Going to hear relatively unknown bands play at small venues around the country can be a hit-and-miss experience, for the simple reason that you just never know what you’re letting yourself in for. But that’s half the fun, and if you decide to risk it, you may just come across a bunch of Huddersfield lads known as INSTANT SPECIES. If that happens, you’re in for a good night.
The band launched straight into their punky, grungy eight-track set with "Elvis In Me", a song which, through the distinctive vocals from frontman Rick Garnett, otherwise strongly suggested a liking of the work of Marilyn Manson. I was to discover later that this is not in fact the case, when Garnett explained that the band were influenced more generally by “the rockier side of punk.” This certainly came across in their hugely entertaining set, the opener being followed up with the powerful tracks "No Centrefold" and "She Gives Me Nothing."
I couldn’t help feeling that the middle part of the set was perhaps a little lacking in power, but too much of the same thing always becomes dull, so to allow the overall performance to be negatively influenced by this would be a huge mistake. Before this evening’s gig, I had never previously heard of the band, but that surely is my fault, rather than theirs. Altogether, they were excellent – highly entertaining and original melodic rock with no obvious nerves. Garnett himself is an accomplished performer, and the band played with the kind of togetherness that only comes from a lot of hard work and commitment to their cause.
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“We love what we’re doing,” said Garnett afterwards. “It sounds cheesy but we really enjoy it. It’s a tough business, so you’ve got to love it.” True enough – and all the more reason to carry on enjoying it. “We’ve had the luck of people appreciating it,” Garnett added, something else you need lots of if you want to make it in the music business.
The current Species line-up has been in its current form for the last three years and the band already have four albums and several EPs under their belts. Record company interest began in 1999. “I like to think they’ve seen something they like,” says Garnett. At The Vine tonight, I certainly did.
Also playing tonight were Kilter, who kept us well entertained prior to Species’ arrival onstage with their own original blend of grungy skater rock. Overall, I was impressed with their performance, although I was a little disappointed that the kind of rawness present in Adrenaline and My Regret was missing from Weathered Time and Often Think. That said, there appeared to be nothing lacking from these guys in terms of their attitude and I left feeling that I definitely wanted to see them again. In summary – good stuff.
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