Been a while since I've been to Rock City, and not many things change really. Though tonight it seems increasingly apparent to me that how you look is ever more important. In terms of fitting in, but also in terms of how you dance. Only if you look a certain way can you have any hope of pulling off certain dances without looking like a complete t!*t. I mean, you can't headbang with short hair, and you can't Korn dance without baggy clothes, and you can't pointy finger dance with long hair and without a wallet chain. Bit strange though later on when one of the DJs downstairs chastised someone on the dance floor for not dancing and thus taking up space. That I can understand, but having a crack at the "dumb heavy metal t-shirt" the said villains were wearing is a bit rich coming from a venue that has built it's reputation on being a rock /METAL club. Ah well, just me.

But time for One Car Pile Up. We had a rocky start together it must be said, but I'm begining to really warm to them. The elements that I criticised are actually part of their charm and what makes them the band they are. The humour and the chat with the crowd, the full on metal poses they undertake at some stage, (tonight Wes did a full on Brucie boy pose, subtle, but there while the bassist whose name I've forgotten had his tongue visibly in his cheek), and introducing one of the songs as "this is as metal as we get". But it's those songs that ultimately make or break a band, and although you can level the criticism at OCPU that theirs are not entirely original, at the end of the day, they're bloody good. Rattling off at speed, with melody and crunch nicely balanced they do what many bands are trying to do at the moment, but with much better aplomb. By the time Monster Trucks brings the set to an end, a sizeable portion of the assembled people have started dancing. Which you would expect, after all, these people are kitted out in such a way as to show their love of this sort of music. Well, as long as it's Americans playing it.

Consumed are similar. Consumed are also quite possibly the finest band of their ilk in the UK at the moment, though OCPU are pushing them. Tonight is part of bassist Baz's birthday celebrations, but it's also a chance to showcase some material from their forthcoming full length album on FatWreckChords. Yep, that label. And it sounds good, though of course one listen isn't enough to fully judge. But it's the Breakfast At Pappa's material such as Brutal Tooth, Nonsense Cone, Heavy Metal Winner and the utterly superb Stand Under Me that are the highlights. Pop punk gems with a hint of metal played with skill and rattling through the brain. The people are dancing, fun is being have. Twat Called Morris rears it's head, and things seem very very good for about 45 minutes or so. Time will tell on the new material, but for now, they've just proven themselvesagain. So I take it that we can assume that all those dancing tonight to both Consumed and One Car Pile Up, those in the uniform, will all be over the Vic in Derby the next time both bands play there. After all, this is the music they are so obviously fans and devotees of right. I mean, they don't look like this just to look cool in Rock City do they? Nah Dave, never. Well, ok, so next time Consumed headline the Vic, there'll be something more than 6 of us watching them for the first 3 songs or so. Jolly good.

More confident vocals and there’s maybe something of interest here. As it is at the moment, it just kind of passes me by.

The professionalism is extended to the production sound they've managed to pick up, which is nice and thick and warm - a nice buzz coming off the guitars.

The first track No Clue opens up in a manner a little nu-metally, but there's a rap that comes in that reminds me a bit more of Yapper from King Prawn. Squeally effects like guitar solo sort of thing going on in the background. It's all very competent, but unfortunately doesn't really grasp me, I think it’s just my cynicism. Though there is a nice riff that jumps in just before the end.

Rising Source starts with one of those guitar intros that sifts from speaker to speaker with a Deftones guitar sort of vibe going on. 7 Words, that's the one I was looking for. Mind you the bass and rhythm guitar is booming quite nicely as well in here, but the influence is maybe a touch strong at this point.

Next is Short Term which I prefer, it’s got a nice little buzzing guitar riff going on there. It doesn’t dominate the production, but it’s still what grabs your attention. It’s not the first time the name has crept into my head for one of these nu-metal bands, but it sounds a little like a sort of Therapy? riff. A band that I don’t think ever get any sort of credit in these bands. But I reckon the initial riff owes something to them.

Things finish off with I.W.D. Possibly the heaviest moment here, but it just doesn’t leave a lasting impression with me. Like many bands, there’s the potential there. Let’s wait and see where they take it and it takes them.