Sunburned Hand of the Man & The Rosemarie Band @ Miss Peapods, 10.06.08

With Miss Peapods still reeling from Monotonix's sweat-drenched assault a few weeks ago, Sunburned Hand of the Man's second gig in Penryn initially looked to be a far less life-threatening affair. Elegant Falmouthians The Rosemarie Band complemented Cluster-esque shades of Krautrock with a Celtic chirruping flute, and a calmly liturgical rhythm akin to the post-rock instrumentation of Do Make Say Think. Their first song an incongruous vocal number, the set improved incrementally as words were cast aside, and a burring guitar met with the sun setting over the Fal for a demure crescendo. Resonant with promise, The Rosemarie Band could follow in Thistletown's footsteps and become Cornwall's brightest slow-burners of 2008.

Appearing shortly after to a crowd buoyed by Peapods' potent organic cider, Sunburned Hand of the Man precipitated potential danger in their set when they strewed shock-absorbing foil sheets across the stage; it wasn't immediately obvious whether these were intended for the benefit of a venue bruised by Monotonix, or audience members of a nervous disposition. Either way, songs ranging from primal lycanthropic yelps to more cosmic percussive drones passed by without making much of a lasting musical impression - most memories of the evening will recall freakish totem masks looming through alien euphonies rather than any mind-blowing brilliance. However, as with each and every gig put on by Lono, it marked a thoroughly memorable night better than most, and to echo the thoughts of many, it's a shame that the next date in Lono's calendar isn't until August.