation was his fault. It wasn’t and puts him in a bad situation. So as I’m sure you will agree having a level playing field is in the interests of all concerned including your son. Although I suspect the other bands would have done the same thing had they known they could! Hence my comment. It’s a pity about some of the insulting comments on here though. A shame particularly since the bands were only teenagers! Comments from people about battle of the computers/laptops etc I agree not nice but I reckon probably the worst one I read was from Andrew Nicholls (journalist hired to do a review?) who described one band as shit! Not much older (1-2 years?) than your band and I suspect as hard working. The organiser also felt it was ok publish on a public site a list of failings of the same band! As a parent if that were my son/daughter I would object to that! I took my kids to watch and we felt sorry for the kids/bands when I saw/heard things go wrong. Now I feel sorry for all the kids involved in the competition. We enjoyed the boys performance by the way.

    • Anonymous

      I think our momentum are talented I just don’t think they gel as a band. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks tht.

      I’m not much older than the bands (23) and I never set out to upset anyone. It makes me sad tht it all came to this.

      • andrew nicholls

        The post above is me by the way.

    • Ed Lewis

      Hi Tammy and thanks for your reply.
      Can I please just ask that by the word ‘music’ in your opening sentence, you actually mean the synthesizer or sequencer parts(as they are often know as)rather than the rest of the song (Vocals, Guitar & Drums)?
      I absolutely agree with you in any competition there has to be a level playing field and thankfully in the Eastbourne Battle of the Bands that has been meticulously covered(far more than most-I will cover this part later) in the form of 3 very savvy, musically knowledgeable and experienced, yet diverse Judges.
      The Judges have 8 different areas to critique and score the performing artists on, comprehensively covering all aspects of both the songs and performers (a list can be found on the EBOTB facebook page). Of the 8 there is only 1 area that as a member of the crowd you could be forgiven for believing that using a computer would potentially give you an advantage and that is ‘Skill & Ability’. But here all 3 judges would have instantly dismissed the computer use and focused on the skills which each band members performance showed on the night. In reference to Centre Excuse on the night, it would have been their skills & ability with the Vocals, Guitar playing, Drumming and hopefully song writing ability.
      Here, I believe is where Sian (as the organiser I am assuming she chose the Judges)has been particularly clever. Look at the Judges profiles (very easy to do in this digital age);Darren is totally immersed in the music industry with his Audio Rokit venture, but he’s also a Drummer. Hope is an accomplished Singer/Song writer and Guitarist(often preferring an acoustic guitar). Dave is a long standing music veteran both in terms of the Eastbourne live music scene and his very own diverse musical tastes. These people truly understand the technicalities of writing and performing music, they understand what it’s like to be in a band, the emotional highs & lows. It’s in their blood! All 3 Judges would have scored all 3 bands with the exact same criteria, so I assure you Centre Excuse had ZERO advantage in using a computer to play just the synths live!
      As for other bands using a computer; as agreed, many already do so, but in context of the bands in this competition, if their genre and style of music requires it then they would already be using it. I find it hard to believe they would use a computer just for the sake of it, particularly knowing the Judges will discount it anyway – what’s the point?
      I mentioned earlier about other BOTB competitions. Centre Excuse entered another one back in January where 73 of their supporters (including myself)came along out of a maximum venue capacity of 120. Six bands were performing on the night and for this BOTB the crowd decided which bands went through to the next round. The guys performance was electric with the supporters dancing and screaming like crazy (the B&W photo above is from that event)and ending up with Jamie the Guitarist even crowd surfing. Now you would think then, based on that and 73 CE fans it would be a landslide to the boys, but I wrongly read the judging criteria, the crowd vote was deemed by the number of alcoholic drinks bought behind the bar, so when the winners were announced with 176 votes (who said themselves they could only muster 16 people, plus themselves to come on the night)thrashed the boys with only 29 votes (the vast majority of the boys supporters were under 18). The Organiser unknown to us had a wild card from all the other heats (being held in different towns) and decided to put the boys through to the next round and also agreed to change the rules and allow any drink purchased as a vote – great! The boys had the largest number of supporters again by a very wide margin (sorry different venue so don’t actually know the exact numbers this time)Centre Excuse went on first (as the youngest) but after just 2 songs the sound engineer had problems with the synths going through a dodgey DI box, so rather than stop Teddy just put on a lead guitar, Jamie moved over to bass and the band did another two songs without any synths before the engineer got the sound sorted again. But here comes the biggy as soon as the boys finished playing, the venue kicked out ALL of the supporters under 18(which again were the vast majority). All the other 3 bands(playing that night) supporters had nearly another 2hrs to buy drinks and therefore vote. Again the boys votes were unsurprisingly a fraction of the winning band, but we never complained, not once!!!!!
      A week later the organisers contacted me, expressed how impressed they were with both the boys performance and professionalism and asked if they would play at the final as ‘The band to watch in 2011′ at the famous SHED venue in Leicester.
      The reason for the long story is to point out just how Fantastic the Eastbourne BOTB is! It’s well organised, thought through, welcoming and with 3 very different musically talented Judges scoring across 8 different criteria rather than drinks, is just so incredibly fair!

      Yes, with hindsight and or more money it would have been great to have a more powerful PA or maybe back-up speakers, but again the sound engineer Terence (I think that’s his name from the comments above)is one of the best I’ve met and I’ve literally met hundreds across the UK and abroad. I ALWAYS make a point of speaking to each sound engineer personally (as I understand the technicalities of what they do to an exceptionally high degree, albeit, I am not a sound engineer) during the boys sound check. Firstly, unlike many I speak to, he was extremely friendly & accommodating. Secondly he made me quickly feel comfortable that he thoroughly understood his job, even when discussing the intricacies of In-ear wireless monitoring (something that often causes issues with other engineers). He absolutely knows his stuff!

      As regards to Andrew Nicholls’ article above, he writes passionately about what he feels, hears and sees on the night and does so with genuine conviction. That is just simply a fact and not a view. Personally, I thought (subjectively) Centre Excuse did an incredibly awesome gig that night and I had hoped the guys would have got a much stronger review. Initially, I thought it was because the boys are just not his genre or maybe because as he had already admitted in his previous review that Monroe were his overall favorites to win the competition. But, after reading his article many times over, it’s just as I stated above, the man says it, as he feels it! So if I want a better review of the guys from him, then the guys just have to impress him that much more next time. Yes, as many people have already stated above, his comments can come across as brutal; but that intrinsically is part of the actual beauty of his honest, open style of writing. Ultimately we should all be extremely thankful that a magazine of SQ’s quality is actually covering the event and giving all the participants coverage, which they wouldn’t normally receive. Even forgetting Andrew’s almost unique style & great writing qualities,the fact alone that SQ publish his reviews is a testament to his work. It’s also worth remembering it is agreed ‘There’s NO such thing as bad publicity!’

      Finally, I want to echo Joe’s (from the band Monroe) and Mitchell’s(from the Drones) comments above, Eastbourne BOTB’s is a truly awesome event that gives young aspiring bands an incredible platform to meet new artists and potential fans, further develop their skills and help launch their careers, while still in the spirit of fun and entertainment – after all that’s the challenging and highly demanding business the bands have chosen to be in!

      • Tammy

        Well, it was just an opinion. It doesnt detract from the fact the boys have talent and as I’ve said we thought they were good. We wish them luck and also to the other kids that took part. I feel very sorry for them and the other group getting all the stick. It must be very upsetting for both bands with all these insults plastered all over the net. I’m sure neither your boys or any of the others expected all this. I now regret joining in. I wont be posting or visiting this site again and I’ve also banned my kids.

  • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

    botb is terrible idea, just to embarrass people and they aren’t aware of this at all, the judges are laughing at you. most people in eastbourne have a fucking awful taste in music, this is why there is so many awful bands from here, one of the only big bands is toploader and they had to fucking cover a song. there is only 3 good bands from eastbourne, and none of them are in this comp, cos its a bad idea, it’s stupid, money grabbing bastards, eastbourne council are disgusting, wasting money and crap, she’s having a bad hair day, someone give her a brush for god sake, 2 hours past and sally still had the knots in her hair and tear’s running down her face, it looked a bit like niagara falls. “Help! help me!” sally screamed as i pulled the chewing gum from her hair, you could have used a donkey said harry, that would have baked the fish and chips up real good in that there michealdave of yours, “fish and chips? fish and chips!?” i screamed, “what do you take me for some sort of eastbourne wanker going to your fish and chip shop and not even getting fish but getting a battered sausage to slide in my rectum?” hell no, i’m not in the that shit mother fucker, when i was three, my mother use to say to me, “your a terrible son Jenny” then she sadly went to them gates, at the end of my garden and walked out on me and my father, his last name was christmas, but i couldnt call him father christmas cos he didn’t like it then finally after all that sally finally got all the chewing gum out of her hair and got all the knots out.

  • http://www.junoband.com Luca Diella

    Most people in eastbourne have an awful taste in music? Now you look like an idiot. As a musician, there are bands I think are great, and bands I think are god awful. Entering into a competition like this you KNOW you are going to be criticised. I wasn’t there on the night and I don’t know what happened, but I think people need to stop blaming sound equipment and computers and the like. I was in a battle of the bands last year and we were knocked out by a beatboxer; you could call that unfair, but he was unbelievably talented and the audience loved him. Im looking forward to our heat next week and if Andrew Nicholls wants to slate our band thats fine – its his job and I’m glad someone bothers to come down and write about these gigs every week. I doubt he gets paid.

    • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

      “Most people in eastbourne have an awful taste in music? Now you look like an idiot.” how does that statement make me look an idiot?

      • Linrah

        Have you heard every single band in eastbourne?

        • Lucy

          Frazer, early you said every band in Ebo is shit….now your saying there is 3 good bands. Your story changes by the moment. Someone who obviously never bothers to get out to see theweekly live music perofmred by the gifted and talented musicans of the Ebo scene.

          • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

            your shit, shut up.

          • Lucy

            Your responce is lolable. Yet more proof every single one of your comments is pointless and with no thought put into it. At least you’ve put me on par with the bands, theyre decent people. Obviously you have nothing better to do then just sit on this site and try to act apart of this when quite clearly you are not.

      • http://www.junoband.com Luca Diella

        Wasn’t going to answer this, but I can’t resist I’m afraid.

        Why does you, claiming that most people in Eastbourne have a ‘shit’ taste in music, make you look like an idiot?

        Eastbourne has about 105000 residents.
        Just to clarify ‘Most’ means over 50%, claiming you have a lot of friends probably doesn’t constitute ‘most.’

        1. You don’t know ‘most’ people in eastbourne
        2. Therefore you cant know ‘most’ people’s music taste in eastbourne
        3. You can’t speak for people you don’t know.
        4. Music taste is a matter of opinion, therefore it can’t really be any better of worse than anyone elses.

        Those are my four reasons. The fact you had to ask doesn’t do your credibility much good either.

        Probably wont answer you again so feel free to leave something scathing. Doubt it will be particularly clever based on your past work.

        Look forward to seeing anyone and everyone at the gig tonight, should be very enjoyable, JUNO on at 7pm.

        • andrew nicholls

          Been advised to contact Juno before but I’ve never heard them. Looking forward to it.

  • Brad

    Love the karaoke you put on before battle of the bands! Heard beter in a pub with a load of drunks! Good entertainment on here tho thoughly enjoying the shit! You think I could get up and sing next time? I’m a shit singer too and I cant play a guitar and I’m sure I could make a row on the drums. See you there!!!!!!!!

  • Joy

    Mick, can you really blame Andrew for saying he thought they were shit after the amount of stick he is getting for a bloody opinion? I think not! The reaction from the Our Momentum camp is beyond ridiculous now. Carrie’s parents acted attrociously on Sunday and I feel very embarrassed for her. If she wants to be in the music industry she will have to learn to deal with negative feedback. No one can like everyone and bitching about things that have already happened won’t solve a thing! It’s all a bit of fun and a way of helping local bands reach their full potential and get some recognition.

    I have spoken to Andrew about all of this and he is not paid and takes time out of his life to come down, support the bands and then write an honest review afterwards. He never expected or meant to cause such a stir. I suggest everyone buys him a stiff drink next week and pats him on the back.

    Good luck to Andrew for next week’s review. I bet BOTB, SQ and Andrew are chuffed with the reaction and attention they are receiving over this one!

    • http://istropical.com/ Frazer

      shut up

  • sian hutchinson

    absoluttly,,its been quite amusing,none of us are bein paid,and id rather be talked about than not talked of at all,
    anyone who comes to any of the heats and makes any of my team feel uncomfortable will be made to leave

  • http://www.facebook.com/acresoflife Sam

    Sux 2 be Our Momentum right now :L

  • Greg

    I think the whole of Eastbourne is gonna ignore ‘Our Momentums’ gigs now. screw them and their rubbish, boring music. bring on the real music and lets make the line-up for the final even better than it already looks! :D

  • James

    I find it very hard to believe that at mid 2011 some people still do not recognise electronic music as having a valid and major influence in music. Technology and electronic music is so ingrained in the music industry and has been around for nearly 30 years. It must be a very dumb person who refuses to acknowledge the benefits, music cultures and also great tracks that have been created since that time. Would they also argue that a rapper should be disregarded because it’s not singing properly? Maybe they would be happy if all bands still sat on stage in wooley mammoth outfits bashing a hollowed out bit of tree trunk and shaking a coca nut full of sea shells!! ;)

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  • Andrew Nicholls

    I personally think quotes like this one can be related to articles like this one;

    “A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it, an apostle is hardly likely to look out” –Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

    • James

      Is one directing the above comment to myself?

      • andrew nicholls

        No man. It’s aimed at some of the other people that have made comments.

        • James

          Ok cool dude. Keep up the good work and don’t let the whingers get to you and your crew… J

  • Charlie Holman

    I would just like to ask anyone that complains about using a laptop in a live set if they would no how to programme a synth or oscillator or set a click track to play along to i think its actualy a skill in itself to play along with samples. This is Battle of the Bands NOT battle of the rock bands by saying that using a laptop is cheating is offending anyone that does play electronic music. And as well as Andrews opinion i think its right everyone else has there say after all theres no right or wrong and i have had great fun in reading this thread, Sian and the crew must be doing something right to gather this much interest any publicity’s good publicity. But come one there no need to be offensive people. .

    • James

      Absolutely right my man…..someone speaking a wee bit of sence….

  • Mick

    May I just say that most of my comments weren’t directed at Andrew Nicholls. HE IS ENTITLED TO AN OPINION (apart from the shit comment!) For some reason he was answering them all? Although it is commendable to give free time as the organisers have done IN MY OPINION that is discredited when they start behaving like electronic fish wives as they have done on here. I see Our momentum have kept a discreet silence so I say well done to them! There are always two sides to any story. To set about crucifying one of your contestants does you no favours.

  • sian hutchinson

    Hi Mick,
    I am the only Organiser, i do not sell fish, and i am far from vulgar and abusive, i have seen 100′s of young bands come through botbs, i have the upmost respect for bands who write arrange and perform their own material, i also work in eastbournes busiest live music venue,where i see bands well into their 50′s and 60′s still covering the same old songs…..these young people create from a seed, that is what is unique and original and just plain brilliant about them all I am also a teacher and a performance critique, if you read the comments above there is a minority of abusive comments, all of whom have come from “our Momentum supporters” 90% of the comments are in support of myself and my team of volunteers….i have commented in total twice to the hate mail that myself and others have recieved……..and yet again i will say…anyone with a problem with the way i run things, the way my tech is, or my judges or the review,or any of the bands are quite literally not welcome….if you dont like it, dont be a part of it, simple……

  • bob arnold (res judge)

    wow just wow

  • Dom

    Man Up! Our Momentum you wouldn’t of had bad feedback if you weren’t bad yourself so take it in your stride and move on and not have a paddy like a bloody child.

  • Anon

    fuck guys, this is music, people write what they feel, don’t go crazy at andrew for saying what he thought, he’s a fucking critique that’s what he does… simon cowell doesnt sit there and go ” yeah that was good cause I dont wanna hurt your feelings” fuck. battle of the bands should be about young talent, not pissed off parents having pointless internet bitch fights …