I actually intended to review "The Australian Pink Floyd" gig at the Empire, but due to a tragic lack of tickets I eventually decided to review an up and coming band. Okay, so everybody thinks they know some up and coming band of some sort or other, but since I'm perfect then of course the band I've seen are, in my opinion, on the way, and the first thing in their favour is that they're not a cover band.

The Mellow Drops (the name having been influenced by some line in Jurassic Park) are a seven member band from Dunshaughlin, a small town between Dublin and Navan. They consist of Cian, Derek, "Yellowhead", Chewy, Mark, James and Orla.

"Listen", their latest CD, is a fantastic collection of some of their best tunes. "Gan Na Gaoithe", an instrumental, really gets the live audience going, and "Dreamsong" is one of the most perfect love songs I've heard (and this isn't because I'm biased!). Over the years they've played Eamonn Doran's, Whelans, Slatterys, The Da Club, and are about to play The Funnel (where THE FUN LOVIN CRIMINALS played a few months ago) on 18th December, and anyone who's going home to Dublin for Christmas, it's a gig well worth going to - even if only for the light shows and lazers. Amazonian natives dance in time with the Delay Song and a sidewinder creeps across the screen at the intro.

The band have really got their heads together these days after seven years of jamming together - well, most of them anyway. I filmed their last gig in Navan for part of my final year project and despite the dodgy venue, The Penny Lane, it was a fantastic gig. Even the feardy locals managed to get into it after they got the "tie-dyed, long-haired, hippy redneck" inbreed jokes out of their system.

My advice is to do as the poster suggests - "Listen, Relax and Enjoy". It's up to the individual what substances are best to suit personal purposes - that is, tea, coffee, milkshakes, etc....whatever floats your boat. Corruption isn't one of my fortes.

These days the band can be found on the Internet (mellowdrops@tinet.ie), where you can hear examples of their songs not included on the CD (like "Aqua 9" and "Prozap"), and a brief history of the band. "It's well worth visiting", as the professional surfers say!

I'd also suggest checking out Yellowhead's shirt, and believe me, abstract as it sounds, it could never be as abstract as the web page! Not the usual run of the mill gig dates etc..

The Mellow Drops are supposed to be playing the Uni bar at some stage this year - hopefully, since I won't be here next year! So keep an eye out for the "Listen, Relax and Enjoy" posters and basically, no matter what your taste, they play all their own songs and there's one for everybody, even a metal guitar solo from Derek that any guitarist would be proud or jealous of.

If you want anymore info on the band and can't get the website, or would prefer the more prehistoric method of pen to paper, drop me a line! - Ruth Beggs, 3rd Year Pigeon Hole on the Media corridor, above the Students' Union offices, South Building.