Live Review

Bony Ghosts – Warrington Music Festival, Hatters Row, Warrington

• 19th Jul 2010

A lurking irony shadows tonight’s set of hanging rock spliced with a bit of brazen strutting indie from the hardwearing Burtonwood/Warrington troupe, Bony Ghosts. This festival appearance in front of a hefty, appreciative crowd as part of a well put together event in their home town is their last ever gig. Ever since starting out as The Black Dogs, they’ve mingled atmospherically implanted, infectious, hanging rock with an urban growl and have always delivered it with heart, energy and a mystical touch. Yet you can’t help feeling that if they were from the nearby enemy town of Wigan that has a consistently supportive, well followed and well documented scene then they’d probably be on the verge of releasing at least their second album as a signed band by now. Instead, like the Dutch football team they’re left to rue near misses.

All of the above could well have been preying on their minds and is helping them deliver a well drilled set of gruelling and gliding rock. Front man, Kevin Gregory complements the line up on the stage with a bolshy, at ease yet endearing entrance, qualities he maintains throughout the set. Harnessing the stirring pull of the searing atmospheric guitars and some hanging, melting keys for opener ‘Feeling Strange’, Gregory haughtily hovers his hazy vocals; underlining the piercing lyrics and, it’s making a few scenesters a little uncomfortable:

“Your life is a lie, Your life is a lie.”

An angry vocal echo drives the streetwise, Sound Of Guns mirroring ‘Mona Lisa’. Despite the usual festival custom of no sound-check, each instrumental elements contribution is given equal exposure. The keyboard kick seems to be more noticeable tonight and gushing percussion push this mini-epic forward into old skool rock territory. In a night of irony, Bony Ghosts final set is one full of promise and pride.

It’s here where you’d usually see the line the future is bright instead it should just really be a full stop!

Rating: 4/5