The Knowing @ The Jug Of Ale, Birmingham 1st September 2007
Saturday night saw The Knowing return to one of Birmingham's more popular venues outside of the city centre.
The headliners, Big Ice Gem, were bouncy and fun. Their influence was clearly rock and roll, with undertones of Busted meets The Muppet Show. I'm not being rude here, it did work. They had a keen following, and although a few of them were crying out for a can of Lynx, they were out to have a good time.
The second support act were called Octane Ok. It is a strange name but they had a good look and sound. However, they lacked range, and although they played well, some of their tracks blurred in similarity. I liked their new one, 'Home'. It showed promise of maturity ahead of their tender years. I'm showing my age now so I'll move on to the core of the review - The Knowing.
The Knowing kicked off their set with their newer track 'Diary of a Madman', sending Mick's entourage dancing whilst Ben's missus got busy with her camera. 'Dark Clouds' followed, during which a technical hitch (or the engineer gave Mark too much freedom) saw the demise of the lead microphone.This created a game of music mic-stands whilst the problem was resolved. However the band did not miss a note. They remained professional in both their performance and their sound.
The Knowing were getting increasingly physical in their act, even though the stage was smaller than most, but for me the highlight of the night was 'Fear Versus Frustration' which has had a tempo-makeover. It began slowly for the first verse and chorus where Mark hits notes almost as high as the spikes of his hair. Then the pace was increased and the effect was electric. I don't know what bought about this change (alcohol is a suggestion) but it left the audience tingling. This has to be one of their best tracks and it was performed to perfection.
Each time the band performs they give something unique to their set, making each gig a pleasure to witness. So whether you've not seen this band before, not been to see them for a while, or are one of the regular and loyal following, make sure you get to The Barfly, Birmingham on Friday 21st September for a musical treat and an eye candy indulgence. Oh yes, girls. The naked Drummer saga continues!
(c) Meriel Flavell 2007
