On an ice cold Friday night Strayhorts ventured back to their 'illustrious' birthplace which they had first graced on the 21st March 2007 with a miserly 15 minute set. The 'illustrious' Royal Oak for once had not seen better days, after a 3 month Hiatus the floors were clean, that smell had left and now the windows opened letting enough oxygen in!
The crowd turnout seemed slightly disappointing when Strayhorts first looked outside while setting up after being assured a capacity crowd. So in true rock n roll style they decided to go find a cheap pint of lemonade or Coca-Cola in a local Public House and turn up when just in time to play. When they returned to the Royal Oak they had to fight their way inside. No less than 180 people had turned up and by the amount who followed Strayhorts into the venue it seemed many were there to see them.
Eventually, after all equipment was found they could begin. Balancing on a table(because it was nearest to the plug) Aidan began recently recorded Espirit d'Escalier. The opening riff cut through the noise and they immediately had the crowds attention, the lyrics 'This is what you've waited for all week' could not have summed the evening up more. Espirit led into new song Cracks In The Wall which with its bare chorus and jumpy ending appeared to be met with approval and showed a different side to Strayhorts which many may not have seen. With a set that would be mostly filled with new songs Strayhorts knew this was a night that deserved some old favourites enter 'Monkey In a Tree' it seemed that everybody in the room recognised that bass riff which then rips into that chaotic, raucous chorus where no crowd member was spared in a whirlwind of jumping and singing. As is the style with Monkey it has to immediately go into something and tonight it was another new song in the sharp, slightly sexy 'Shola' which just like Monkey has a chorus capable of causing a riot.
Afterwards Aidan donned his guitar and began two more new songs Bedsheets, Peer Pressure and Walk On By seemed to be met with good approval as nobody had stopped jumping or throwing themselves about. Evan was applauded for his exciting fills in Bedsheets which required top concentration in a crazy environment especially when one girl was pushed onto him via his bassdrum and cymbals having no idea what opportunity God had given him he pushed her away without caring and carried on. Matthew was his usual consistent self not putting a foot wrong, (partly because his feet didn't move) but nevertheless keeping the whole set together. James was very much a man of the people tonight most the time enjoying the crowd, putting his guitar down and joining them as his bandmates finished the songs but it didn't ruin the atmosphere as old classics 911 and Do What You Wanna Do seemed to take things up another level the songs although nearly 5 years old seemed just as fresh and as new as the others.
After playing for nearly an hour a progression from those nervous 16 olds years from 2007 was obvious as an exhausted crowd and band left the Royal Oak feeling pretty fulfilled. Strayhorts can be proud of some interesting new songs and hopefully will have recruited a few new fans for their BotB final next friday.
Setlist 4th December, Royal Oak, Halifax
Espirit d'Escalier
Cracks In the Wall
Monkey/Shola
Bedsheets
Peer Pressure
Walk On By
911
DWYWD
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