For those of you who've never been Sub 89 it's a cracking little venue in the upstairs of Jongleurs Comedy Store in Reading. On dark nights it seems to have taken over as the new venue in town for live music and has been attracting, with Reading's ½ hour out of Lahndahn location some big names recently! All good for us Lazy Reading-ites who sometimes just can't be arsed to get on the train to Paddington!

Support for tonight's three-band bill comes from Mellowtoy. It's a good earily crowd turnout from a notoriously fickle Reading scene, but the guys (who are new to me) go down a storm. Despite some overrunning, it's an energetic set for the Italian newbies who mix shouty hardcore vocals with more traditional metal sounds.

Breed 77 co headline tonight, and the force certainly seems with them, with some locals even telling me "We're all here for Breed". So we have an onslaught of riffage, with attempts at mosh pits and circle pits going on. I can't help looking at the bass player and the guitar player and think that it's a younger, balder Derek Smalls and Graham Oliver respectively. When the former mixes in some trademark points and poses I'm wondering when the 'Sex Farm' cover is going to start, instead their 'Zombie' cover proves an effective crowd singalong. The crowd simply loved it so job done!

To these ears at least Ill Nino are Sepultura-esque with a strong rhythm, and heavy tribal beat driving their music. Growls penetrate the Sunday night still, so we get a metal and growly set from the chaps.  It's fists and horns all the way, with 2 drummers setting a heavy ethnic rhythm for the crowd to bounce too. At times I get the feeling that the guys are perhaps too angry for their own good, and for a Sunday evening to be continuously told to "Wake the fuck up" every 30 seconds, is really beyond the abusive especially when the band have come on late already. The kids however are well up for it and liking the set, perhaps they have that low self-esteem thing, that they like the tirade of abuse coming from the lead singer. "Is this rock and roll though that is the question? 'This Is War' answers that very quickly and has a high energy level, and good level of bounce, with 'I Am Loco' also leading a strong charge.  Finishing off with 'Liar' and' How Can I Live', seems an apt way to bring a tirade of musical abuse to an end. I didn't catch the guys at Hammerfest but I hope the journey to Wales and the ensuing alcholicaust tempered their anger a little. I certainly heard they went down a storm.

Tonight Ill Nino win the "merch" war at any rate with many a happy punter going away at the end of the night, but for a Sunday, this was just way too shouty for this old fart.

Breed 77 winning out on the popularity stakes with the kids and yours truly.

El Nino Setlist; Intro / My Resurrection/ If You Still Hate Me/ This Is War/ God Is Fpr The Dead/ I Am Loco/ Te Amo...I Hate You/ Bleed Like You/ The Alibi of Tyrants/ Corazon Of Mine/ Lifeless Life/ What Comes Around/ How Can I Live/ Liar.