“This Is Not Revolution Rock. It's Revolutionary.” Live Review: Jetplane Landing - Auntie Annies Porter House on 22/10/03

Earlier this week, Concorde flew right over my head. It was LOUD. So loud, that everyone in the street stopped what they were doing and looked skywards to see what was causing the racket. For a few brief minutes we watched as this elegant machine made its way across the sky, proud and beautiful, special in its final days of flight.

Last night I saw another Jetplane Landing. They were loud, elegant, and special too. But unlike Concorde, they're just taking off.

Though I missed support band Element, everyone's still talking about their set and how their crazy guitarist broke the ceiling. We think they're greatness waiting to happen. Second support Throat play as bits of plaster fall round them. The whole place vibrates with their noise. They're loud, but have no elegance. We think that's the point.

Jetplane Landing make us excited. They make us care. They are vibrant, intelligent, alive. Melodic and urgent. Frantic, but never rushed. They've got this thing nailed. Four or five fans at the front are in paroxysms of joy. It's tense. Guitarist Cahir has survived near-death via electocution to be here and we're so thankful for him as his athletic wall of sound gracefully builds and dips. Drummer Raife plays like a gorgeous hardass, and Jamie's the solid rock at the side as Andrew allows the songs to do the talking. And what songs. They knock down our defences with 'Acrimony', then follow with 'I Opt-Out', 'Brave Gravity', and 'The Violence'. We're floored. We're theirs. Ferocious, relentless, we're left gasping for breath. Andrew's between-song political rants have largely gone - there's just one short speech about empowerment and how great music can be. Tonight this is not revolution rock. It's revolutionary.

© BBC Radio Ulster: Across The Line 2003