Dead Good Villains

As the Mill prepares to move to its new home at Cabaret Voltaire next week, Edinburgh’s The Caves waves goodbye to the 'genuinely different live music experience’. The Mill features tonight Phoenix Q, a mellow and happy-go-lucky collaboration of musicians; and Dead Good Villains, a band from West Lothian whose sheer energy and high-speed tracks set the Caves on fire for the final night.


Phoenix Q perform first this evening with all 7 members filling the massive stage. Phoenix Q evolve around leadsinger Phoenix Quigley, a funk/soul kind of guy bringing influences from acts such as Aretha Franklin and Jamiriquai to his band. As a whole, Phoenix Q is a mix of specialities and talents, with each musician bringing their own taste ad music style to the band. This makes Phoenix Q an interesting concoction of rock, soul, punk and funk-pop.

The mix of musicians and styles makes for a great show because it gives the act variety. We are treated to calm acoustic numbers juxtaposed with energetic keyboard-lead tracks, never overseeing the whole funk-pop-soul driving the majority of songs. Phoenix Q are a youthful group with a contagious happy aura: there is no escaping the heart-warming grins of the musicians as they deliver their good-hearted, friendly music.

Phoenix Q claim that they are filling a void in the local pop scene that Indie music killed, but in reality the band seem to be snuggling into an ever-growing Scottish indie-pop scene. Whilst their brand of music is something a little different for The Mill, it seems naive for the band to presume they are creating something unheard of in the Scottish pop scene.

Next on the bill tonight are fellow Lothian lads Dead Good Villains. As put themselves: 'Dead Good Villains have arrived to feed your insatiable appetite for rock and roll. We're 4 Villainistic chantaholics creating grooves to saturate your moves!' Dead Good Villians inject a furious quantity of energy into the Mill tonight and their cheeky, chirpy anthems are simply unforgettable.

Dead Good Villians provide unbelievable vigour to their show, combining it with fun, flirtatious pop. Their energy resembles somewhat Dirty Pretty Things, and the potently accented vocals are similar to the View and Sergeant. This band demonstrates flawlessly what Scottish music is famous for: catchy jingles and sunshine pop, unmistakably beautiful in its own way. It’s a short set from Dead Good Villains tonight, but still is one bursting to the brim with pure enthusiastic power-pop.

The Mill continues to deliver a genuinely different live music experience this evening with sets from two upcoming Edinburgh acts, Phoenix Q and Dead Good Villians. The Mill plans to leave the Caves and move to Cabaret Voltaire next week, but will take with it the good times, the great music and of course the free tickets. The Mill is a great thing to come to the city and may it carry on delighting fans in its new home.


- www.music-news.com