Emergenza Battle of the Bands 2002
National Final London
Artist: The Elishe
Venue: The London Astoria Date: 14-7-2 

Finally at this Battle of the Bands competition we’re introduced to the first collection of individuals who could actually be described as a band Not just a collection of session musicians or acquaintances, but four guys who look like they belong on the cover of NME.

The Elishe take to the stage with a certain arrogance that can only be honed either through a collection of good songs or pompous self-confidence. Fortunately, it’s the previous. Their opening track rips through the venue like a welcomed earthquake. With a ferociously loud guitar and a hypnotic synth loop laid on top of a tight rhythm section, these guys quite frankly rock and they know it. Their mixture of loud guitars, drum loops, synths and alt rock dance tracks conjure up images of The Cooper Temple Clause but they’re thankfully more entertaining.

The singers overt rock posturing could easily be jeered at for its non-authenticity, falling to his knees within 2 minutes of being on stage; shouting ?we love you?, but he’s a great front man with a great rock Barnet and they make such a racket you have to let him get away with it.

The customary indecipherable shout from the lead singer marks the end of the gig, and The Elishe leave the stage. My head fills with thoughts of leaving the venue but it doesn’t fill with their melody lines. They still need that song that will lodge itself into the back of your brain and stick itself on repeat until you cave in and buy the single, if only to save your own sanity.
The Elishe are the type of band that will grow on you, they have the look, the sound, the attitude and I’m sure soon, they’ll have the single that will take them where they want to go.
Date: 30-01-2003 Southscene Magazine

THE ELISHE