Dirty Indie
There is a trend in the indie scene that bands appear very quickly, take the nation by storm and then either disappear or break up with tabloid-topping headlines. Then, every once in a while, an indie band appears that doesn't just plan to conform to the monotonous blueprint that every other indie band before them has laid out.
The Black Velvets have spent the last year slowly but surely working their way up the rungs of the music industry ladder. They've had support slots, singles, headline dates and a place on the Radio One stage at Reading and Leeds 2005.
Unlike so many bands that they could be grouped together with; The Black Velvets are original, lively and one of the few saviours of indie. With their dirty rock 'n' roll influences they manage to draw half the capacity of the second stage from their hangovers to see the band - and there's no better way to start the day.
The Black Velvets are putting soul and passion in to a genre that's turned in to a farce for many music fans. As front-man Paul Carden struts around the stage whilst guitarist Robbie Ross provides catchy riff followed by catchy riff, backed up by the low-end provided by Nick Kilroe (drums) and Dave Dutton (bass) the crowd can go away happily known that few other bands this weekend will produce such a rich, full sound.