The Wallbirds, The Carol- Ann Showband at the Casbah, Sheffield, 12th May

Tonight as you rumble into the Casbah, the place is rather deserted for its weekly night ‘Beast in the Cellar’. Containing a number of local bands it is the opinion of few to spend their Saturday night in a bar which is most renowned for its tacky decor and low ceilings. As you creep down into the basement room it quickly becomes apparent most of the audience are in high spirits. As The Carol- Ann Showband churn out fairly disposable nuggets of weak country, they try to encourage the audience to participate, with disappointing results, however as they finally wind up their set, limbs begin to relax, beer flows and participants realise tonight is not necessarily about watching jaw dropping bands.

The Wallbirds, however appear to have stumbled upon this night by accident. With their smooth country music, beastly wouldn’t exactly be the description you would grace the band with. Yet as soon as the band comes onstage members of the audience are dancing across the room like a sunny afternoon at Glastonbury. You can forget the dark, damp cellar; mainly because The Wallbirds music is perfect for dancing.

Tonight there is not a single person cautiously nodding their head to the rhythm, as the band launch into another graciously accepted number everyone is dancing. The band even invite audience members onstage, as they help beat the rhythms for the band’s acoustic number of the night. The room’s relaxing atmosphere can even be traced back to the band as they run through a flawless set, effortlessly harmonising over subtly distinct rhythms. As for the beast in the cellar? It’s been well and truly tamed.