With ears ringing, pizza and cider still snaking its way through the system and clothes still partially drenched, let’s try and recount tonight’s showcase at Maguire’s Pizza Bar. Hosted by Yeah Buddy DIY and prime purveyor of absolutely killer bands, Elevant Music Limited, we arrive early after being warned not to miss this evening’s opening act.

With only three gigs to their name, SPQR bolt out the gate like a band possessed. With eyes flashing manically their frontman convulses as he splices razor-wire guitar lines with the gut-punching intensity of Hookworms’ MJ. It becomes apparent fairly early on that there seems to be some sort of unspoken, behind-the-scenes ‘drum-off’ at play. Every act that takes the stage seems to tyrannically reign over the kit (with major props going to Too Many Poets’ beat keeper). The fuzz bass, offbeat swagger and angular stabs of the sinister ‘Talking To The Dead’ tops off the end of one of the most powerful opening sets we’ve caught for quite some time.

Bare-chested and channelling that unbalanced early-Biffy Clyro sound, two-piece (who-could-quite-easily-go-nose-to-nose-against-the-force-of-a-ten-piece) Duke Mercury face a well-warmed up audience who are able to move seamlessly between eating slices of pizza to wildly headbanging. Signed to EML and currently working on their debut LP, live each caterwauling song lands high on the bipolar scale as it jitters, freezes and violently erupts, even taking out the crocheted ‘Hail Satan’ wall hanging and fairy lights in the process. Pocket Apocalypse up the ante technically and seem to effortlessly whip-up the fattest cacophonic sound of the night, shifting from Porcupine Tree-esque ambience to quite staggering, all-embracing alt/post-rock passages similar to that of Arcane Roots. ‘Circles’ stands out as a highlight, as drumsticks splinter and vocals climb from composed to exasperated cries.

With their debut EP, Relying On Reflections, set to drop on the 15th January on EML, Too Many Poets blend gothic/hard rock, grunge and sleek elements of shoegaze and sound far more savage live than their first few recordings. Frontman, Pog gets up close and personal with the crowd, who are now pressed up to the stage, as the band unleash the buzzsaw blast of ‘The Worst Intention’.

Some of the night’s familiar faces will be present for the launch of Elevant’s third album, There Is A Tide on the 9^th March, at Liverpool’s Buyers Club. You should be there.

David Weir