Sandwiched in between a weekend triple-header gig fest, the trail of empty lager cans and fag butts guiding you to Cardiff University decorated the evening's sodden streets like some twisted version of a yellow brick road. All welcoming you to the kingdom of true rock n roll madness but at the most un rock n roll of start times you can ever imagine.

Thank fuck then that I made the extra effort to get in early, as Canada's "Sound and Fury" suffered the indignity of taking the stage with the house lights still on. But would this phase a band looking like outcasts from Walter Hills "Warriors" movie? What do you think?
Like the seasoned touring machine they already are "Sound and Fury" slunk effortlessly through such street punk anthems as "18" and "Night of The Ghouls" whilst also managing to leave the predominantly classic rock crowd wondering what the hell they were watching. Think "Buckcherry" meets "Rose Tattoo" and you have one hell of a rock n roll explosion in "Sound and Fury". Get in early to check these guys out.
On the other hand "Stone Gods" for me really don't do anything other than try and make you forget they used to be members of "The Darkness". All the rediscovered angst goes down well with the Gumby metallers present, but when your songs are as purile as "Don't Drink the Water" how the fuck can you forget the atrocious band they once used to be?
"Stone Gods" are very good at what they do and "Burn the Witch" is a great balls out rock tune, but this a band that are so desperate to forget, that they don't know who they want to be right now.

Taking the stage with a slab of Stella Artois and a bottle of Jack Daniels "Airbourne's" Joel O Keefe literally has the crowd eating (or should that be drinking) from the palm of his soon to be sweaty hands before a single chord is struck. Then with the single flick of them curly locks said frontman sets his band off like some speeding bullet into "Stand Up For Rock N Roll" and the next sixty minutes are a total joy to behold.
Things have definitely moved onwards and upwards since the Winter Tour and the size of crowds being drawn in this time around are testament to the bands tireless touring. The delight in still hearing "Girls in Black" being dedicated to…. ummm…. girls in black is a fitting reference to the ethic of the band, and like certain other bands they get compared with only proves that keeping it real and above all simple is certainly good for business. Well when your business is rock n roll anyway.

The surprise of the night came in the shape of an airing of "Ready to Rock" EP track "Stand And Deliver" which for me still stands head and shoulders above any track from the full debut album. When will this ever get a proper release guys?

Rounding off a sweat and Stella drenched set with two encores in the shape of "Blackjack" and "Running Wild" you can't help but wonder what next for Airbourne as the dogs of society set off howling into the night?

Goodbye yellow brick road. Goodbye indeed.

by Johnny H.

Visit the Airbourne Website

Visit the Stone Gods Website

Visit the Sound and Fury Website