Pump Action Radio/Bridge The Divide/Escapefrom ’98/Draw Me Ugly

Champions, Bournemouth

Champions have very sadly recently announced that they will close at the end of February so Bournemouth’s live music fans are making the most of the final few gigs here. Tonight’s billing has changed from advertised, as 2 bands have pulled out for various reasons, so with the promoter thinking on his feet has upgraded Bournemouth’s Pump Action Radio to headliner and the previous evening’s headliners “Draw Me Ugly” have agreed to open the show.

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“Draw Me Ugly” take to the stage and the venue tonight thankfully has a decent attendance, making for a good atmosphere. Their rock sound with echoes of ska and funk is really listenable, with lead singer “Ed Gould ” who is a dead ringer for Bush’s Gavin Rossdale delivering 1st class vocals on some impressive compositions “I Have Been Here Before” and “Robbery”. Guitarist who strangely is wearing Wellington boots created some really unique sounds on many of their songs, which impressed much of the audience here.

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Escape From ’98 are fronted by the unmasked/uncostumed bassist Lee Birchell, who is also a member of Dorset Music Awards finalists “Disco Out(Murder”s In)”. They have also formed lots of other bands from their various members. The three piece deliver fast paced tunes and get the crowd up on the dance floor with “Punk Rock Princess”, “The Wrong Side”, and “Porn” which were unusually dedicated to one of the bands Mum. The threesome deliver some thrilling bass lines, and fast punk pop guitar work to make for an exciting 25 minutes on stage.

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Full of confidence and energy “Bridge the Divide” are next up, they are a rap metal band based along the styles of Limp Bizkit and Rage Against The Machine. The band belt out the fast paced chaotic songs in an enthusiastic way, getting support from a number of the audience who create a mosh pit. This type of music is not always to everyone’s taste, and some of the audience seem wander away uninterested, despite this, the band do their best to whip up a storm performing songs from their debut EP, inviting rapper “Matt Sims” from the audience to join in which he does extremely well. The end predictably with Rage Against The Machines “Killing In the Name” which gets, the audience joining in with the powerful chorus.

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Pump Action Radio have been around for a little while now, and have played some great gigs supporting a good many bands. This, their 1st major headline, is a chance for them to shine, stepping up in the absence of the headliners “This Fall” was a chance I am sure the band were relishing. They hit the stage at 100 miles an hour with a powerful version of “Friends like These” with lead singer Jimmy directing the audience to “make a mess” to which they dutifully replied with a sizeable mosh pit. The performance was faultless with new and older songs merging well together. The band has entered themselves for the Dorset Music Awards and I would be very surprised if they did not make it through to the finals. They are a quality band with great punk pop songs who really know how to entertain who have really improved with time.

Set-Lists
Pump Action Radio
With Friends Like These
I’m Right I’m Stubborn
Show You What I’m Made Of
Falling From Grace
Bad Dreams
Cool As You
Famous
Boys + Girls(Pixie Lott)

Bridge The Divide
Change My Ways
Stand And Stare
Judas (Cover)
Victimised
No More
Killing In The Name (Cover)

Videos
Pump Action Radio