Vocalist and guitarist Glenn Smyth and drummer Sebastian Maynard Francis are essentially Solar Eyes. They released their superb debut album officially today and tonight was the album launch in their hometown of Birmingham. They are joined by lead guitarist Liam Mckeown and bass player Emily Doyle to bring some tunes from this superb album to life this evening.
The lights dim and ELO`s `Mr. Blue Sky` rings out as the quartet take to the stage. The intro music is no surprise as it was used as the entrance music when Birmingham City Football Club enter St Andrew`s Stadium and i`m told that Glenn is a massive Blue Nose.
Understandably the majority of tonight`s forty five minute set is comprised of tracks from the latest release as the band head into `Alcatraz`, I have to say it`s every bit as good live with it`s revolving beat. `Bulldozer` is up next and it`s as blissful and exhalated as on the record.
When `Dreaming Of The Moon` with its spaghetti western tinges starts my wife turns to me and smiles gleefully as i`ve driven her mad playing the album and she loves this track. `Let’s Run Away` is delightfully trippy before `She Kissed The Gun` is shared and it`s like a natural high that should be bottled and sold!!!
`Top Of The World` has that wonderful Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” vibe but is a double edged sword for Glenn as it was played on Match of The Day but over snippets of local rivals Aston Villa.
`Take Me To the Man` kind of hypnotises this intimate audience before we rock out to `(At Least) Paranoia Loves Me`.
As they say all good things have to come to an end and the band leave us with the marvellously titled ‘Naked Monkey On A Spaceship’. They say leave `em wanting more and they certainly did. We used to have an occasional pop up psychedelic night with Sensateria in Brum and Solar Eyes would, to me, be the perfect band if somebody could organise it. A night there followed by a visit to Mr Egg, a Birmingham institution, who could want more??
A final shout out must go to Glenn`s Mom, Teresa who was admirably manning the merchandise stall and has been visiting the local hostelries like The Forge handing out flyers and stickers some of which my wife and I are proud owners of.
I said in my review of the album that again this `City of a Thousand Trades` or `Venice of the North` have another band from this seething cauldron of musical activity to proudly boast about and having witnessed them live tonight, I stand by every bit of that.
