The band are bigger, more confident and more developed, looking good for the future. Sexy chicks, and a weird ending with some cyber men. 23-03-06

This was the last gig on Ginger's current UK tour, and it's a few days just before they go off to New York. It all started though on the 27th Jan 06 at the Highbury Garage when he and the sonic circus first graced a stage anywhere in the world supporting his brand new solo album 'Valor del Corazon'.

The Garage gig and last night were two very different gigs, but both featuring many of the same songs of course! The first gig was special because hardly anyone new anything about the band, apart from those on the wildhearts mailing list and those who'd caught on thru the radio. It was his first gig with that album, and the air was filled with expectancy because everyone was so made up with 'Valor...'. It was really cool!

Last night's gig was pretty much the same band but it had started to realise how good it actually was after the recent tour, and they'd grown in confidence as well as numbers. Ginger was probably more at ease last night and just in the mood to give it some, seeing as it was the last night of the tour. I think they're a way off from competing with the honed Wildhearts unit that once was, but I think as a band they're maturing and getting better, and that will improve as they continue to tour. Lets face it, the band is made up of current and ex members of Hanoi Rocks, Wolfsbane, The Cardiacs and the Wildhearts so there's enough rock n' roll experience there to fill a very large rock n' roll container. I guess it all depends on what the unpredictable Ginger has in mind for his Sonic Circus.

The songs were great and they put on a good performance. Not sure they really needed 3 guitarists though, and for it to work at all you probably need someone shit hot on the mixing desk to get it all coherent. There was a big crowd and support came from a guy from the Cardiacs backed up with Ginger and Random John Poole. Unfortunately the first support the Psycho Cyborgs had been asked not to perform because of the content, but they showed up at the end piercing each other with giant needles and wielding drills and grinders. The band played quite a few covers and also did 29x the Pain which is a huge Wildhearts favourite. They're next playing here in June when they headline the second stage at the Download festival.

Covers were:

Answering Machine (Replacements)

Boys Keep Swinging (David Bowie)

Listen To The Music (Doobie Brothers)

Pump It Up (Elvis Costello)

billyK
8/10
Mon, January 05, 2009