Clearly music execs are missing the boat here, for the adoration which radiated from Soul City Exile’s fans as the band took to the stage in The Late Room was electric. Before the boys had even picked up their instruments, they were surrounded by a hysterical crowd eager for the set to begin, all but throwing their knickers on stage in excited anticipation. They began with the riotous No One Better, before moving on to You Make Me Feel and Be Without. Relative newcomer Lee Shields sunk into the vocals like he’d been with the band since childhood, working the blues glam inspired Say Goodbye with a confidence and style that even Bowie would be proud of. It was the tremendous Hard Earned Soul though, a track unashamedly influenced by The Cult’s She Sells Sanctuary, the Oasis classic Rock And Roll Star, and the Stone Roses' She Bangs The Drums, that really showed him to be an outstanding and charismatic frontman. What makes Soul City Exile such a terrific act is that, quite simply, they are an old fashioned rock and roll band. They make no apologies for this. Their 60’s and 70’s rock and blues influence is celebrated in every track, while underneath this all beats the strong influence of the 90’s Manchester music scene. It is a sound that is easy to enjoy and infectiously uplifting. To this band it’s as if progressive rock never happened. They are stuck in a joyous time warp which is as refreshing as it is reassuring. Soul City Exile go back to the roots of the good old days of music and their fans clearly love them for it. | 
