Jonny Brown along with The Whip performing at the JD Manchester set

'What Do I Get'

Gigjunkie.net review of Twisted Wheel's gig for the Dot2Dot Festival - Manchester 31/05/2010 - Manchester Academy

• REVIEW: Dot to Dot Festival Manchester- Twisted Wheel

by Harry Moore 5. June 2010 13:31

After running about for several hours and trying to follow the smallest map in recorded history it was time to settle down in the main venue of this years Manchester Dot to Dot festival.

It was the turn of hometown heroes Twisted Wheel to delight the crowds and it seemed half of Manchester had turned up to see the ‘return of the wheel’. Before the most eagerly anticipated set of the whole festival the venue was packed, sound check had been completed and shouts of ’wheeeeeeeel’ echoed around the venue before the lights dropped and Twisted Wheel walked on to the biggest cheer of the night.

Before the three piece began to take the packed Manchester audience on a spectacular rock ’n’ roll rollercoaster the more observant fans would have noticed a young stranger stroll on stage with immediate ’Twisted Wheel confidence’. This so called stranger was new Twisted Wheel drummer Eoghan Clifford, and what he achieved in the 45 minute set is nothing short of sensational. He had a total of two days to learn a 45 minute set before stepping out in front of thousands of people and not only delivering each beat with the conviction and passion that the band are renowned for but he managed to take it up a notch. This wasn’t a case of just getting by his first gig with no mistakes for Eoghan; this was a case of setting a standard for all young drummers showing off not only his talent but his unbelievable nerve and confidence by delivering a drumming master class.

As the band began ‘Lucy The Castle’ it was almost like a cue 500 actors in the crowd had been waiting for as they all made their way to the front to engage in scenes not dissimilar to that of an action film. The passion and energy the fans show throughout the whole set is quite unbelievable and there is one boy of no more than 10 who we occasionally get a glance of as he is flung around by people twice his size. His Dad makes his way over to help but he just runs straight back in, arms aloft, singing every word.

When live music is played with the conviction, passion and energy it deserves there is no better experience or feeling in the world. Twisted Wheel manage to do this no matter where or when they might be playing, but as this in Manchester, in front of a packed venue, you feel this means much more to the band and especially Jonny. I’ve seen the band play several times over the last year but I’ve never seen lead singer Jonny put so much into a set and sing each note and line like it’s the last of the night. As front men go, he takes some beating.

Fan favourites ‘Strife’, ‘She’s a Weapon’ and ‘We Are Us’ raise the bar yet again and ‘Strife’ in particular leads to a mass sing-a-long that wouldn’t be out of place in a football stadium. Due to the sheer brilliance of their debut album they deliver tune after tune for the 45 minute set and it’s acoustic number ‘Bouncing Bomb’ that proves to be not only the highlight of the set, but the highlight of the festival.

As Jonny walks out onstage on his own with acoustic guitar in hand most people worked out what was about to happen, however, none of them could have expected just how epic and set defining the track would be. As he began to strum the opening chords there was a huge cheer that for a few seconds completely deafened the guitar and as the first line echoed around the venue it became very clear this was going to be special. Teenagers, adults and women alike all with their arms around each other and pint glasses raised began to sing along to every word which created the kind of atmosphere you rarely see, or hear, at a gig. It was sang with such passion and meaning behind it the crowd responded and it felt like they were trying to give it back to Jonny as a mark of respect.

As the set drew to a close ‘You Stole The Sun’ gave the crowd another ‘chance to dance’ and they were more than happy to oblige. It’s the song that, for a lot of people, got them into the band and certainly one of the stand out tracks live and to see it performed in such a brilliant venue in front of so many people seemed a special moment for the band. It also showed off Eoghan’s unbelievable drumming ability even more as he carried the song perfectly giving it even more passion and energy which I didn’t think was even possible.

As the band make their way off stage they applaud the crowd and more shouts of ’wheeeeeel’ fly around the room as the crowd show their respects for a simply brilliant live performance from Manchester’s finest as well as a memorable debut from drummer Eoghan Clifford.

9/10

Twisted Wheel @ Dot2Dot Festival - Manchester 31/05/2010 - Manchester Academy

The third and final day of the Dot2Dot Festival and the lads play on home ground, Manchester Academy.

Twisted Wheel @ Dot2Dot Festival - Nottingham 30/05/2010 (Rescue Rooms)

Day two of the Dot2Dot festival sees Twisted Wheel roll into Nottingham to play at one of their favourite venues - the Rescue Rooms.

Twisted Wheel @ Dot2Dot Festival - Bristol 29/05/2010 (venue: Fleece)

 After their magnificent set at Osfest (unduly cut sort due to health & safety reasons) earlier on in the day, Twisted Wheel ventured south, to Bristol,  to take part in the three day event of Dot2Dot Festivals.

The venue was The Fleece, just off the city centre and already heaving with Wheel fans!

 Even more crowd surfers and stage invasions than normal!!!

Twisted Wheel @ Osfest 2010, Oswestry 29/05/2010 - and the fans break the crowd barrier!

A rainy day in North Shropshire sees the Twisted Wheel bus head towards their first festival of the Summer season in Oswestry  - Osfest 2010. A new festival on the curcit. 

Starting the set with the crowd favourite 'Shes A Weapon', followed by 'Lucy The Castle' it was soon apparent that Twisted Wheel had a new found energy which the audience picked up on and pretty soon, security had to make emergency measures as the crowd barrier had become under a lot of pressure from the fans enjoying themselves. The pace continued with 'Racket', 'Bad Candy' and 'Big Issue'.

Slowing the pace down (and giving the over worked security guys a break) Jonny wore on a fan's pair of shades to sing 'Bouncing Bomb'. But the lull in the pressure on the crowd barrier was short lived, with the full pelt 'You Stole The Sun' the crowd had become uncontrolable and as the lads started 'Oh What Have You Done' the festival organisers pulled the plug on the set due to health and safety reasons!

A brilliant set by Twisted Wheel had been cut short, the organisers refused to let the band back on stage due to the broken barrier. So.. watch out T in the Park & Y Not Festival - you have been warned!!