Soundcheck
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The battle is won
DESPITE a four whole days to get used to it, Essex Battle of the Bands victors Caleb are still reeling from their win.
"We were shocked and amazed," says drummer Phil Edey, " and still are. We are not the sort of band that usually win competitions like this."
The four piece scooped the top prize at the finals of the Echo backed competition held at Eastwood School Theatre in Rayleigh Road on Friday night.
The competition was set up by seven students, Mike Bromfield, Sheila Lord, Tom Ratcliff, Lewis Foster and Ashleigh Winship at the school as part of their BTec music studies.
At Friday's live final Caleb, based in Westcliff, faced competition from four other local bands, 4ft Pimp from Southend, Crimson Cross from Billericay, Reissue from Benfleet and The 27 Club from Great Dunmow, all whittled down from an original 20 bands during an auditions weekend in March.
With a main prize up for grabs of a recording session at the famous BBC Maida Vale studios, the competition was fierce.
Judging the bands were Tom Keenan, Eastwood School English teacher and member of Southend based band The Lucky Strikes, local music promoter Simon Gentry, BBC Essex producers John Mcintosh and Gary Butcher, and myself from the Echo.
It was a tough call to decide who would scoop top place as all the bands played a storming set, but ultimately Caleb nailed it with their unusual haunting and atmospheric music, brought together with a range of acoustic and percussion interludes.
Describing their sound though is something the band themselves struggle with.
"It is perhaps our biggest strength and our biggest weakness," Phil explains, "It is great that people say we don't sound like anyone else. But it is also then difficult to say if you like so and so then you will like us.
"We play a mix of rock, acoustic, Americana and folk - I suppose you could say we are like The Magic Numbers on a bad day," he smiles.
The three founder members of Caleb, drummer Phil, 35, vocalist Elyza Nicholas, 29, Dan Halamandres, 26 on vocals and guitar were joined in October last year by bass guitarist Steve Segar, 36.
Phil says: "Since then we have really gelled and it feels like we have been together for years.
"Not just musically but personality wise as well. Steve really understands where we were coming from. We have had other bassists who might have been musically good but they just didn't fit in with the band. I think that is just as important as you need to be feeling the same things in order for the music to come."
The bands name comes thanks to Elyza's late granddad Caleb.
"She liked the name and its kinda of a tip of the hat to him," says Phil.
Elzya and Dan are the main songwriters which Phil likens to a "Lennon and McCartney type partnership".
"They are like a steam engine when they get going and amazing to watch. Although Dan can be a nightmare to work with as he is very critical and a complete perfectionist. We can often come out battered and bruised from a rehearsal," he laughs.
His favourite own track is Unhandled, one of the first songs the band wrote and the song they chose to finish their set with on Friday night.
"It is such an emotional song though," says Phil, " we have to end with it because it takes everything out of you and at the end you are knackered."
With their trip to Maida Vale planned for this Sunday (May 4) Caleb are hoping to reproduce their unique live sound on a recording.
Phil says: " It is not something we have managed yet and to be honest I am not sure it is even possible. But hopefully with the expertise there we can nail it."
For more information on the band visit www.calebband.org.uk
Caleb play Chinnery's in Marine Parade, Southend, tomorrow (Thurs). Free entry. From 8pm. 01702 467305.
11:44pm Wednesday 30th April 2008
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