You know those grainy old films of Pink Floyd doing "Astronomy Domine" live in some small darkened room........Well that's what it's like in here: the freezing upper room of The Two Pigs, Cheltenham. It feels like the sort of place a great band would have performed in before they hit the big time. Maybe one day it will be that kind of place.

Who's Who?:

There are certainly enough bands here to give the place a sporting chance. Half the audience seem to be members of one band or another. "It's like a Who's Who of the Cheltenham bands here tonight," someone says to me. As if to to prove the point, that "someone" is Dave, the keyboardist of The Lakes.

Set The Controls for the Heart of the Two Pigs:

Always Crashing the Same Car are first up tonight. They perch upon their guitar amps and begin to play some very atmospheric prog rock. There are no lyrics, just yards and yards of long chords, floating sounds that narrowly avoid becoming tunes, a melodica and FEEDBACK. Lots of it. The result is an collection of epic sounding pieces of music that you could spend hours bathing in, comparable, perhaps, to Sigor Ros (without the made up language!).

This is music to sit down and think to. And that is what most people are doing. The result is that this turns into the most polite gig I have ever been to. When the music finishes, the band are met with a courteous round of applause, before we are treated to another piece. One stands out in particular: "Chiyo". Imagine a modern Prog Rock band playing Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" and you'll be somewhere near the musical delights experienced in The Two Pigs.

Your Favourite New Band:

If you are not familiar with this strangely named band, then have no fear. You are not outrageously out of touch. The band have only been together for a week, probably making them the youngest band I have ever reviewed. The three band members are, in fact, members of other bands: Mike Ward is from Longstone, Kev Fox from Ninety Degrees South and Steve Moody is from Silverman. They are taking a break from their respective groups and have decided to put a few tunes together. The results are completely different to their usual output.

How seriously they are taking this is a good question. During my chat with Steve Moody, he even forgets the band's name: "we called it that because we couldn't think of anything else," he explains when he remembers. And how seriously should we take the titles of the pieces: "19/10", "Eg Elska Hana" and "Chiyo"? Then again, does it matter?

Songs Without Words:

I point out the unusual fact that all but the last piece ("still taste you on my lips") are instrumental. "There's an easy answer for that," Steve replies. "None of us can sing."

The singing is a debatable point. Tonight they have neither proved nor disproved this assertion. What remains a fact is that Always Crashing the Same Car make an excellent ensemble. Other projects permitting, let's hope that we hear more from them.

Equine Love Songs:

The next band we hear are Pony Club, a cross between early punk (e.g. The Slits) and early nineties indie. Singing over winding guitars and a snare obsessed maniacal drummer, the lead vocalist has a voice to match the latter comparison. Think Justine Frischmann, think Sonya Aurora Madan, think Gloucestershire's own Cat Gilmore. You get the idea.

One song that particularly attracts the attention is "This Is A Love Song". Given the venomous delivery, you could easily be mistaken for thinking otherwise, but that's irony for you.

Shelby:

And then there is the band that we are all here to see. Shelby. The band have been very busy recently. They've completed their line up, produced a single and done gigs in as diverse a collection of places as Oldham and Gloucester. Next stop Chipping Campden.

Their set starts off well: the band distribute free chocolate. You can't moan about that. Unfortunately, my chocolate is rock solid, so I spend the first song desperately trying not to lose a filling. Such is the life of a rock 'n' roll journo!

Past and Present:

Shelby have changed a lot since I last heard them a year ago. In an unpublished article about them, I wrote that they were an unpromising "one dimensional" indie band. Now, however, there is a hint of darkness to their music that gives it a greater depth and there is less of the whimsy of last year's "Hey There". It's no surprise to find out that their current listening includes PJ Harvey, The Cure and Doves.

Since establishing the current line up in July, Shelby have developed a great deal. There is a strength to vocalist Liz's voice that was not there before, and the sound of the band in general is far more self-assured.

They have not entirely put aside their quirky whimsical side. Songs like "Just for a Day", featured on the single meet that description still. But here, with the new found confidence, there is, by their own admission, a better focus to the music.

1 O'Clock:

The single that the band are launching is the best example of this focus. There is a great variety of tune in "1 o'clock" that you would not have found a year ago. Guitars chug and reverb through the introduction before Liz weaves her words through the music.

The rhymes leave something to be desired in places. Sometimes there are just too many of the darn things: "Anyway / tell me how's your day / was it just okay?" This is a pity, because the rest of the song is an excellent account of anger, betrayal and loss.

A Good Audience: It's Quite Nice:

Their new found confidence is rewarded by a strong turn out in the audience. Who would have thought that this was the same room in which a few of us were gathered in the cold listening to Always Crashing The Same Car an hour or so ago? The room is now packed, and people are clearly enjoying themselves. It's amazing what a bit of free chocolate will do to an audience!

Shelby are now a musical force to be reckoned with - as you will find out when you get their single! Now they can go to Chipping Campden with their heads raised high. After that, who knows?

14/11/03 - First published on www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire on this link