I have been meaning to get a chance to see a gig at Room Six since its re-launch as a live music venue for over a month now, but gig cancellations (Nion Abeo, Rapids!) meant I had to wait. At last a night had finally arrived where I could witness local talent, see Room Six and see what all the fuss was about.

In terms of the venue, I must have caught it on a bad night. This is a brand new live venue advertising “New Management – New Vibe – New Sound System”, but I didn’t get a great first impression. Let’s consider the pros: good location (Lansdowne), good size (150-200 capacity), a big spanking new sound system, a large stage (with crowd control rails!?!), a clean and modern décor with seated booths and big area for standing, very reasonable bar prices and a few bonuses like the filming and airing of live gigs on You Tube and with its very own monthly magazine! Huge potential!

But tonight, there were cons: considering the spec of the new PA, the sound was not great tonight (imagine the Gander on a bad day). There were two young sound engineers that paid more attention to their mobiles than the sound. To top this off miserable bar staff that really didn’t want to be there. For a brand new music venue, this isn’t the best impression to make. Or am I being too picky? Don’t get me wrong, I would never want to bash any place that supports the local music scene, but this place needs waking up to its full potential. I mean, this could be the new Mr Smiths! Maybe it would all be better on one of their advertised “International Live Act” nights. Given time, I’m sure it will fill the shoes it’s so destined to fill.

First up for the night was Streebeck. The soothing and note perfect soulful singing of front man Laurence welcomed me to the evening, himself backed with a talented band of musicians relaying Streebeck’s unique style of country inspired folk/pop songs, not unlike Frank Turner’s most recent offerings. Every song was beautifully faultless and sounding “fresh from the studio” tight. Perfect. Almost too perfect. If anything the songs needed to step up notch to fully engross the audience, but maybe it was just too early in the evening for them to be playing. Still it was a very professional performance. Standouts of the set were ‘Southlands’ and the massively infectious ‘Wrapped Up’.

After a brief break filled with Robbie Williams tracks (what are you playing at sound guys?!?) The Other Half took to the stage. The only other time I had seen these guys was one of their first gigs some three years ago at The Green Room, and my they have come along way since then! Immediately all ears and eyes clamped onto the stage to witness this blast of good time indie-rock. A lovely mixed blend of Jet, Kooks, Bloc Party with moments of Vampire Weekend and even Weller, and they even did a good rendition of Kasabian’s ‘Clubfoot’. These guys are good and I hope they rock the crap out of the DMA band comp they entered this year. Standouts of the set were ‘999’, ‘Too Late Tonight’ and ‘Yolandi’, a song about missing Blighty in California. Top stuff.

Finally, The New Governors (pictured) take to the stage. Now this is a band that really do have a certain something about them. Between singer Mike’s husky soulful voice and heart felt songwriting (“…its time I put more tonic in my gin…” – ‘All Among Friends’), the band’s solid rhythm section and guitarist Chris’s epically elaborate solos, they really can’t be pigeon-holed. Mike sings and gently strums whilst the band perform a solid front of alt-folk-surf-rock-indie-pop (that’s as close as I can get!), dropping in and out of tempo changes, volume and musical styles, keeping the audience encapsulated. This really was an enjoyable set, and the number of freshly unveiled new songs tonight only convinces me further that these boys will go far or die trying. Highlights of the set were ‘Love Lost Generation’ with its machine gun drum fills, new song ‘Lost Days and Forever’ with a blistering guitar solo ending, and the epic ‘Fortune Bound’, a massively emotional pop song that I can’t seem to get out of my head.

All in all, a great night from a new venue on the up…or at least so I hope!

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