Live Review: Step-Panther, Psychlops Eyepatch, Start The Boats

Sean McGinty and Adam Waugh are practically veterans of the Newcastle scene, but as duo Start The Boats this was their first show. A little bit Dinosaur Jr (including a cover of Kracked), a little bit Royal Blood, the lads are both phenomenal musicians.

They earned the ‘all-round good guys’ badge with a respectful cover of Tumbleweed’s Sundial. Their originals are solid, with Wolf sure to be on FBi’s playlist soon.

Psychlops Eyepatch consciously tap into your subconscious with their stoner psychedelia. Johnny Hopwood’s voice sounds like Wavy Gravy preaching about brown acid, meanwhile the music plays like some of ‘60s psychedelia’s best – think July and Tomorrow.

The Pantera truckers cap hinted at other influences behind the string heavy sound, while vocal versatility between members adds depth. They powered through some technical hitches, with one player’s foot holding the drum kit in place and the bassist bypassing a dodgy pedal to plug straight into the amp.

Steve Bourke is a creative force. Every time you listen to Step-Panther or see them live, you pick up on something new; a new vibe between the bandmates, a new echo within the riffs. Or in this case, a whole new album with a noticeable shift in sound; shying from erratic quirkiness, embracing nu-gaze pop fuzz. Older tracks Fight Like A Knight and Rock And Roll Alien sat a little uncomfortably next to the newer Nowhere and It Came From The Heart, but the setlist will work itself out once they hit the road.

The new tracks are laden with twiddly solos that finger your mind like a wet willy, all strange and moist. The fingerprints of producer Tom Iansek (Big Scary) are all over the new tracks, even live, smudging the strange into the nice.