By Chaos, Freelance Writer
The rock band, 'Downstairs'. - Contributed
LAST WEEK the fates seemed to conspire against the rock band Downstairs. Billing 'Helta Skelta' as their attempt to 'prove we are the baddest rock band in the world', first they were threatened with prosecution. Initially billed to perform at the Fitness Factory on Haining Road, St. Andrew, those plans had to be scrapped at the 11th hour after the threat and a new venue found post-haste. This was done, with the Livity Restaurant on Old Hope Road serving as a replacement. The band went down, set up and deejay Kaos was ready to play.
Then it started to rain.
Sometimes you just do not get a break.
Acting a lot more professionally than they have been known to do in the past, the band decided to play on, if only for the 20-plus people present, and play they did.
Earlier on Kaos kept those at Livity entertained by playing hard rock songs from Stone Sour, Killswitch Engage and System of A Down, among others. As the music blared into the damp night air, those present head-banged, danced, smoked, drank and chatted. On the stage Downstairs - lead guitarist Bas, Alvin Peart on the drums, bassist Andrew Campbell and rhythm guitarist and lead singer Brian Jones - set up and warmed up. It was around 1:30 in the morning when the live music started, guitar-driven over cymbals overlaid with bass. The dreadlocked Jones seemed to embody the 'don't give a damn' spirit of rock and roll as he spun around and started singing the band's original Blood.
Rock The Cradle was next, and was greeted by shouts of 'More fire!' and 'Blaze!' as people went crazy, sprinting up and down and bouncing around. With a few exceptions when it came to tuning a guitar, the music was seamless, Bas laying down power chords over Campbell's bass riffs with Peart having a whale of a time of the skins.
A Smashing Pumpkin's cover, The World Is A Vampire followed before the band premiered the yet-unfinished Drugs and Poison, which Jones said had three different versions of to date. With an excellent, rocking introduction, the version they played last Saturday certainly sounded interesting enough. A pause for some re-tuning followed, while more drinks were served and cigarettes smoked. Billy Idol's Rebel Yell followed, with patrons shouting/singing along with the More, more, more refrain. Another original, Doctor Strange, again showcased the band's talent before a so-so cover of The Rolling Stones' Sympathy For The Devil.
For all anyone cared, the venue could have been packed, because everyone was having a head-banging ball. However, the Fates had one final card to play. At around 2:40 a.m. two policemen walked in and a fat lady, somewhere, sang a dirge. "People a complain," one officer said when asked by The Gleaner. "I don't think it mek sense, they can't go much lower than this," was his
further response when asked about the possibility of continuing after turning down the volume.
The session was effectively over, with the exception of a heated debate or two as the band packed up as to what types of 'sessions' were locked off and which were not, the consensus seeming to be that it depended entirely on who or what entity was putting on the party and how much money was involved.
