Der Bomber, Dressed Naked, Doa UK play The Schooner, Rhyl
If we use the metaphor ‘On The Road To Stardom’ then Rhyl’s Dressed Naked are on the side, repairing a puncture and in need of an MOT. Dead On Arrival UK from Holyhead are speeding up the slip road, ready to join the main carriageway, while Der Bomber are ready to drop down a gear and speed off into the distance.
Doa UK possess the qualities to be a really great band, and with vocalist/bassist Amy Hargreaves being the ripe old age of sixteen, she and her younger brothers have time on their side to turn their excellent musicianship skills into songwriting. Perhaps a good shaking off of the bedroom Guns ‘n’ Roses worship would assist, and by all accounts their live work far exceeds the quality of their recorded output.
Dressed Naked also need to shake off the ‘heavy rock’ stigma that flakes from their appalling haircuts, it’s out of date and not very good, yes The Darkness brought a plethora of early eighties style metal bands back to the fore, but it was a fad. The Darkness were brilliant… in 2004. The Rhyl wannabes do have a spark of promise in a couple of songs if they could keep it together long enough on stage to deliver them. They’d be excused if they were pissed up, drugged up and fucked up, but they’re not!
Der Bomber however can have all three of those accusations pointed at them and they would probably throw them back at you with two rigid fingers. They don’t care if you think singer Remo is a dickhead or they sound like Oasis, they are here to deliver and that they do with gusto, swagger and confidence. Maybe the setting of a pub in the run down part of town is not what they expected, but a large crowd mingled about for this pre-new-years-eve get together. Intense drumming from Jamie Cardno has lifted the band onto a higher level and bar two maybe three throwaway songs, we have in our midst a band who can go all the way (and that’s not just with the dodgy barmaid).