LIVE REVIEWS, 2021.
THE SATELLITES / THE PHOBICS / THE ELECTRICS. The George & Dragon, Acton, 22/5/2021. I think this was one of those things that used to be called… gigs? It seems so long since we were able to go out to such events and, for this occasion at least, things were still quite different. The G&A is usually a lively venue, but while some restrictions were still lingering, it meant the audience had to remain seated while the bands played and if you wanted a drink, you had to wait for the bar-staff to come and take your order rather than approaching the bar. This all proved awkward especially as there were so many people who hadn’t seen each other for a year or more, so they obviously wanted to catch-up with old friends and socialise. That being said, most if not all of the audience did their best to comply and appreciated the difficult situation that the promoter and bar-staff had to contend with. At the end of the evening, it was great to see and hear things moving again, even if it was a bit peculiar. So… first onstage are The Electrics, who seem to have lost a few members since last time I saw them, most notably no saxophone. But that doesn’t prevent them from delivering a powerful mix of Hard Rock and Detroit-style proto-punk. I’ll be hoping to see them again soon, as gigs start to become more frequent! Next up, The Phobics. With this combo being pretty local to the ‘hood, it does sometimes seem like I go to see them every week or two, so the extended gap of no-Phobic-activity has been particularly noticeable. But that only served to make this more special. The band clearly look to be enjoying the chance to play-live again and the audience, although unnaturally confined to seats, are enthusiastic and appreciative. A great set of songs, from ‘Down & Out in Deptford’ through to ‘Burnt Rubber’, it’s really good to have The Phobics back onstage! Finally, it’s time for The Satellites and it’s good to see the break hasn’t softened them at all. They’re just as eccentric and entertaining as ever, with plenty of bizarre but catchy songs to keep your attention focused. They may not be an ‘orthodox’ punk band (was punk ever supposed to be orthodox?) but in their ongoing quest to spread ‘Eeyore in the UK’, they’ve carved out a place for themselves that’s all their own. Long may they continue to make it a very noisy and enjoyable place to visit!
ANARCHISTWOOD. All Ages Record Shop, 26/6/22. Anarchistwoods’ gigs on the pavement outside All Ages have become a bit of an annual tradition, but this year it was a little more poignant. This was the first time they’d played live since the sad loss of guitarist Candy, although the buoyant atmosphere ensured he was still very-much there in spirit. Secondly, after all the lock-down-lunacy, this was also the first time a lot of us had seen each other for many months, especially in conjunction with live music. The weather is pretty decent, so everyone (fans of the band as well as curious onlookers from the local flats and houses) is intent on having a good time and the band are intending to play two half-hour sets, the first featuring songs from their upcoming album while the second would include older material. Well, the first 30 minutes goes well, the music sounds good and everyone seems to have a smile on their face, including two beat-coppers who wander past. But it’s just as the band begin their second set that proceedings are tarnished by an unwelcome presence. Three unnecessary vanloads of police turn into the street (completing blocking it for any other traffic, which the gig-crowd wasn’t) and basically hang around, unable to understand what was going on and generally leering in an intimidating fashion. They hassled the shop-staff and, despite not a hint of trouble, just hung-around creating a bad vibe. Anarchistwood managed to play a few more songs before they decided to cut things short. The police eventually left, content that they had spoilt the fun. It was nothing to do with law and order, of course… after all, if they had wanted to tackle real criminals, they should have gone down to 10 Downing Street!
BLUE CARPET BAND / YUR MUM. The Birds Nest, 2/7/21. This is my first gig back at the Birds Nest since its’ interior renovations. It’s quite different to how it was, but I won’t go into details as they probably won’t make any sense to most of you. All I have to say is that, although the new stage area is a big improvement and the PA sound seemed a lot better, it’s still rather awkward to get a good view if there’s a large crowd in attendance, which there was tonight. Anyway … I arrive in time to see Yur Mum a duo who seem to be constantly on tour (that’s the beauty of a two-piece band, travel-arrangements are a lot easier to sort out.) Featuring bass, drums and vocals only, their music is reminiscent to the much-missed No Means No, although Yur Mum also add plenty of their own character and intent to the overall sound. Having not seen or heard them before now, they will definitely be a band that I check-out again. After a short break, it’s time for Blue Carpet Band and, although half of the band members seem to have changed yet again, musically they kick off as if they’ve never been away. Elements of The Cramps, the Ramones and Stray Cats collide in a lo-fi, high energy wall of sound, orchestrated and conducted as ever by frontman Djamel, whose stage-presence is the essential element. Blue Carpet Band have steadily improved and developed over the past few years and are dependable fun in smaller venues like this. Lets hope they can now start to make the transition to bigger audiences and more recognition.
THE PHOBICS / SHOCKS OF MIGHTY. The Pelton Arms, 24/7/21. I make no excuse for this, as I fucked-up. Over the past few years there have been a series of gigs at this lovely venue, billed as ‘Punk at the Pelton’ and organised by Jon Willis of the band Junko Fuse. However, this was to be his swansong (due to moving away from glorious Sarf Londen) so I totally intended to be there for JF. But typically, I arrive thinking that they’ll be onstage second and as it turned out, they’d already played, first on the bill. So… mega-apologies for my error, thanks for setting up so many fine gigs and best of luck with your new plans! Anyway… Shocks of Mighty play a fine set, a punky reggae mix that always hits the mark, even despite a recent change of drummer, and then it’s a quick change over and the Phobics are blasting away in their (new) spiritual home, delivering the punk rock’n’roll by the shovel-load. Is there a better way to spend an evening? There might be but it would involve a lot more cash than I’ve ever seen. What can I say… Phobics plus great venue and enthusiastic audience equals all the fun you can hope for from a gig! Don’t miss the next one.
ANTHRAX / DOGSHITE / PAPAL PLOT / EMILY FLEA. The Dublin Castle, 30/7/21. Perhaps not entirely accurate, date-wise, but this was a multiple launch event for several new releases on the increasingly impressive Grow Your Own record label, with new records emanating from Emily Flea, Dogshite and Anthrax. The prospect was exciting which made me attend early enough to end-up hauling equipment inside for the soundchecks, but that’s all part of the experience. More importantly, it was great to see old friends again for the first time since Covid went Crazy, so I know this is going to be a great night. Emily-the-ex-Flea takes to the stage first, just a solo set, voice and guitar, which puts more emphasis on the lyrics, but they’re direct enough to cope with the attention. Emily clearly has a strong vision and if she can focus it accurately, she may well become one of the most important voices on the punk scene over the next few years. Next onstage are a young band called Papal Plot , who I know nothing about. Even searching online, I discover little more, but their set is pretty interesting, a mix of punky aggression and post-punk intrigue. I can’t give you more info because I can’t find it, but definitely a band to check-out. But it’s the next band, Dogshite, that really make the unexpected impression of the night. I’d seen them once before in New Cross and they hadn’t really made much of an impression, partly due to their uninspiring name, but tonight, with all of the material from their new EP, ‘Mass Deception’, they are magnificent. The new songs are very impressive, the music is powerful and tight, whilst singer Carmel delivers the lyrics with real passion. I wasn’t expecting to be blown-away, but that’s what happened and it’s a great feeling when it occurs. Check this band out as soon as you can! Finally, Anthrax are headlining and as they begin to play their set, it soon becomes apparent that their new songs are some of the best that they’ve ever performed. Featuring a new female singer alongside original vocalist Oskar, the lyrics sound more poignant than ever, whilst musically the band are tight and inventive, continuing the course they began in 1980, mixing the attitude of early Punk Rock with the raw energy of early 80’s hardcore to create something unique. Anthrax continue to pick their targets accurately and respond with appropriate words and music. At the end of the day, it’s up to you whether you take notice or try to hide away from what’s really going on.
OMEGA TRIBE / ANARCHISTWOOD. Old Queens Head. 31/7/21. Wow, two gigs in two nights! That hasn’t happened for a while, but then again, one gig in one night hasn’t been happening either, so let’s just go with it. Down to Stockwell for an interesting line-up. Due to train delays, I miss the first couple of bands but arrive in time for Anarchistwood who are sounding better than ever. I’m not sure if I like this place as a venue. The bar seems rather expensive and there’s no stage as such, meaning that you can’t see the bands too well unless you’re standing on their toes, but there is a good atmosphere which is always a positive. Anyway, Anarchistwood play a fine set of new and older material which goes down really well, while Omega Tribe seem to play mostly new material that I don’t recognise, apart from a few older songs. I’m not sure what to make of this. If a band wants to move forward that’s fine, but why reform as something if you’re not going to refer to your original intent. Omega Tribe wrote some truly great songs during the Eighties and while I don’t dislike what they’re doing now, I don’t understand why they’ve ditched so much of their past. I’ll keep hoping that they achieve a better balance in the meantime, but I know they can be a lot more impressive than this.
GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS / TREEBOY. Shacklewell Arms, 7/8/21. After several attempts to see GiS before the lockdowns (they developed a nasty habit of announcing gigs on the same nights that I was already going elsewhere) I finally get to see them live! And this was a special one… having not played in public for so long, they managed to sneak onto this bill as the support act, which was great for them and their fans, but the unfortunate headliners were in for a thrashing before they even reached the stage! Tonight also turned out to be a bit different for GiS, as they were joined onstage by a fourth member (playing bass and keyboards, as and when necessary) although I’m not sure if this is a permanent addition. Having not seen them live before now, I can’t comment if it was a noticeable improvement, but the overall sound was still incredibly powerful and impressive. Think of Big Black at their best, mixed with the early abrasive sound of Helmet, the more recent sonic assault of Metz and certain elements of Suicide… that will point you in the right direction, even though GiS produce a sound and delivery that’s very-much their own. They play a relatively short set but within that time, they produce so much. It’s powerful and inspiring, making you want to hear more as soon as they end a song. Or maybe even making you want to form your own band... It’s raw, it’s primal, and it’s vital. Right now, I can’t recommend this band enough. After them, the headliners… well, let’s just say, most of the audience made an early exit.