Quite simply, this was the most committed performance by a band I’ve seen in years. While most of the ‘art-school boys’ are quite content with style over substance and fiddling while Rome burns Brakes aren’t afraid to get down and dirty to address personal and political issues.
 | | Brakes (photo: Andy Stubbs) |
Don’t get me wrong they aren’t The Redskins, but these guys burn with anger, and in bug-eyed Eamon Hamilton have a singer whose anger management issues find perfect release on stage. Targets range from political foes like Blair and Cheney, to the more day-to-day irritants like people who talk at gigs and annoyingly careerist musicians. Some of the songs are sub-thirty second bursts of pent up bile, Cheney for instance lasts about ten seconds and has the perfect one line lyric, “Cheney, Cheney, Cheney, stop being such a dick". They even played it twice, just in case any of us missed it. And if you missed this wonderful gig, I feel sorry for you, as Brakes gave blood and so much more. | 
