Have you seen them yet? Have you heard them? They're the word on the streets, one of Wales's best kept unseen musical secrets...I'm talking bout Eric Unseen, hitting the town of Ebbw Vale for the launch night of their hot off the presses EP 'Meat & Razorblades', with a not too shabby supporting bill all squeezed into the hottest venue around. So, whether you want some meat or you're in need of razorblades, we have everything laid out on tonight's musical menu. Pay the man, jump in and strap yourself down.

Kicking proceedings off in style are four piece pop-punk upstarts Bittersweet By Design, with tunes like 'Over My Head', 'Lights Out' and 'Self Destruct' and, from a manly slap on the back non homosexual point of view, it should be uttered there's some fine looking youth ridden rascals within this band - Uber Ladies stay tuned. Vocalist Joel Price has a little Rivers Cuemo image approach going on that could positively become an angle for these guys, possibly lacking a bit of attitude and grit on the stage presence side but that will come with maturity. A few covers thrown in for good measure, including some Blink 182 and the Foos amongst others, but the possible future potential is overtly evident. Keep it together.

A rather fantastic and welcome addition to the bill comes in the shape of '60s inspired folk laden troubadour Richard Kinsey, another great hope from Merthyr Rock City, tonight performing as part of a duo alongside bassist Aron Stenning in the absence of drummer extraordinaire Paul Black. 'Keep Moving', 'Gunshot Alley', 'Long Road' and 'Small Town' are all laid out in the usual expected acoustic fashion but with a bittersweet Irish influenced foot stompin' kinda groove, with singer/guitarist Kinsey also bringing out the harmonica and kick drum in an almost one man bnand style to add to the frivolities. 'Make A Wish', 'Hanging Around' and 'Settle the Morning Blues' bring things to a grand conclusion and a deserved standing ovation.

Some USA inspired surf punk rears its head next with Abergavenny five piece Story To Be Told hitting the stage running with their own brand of spit it out, ram it down, over-populated musical pop-punk slant, offering some happy go lucky original material mixed and mashed alongside some covers to keep the MTV generation-esque crowd at bay spewing out Bowling For Soup's '1985' and a speedy rendition of the Jessie J tune 'Price Tag' that actually works a treat.

Style, Attitude, Look, Appeal, Swagger, Enthusiasm.....Eric Unseen bang it out in their own caustic indie punk way, bucket loads of stage presence, chanting anthemic backing vox, an early version of The Clash's 'White Riot' gets booted out with some Unseen speedy elegance. 'I'm The King' comes complete with a random fella boshing away on the tambourine, while frontman and main focal point Dan leads his troops, rounded off by bassist Slim, drummer Scott and guitarist Rhys. How these guys are not signed at this point in time has moi in head-scratching astonishment mode. With tunes spinning around like 'Goodnight Soho' and 'Sex In The City' Eric Unseen absolutely have got what it takes and more.

An interlude of 'Bat Out Of Hell' certainly grasps the assembled punters in this close to capacity arena as the act briefly leave the stage area, a short video clip gets an airing thanking various peeps involved in assisting the group thus far before the band members retake their collective places on stage to perform the track that's become the reason why we're all gathered here this evening, 'Meat & Razorblades', before inviting Richard Kinsey in his Phil Daniels guise to join them for a snatchy run through of the Blur classic 'Parklife'...all the people, so many people...get used to it Eric.

Photos by Ashlea Matthews

Ashlea Bea Photography