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Pic: Nov-004 www.peterhill.net The tour, and their first year as a unit, ended on 23rd December at Bath Moles supporting New Rhodes. Since November 004, C:B have developed into a one band cult with life affirming effect. The unknowns that came to town and rocked it. "Despite being bottom of the bill, they immediately won our awe and respect by playing to the crowd in the back room of this small Cambridge pub as if they were headlining Glastonbury. They had the songs to back up their confidence too: not one duff track in their whole exhilarating set." (Rhythm On Line), this report from their last tour summing up much of the after show feedback this year. Their ambition and potential goes way beyond being a cult band and the new songs from the C:B camp are likely to raise eyebrows from people who thought they knew who this band were. Outside the net they are unheard of, yet they and Nebraska have and made a lot of friends since the tour kicked off mid October. At places where they had played before, C:B were often the draw of the night but Nebraska make them work hard for it. Two bands determined to be unforgettable on one bill makes for one hell of a show already. The tour was a support for various local heroes or profile bands. Simple but devastating. "it's a great sight to see a band truly tear the music out of themselves and not hand it to you on a plate, but make you work for it too" (Artrocker) The single and unrecorded songs 'The Mathematician', 'Too Rich For Water, Too Poor For Wine', "Be The Weapon', 'Picking Up The Pieces' and 'What Became Of The Girl' are the basis of the set taken on the road to complete strangers. There's a wealth of songs to choose from by now. The response from audiences has been positive and eleated, with invitations back at every show so far. "Something's happening here, the starling clarity of a movement happening before us, with all the youthful vitality that is at once gritty as it is fresh-faced" said BBC On-Line after witnessing the Reading show. The tour is a low budget, do it yourself success, by Nebraska, C:B and friends. Proving the power of sharing and good times. Without any audience reaction it wouldnt have been the same. Friends also helped organise the Rocklands Rounded Tour including Accelerator, Do Me Bad Things, Shard, 100 Bullets Back, Bidgie Reef & The Gas, promoters with faith and local/independent media. Best of all is the support of fans and new audiences, it makes the journey worthwhile. On the road were C:B crew, Pete (photographer) and the Tour Diary Fairy. Getting out of London has been such C:B are already planning another next year. In the mean time theres a few more chances to see them. The band are also being filmed for a video by students Lucy, Peter, Marco and Angelo, and by contemporary artist Nicky Magliulio. They have more new songs, venues contacting them via their website, on reputation, and fresh offers of help. They're doing things upside down but things keep happening because of their music. Anybody who hasn't seen C:B this year, hasn't seen what Corporation:Blend have become. Their first year as a working, touring rock band was an introduction to an unsuspecting public. If it was market research then it was positive. It's not research though. It's music, it's for real and for fun. If anything, having organically grown outside of the industry c:b have learnt (sometimes hard) lessons fast, become professional, more accomplished at their instruments, bonded and had some surreal moments soundtracked by some truly great tunes. No wonder they can't wait to get back on the road again... | ||
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Pic: Nov-004 www.peterhill.net There's something refreshing about a young band continuing 20th century uncynical self belief in the new formatted and reformated age. Timeless is as timeless does... There are only two lines to C:B's autobiography. "We got sick of waiting for the band that would change everything. Decided to form it ourselves." Believing that such a band could still come along is down to each individual. Me biased? Of course. I was unsuspecting public, once... McNaughty | ||
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