The machine rages on with Million Empire

'Its a sweat box down there' I'm told, but at the moment as I'm nursing a poorly self advised coke with ice that doesn't seem all that bad. The sweat box is infact as the  rip off Vegas style sign reads the fabulous Sunflower lounge. Now the fabulous statement might be questionable, the lounge is small, not tiny, you could swing a cat, if you're under 5 foot and the cat is a kitten. I look down at the floating ice as a cool breeze sweeps up the road, someone mentions going down stairs and the cups on the floor and I'm moving before they finish the sentence.
For a live music venue its small, but has a nice punk feeling to it. I'm here to watch a band called Million Empire who are second on in a three band bill. The first band take to the stage and there's a moment that I prey they are not to bad as the thought of returning to the cold outside sends a chill through me. The singer reminds me of someone I used to work with, and the musics not exactly to my taste but I'd stood through a lot worse only a few week earlier. By now the place is full and it feels nice to be squashed into a small basement as overly loud music assaults my ears. That might sound strange but to people who go to unsigned gigs this is our bread and butter. The band like the sound of their own voices between songs and we are treated to some 'humour' but it feels like we've all been left out of the loop and maybe its a band thing. They finish and the shift starts, these are those manic moments between bands when music equipment is moved onto the stage and used stuff is moved out. For us its the moments where the lady's go to the toilets and the men head to the bar. Me I'm fumbling with a camcorder and feeling lied to, I'm still bloody cold. After a few moments and more people flooding in Million Empire take to the stage. The first song is 'Hunt with desire' its the perfect song to start, hitting the captive crowd with a wall of sound that leaves you unable to do anything but watch. The set thunders through and I here someone singing in the crowd which brings a smile to my face. The temperature thankfully starts to rise as the band thrash out the songs, by thrash I don't mean they play 80's style thrash music, I mean they play with a lot of energy and as they put it 'balls to the wall'. I shift a little to get a better view with the camcorder which by now is the main and only reason all the blood is rushing from my hand. With the fear of fluid collecting in my elbow and ending up with some kind of hideous elephant man type extremity I carry on. The set comes to a loud energetic end and as the hum dies there are shouts of more. I thankfully press stop and check for a football sized elbow, I'm ok I'll live to see another Million Empire show.

Additional content: A video from Million Empire's show at the Flapper Birmingham:
Million Empire live: 'My Honour'