It's been about a fortnight since the last gig I saw, and I think I'm having withdrawal symptoms. And in that time, France have won the World Cup, System have released THE album, and Human Waste Project have split. So it's been a bit of an up and down time. Needs some stability again. And I'm trying to work out which will be the 50th gig of the year for me. I think this was No 46 or something. Who’ll be the lucky winner? Dunno. But for now, it's the motorway to Leeds, a particularly windy night (steady) and overturned caravans on the motorway.

Anyway, I arrived for this gig thinking I may have actually missed the band I was coming to see, Milque, but, as it turned out, they were to headline this thing. If only they'd been told a little earlier.

So anyway, there were two bands on before Milque, Sugarvalve and Red Fridge. Neither really did it for me, and when I first copied this review to this page from the web site, I found that with those bits included, it was too long for the page. So they’ve been ditched. Oh. Sorry ‘bout that. So, we can cross straight over to the main band, Milque.

The demo has been on almost constant play since I got it. It's really strong. Listening to it, I find it hard to believe that they were a little bit wary of releasing it. Hopefully the response they've had to it will help to convince them that they do have something.

But this was the test. Would they be as convincing live. Vocalist Zoe had assured that they were better live, so it's a case of putting your money where your mouth is. To quote Kerrang! And were they? Damn fucking right.

Deal With It opened things up, and although the sound was a little dodgy in places It sounds like Satan's Bottom up here according to Zoe, the quality and power of the songs shines through. The band themselves sound tight, and have enough variety to see them through, as some of the new songs aired tonight prove, Dynamo and two others whose name's I've forgotten at the moment, but are on the tape from the interview that was done afterwards. Oh yeah, you'll be reading more about them don't worry. If they don't get sued first!

Other tracks from the demo that were played are Target, which is one of the best songs I've heard this year by anyone, and Nightmare. Even if it was introduced as Dynamo, oops, sorry apologises Zoe as the mistake is pointed out by Kaye. Shit, I've seen bands headline arenas introduce the wrong song.

In the demo review, I mentioned that they sounded like Tura Satana. To be honest, I was wrong. The female vocalist thing is what does it and is easily categorised with Tura and HWP, but really it shouldn't apply. It's just a cop out situation for people like me. I'll stick with the HWP link though, because Zoe's voice does remind me of Aimee. Aimee is a favourite vocalist, and HWP were a fave band, and I guess I could seem simalrities along those lines developing here.

And in fact it's the vocals that maybe do pull it all together. Sometimes there's that extra little thing that is required to make a band stand out from the ordinary, and in Zoe's vocals, Milque have that something. As good, if not better than on the demo they are excellent. Prowling around the stage, you get the feeling that they really will come into their own if they are given the right opportunity. The right gig in front of a number of people who are interested. It should be good.

The final new track, damn I've forgotten the name of it, was particularly heavy sounding, but still it was a song. Something sometimes forgotten in a time where squeaks, squeals and how low the guitars can be tuned seems to rule. That's the key ingrediant here. Songs. Good songs, played well, carried by a great vocalist. Makes for a good combination don't you think? Yes, you do. So go and take a look at the web site .

Try and get the demo (I think they're all gone now, but if you ask nicely at the right places, I'm sure a copy could be worked out), and when the mini-album is released sometime in the Autumn, make sure you get a copy. And if you see a band called Milque advertised as playing somewhere local to you, drop what you're doing and go to see them. Now would I lie to you? Nope. Half an hour, and it flew by. Cracking stuff.

Well, ok, see I can be critical. Minus points? Well, sorry, but points have to be deducted for the COLD sticker on Kaye's bass, and for the restrained attack on the drums by Duncan due to the drums apparently being particularly sensitive. Or at least their owner from a certain other band seems to think they are. Oh, and Colin's late arrival on stage! These guitarists, think they're a breed apart.

And yep, an interview will appear in YAZ shortly. Maybe an issue or two away, but it'll be there, have no worries about that.Just hope that me saying they’re a good band hasn’t put a bloody curse on them.