Saturday 14th October 2006
Local musicians were to the fore on Saturday when Sumoculture entertained a lively and enthusiastic audience at the Weymouth Arms, Warminster.
The band started with a brisk drum tattoo, and swiftly moved into some pretty heavy stuff, which featured the rhythm section, as the vocals and guitars were under-amplified (by comparison) at the start.
Balance problems were swiftly sorted out, but there was a pause at the end of the first number while Sam Kirwan re-strung his guitar.
The word ‘Sumo’ appeared in the lyrics of the second song, which sounded a little like upbeat and happy musical punk, but more joined up.
There were pauses between some of the songs for tuning instruments and muttered discussions between band members, while on other occasions the numbers flowed from one to another without a pause.
Most of the songs were characterised by fast paced rattling drums and a quick rhythm. The crowd seemed to like it and I was quite keen too. The songs are original, and they have a flowing and melodic way to them that renders them reasonably easy on the ear.
About six or seven songs in they played something which sounded like a thrash version of Police’s Don’t Stand So Close To Me.
The set was over all too soon, after about 50 minutes or so, but they were part of an evening which included a lot of DJ-ing, and two other bands had played earlier.
I missed the first band and all but the last two songs from the set by Attack The System. They are a six strong band (including two singers, one of whom struggled with the confined space and the heaving throng to take photos of his colleagues during the last song. Attack The System sounded like a competent twin guitars, bass and drum, thrash metal outfit.
Sumoculture clearly have a dedicated local following, and some of the crowd (including members of local band Ronin) knew the lyrics well enough to sing along.
Sumoculture started as a trio about 11 years ago, according to Crockerton guitarist Sam Kirwan. Bassist Richard Godfrey and Sam were friends since they cut their milk teeth, and drummer Ben Pickett went to the same primary school as Richard.
During the summer between primary school and Kingdown School the band coalesced. The other guitarist, Ricky McCoy, joined them in 2001.
All of the musicians are in their early twenties. Ricky is from Warminster, and Ben and Richard live in Longbridge Deverill.
Sam owes his musicianship, he thinks, because he comes from a musical household (his father is the long time keyboard player with Blues Express). Sam also plays piano.
Ricky is a self taught guitarist and says he has been a friend of the others since leaving school.
The name Sumoculture was chosen about seven years ago, from a line in the film Something About Mary.
Before that the band sailed under a variety of names – none of them permanent.
(Review and notes contributed by The Vulture, Charles Drought.)
