LIVE REVIEWS, JANUARY - JUNE 2019
THE DERELLAS / KNOX / THE PHOBICS, 100 Club, 7/1/19. I’ve seen The DeRellas at the 100 Club a few times, but this is the first time they’ve headlined there and they deserve it. To make it even more of an event, they’ve also invited their friends, Knox and The Phobics to play with them, making this a rather decent line-up. The Phobics start the proceedings by playing a blistering set featuring both old and new material. With a relatively short time on stage, there’s no messing about and they put everything into the set. The PA sound is really good and they get an enthusiastic response from the audience, even though a lot of people are only just arriving. It’s a good way to start the evening, for sure. Next up is Knox playing a solo acoustic set. It’s always good to see him playing live, either with a band or on his own, and this gig is no exception. He plays some of his more recent songs alongside various older Vibrators tracks, ending with a version of ‘Baby Baby’ that has everyone in the venue singing along. Finally, it’s time for The DeRellas and although the club isn’t packed, they’ve certainly attracted a very decent-sized crowd. The band launch into their set with plenty of energy and maintain those levels throughout their show. Playing a great mix of Punk Rock, Glam and trashy rock’n’roll, they deliver songs with lots of attitude and catchy melodies. ‘She’s A Pistol’, ‘Dress Up, Mess Up’ and ‘High Rise Supersize’ are songs that deserved to be heard and it’s criminal that they’re not being played regularly across the airwaves. They may not be playing music that will change the world, but they do know how to entertain a crowd and they make it look easy. If you want to see a band who play rock’n’roll that sounds like a wild party, The DeRellas are the band for you.
RUTS DC, The Little Crown, Deptford, 11/1/19. Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the release of their classic debut single, ‘In a Rut’, Ruts DC had decided to play an acoustic set in the small confines of The Little Crown, one of the smallest pubs in Deptford but, as Segs announces, also the home of the best Guinness in South London. This was something they wanted to do for themselves and wasn’t meant to be a big event so it was kept very quiet, with invites only made by word of mouth and not even announced on their website. Basically, if many more people had turned-up they literally wouldn’t have been able to squeeze-in! Fortunately, I’m contacted early in the afternoon and invited down. It’s an early start, so I go straight from work and find the pub without any problems. It’s a nice place and, as recommended, the Guinness is very good indeed. There’s no stage in the place, so the band set-up in the corner, all seated on the regular benches. Leigh and Segs are both playing acoustic guitars while Dave Ruffy just has a solitary snare drum, but it’s a set-up that works really well. After all, a good song works whether it’s loud or quiet and the Ruts / Ruts DC have plenty of good songs. As if to prove the point, they start with ‘Something that I Said’ but follow it with ‘Kill The Pain’ and ‘Soft City Lights’ from their most recent album. They play for around 45 minutes, mixing older favourites like ‘West One’ and ‘Staring at the Rude Boys’ with recent songs like ‘Psychic Attack’ and ‘Music Must Destroy’. It all goes down as well as the aforementioned Guinness with the enthralled audience. By the end of the set, there’s no real encore as such as the place is so packed, there’s nowhere for any of them to go, but great versions of ‘Babylon’s Burning’ and ‘In a Rut’ are the perfect climax to the event. This had been something really special and I’m so glad I was able to be there. Let’s just hope that they play more gigs like this so that more people get the chance to see how good their acoustic sets can be.
BUCHA EFFECT / SURGERY WITHOUT RESEARCH, The Birds Nest, 11/1/19. As The Ruts DC gig had been so early, we all take a stroll around the corner to The Birds Nest as our friends Bucha Effect are playing there tonight. Surgery Without Research are already onstage when we arrive and I have to admit I don’t get a chance to check them out properly, but they sound alright. However, Bucha Effect are as much fun as usual. Most of their songs are pretty humorous but more recently, they’ve been writing about more serious topics and concentrating more on the musical side of things. It’s paying off because they’ve developed into a much better band, combining good tunes with witty lyrics rather than leaning towards being a comedy band. The recent single, ‘Tommy Hates Cheese’ is a perfect example. The lyrics might be humorous but the song itself is still really catchy even if you’re not in on the joke. On this occasion, they even manage to tempt the subject of the song, Tom Phobic, onstage to provide the backing vocals! Although Ruts DC were best band of the night, Bucha Effect also managed to hold their ground and deliver a decent set of their own. You can never complain about an evening like this!
MICHAEL ROTHER / MESSTHETICS, Dalston Earth, 26/1/19. For those who don’t already know, Michael Rother was an original member of legendary Krautrock band, Neu!. He was playing this gig as part of a tour with his current band, whilst support this evening was Messthetics, a three-piece from Washington DC featuring Joe Lally and Brendan Canty (Fugazi etc) and guitarist Anthony Pirog. So both bands are new to me, as is the venue. I later find out that there’s actually two fairly large venues within this building, one downstairs (which I much prefer) as well as the all-seated, auditorium-like space upstairs where tonights’ gig takes place. I arrive pretty early to meet up with Joe and Brendan, as well as a few other friends who are also there. Messthetics are playing pretty early so I get a good spot to watch them from and wait to see how it’s going to go. I’d already heard their debut album, so I knew it was going to be all-instrumental, featuring complex rhythms and improvisation. While the album is impressive in itself, I guessed that the live performance would be more direct and powerful and I’m glad to say I was correct. Messthetics music is not going to appeal to everyone as it is pretty cerebral, but when you hear and see it performed live it makes a lot more sense. When you can see the physicality and attention that they all commit to the music, it becomes more immediate and gives you a way to appreciate it which perhaps isn’t so apparent on the recordings. Either way, most people at this gig were here solely to see Michael Rother and had no idea who Messthetics were, but by the end of the set they receive very enthusiastic applause and sold plenty of their albums. If you’re intrigued by this band, you really need to see them live for the full effect. I hope you get a chance to do so soon. As the stage is set-up for the headliners, I make the mistake of going to the bar. It’s ridiculous over-priced (£5.00 for a small can of beer!) It’s also surprisingly cold in the venue, with some people even wearing the coats and jackets while they watch the bands. This could be a decent venue, but unless there’s an effort to make it a bit more hospitable, I can’t say I’ll be in a rush to go there again.
However, Michael Rothers’ set more than makes up for the setting. I have some of the early Neu! records and like them a lot, but I can’t say that I’m familiar with all of his work. But tonight was an almost mesmerising show, with a three-piece band featuring guitars and drums as well as electronics. The set is mostly based around original Neu! Material, although not just exact replications, but also includes some Harmonia tracks (music he regarded after he left Neu!) Michael himself switches between guitar and the array of electronic devices that he has onstage, and it’s all very effective. The drummer delivers the famous ‘motorik’ beat that propels the music and almost-psychedelic visuals are shown on a large screen behind the band to enhance the experience. Michael doesn’t speak to the audience that much, but as the set progresses he encourages the audience to leave their seats and come down to the space in front of the stage. This makes so much more sense to me rather than just sitting backing and observing the proceedings. You really need to feel like a part of the event and, whilst the music up until this point had already been very good, it now becomes something really special. I am very impressed and, if you get a chance, I can only recommend that you go to see a Michael Rother concert. It won’t be a let-down.
THE PACK / DESPERATE MEASURES, The Dome, 27/1/19. Funnily enough, this was another gig I never thought we’d see. Although Kirk Brandon has continued performing with both Spear of Destiny and Theatre of Hate over the years, it seemed unlikely that he would ever resurrect The Pack, so I was very surprised, as well as chuffed, when a short tour was announced. The current line-up only features Kirk Brandon and bassist John Werner from the original band, but it will be great to finally see those songs performed live. The London gig is initially announced as being at the Underworld, but unexpected demand for tickets soon sees it being moved up to The Dome. A lot of people have been waiting to see this gig for a long time and certainly aren’t going to miss out. The place is pretty packed by the time I arrive and the place is buzzing with expectation. Main support band, Desperate Measures, deliver their set and get a good response. Their sound may be pretty basic three chord punk, but they put it across with enthusiasm and in such a positively-charged atmosphere, everyone seems to get behind them. But the audience is really here for the headliners and we don’t have to wait too long. The lights go down and the intro tape – ‘Mars’ from The Planets Suite’ – begins to play. It’s a great piece of music and has been used as an intro by various bands, although they usually don’t play the whole thing, but The Pack do just that before finally appearing onstage. Starting with the songs ‘Pack of Lies’ and ‘St Teresa’, they do seem to be having problems, particularly with the guitars, but gradually it starts to clear-up and by the third or fourth song, things start to sound more like they should. The band are actually pretty tight and, once the sound is sorted, the songs come across with plenty of power. Tracks like ‘Abattoir’, ‘King of Kings’, ‘Heathen’ and ‘Brand New Soldiers’ work very effectively, recalling a time when punk bands were evolving from their basic roots to create something more interesting and idiosyncratic. This wasn’t ‘post-punk’, it was Punk Rock taking the next step forward. Alongside bands like The Ruts, The Wall and Crisis, they were taking the essence of Punk in different directions. Of course, The Pack didn’t last all that long and eventually morphed into Theatre of Hate, but they left their mark with a clutch of great singles and a reputation that obviously survives until now. They end the set with their original version of ‘Legion’, before an encore featuring ‘Vauxhall Savage’ and ‘Machineworld’. It was originally indicated that this short tour would just be a one-off, but after such an enthusiastic response, surely they must be tempted to see what else they might be able to do with this line-up? There’s quite obviously an audience for them…
1919 / DAMN VANDALS / DEVIANT HEART / KAJIKI VOLT, The Dublin Castle, 1/2/2019. I’ve been wanting to see Kajiki Volt for a while, so when this gig was announced, I made sure to be there. As well as KV, Deviant Heart had also been recommended and I was curious to see 1919, a band that I’d liked a lot back in the early Eighties but had never seen live,so this ought to be interesting. Anyway, I’d previously been sent some demos by Kajiki Volt to review and liked what I heard. The play a mix of styles that includes the more eccentric moments from Nick Cave’s past blended with hints of Captain Beefheart and perhaps even the Folk Devils. At the root of what they seem to be doing, you’ll find raw, primal rock’n’roll, but they take it forward by stripping it of any unnecessary niceties. As I said, their recordings were intriguing, but live it all comes together. This is a very good start to the evening. Next up are Deviant Heart, featuring Mark Geraghty (of Morgellons.) They play a punky set of trashy rock’n’roll fronted by a female vocalist who really brings the melodies to the forefront. The songs are very catchy whilst the band put enough energy into the music to really make an impression. Well worth catching them live if you can. By the time the next band are due to play, I realise that I haven’t eaten anything since lunch-time, so I decide to sneak out and get myself something to munch before I drink anything else. Unfortunately, this means that I miss the next band altogether, but I’m back in time for 1919. The band had originally reformed in 2014, including original guitarist/songwriter Mark Tighe and original drummer Mick Reed alongside new recruits Rio Goldhammer (vocals) and Karl Donnar (bass.) Their return proved to be successful, particularly in Europe, and they began work on a new album ‘Bloodline’. However, misfortune struck when Tighe was diagnosed with cancer and sadly died in early 2017, a month before the release of the album. However, Tighe had been insistent that the band should continue and so, after settling on a new guitarist, Sam Evans, they returned to playing live. I was a little wary of how they would be now, with only one original member, but I have to say, I was rather impressed. Playing a mix of old and new material, their music still has the vibrant energy that made them stand out in the first place, whilst in Rio Goldhammer they have a frontman with a great vocal style and lots of stage-presence. They’re good to watch and sound great, which is what we all want from a live band, while the lyrics are poignant and thought-provoking. In fact my only gripe is that they didn’t play ‘Alien’, always my favourite from the excellent ‘Machine’ album, but I can wait until the next time… I really enjoyed their set and will definitely make a point of seeing them again. Fingers-crossed, it won’t be a long wait…
JUNKO FUSE / BUCHA EFFECT / SEEK DESTROY, The Birds Nest, 2/2/19. Another bunch of friends-in-bands playing down at the Birds Nest, although I’d probably go along to see them even if I didn’t know them. And it’s the Birds Nest, so chances are that it’ll be a good evening whoever the bands are. I turn up to find Seek Destroy already playing their set. Unfortunately I don’t get a chance to pay proper attention as by the time I’ve met-up with various friends and procured a drink, they’ve pretty-much finished, but what I heard sounded alright. Bucha Effect are on their regular form, not taking themselves too seriously but also playing some damn-good songs along the way. The thing is, they’veve started to write some really good songs so, although their sense of humour is never too far away, you can really enjoy the music now, aside from the jokiness. Check out their latest record and you’ll hear what I mean. Junko Fuse have also steadily improved since I first saw them, developing their own style and getting increasingly better as a live band. I’m not going to say that they’re destined to become hugely popular or anything like that, but I’m sure that’s not the point of it anyway. Junko Fuse are a band who enjoy writing and playing music together, which is what bands should care about. As long as they can continue to play and entertain, then they should be supported.
THE RESIDENTS. Union Chapel, 4/2/19. Advertised as the ‘In Between Dreams’ tour, these dates also celebrated The Residents’ 50th Anniversary, as the Official Version of The Residents’ story (which, of course, is the only one you need to know) states that the band first started playing together in 1969. With little actual evidence to actually confirm or refute this statement, we have no choice but to accept it and make sure that we don’t miss the show !
The Union Chapel is a functioning and very ornate church near Highbury & Islington station. The ecclesiastical surroundings are a perfect environment for the Residents and the acoustics are superb. It also has a nice bar (presumably not open during services) and all the usual facilities, so it’s a great place for this performance.
The lights go down and the band appear onstage, the musicians sporting slightly-sinister seagull outfits whilst the singer is costumed as a cartoon cow ! Yup, it sounds ridiculous but when you see and hear them, it makes perfect sense. Searching for meaning behind it all isn’t really the point, although undoubtedly there is plenty to be considered within the music and lyrics. The set begins at an almost restrained pace, with two tacks from the ‘Freak Show’ album, before delving into a more bedeviling version of ‘Baby Sister’. Then comes the first ‘dream sequence’, narrated by the face of a clown projected onto a spherical screen above the stage, telling a tale of wanting to be a cowboy. The band resume with offerings from the more recent releases, ‘Bunny Boy’ and ‘Animal Lovers’, before a heart-felt version of James Browns’ ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World’. The second dream features the face of Mother Theresa recounting a tale of a train-wreck, before two songs from their most recent albums, ‘Intruders’ and ‘Ghost of Hope’ and a haunting version of ‘From The Plains to Mexico’. The band really seem to have found a perfect balance between their older and more recent material tonight, as well as creating a natural between softer to harsher sounds. Next comes the most comic moment of the evening, as President Nixon appears onscreen to recount his dream of becoming a Blues singer ! It’s a sublime moment and subtly recalls the opening moments of ‘Third Reich’n’Roll’, where Hitler is heard introducing ‘Let’s Twist Again’… The next trio of songs were from the forthcoming ‘Dyin’ Dog’ album, taking us to the final dream sequence, where John Wayne confesses his vision of ballerinas… The set comes to a close with ‘Africa Tree’, a track from the bands’ collaboration with Renaldo & The Loaf, followed by their cover of the Elvis Presley hit ‘Teddy Bear’ and a superb version of ‘Tourniquet of Roses’ from their classic ‘Fingerprince’ LP. The audience response is rapturous and it isn’t long before the band return for the encore, an atmospheric, moody version of ‘Buckaroo Blues’ merging with ‘Six More Miles to The Graveyard’. Ending with the melancholy refrain of ‘leave the best friend I ever had’, I had to wonder whether this was maybe a reference to the recent loss of long-time Residents-collaborator Hardy Fox ?
As both a visual and musical performance, the Residents are unquestionably one of the most innovative and unique projects of the last five decades. That they can still create performances as enthralling and special as this is truly remarkable and it would need pretty large blinkers to try and claim otherwise. Perhaps their music isn’t as groundbreaking as it once was (the rest of the world having caught-up with their original ideas and techniques) but the body of work they created and continue to add to is much more than any artist could hope for. Long Live The Residents !
The Union Chapel is a functioning and very ornate church near Highbury & Islington station. The ecclesiastical surroundings are a perfect environment for the Residents and the acoustics are superb. It also has a nice bar (presumably not open during services) and all the usual facilities, so it’s a great place for this performance.
The lights go down and the band appear onstage, the musicians sporting slightly-sinister seagull outfits whilst the singer is costumed as a cartoon cow ! Yup, it sounds ridiculous but when you see and hear them, it makes perfect sense. Searching for meaning behind it all isn’t really the point, although undoubtedly there is plenty to be considered within the music and lyrics. The set begins at an almost restrained pace, with two tacks from the ‘Freak Show’ album, before delving into a more bedeviling version of ‘Baby Sister’. Then comes the first ‘dream sequence’, narrated by the face of a clown projected onto a spherical screen above the stage, telling a tale of wanting to be a cowboy. The band resume with offerings from the more recent releases, ‘Bunny Boy’ and ‘Animal Lovers’, before a heart-felt version of James Browns’ ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World’. The second dream features the face of Mother Theresa recounting a tale of a train-wreck, before two songs from their most recent albums, ‘Intruders’ and ‘Ghost of Hope’ and a haunting version of ‘From The Plains to Mexico’. The band really seem to have found a perfect balance between their older and more recent material tonight, as well as creating a natural between softer to harsher sounds. Next comes the most comic moment of the evening, as President Nixon appears onscreen to recount his dream of becoming a Blues singer ! It’s a sublime moment and subtly recalls the opening moments of ‘Third Reich’n’Roll’, where Hitler is heard introducing ‘Let’s Twist Again’… The next trio of songs were from the forthcoming ‘Dyin’ Dog’ album, taking us to the final dream sequence, where John Wayne confesses his vision of ballerinas… The set comes to a close with ‘Africa Tree’, a track from the bands’ collaboration with Renaldo & The Loaf, followed by their cover of the Elvis Presley hit ‘Teddy Bear’ and a superb version of ‘Tourniquet of Roses’ from their classic ‘Fingerprince’ LP. The audience response is rapturous and it isn’t long before the band return for the encore, an atmospheric, moody version of ‘Buckaroo Blues’ merging with ‘Six More Miles to The Graveyard’. Ending with the melancholy refrain of ‘leave the best friend I ever had’, I had to wonder whether this was maybe a reference to the recent loss of long-time Residents-collaborator Hardy Fox ?
As both a visual and musical performance, the Residents are unquestionably one of the most innovative and unique projects of the last five decades. That they can still create performances as enthralling and special as this is truly remarkable and it would need pretty large blinkers to try and claim otherwise. Perhaps their music isn’t as groundbreaking as it once was (the rest of the world having caught-up with their original ideas and techniques) but the body of work they created and continue to add to is much more than any artist could hope for. Long Live The Residents !
THE RESIDENTS. St Georges Church, Brighton, 7/2/19. At the last moment, I was offered a pair of tickets for this concert and, after enjoying their show in London, this wasn’t an opportunity I could miss. As it turned out, I could also get to and from Brighton by train all in the same evening, so that was it, I had to go ! I left work, made my way to London Bridge, caught a train and 75 minutes later I was meeting the legendary John Roundear at Brighton station. Quick bus-ride over to the other side of Brighton and there we were, in yet another church. I’m not sure if the Residents had particularly opted-for such venues on this short tour (I think the venue in Glasgow was a similar location) but it does seem to work for them and, with a packed audience, there was a great atmosphere. I won’t include a lengthy description of the set for this evening because it was the same selection as the London show, but it is worth mentioning the venue. Acoustically, it was very good again, although the stage area was so low that, towards the back of the room, it was difficult to get a very good view of proceedings. But overall, it was still a nice and appropriate venue for The Residents and I doubt that anyone there was disappointed with the event. Again, the highpoints came with the wonderful version of ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World’, ‘From The Plains To Mexico’, ‘Tourniquet of Roses’ and ‘Buckaroo Blues’ / ‘Six More Miles to the Graveyard’, proving just how dramatic and entertaining the band continue to be. Perhaps some purists would complain that they didn’t play the songs the same as the original recordings, but that just wouldn’t be The Residents. Why would they want to just recreate the past when they can still see how they can update things ? That’s always been a part of their playful nature and the results more than stand-up in their own right. At the end of the encore, the band take a bow and then disappear backstage. The audience slowly depart, everyone chattering about the event they’ve witnessed. It was a pleasure to have been there.
STRANGE CAGES. Shacklewell Arms, 13/2/19. This was completely unintentional. I’d planned to meet a couple of friends, Ian and Simon, at the very pleasant Tap East bar in Stratford, which indeed went ahead, but after a few beers, Simon persuaded us to accompany him up to Dalston to see a band he wanted to check out. It was a free event and more beers would be involved, so why not? I’d never heard of Strange Cages before tonight, but they’re actually not bad at all. A Brighton-based four-piece, they delve into the realm of dark-psychedelia whilst also keeping an eye on the roots of trashy rock’n’roll and maybe even Glam. Consider the idea of a doom-laden Redd Kross and you might get an idea of what we’re dealing with. Not that their music is alienating, quite the opposite in fact, in some ways like Echo & the Bunnymen or maybe even The Doors at their prime. They’re not the sort of band that I’d usually listen to, but sometimes a band just does their thing so well that I have to give them the credit they deserve..
LUCY & THE RATS / SNIVELLING SHITS / JUNKO FUSE. The Pelton Arms, 16/2/19. This was a real treat. After their recent gigs, Snivelling Shits had decided to play a few more shows and Tom had got them a gig at The Pelton, one of the loveliest venues in South London. On top of this, the gig also included Junko Fuse and Lucy & the Rats, so we were in for a treat! Junko Fuse play pretty early, so people are still arriving, but it’s one the best sets I’ve seen from them to date. People are drawn into the music from the moment they step into the venue. The place isn’t as packed as it sometimes gets but pretty comfortable… Lots of people enjoying and supporting the bands whilst not having any problems reaching the bar. The Snivelling Shits take to the stage and they are really at their best form tonight. Small venue, enthusiastic audience, great sound. I’ve enjoyed all of their recent gigs, but this one is probably the best. The only difference is that regular bassist Richard wasn’t able to play this gig, so Phobics’ hero Moyni takes the bass duties. The ‘Shits always had a rather rotating line-up anyway, so it all fits-in with the legend. Moyni actually does a very good job, even after only one rehearsal, so no-one’s complaining and, in fact, they go down as well if not better than at any of their other recent gigs. They keep it short’n’sweet but that’s the way it ought to be. Thirty minutes and that’s yer lot, but what a great thirty minutes it was! Lucy & the Rats turned up unavoidably late, but are still more than able to deliver a great headline set. Their mix of primal Garage rock’n’roll and Punk Rock tuneage (think Sonics in a pillow fight with the Ramones and Buzzcocks) is a recipe that only the blandest taste-buds could ignore. Noise in all the right places, melodies that’ll make your heart skip a beat and songs that will keep you rockin’ until it’s too late to catch the last train home. As I was saying, this gig was a treat from start to finish. Maybe it won’t change the world, but perhaps it should have.
DESPERATE JOURNALIST, Rough Trade East, 22/2/19. Named after an obscure Peel Session track by The Cure, I was intrigued by this reference even before I heard this band. When I finally did, I didn’t detect any particular traits of The Cure, although their roots are clearly in that late 70’s / early 80’s period when bands were able to experiment with so many different sounds. The ‘post-punk’ bracket has inevitably been invoked, but as it’s something I’ve never subscribed to, I’d rather refer to them as a band who are inspired, rather than influenced, by various bands from that era. The whole idea was to create something of your own – Punk had kicked-opened the doors, now do something of your own before they get locked-down again. Lazy references tend to nominate Siouxsie & the Banshees, but to me it’s more eclectic that that. Vocalist Jo Bevan has much more in common with the striking but under-stated vocals of Liz Fraser or Pauline Murray’s solo material than the histrionics of Ms Sioux. Similarly, the band aren’t that obvious, owing as much to new wave pop (Blondie, Pretenders) as they do to the darker side. This set, although shorter than their usual gigs, is a perfect way to check them out. You hear their music, you hear Jo’s vocals in a direct, tactile way and you hear what they’re all about. They may be on the shadowy side of the garden, but it’s still pop music at its’ best. Ignore them at your… loss.
JOHNNY MOPED / THE MISTAKES, Croydon Hoodoos, 23/2/19. Having never seen the Mopeds on their home turf, this had to be done. And in a lovely example of synchronicity, it turned out that a bunch of other friends / fans felt the same way, so I made my way to London Bridge and caught the fast train ride down to the ‘gateway to the south’. Of course, once I get there I have problems finding my way to the pub where we’re all supposed to be meeting up, but eventually I meet Johnny, Toad and the legendary Xerxes for a drink and a chat before Johnny insists on returning to the venue (‘He’s left some cider in the dressing room and he’s worried someone else might drink it…’) At this point, I stroll over to a pub on the other side of the road and find Tom, Dee and Phil, so more drinks and chat before heading down to the venue. I’m interested in seeing the support band as I was thinking they were the rather good Ska-band of the same name who I’d previously seen a few times, but it turns out they’re another band altogether. Pretty punky in a late Seventies kind of way and not bad with it, but it turns out that there’s a lot of people I know at the gig so more talk ensues and I don’t really get a chance to watch their whole set. I’m also a bit distracted when Phil tells me that the long-lost Croydon Underground venue was just around the corner. I saw some great gigs down there, but whenever I’d been to Croydon in recent years I’d been unable to figure out where it used to be. Once he points it out, it makes obvious sense. Anyway, back to the gig and the Mopeds assemble onstage. They launch into their intro but there’s an onset of anxiety as Johnny doesn’t emerge from the dressing room, but eventually appears just in time to catch his cue room (obviously having tried to find a better hiding place for his cider…) But from this point on, nothing goes wrong and the band play a truly exceptional gig. Whilst there’s plenty of space for old favourites like ‘Panic Button’, ‘Incendiary Device’ and ‘Save the Baby Seals’, they’re also previewing tracks from their upcoming album such as ‘Hey Belinda’, ‘Catatonic’ and ‘Living in a Dream World’. From the consistent smiles on the faces of the audience, you can see that the new songs resonate just as positively as the old ones and that’s the great thing. The Mopeds aren’t trying to deny their roots but at the same time, they’re not afraid to add a twist or two to their new songs. They’re still unmistakably Moped, but they’re never tired or predictable and that’s why they’re never disappointing. This is a band that has real character and couldn’t give it up even if they tried. There really aren’t many examples that still exemplify the essence of Punk Rock as much as Johnny Moped. If you don’t dig, tom cats, you don’t deserve it.
RUTS DC / THE PROFESSIONALS, Shepherds Bush Empire, 28/2/19. I doubt there are many who would deny that ‘The Crack’ was and still is one of the most inspiring albums of the late Seventies. Giving the lie to the idea that ‘punk was dead’, here was a band confidently evolving from its’ roots in three-chord angst into something completely new. The raw energy was still there, but now tempered with the influence of reggae. Songs like ‘It Was Cold’ and ‘S.U.S.’ adopted more complex rhythms and the sense of space that they found in reggae, creating new and highly effective dynamics. The loss of Malcolm Owen just a short time later prevented the band from fulfilling their original potential, but their debut album remains a classic and its’ 40th Anniversary is certainly something that deserves to be celebrated. Add to this that The Professionals will be supporting on the whole tour and I can certainly say that we’re in for a treat. Since the release of their recent album, ‘What in the World’, The Professionals have been sounding better than ever. With Chris McCormack now on guitar, they recreate their sound almost perfectly and although Paul Cook may be the only original member still in the band (original bassist Paul Myers recently had to stand-down due to health issues) the current line-up really do sound great. New songs like ‘Good Man Down’, ‘Rewind’ and ‘Bad Baby’ have become an integral part of their set, alongside old favourites like ‘Just Another Dream’, ‘Kick Down the Doors’ and ‘1-2-3’. Of course, we’d all like to see Steve Jones back on board, but with that looking pretty unlikely, this is still a band that can deliver a damn good set and write enough great new material to more than justify their claim to the name. There’s only a short break after they finish before Ruts DC take to the stage, launching into ‘Babylons Burning’ and ‘Dope For Guns’ before continuing through the entire album. They make it seem so easy, but for songs to remain as vital and fresh as this after four decades, they really know what they’re doing. With ‘Human Punk’ ending the original album, they complete the set with songs from their most recent record, including ‘Psychic Attack’ and the title track, ‘Music Must Destroy’, sounding perfect alongside classics like ‘West One’ and ‘In a Rut’. They leave the stage but the applause quickly brings them back for an encore, starting with the sadly prophetic ‘H-Eyes’ followed by a soulful version of ‘Love in Vain’ which eventually morphs into ‘Police & Thieves’. It gives the audience time to catch their breath before a magnificent version of ‘Staring at the Rude Boys’ and the pure adrenalin-rush of ‘Society’ and then, it’s all over. There’s plenty of cheering and calls for even more, but to me this was about as great as it can get and I was more than happy with what they had delivered.
THE ZEROS / JOHNNY THROTTLE. Shacklewell Arms, 1/3/19. It’s the first time legendary Californian Punk band The Zeros have ever been to London, despite having played elsewhere in Europe on several occasions. Formed in 1976, their first major gig was alongside The Germs and The Weirdos, putting them right in the middle of the fledgling Hollywood punk scene. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Mexican Ramones’ (all original members were Latino) they released classic the singles ‘Wimp / Don’t Push Me Around’ and ‘Beat Your Heart Out’ / ‘Wild Weekend’ which are still highly rated today. Although they originally split-up in the early 80’s (guitarist Robert Lopez went on to further recognition as El Vez) they reunited to record a well-received album, ‘Knockin’ Me Dead’ in 1995 and although not a full-time band, have continued to tour and record on an occasional basis. Tonights’ show is, as expected, totally packed with fans enthused to finally see them. Support comes from Londons’ very own Johnny Throttle, making this an even better event. Admittedly, it’s a bit more difficult to appreciate them as there’s hardly any space to move, let alone get a good view, but they deliver their set with all of the usual style and energy. But it’s The Zero’s that we’re waiting for and, from the moment they step on to the stage, they don’t disappoint. These days, they play as a three-piece but feature all-original members and play the songs with all the raw power and attitude that you’d want from them. Old songs and more recent material sound consistently great throughout the set, veering between Sixties Garage rock, maybe a few hints of Glam and plenty of no-nonsense 1977 punk rock. They keep it relatively simple and upbeat, but always infuse every song with melodies that’ll crawl into your brain and stay there. I seem to be saying this a lot these days, but this is yet another band who have managed to stay true to their music and can still play with a real sense of purpose and class. They kept us waiting all this time before making it over to London, let’s hope they don’t keep us hanging around so long for the next time.
LUCY & THE RATS, The Shacklewell Arms, 8/3/19. Two weekends in a row at The Shacklewell, this time to see Lucy & The Rats. I like this venue, especially for gigs like this where the place is comfortably full without being too packed… Anyway, having seen Lucy & The Rats a few weeks ago this seemed like a good night out. I’ve seen them quite a few times over the past couple of years and they’ve steadily got better and better, to the point where they’re now deservedly headlining gigs and attracting a lot of attention. Their recent album has gone down well and their live shows are a great mix of energy and tuneage. Lucy is a confident front person, providing great bass riffs while delivering vocals kind of reminiscent of the sadly-missed Kim Shattuck. They’ve been a pretty busy band so I expect most people who are going to be interested will have seen them by now, but if not, you’ll need to catch-up soon.
DEALING WITH DAMAGE, Hope & Anchor, 9/3/19. Dealing With Damage are another band I’ve seen several times over the last couple of years and, I’m glad to say, continue to become more enjoyable with every gig. Featuring former members of Sink and Done Lying Down, their style veers more towards the mid-Eighties DC punk scene, with hints of bands like Dag Nasty, Embrace and Rites of Spring although very-much delivered in an English manner. The best thing is that you can see that they’re really enjoying themselves. They’ve got a lot of powerful songs but don’t resort to playing them too fast rather letting them find the right pace and volume. Plenty of melodic hooks provide the songs with the means to be memorable and combined with the tight performance, Dealing With Damage really deserve to be heard by a lot more people. Go and see them whenever you can!
THE FALLEN LEAVES, Hope & Anchor, 16/3/19. Two weekends in a row at The Shacklewell followed by the next two at the Hope & Anchor… it wasn’t planned this way but they’re two of my more favoured venues so it makes sense to me. Further to that, The Fallen Leaves and their Minimum R’n’B nights are always great evenings, with a good mix of music (both from the bands and the DJ) a friendly audience and a great atmosphere. Tonight, there’s a support band called Brigade Junk but I’m afraid I don’t get to watch them as much as I should have as I’m being too bleedin’ conversational. But there’s no missing the headliners. As usual, they play a great mix of songs covering all of their albums to date, from ‘My Phantoms’ and ‘Sylvie Says’ through to ‘Against the Grain’ and ‘Prodigal Son’. Rob Greens’ idiosyncratic style is always great to hear and watch, while Rob Symmons creates a great guitar sound in his usual, understated way. I always enjoy seeing this band and there’s really nothing about them to dislike. Steadfastly content to do things their own way, they’re one of the best bands you can get to see playing in London on a regular basis at the moment, so you have no excuse to miss them.
THE STRANGLERS. Brixton Academy, 22/3/19. The Stranglers have seemingly toured the UK on an annual basis for as long as I can remember. No one can accuse them of being half-hearted on that front. But it’s only been more recently, since their return to the four-piece line-up that it’s become just as important to see them on an annual basis once again. Now, before I upset anyone, I will say that I did see them with Paul Roberts on several occasions and thought he was a fine front man in his own right. But having a five piece band also changed the dynamics of the band and it wasn’t until Paul departed that the band were able to reclaim their original momentum. In the last decade or so, they’ve returned to their best with vocals mainly shared between the guitarist / bassist duo (Baz Warne and JJ Burnel.)
Bearing all this in mind, I meet up with several friends enjoy a few beers before we go into the venue for the gig. Support tonight came from Dr Feelgood, featuring no original members… Much that I love many of the bands’ songs, I just wasn’t desperate to see this line-up, so we end up going in just in time for the headliners.
I’m not sure if the show was sold-out, but the place is pretty packed and we gather in a spot towards the left of the stage, ensuring a good view but hoping we won’t have to endure too many people barging back and forth. It works out pretty good.
Bearing all this in mind, I meet up with several friends enjoy a few beers before we go into the venue for the gig. Support tonight came from Dr Feelgood, featuring no original members… Much that I love many of the bands’ songs, I just wasn’t desperate to see this line-up, so we end up going in just in time for the headliners.
I’m not sure if the show was sold-out, but the place is pretty packed and we gather in a spot towards the left of the stage, ensuring a good view but hoping we won’t have to endure too many people barging back and forth. It works out pretty good.
We don’t have to wait long before the lights go down and the by-now traditional intro-tape ‘Waltzinblack’ heralds the band appearance onstage. No messing about – straight into ‘Tank’. The sound isn’t very clear at first (always a problem at this venue) but it’s soon sorted out as the set continues with ‘I’ve Been Wild’ (from ‘Norfolk Coast’), ‘Grip’, ‘Baroque Bordello’ and ‘Bring On The Nubiles’. Five songs from five different albums and they all sound great, with a real sense of continuity. Next comes ‘Uptown’, a less frequently played track from the ‘Aural Sculpture’ album but one that has always worked well live. From here on, we get a really wide selection of songs from almost all periods of the bands’ career. Several from ‘Suite 16’, others from ‘The Raven’ and ‘Black and White’, but perhaps more interestingly for the die-hard fans (of which there are plenty in attendance) also three as-yet unreleased tracks, revealing a glimpse of the material due on the upcoming new album. Much that we all enjoy our old favourites, in recent years it’s also been the fine new material that has kept the band so vital and this selection of tunes certainly suggests we can expect something special in the near future !
The set continues with plenty of classics, from ‘Always The Sun’ to ‘Duchess’ and from ‘Golden Brown’ to ‘5 Minutes’ and ‘Something Better Change’. After more than twenty songs, the finale comes with a superb version of ‘Down in the Sewer’, always one of their best moments and one of my personal faves. The audience demand an encore and don’t have to wait very long, as the band return to the stage looking just as eager to play as we are to hear them. It’s a relatively brief reappearance but, with scorching versions of ‘Hanging Around’ and ‘No More Heroes’, I doubt if anyone was complaining. The Stranglers had made their mark once again and left everyone in anticipation for whatever they do next !
The set continues with plenty of classics, from ‘Always The Sun’ to ‘Duchess’ and from ‘Golden Brown’ to ‘5 Minutes’ and ‘Something Better Change’. After more than twenty songs, the finale comes with a superb version of ‘Down in the Sewer’, always one of their best moments and one of my personal faves. The audience demand an encore and don’t have to wait very long, as the band return to the stage looking just as eager to play as we are to hear them. It’s a relatively brief reappearance but, with scorching versions of ‘Hanging Around’ and ‘No More Heroes’, I doubt if anyone was complaining. The Stranglers had made their mark once again and left everyone in anticipation for whatever they do next !
TESSA POLLITT / MOA ANBESSA, Deptford Dub Club @ The Fox & Firkin, Lewisham, 23/3/19. I don’t usually review DJ events because, much that it may well be an enjoyable experience, it seems a bit strange to be reviewing someone that’s playing someone elses’ records. But this was a bit different. Aside from Tessa and Moa Anbessa presenting a great selection of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae music, they were also joined by several live musicians who jammed along with the DJ’s to provide a much more live feel to the proceedings. There’s also live toastin’ and, altogether, it really creates a great party-like atmosphere. This is definitely something I will be attending again.
THE STRANGLERS / TENPOLE TUDOR / BUZZCOCKS / BARRIE MASTERS / SUZI QUATTRO / RICH KIDS / GLEN MATLOCK, Islington Academy, 27/3/19. The Vive Le Rock Awards are starting to become an annual institution and the magazine has certainly discovered the knack of presenting a great show. This year the venue is packed again and proceedings soon get underway with a short set from Glen Matlock, playing a couple of his recent solo songs before ending with ‘Pretty Vacant’, accompanied by the VLR House Band. But Glen doesn’t leave the stage for very long and he’s back a few minutes later playing a short set with the surprise guests, The Rich Kids. Featuring Glen, Midge Ure and Rusty Egan, they just played three songs, ‘Marching Men’, ‘Ghosts of Princes in Tower’ and ‘Rich Kids’, but they sounded great and really got the night underway. To be honest, there were so many different bands and artists appearing tonight that, along with the packed audience and a few beers, I really lost track of the running order, so this is probably not going to be an exact recall.
But one of the first Awards was for the Buzzcocks, whose Pete Shelley had passed away just a few months earlier. Steve Diggle accepts the Award and then takes to the stage with the bands bass player Chris (I think… I didn’t have a great view at this particular point) and guest vocalist Pauline Murray, for a fine version of ‘What Do I Get’ before a lively run through ‘Harmony in my Head’. The final song had to be ‘Ever Fallen in Love…’ and whilst it sounded great musically, Diggle was having problems tackling the vocals (which is something that may well be a problem if the band decide to continue… Diggle can handle his own songs perfectly well, but Pete Shelleys’ vocal style was very different and will be difficult to reproduce…) There’s an Award for another musical hero that we’ve recently lost, Ranking Roger of The Beat, who had passed away just days before. Appropriately, Pauline Black accepted the Award on his behalf. One appearance that was a bit disappointing was Suzi Quatro who won the ‘Icon’ Award, but then only played one song with the House band, ‘Sweet Little Rock’n’Roller’ instead of one of her best known hits. If she had played ‘Devil Gate Drive’ or ’48 Crash’, I think it would have been a truly great moment. Barrie Masters of Eddie & the Hot Rods won a well-deserved Award and sang a few songs with the House Band, starting with ‘Teenage Depression’, quickly followed by the classic ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ and ending with a spikey version of ‘Get Out of Denver’. As usual, Masters put everything into it and the songs sounded superb.
Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke won the ‘Maverick’ Award and Blue Carpet Band won the ‘New Blood’ category, although neither performed on this occasion. Eddie Tenpole, who had been acting as compere during the proceedings, gets his own moment onstage with the House band, rocking through a great version of ‘Who Killed Bambi’ and the ever-enjoyable ‘Swords of a Thousand Men’. And then it’s time for The Stranglers, who had received the ‘Best Band of the Year’ Award. They may not have been prolific as far as record releases during the past few years, but live they are still an incredible experience and deserved the title for that alone. You can also tell when a band have their own crew on site, because suddenly, they had the best sound of the evening. With only a short set available, there was no messing around as they promptly blasted through ‘5 Minutes’ and ‘Tank’ before playing ‘Unbroken’ from the ‘Suite XVI’ album and then, perhaps surprisingly, the as-yet unreleased ‘This Song Will Get Me Over You’, which goes down very well. But there’s only time for two more and they know what that calls for, ending their appearance with two of their most popular tracks, ‘Grip’ and ‘No More Heroes’. It was a perfect way to finish the evening and I’m pretty sure that everyone went home thinking, we can’t wait for next year!
AMYL & THE SNIFFERS. Heaven, 2/4/19. I wasn’t intending to go to this gig until the last minute, when Tom Phobic offered me a spare ticket. After seeing them play at much smaller venues, I wasn’t so sure if the band would come across so well is a bigger venue (and Heaven isn’t one of my favourite venues at the best of times.) But a free ticket can’t be scoffed at and I’m glad to say, any doubts that I had were proved wrong. As it turns out, it’s a pretty early gig so, by the time I’ve met up with Tom and had a beer or two, we’ve missed the support bands altogether. The place is pretty full-up so there’s a good atmosphere before The Sniffers appear onstage. Amy makes her appearance in a long raincoat, before discarding her outer apparel to reveal black leather boots and a leather two-piece. From the moment the music kicks-in, she is all over the stage, hardly staying still for more than a few seconds at a time. Similarly, there are very few gaps between songs and the band, who have been touring pretty consistently for the past year or so, are sounding stronger and tighter than ever. They play most, if not all, of the tracks from the recent Damaged Goods album plus some I didn’t recognise, so I expect they’re from the upcoming record on Rough Trade. Either way, it didn’t really matter because the set is played at such a frantic pace that you just have to let it overwhelm you. Amy only dives into the audience once but is such a commanding presence onstage that there’s plenty to keep us entertained. So, by the end of the night, they’ve more than proved themselves to be able to handle bigger stages and bigger audiences. I was impressed once again!
FOLK DEVILS / INCA BABIES, Dublin Castle, 5/4/19. Two bands that I used to go and see in the Eighties (yes, I am that old) who are now back and, against the odds, getting pretty good reviews. I’d already seen the Folk Devils and had been impressed, even despite the absence of original vocalist Ian Lowery, but I hadn’t seen the Inca Babies since the late Eighties, shortly after their original singer Mike had left. They seemed to be moving in a more Bluesy direction which didn’t really connect with me and I lost track of them. But now, here were both bands playing on the same bill, so it was a good time to investigate. There’s a good crowd at the venue and Inca Babies play first. Now a three piece, Harry Stafford is still handling guitar and vocals but does so with a lot more style and confidence these days.
Unfortunately for me, the set mostly features their more recent material, so I think there was only one song (‘Opium Den’) that I was familiar with. But it wasn’t such a problem as the new material is pretty enticing in its’ own right. Perhaps a bit more subdued than their early raucous days and technically more involved, but certainly very interesting and enjoyable. Definitely a band that I’d be happy to see again. Which is also how I feel about the Folk Devils… Musically, they sound just as good as I remember them, exciting, intriguing and highly under-rated. The loss of Ian Lowery is always going to be a problem for people who were fans of the original band, but new guy Dave certainly has the voice to cover the songs effectively, even if his stage presence is a bit lacking. Great versions of ‘Evil Eye’, ‘Hank Turns Blue’ and ‘Where the Buffalo Roam’ are the highlights for me, but there really wasn’t any bad songs, including several new tracks. The Folk Devils are still as incendiary as they ever were and I really recommend that you catch up with them as soon as you can.
THE OUTCASTS / THE PHOBICS / THE LEE HARVEYS, Amersham Arms, 6/4/19. This was another gig that started during the afternoon and featured loads of bands. For various reasons I don’t get down there until later in the evening, only to find that things are running late and there’s quite some time to go before the bands that I want to see are due onstage (this is ironic as the gig gets a review in Vive Le Rock and The Phobics got blamed for things running late, but they were main support and the gig was already behind schedule long before they went onstage.) Anyway, The Lee Harveys are from Dublin and have already released several albums on Paranoid Visions’ FOAD label (I think they share a guitarist as well…) Anyway, they play a style that recalls early Punk Rock but mixes it up with harder edges and political lyrics. Not bad at all. The Phobics take their turn onstage and, suddenly, things start going wrong. I have to say it was a bit strange… there were no problems before they played and none afterwards, but during their set, the PA was all over the place, with microphones cutting-out and the sound-mix changing from one song to the next, either losing the bass or a guitar altogether. They still played as well as they could but with so many difficulties, they really lost their usual momentum. Finally, The Outcasts take their place onstage (the sound now back to normal) and played a set that showed why so many people still rate them. I do wish they’d consider writing and releasing some new songs, but as a live band they’re still a very impressive experience. I think part of it is that their older material was always pretty varied, from the more basic punk rock of ‘You’re a Disease’ through to the reggae influenced ‘Magnum Force’, the drama of ‘Winter’ and the rockabilly of ‘Seven Deadly Sins’. It works because they never got stuck in just one style or sound and, hearing a set that cover their whole career, it still sounds pretty fresh. Towards the end of the gig, they even include a cover of Rudi’s ‘The Pressure’s On’, which will probably be the closest I ever get to seeing that band live, but The Outcasts do it so well that it brings a smile to plenty of faces. By the time it’s all over, it’s pretty late and I’ll have to catch a night-bus, but after a gig like this, that’s not a problem.
WONK UNIT / KT TUNSTALL. Rough Trade Shop, 13/4/19. It’s Record Store Day so I make the long trek down to Portobello. With my incredibly ability to turn up anywhere late, I arrive as Wonk Unit have just started their set and have to spend the next 15 minutes squeezing through the crowd to try and get a decent view. That being said, they sounded pretty good with plenty of catchy, punky and danceable songs, interspersed by Alex’s wondrous diatribes and explanations (sometimes longer than the actual songs…) It’s a lot of fun, especially as I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I will be checking them out again. Someone else was on next that we weren’t fussed about seeing, so I wonder down the road to see if I can find any interesting shops or stalls (not much luck, sadly) before returning just in time to see KT Tunstall. Just her and an acoustic guitar, it was okay, but eventually I wondered off again because this evening I’m going to see…
EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS. Islington Academy, 13/4/2019 I have never seen this venue so packed, especially as this was a very early start, but it just goes to show the high regard that the Hot Rods are still held in, despite the lack of credit they’ve been given by the music media over the last three decades. Their comrades from the Canvey Island / Southend scene, Dr Feelgood, have been rightly re-appraised in recent years, but Eddie & the Hot Rods still don’t get the respect they deserve, even though ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ is a permanent fixture in lists of the best singles of the original Punk Rock era. It’s just another case that they didn’t fit-in with the trendy ideas of what Punk was supposed to be and adamantly refused to change their appearance to toe-the-line. To me, that makes them far more credible than many others and, as their music remained so good, the fans continued to love them regardless of what the press had to say. I mean, consider this… two of the major pre-punk influences – Rob Tyner of the MC5 and Johnny Thunders – both chose to record with the Hot Rods. What better indication that they were on the right track from the very beginning ?
Initially, many people believed that this was going to be the bands’ farewell gig and whilst it may not actually be that (they’re no longer intending to tour) it was still an opportunity to celebrate their legacy, with the addition of many guests and as many former members as they could find. The set kicked-off with ‘Get Across to You’, the opening track of the ‘Teenage Depression’ LP, which they promptly followed with the title track itself and the set is off to a blistering start. Barrie Masters may be the only original member ion this current line-up but the other guys (Simon Bowley, Dipster and Richard Hogarth) clearly have a keen understanding of the roots of the band and play the songs with a real sense of urgency. The third song, ‘I Might Be Lying’, sees the first guest of the evening in the form of Ruts DC guitarist Leigh Heggarty. Recent band member Chris Taylor takes his place on guitar for a few songs and Dipster also gets to deliver lead vocals on a couple of songs, before Duncan Reid (The Boys) joinds the band to sing ‘The Kids Are Alright’.
The first part of the set ends with an appearance form Dennis Greaves (Nine Below Zero) singing the Sam the Sham classic, ‘Wooly Bully’. There’s a short intermission during which a filmed interview with Barrie Masters answers a few questions, and then the festivities continue. Dennis Greaves makes a second appearance before JC Carroll of The Members joins the band. But then, it’s the part we’ve all really been waiting for, as the remaining band members from the 1977 line-up join Barrie onstage – Steve Nichols (looking as if he’s never aged !), Paul Gray and Graeme Douglas. Sadly, Dave Higgs is no longer with us, but Warren Kennedy ably fills his position. As much as I enjoy the current line-up, there’s nothing like seeing the original guys playing their own songs and this part of the set is just about faultless. ‘Life on the Line’, ‘Telephone Girl’, ‘Quit This Town’, ‘The Power & The Glory’, ‘Hard Drivin’ Man’ (with Lew Lewis on harmonica), ‘Writing on the Wall’ (with a suitably chaotic appearance from Captain Sensible) and a stunning version of ‘The Beginning of the End’ to bring the set to a close.
Of course, that was never going to be enough and the applause from the audience soon brings the band back onstage.The ’77 line up return to play ‘Get Out of Denver’ before they’re joined by the entire cast of guests and members for the classic ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ and a final, wonderful version of ‘Gloria’. Had the venue not been so desperate to throw everyone out (it was only 10.00!) they really could have continued for several more hours and no-one would have complained. But then again, the best rock’n’roll should always leave you wanting more. Trust me, if you missed this gig, you missed something special. If you get a chance to see the Hot Rods again, either the current or original line-up, just be sure to be there. They may not have been ‘punk rock’, but punk rock still owes them big time. And at the end of the day, do categories really matter ? Damn good music is always going to be damn good music, whatever the press try to call it !
DAUGHTERS. The Dome, Tufnell Park, 20/4/19. I knew of this band but it was only recently that I got to hear them, with the release of their fourth album ‘You Won’t Get What You Want’. It’s a powerful and at times almost hypnotic mix or rock and noise that sounds good on record, but will obviously sound even better live. So I get myself sorted for the gig as soon as I can. As it turns out, it’s a good idea to be prompt with this one because the gig sells-out months in advance… I had no idea how popular they were! Anyway, on the night I arrive a little late and I’ve missed the support bands, but I’m in plenty of time to get a drink before the headliners are due onstage. The place is absolutely packed, it’s actually difficult to get around in the hall and, to make things worse, there’s quite a few inconsiderate wankers who seem intent on being surly even if you ask them to let you through. I mean, I’m a short-arse, I need to get to a decent place so I can have a view and it’s not as if I’m going to be blocking their vision. Anyway, I finally get a reasonable spot just in time to watch the band appear onstage. They seem to be having some technical problems, so singer Alexis Marshall stands in the centre of the stage slowing beating a rhythm on his microphone. It takes around five minutes for the problems to be resolved, during which time you can feel the tension rising within the audience. Finally, they’re ready and they launch into ‘The Reason They Hate Me’, instantly commanding everyones’ attention. The sound they create is huge, but with two guitarists, a bass player, drummer and keyboards, so it should be. They employ some really heavy grooves to set the pace, repetition in their music, as a Wise Ol’ Man once proclaimed. Actually, that’s not such a bad comparison because, even though Daughters generally sound pretty different, they are definite parallels to be drawn with The Fall… consider tracks like ‘Slates’ or the more abrasive moments from ‘Hex Enduction Hour’. The band create the backdrop in front of which their enigmatic frontman casts his spell. There’s also been quite a few reviews comparing Alexis and Nick Cave (Birthday Party era) which I can definitely see, although I’d also suggest Jim Morrisons’ wilder performances (wild as in, inspired rather than wasted.) He lurches around the stage in an unorthodox fashion but you can’t take your eyes away from the frantic figure. His vocals are powerful and the lyrics almost seem to be freeform until he picks out a particular phrase and it is repeated to great (as I said before) hypnotic effect. The set varies between material from the latest album and older material, with both louder and softer moments, but the effect was almost exhausting. They played for well over an hour and at times it seemed almost relentless, but they finally came to a close with ‘The Ocean Song’, with Alexis repeating the final line, ‘if there is a ocean beyond the waves’ even as the rest of the band were leaving the stage. Everyone could now catch their breath and leave in the knowledge that they had witnessed something very special.
PETER PERRETT / EDDIE TENPOLE. The Stags Head, 27/4/19. My friends Willy and Lolo are moving back to Dublin after many years in London and have arranged a gig/party at The Stags Head to say their farewells. Of course, as they have the uncanny knack of knowing everyone that’s worth knowing, they’ve managed to arrange some pretty special musical guests and manage to keet the details very quiet until the evening of the gig itself. Unfortunately, I miss the first band, but I’m in plenty of time for the solo set from Eddie Tenpole, which is as enjoyable as ever. Eddie is an eccentric character with a great talent for penning quirky, catchy songs and his performances are always a lot of fun. For me, this in itself would have made it a great evening but there’s even more to follow. Peter Perrett’s band set-up on the small stage and, once ready, they begin their short set with the title track from their recent album, ‘How The West Was Won’. It sounds very good and seeing the band so close-up is a real treat. Before the next track, Peter explains that their regular drummer hadn’t been able to play this gig, but Willy and Lolo’s aforementioned uncanny knack of knowing everyone had put the band in touch with legendary drummer Jim Sclavunos (Sonic Youth, Bad Seeds etc) who had happily agreed to step in for the evening. Bonus! The next song is an as-yet-unreleased track, ‘Once is Enough’, from the upcoming ‘Humanworld’ album. If this is an indication of what the next record is going to sound like, it’s going to be great! Next up, Lolo’s favourite (or so I’m told…) ‘Another Girl Another Planet’. Need I say any more about this song? No… it’s perfect. And finally, to end the set, they play a lengthy version of the Velvet Underground classic, ‘What Goes On’. It’s a great way for the live music to end (although the party continues until later) and although it’s sad that Willy and Lolo will soon be moving away, events like this will ensure that we all have to keep in touch!
HO99O9. The Garage, 29/4/19. Having seen HO99O9 at a couple of small venues recently (The Dr Martens Shop and The Lexington) it feels strange to see them at a bigger club, especially when the place is completely packed. They certainly deserve the popularity but it’s not going to be as much fun when you can’t get a good view and people are constantly barging past. It’s not a great way to watch a band that you really need to watch – their onstage presence is as integral a part of their Art as the music itself. But, regardless of the uncomfortable environment, as soon a s the lights go down and the band stroll onstage (they always seem to make a nonchalant entrance, in total contrast to what’s going to happen next) the anticipation is buzzing. As they crash into the first song, ‘Is It Safe to Internet’, they’re sounding just as great as ever. The rhythm section (programmed bass and live drums) works perfectly to propel everything along, while The OGM produces sounds to accentuate the songs and Eaddy delivers the lyrics with a powerful, often furious voice. Sometimes sharing the vocals, the duo maintain their energy levels throughout the set, pushing themselves, the music and the audience as far as they can go. Towards the end of the main set, they play a short but emotionally charged medley of Prodigy songs, in tribute to the recently departed Keith Flint (Prodigy and HO99O9 had previously produced a single, ‘Fight Fire With Fire’, together) and the subsequent chant of Keiths’ name seemed to include everyone in the room. The encore brings the frontman of the band Kate Mo$$ onstage to sing one of their older tracks. It’s a great way to end the evening and, after tonights’ attendance, it looks as if HO99O9 will have to be playing bigger venues when they return. The one thing that’s certain is that, wherever they play, you can rely on the fact that they will not disappoint you.
DAVE SMALLEY & THE BANDELEROS. The Black Heart, 6/5/19. To say this gig was under-advertised would be to imply that it had at least some advertising. As it was, I couldn’t even find a flyer for it in the actual venue, so whoever did book the band obviously wasn’t much-concerned about anyone turning up for it. Which was a shame because this band, touring to promote their recent album, ‘Join the Outsiders’,were really good tonight and I’m sure that Down By Law fans would have loved to have seen this gig. The Bandoleros are a Spanish band that have toured with Dave Smalley on several occasions and this album came together when they started writing some new material at home and sent the recordings to Dave in America to write lyrics and add vocals. Despite the roundabout way that the project came together, the results are rather impressive. As it turns out, when I arrive I bump into Dave and we have a couple of drinks in the bar as we catch up on what we’ve each been doing since the last time we saw each other. Soon enough, it’s time for the band to play and it’s a real shame that there isn’t a bigger audience to see the set. They play most, if not all, of the tracks from the ‘Join the Outsiders’ album and live, they sound even stronger than the studio recordings. Musically, I think you could say that the band sound sort of similar to Down By Law, but with a harder, punkier edge that harks back towards Dave’s stint in Dag Nasty, perhaps? I can’t give too many details because I only got the album at this gig so I wasn’t familiar with the songs themselves, but they came across really well and you could see that this band are enjoying playing together and have a lot of potential. At one point, Dave switches to guitar to let Marcello sing one of the songs (I’m guessing it was ‘Sick’, the song that he sings on the album.) All I can hope is that this doesn’t remain as just a one-off and that they do make further records. If they tour in the UK again, be sure to see them because this is a very good band and they deserve your support.
GUNS & WANKERS. The Lexington, 11/5/19. After Snuff split-up, back in 1991, Duncan put together Guns & Wankers. Surprisingly, they didn’t attract the attention they quite obviously deserved, despite having a great set of new songs that were easily as good as anything Duncan had written for Snuff. An albums’ worth of songs were recorded and eventually released as a series of EPs and interest started to build-up, only for the band to split when Duncan returned to the reinstated Snuff. People remained interested in GNW, but after bass-player Joolz suffered a brain injury and was no longer able to play, it seemed highly unlikely that we’d see them again. However, Duncan and Pat finally decided to put the band together again and, with new bass player Wes, announced their first gig in nearly 25 years. Not surprisingly, it sold-out very quickly, with an audience consisting of both old fans and those who had never had the chance to see the band first time around. On the night of the gig, the place is packed and there’s a great atmosphere. Typically, the band start the set with a cover version, an old Northern Soul song (or so Duncan tells us) before they get into more familiar territory with songs like ‘Blah Blah Blah’, ‘Nervous’ and ‘Skin Deep’. They actually seem a little nervous onstage, with Duncan upfront on guitar rather than his more usual place on the drum stool, but the songs are sounding great and the audience is singing and dancing along. There’s another new song in the shape of ‘Might See You Later’ (trust me, best singalong chorus I’ve heard in ages!) and more of the oldies, including my own favourite, ‘Sunstroke’, before the gig eventually ends with an awesome version of ‘Raise Your Glass’. Unfortunately, time has run out so there’s no encore (boo!) and no ‘For Whom The Bing Bongs’ (even though the Hi-tech Bing Bong machine was ready and waiting for its’ moment…) But it was really great to see this band back onstage and, as they seem intent on playing further gigs on an occasional basis, I can only recommend that you see them as soon as you get a chance to do so.
BIG JOANIE / YE NUNS. The Lexington, 12/5/19. This was actually a matinee gig and Ye Nuns are playing first, so I have to get back to The Lexington pretty early. It seems as if I’ve hardly left the place since last night, but it’s another fine gig so, you know, who needs sleep? Ye Nuns are always worth seeing because they do their set with just the right mix of attention to detail and a real sense of fun in what they’re doing. It’s no surprise that they’ve been endorsed by the surviving members of The Monks, to the extent that Eddie Shaw even sent them two original songs that were written but never recorded by the band. Ye Nuns have subsequently recorded and released the songs as a single and, in doing so, have added to The Monks’ legacy in a way that’s as close to authentic as it could get. It’s difficult to explain, but Ye Nuns are much more than just a tribute band and are keeping the sound of The Monks alive in a way that’s both respectful and exciting. As more and more people are still discovering the music of The Monks, this is as close as you’re going to get to the real thing. Big Joanie are headlining this afternoon and there’s quite a few people here to see them. They’ve been receiving quite a lot of attention recently and I kind of like what they do, but I can’t say it really blows me away. Just my personal taste and I can’t do much about that, but at the end of the day, I’m glad they’re out there.
UK SUBS / JANUS STARK. The 100 Club, 18/5/19. Fronted by former English Dogs guitarist Gizz Butt, Janus Stark reformed recently, having originally split in 2002. I know quite a few people who’ve been very happy about the return of the band and, when you see them live, you can see why. They have a really intriguing mix of punk, metal, hard rock and even pop that results in music that brings together different influences without particularly sounding like any of them. I’m not familiar enough to tell you what they played this evening, but they put plenty of energy into it and went down really well, getting the audience warmed-up perfectly in time for the headliners. UK Subs have continued to tour as much as ever and can always be relied upon to deliver a great set. The transition from Jet to Steven Straughan on lead guitar has gone so smoothly that you’d hardly notice that the change had occurred. Charlie, despite his years, seems as energized now as he has ever been, fronting a band who don’t just play the songs, they define them. As usual, plenty of older songs and not so much new stuff, but it’s when you see them like this that you realise how much great material they have and how much of it you know. If anyone had told me back in the 80’s that I’d still be going to see UK Subs thirty years down the line, let alone enjoying them as much as this, I probably would have laughed at them. But here I am and, no doubt, I’ll probably be at another one of their gigs in the not too distant future
THE PHOBICS / SUGAR LADY. The Birds Nest, 23/5/19. Ah, The Phobics back down at the Birds Nest. This is a Thursday evening and they’re playing alongside a band from Utrecht. The pub isn’t exactly crowded but it’s safe to say that most people who are there are there to see The Phobics, so Sugar Lady have got a tough job, especially as no-one here is particularly familiar with them. But they play a set of rowdy punk rock’n’roll that isn’t too far removed from The Phobics themselves, so they keep the attention of the audience and do just fine. They even ask Tom Phobic up onstage to join them for a couple of covers at the end of the evening, so they seem like decent people. I just hope they enjoyed their visit to deepest Deptford! The start their set pretty quickly and play through the songs in rapid succession, from older favourites like ‘Lipstick’ and ‘Down and Out in Deptford’ through to new songs like ‘Gentrification’ and ‘Path of Love’, scheduled for inclusion on their next album. They sound good and even if it isn’t the liveliest audience they’ve ever had, and they got a good response, ensuring that everyone enjoyed themselves.
DUNCAN REID & THE BIGHEADS, CYANIDE PILLS / WITCHDOKTORS. The 100 Club, 24/5/19. Considering that these are three bands that I’d go to see if they were playing on their own, to have them all on one line-up was something that couldn’t be missed. I arrive pretty early to make sure that I don’t miss anything. The Witchdoktors play a fine set with lots of energy and a touch of showmanship that sets them apart from others. Singer Andy is a natural frontman who puts everything into his performance. The only downer is that the place is still filling up while they’re onstage so they don’t have the audience interaction that they usually thrive on, but those of us who were paying attention, it’s a great start to the evening. Cyanide Pills are next onstage and launch into their punk-rock-power-pop with the energy levels switched all the way up to eleven. In a lot of ways, I’m surprised that this band isn’t a lot more popular, although at the same time seeing them in smaller venues like this is probably the best way to catch them. So many great songs, from ‘Suicide Bomber’ through to ‘Johnny Thunders Lived in Leeds’, that are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and set your boots a-tappin’. They look good, they sound great, Cyanide Pills should not be missed. Finally, it’s time for Duncan Reid & the Big Heads although at first glance, someone seems to be missing. Guitarist Sophie hadn’t been able to play this gig due to illness (get well soon!) but Mauro from The Speedways had offered to stand-in at short notice and did a very good job. In fact, the band played the whole set without any noticeable hitches and even managed to preview several new songs (which sounded rather good.) But it was older songs like ‘Bombs Away’, ‘Montevideo’ and ‘C’mon Josephine’ and of course a short selection of tracks from Duncans’ previous career in The Boys (‘First Time’, ‘Brickfield Nights’, ‘TCP’ and ‘Sick On You’) that really get the audience going. Duncan is still as lively onstage as he always was in The Boys while his songwriting skills are now claiming their own style and space. The Big Heads might not be a band that’ll change your life, but they’ll certainly give you a damn good show!
PETER PERRETT. The Scala, 29/5/19.Just ahead of the release of Perretts’ latest album, ‘Humanworld’, he and his band play a short tour culminating in a sold-out date at the Scala. I’m lucky as I’ve heard an advance copy of the album and, to my mind, it’s even better than ‘How The West Was Won’, so I’m really looking forward to this gig. That being said, the set was actually quite a mix of old and new, not what you may have expected but a real treat for fans. Starting off with ‘Baby Don’t Talk’ (a song from Peters’ short-lived Nineties’ band ‘The One’) the band then play most of the songs from ‘How The Wet Was Won’ before two tracks from The Only Ones, ‘From Here to Eternity’ and ‘The Whole of the Law’, delve further back in his song-book. They get a great response but it has to be said, so have all of the songs, showing that the new material is popular in its’ own right and people aren’t just coming along to hear his old songs. But now he takes things another step forward as the band play seven tracks from the new album, which many in the audience haven’t already heard. But the quality of the songs is enough to maintain everyone’s attention and again, the applause is very enthusiastic. After all, ‘Once is Enough’, ‘Love Comes on Silent Feet’ and ‘Heavenly Day’ are surely destined to become ‘classics’ in their own right. ‘Master of Destruction’ is sung by Peters’ son, Jamie, as it is on the album and adds a different aspect to the set, which finally ends with ‘War Plan Red’, one of the highlights of the new album. The band are soon called back for an encore, which begins with the bewitching ‘I Want Your Dreams’, which Peter dedicates to Patti Palladin. Then it’s time for another couple of Only Ones’ songs, inevitably ‘Another Girl Another Planet’ (I mean, if you had written a song as good as this, could you go onstage and not play it?) and a wonderful almost sinister version of ‘The Beast’. After so many years away from music, Peter Perrett’s return has been an astonishing success and with gigs like this and a new album as good as ‘Humanworld’, his creativity seems to be only getting better.
WIRE. Dalston Earth, 1/6/2019. I went along to Earth expecting to see the gig in the same place as before (the large upstairs auditorium) but it turns out that tonights’ gig is in an entirely different space, downstairs in what was (apparently) a large snooker hall. Whatever the case, it’s certainly a much better venue, together with bars that aren’t as ridiculously over-priced as those upstairs. Had I known all of this, I would have probably turned-up earlier to see the support bands as well, but then again, it was a pretty early start so I might not have made it… Anyway, we get inside right on time and Wire appear onstage as soon as we’ve bought a round of beers. It’s the first time they’ve played in London for a while but rather than playing-safe, they begin the set with two new songs (‘Be Like Them’ and ‘Mindhive’, I think…) before delving-deep for a version of ‘Three Girl Rhumba’. Of course, as is the Wire scheme of things, older tracks are only played to compliment the current material and I don’t think they’d ever just play a ‘greatest hits’ set (although now I’ve said that, they’ll probably do it just to prove otherwise….) So it’s a case that the older songs heard tonight are a reference to what the band are currently working on. ‘Underwater Experiences’, ‘Advantage in Height’, ‘Small Black Reptile’, all great songs from different periods of the bands’ existence but all pointing towards the focus of the next album. ‘Short Elevated Period’ from the last album, ‘Silver / Lead’, which I feel is also becoming one of those key Wire tracks, also takes a prominent role in the set, alongside other pertinent moments like ‘Drill’ and ‘Boiling Boy’… songs which always adapt and develop rather becoming a recognised, definitive entity. Wire are on top form tonight, obviously fired-up to be on the cusp of as new project and, after a break from the activity surrounding the previous album, eager to create something new. For me, this is why the band remain exciting, because they’ve always been more about what’s next rather than what’s established and, although some projects don’t work as well as others, you need to know that you can never ignore them. On the strength of the teasers they gave us tonight, the next album is going to be another classic. Be sure to investigate at the earliest opportunity.
GUIDED BY VOICES. Village Underground, 5/6/19. “I guess I just have to say that I’m your Uncle Bob…” Of course, Robert Pollard didn’t need to make any introduction at all, playing in front of a packed house of eager fans. It may have been 16 years since Guided By Voices last played in London, but in that time their following has become more widespread and devoted than ever before. Previous record companies may have failed to boost the bands’ popularity, but in the intervening years their longevity and quality have clearly paid-off. Both nights at this 1000-ish capacity venue sold-out almost instantly, with many fans unable to secure tickets. As a result, there was bound to be some trepidation that a long-awaited event like this might not meet expectations, but on the night(s) I’m so glad to say that the fans got what they wanted. At 8.30, an intro-tape heralds the band onstage and a rapturous cheer goes up. There are a lot of older fans in attendance as well as many newer ones who have never had a chance to witness GBV before now, but everyone is united in the common cause and everyone seems to be friends, for this night at least. Bob might sometimes ramble-on inbetween songs like an old drinking buddy, but when it comes down to business, this band know exactly what they have to do. In fact, such is their confidence that they even start the set with an as-yet unreleased followed by a clutch of recent songs before the first ‘oldie’, ‘Your Name is Wild’, increases the already buzzing atmosphere. If anything, Bob seems intent on establishing that this is just as much about GBV-now as it is about the older favourites and certainly not any kind of nostalgia trip. Another selection of newer tracks ensues, still keeping the standards high, before the first real classic of the night, ‘Cut-Out Witch’, which puts everything into top gear. From here on, the set never slackens, with so many cool songs like ‘Cold, Cold Hands’, ‘My Dog Surprise’ and ‘The Rally Boys’ (with its’ sneaky nod towards Cheap Trick) liberally interspersed with older faves like ‘Motor Away’, ‘A Salty Salute’ and ‘Tractor Rape Chain’.
The audience embraces excellent newer songs like ‘Dead Liquor Store’ and ‘Cohesive Scoops’ just as much as less-obvious older tracks like ‘Jane of the waking Universe’ or ‘I’m a Strong Lion’, but when it comes to high points like ‘Shocker in Gloomtown’ or ‘Game of Pricks’, the place is ecstatic. The set stretches ever-onwards, reaching the two-hour marker even before the encores begin, but no-one seems to worry, even in these sweaty and crowded confines. In fact, people who do return from the (horribly over-priced) bar even share their drinks with fellow punters. It was that kind of atmosphere. At the end of the main set, the roar from the audience is more than enough to get the band back onstage promptly and we’re treated to another nine songs, including ‘The Goldheart Mountain Top Queen Directory’, ‘Teenage FBI’ and ‘Echos Myron’, before the evening finally ends with the wonderful Glam-stomp of ‘Glad Girls’. I don’t know how Bob Pollard manages it, but I was exhausted by the end of this one ! That being said, few bands can keep your attention as well as GBV and, during all that time, I had very little desire to miss even a moment of the show. As the room gradually empties, the sheer amount of trampled beer-cans left behind on the dance-floor attests to the exuberance of the party we’d all attended.
Afterwards, there’s a short wait and then a few of us are able to go backstage and catch up with Bob, Doug and Kevin, whilst meeting Bobby and Mark for the first time. They all look tired but in really high spirits… this had obviously been a great gig for everyone. Bob is just the same as he always was, friendly, joking and passing the beers around. We don’t stay for too long as it’s been a long evening and, after all, there’s another night to go…
Afterwards, there’s a short wait and then a few of us are able to go backstage and catch up with Bob, Doug and Kevin, whilst meeting Bobby and Mark for the first time. They all look tired but in really high spirits… this had obviously been a great gig for everyone. Bob is just the same as he always was, friendly, joking and passing the beers around. We don’t stay for too long as it’s been a long evening and, after all, there’s another night to go…
GUIDED BY VOICES. Village Underground 6/6/19. As I learned a long time ago, GBV don’t stick to the same set-list night-after-night and often play completely different material at successive shows. This means it’s always worth trying to see more than one gig if it’s possible and, fortunately, I managed to get to both of these. Meeting a bunch of other GBV fans before hand at the Pride of Spitalfields, we all enjoy a drink or two and discuss the previous nights’ performance before eventually walking the short distance up to the venue. The place fills-up just as rapidly tonight but, if anything, the audience actually seem even more lively this time. Again, the set begins with recent songs, although a completely different selection from the previous night. And when it comes to the first ‘oldie’, we get ‘Lord of Overstock’ in place of ‘Your Name is Wild’. From then onwards, although a lot of songs overlap from the previous night, they’re all in different order and mixed with lots of others not played on the first night. ‘Jane of the Waking Universe’ appears early this time, with what seems like the whole audience singing along, plus great appearances from ‘My Valuable Hunting Knife’ and ‘My Future in Barcelona’. ‘Windshield Wiper Rex’ is played for a second time and it’s really sticking in my head already. The audience gets pretty raucous at times, surging forward and pushing the security barrier right up against the stage. Fortunately, the security-staff are pretty level-headed and, instead of making a big deal out of it, realise that the place is so packed that there’s little they can do and position themselves on either side of the stage to make sure things don’t get out of hand. Unfortuantely, a couple of idiots do decide to act inconsiderately and the security promptly show them the door, but with the minimum of hassle to those who were genuinely enjoying themselves. What the idiots missed was a truly awesome conclusion to the main set, featuring ‘Goldheart Mountain Top Queen Directory’, ‘Game of Pricks’ and ‘Echos Myron’. Again, the crowd make so much noise to demand an encore that there isn’t long to wait, before ‘A Salty Salute’ has everyone holding the beers high in the air. A fine version of ‘Things I Will Keep’ is followed by ‘Space Gun’, ‘My Kind of Soldier’, ‘Teenage FBI’ and ‘The Official Ironman Rally Song’, but then when they finish ‘Glad Girls’, we get an added bonus, with a cover of The Who’s ‘Baba O’Reilly’… perhaps not the most technically accurate version you’ll ever hear, but after another two and a half hour set and many beers, this was the perfect ending to a couple of great nights. I can only hope that the enthusiastic response will mean that we won’t have to wait quite so long before they return again.
Afterwards, there’s another short wait before some of us go backstage and see everyone again. Shockingly, the beers have actually run-out, but Mark offers a bottle of champagne, and in the circumstances, it seems like the proper thing to share !
I end-up missing my last train back to home and have to endure the tedium of the night bus, but I’m still buzzing, so it’s no problem at all. These were the kind of gigs that make it all worthwhile.
Afterwards, there’s another short wait before some of us go backstage and see everyone again. Shockingly, the beers have actually run-out, but Mark offers a bottle of champagne, and in the circumstances, it seems like the proper thing to share !
I end-up missing my last train back to home and have to endure the tedium of the night bus, but I’m still buzzing, so it’s no problem at all. These were the kind of gigs that make it all worthwhile.
SNIVELLING SHITS. Overdrive Studios, 8/6/19. Two gigs in one evening again, but for a change, I couldn’t have organized this any better myself. Later on this evening, Johnny Moped are playing at the 100 Club to launch their latest masterpiece, the ‘Lurrigate Your Mind’ album. But before then, the Snivelling Shits are playing at the Overdrive Studios in Deptford. It’s all worked out rather conveniently as the Shits are playing first and the Studios are literally a two minute walk from Deptford train station. As it’s a nice sunny day, I get to Overdrive pretty early and find most people outside, enjoying a beer or two. It’s a nice, relaxed atmosphere but after a while, the band members head inside to get ready for their set. After a while, everyone else goes through to the main room and it soon gets pretty full-up. The band start playing but right from the outset, there’s problems with the amps and PA. ‘Terminal Stupid’ has been a great opening track for the past few gigs, but tonight there are problems. I have no idea what’s going on but Dave Fudgers’ guitar can’t be heard in the mix for the first song and then, when that problem is sorted out, the bass guitar cuts out. As they’re only playing five or six songs, it’s not good that several songs have already suffered so badly. By the time they start playing ‘Crossroads’, things are gradually getting sorted-out but it’s still not perfect and it’s rather frustrating, both for the band and the audience. The next couple of songs, ‘Yukio Mishima’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Biro’ go pretty well but when they reach their final song, the epic ‘Isgodaman?’, the sound is murky and all over the place again. Pete passes his guitar to a friend to play while he tries to join Tom on vocals, but with all the problems it just makes things even more muddled. That being said, they get a good round of applause at the end as the audience have at least realised that the problems weren’t the fault of the band and they’ve still enjoyed the songs as much as they could. Having seen the Shits play three great gigs before this, it was a bit disappointing but there’s not much that could have been done about it. Anyway, I’ve got no time to fret, I’m off to see Johnny Moped!
JOHNNY MOPED / DEPARTMENT S, 100 Club, 8/6/19. It only takes about 40 minutes to go from one venue to the other, and I still manage to see most of the set by Department S. This is an odd band… they seem to support a lot of bands that I go to see, so I’ve seen them quite a few times. The thing is, when they’re good they can be very good, but they’re not consistent. I wouldn’t say that they’re ever bad, but some sets are definitely much better than others. This evening, with a large enthusiastic crowd in front of them, they play a rather good set and, even though I’m not that familiar with their songs apart from the obvious ones (‘Is Vic There?’ and ‘Going Left Right’) they have more than enough interesting material to keep your attention. However, tonight is all about the Mopeds and when its time for them to make their appearance onstage, a big cheer greets them from the audience. Whereas their previous album, ‘It’s a Real Cool Baby’, contained a mix of new and old songs, ‘Lurrigate Your Mind’ is all new so it’s going to be interesting to see how well it goes down. Of course, most of the Moped fans have already snapped-up copies of the album, so it’s not as if no-one is familiar with the new songs and as the set kicks off, songs like the recent singles ‘Catatonic’ and ‘Living in a Dream World’ are received, quite rightly, like established classics. ‘Hey Belinda’ is a melodic punk rock ditty that couldn’t go wrong and ‘No Way Back’ is a real crowd-pleasing stomper with a melodic hook that’s catchier than a VD Boiler… Even the autobiographical-epic ‘Black Witch Climax Blues Band Genetic Breakdown’ is treated to an enthusiastic reception, despite being possibly the longest song that the band have ever recorded. Of course, in between all of these fine songs, there’s still plenty of space for the old favorites, from ‘Panic Button’ and ‘Incendiary Device’ to ‘Darling, Let’s Have Another Baby’ and ‘Hard Lovin’ Man’, as well as highlights from the last album like ‘Rock’n’Roll Rookie’ and ‘Honey Bun’. I have to say, if you can’t enjoy a Johnny Moped gig, you’ve really got something wrong with your sense of fun. Right now, this band are musically tighter and better than they ever have been and are writing new songs that stand shoulder to shoulder with their original output. By most expectations, Johnny Moped shouldn’t even be playing gigs this far down the line, but for them to be doing it so well is truly amazing. Long may they continue!
PAULINE MURRAY / HELEN McCOOKERYBOOK. The Betsey Trotwood, 20/6/19. I’m not sure if Pauline Murray has ever played one of solo acoustic sets in London before, but this is certainly a rare occasion and one not-to-be-missed. Support comes from Helen McCookerybook, former member of Helen and the Horns and The Chefs. I’m not particularly familiar with her music, old or new, but once she’s on ‘stage’ (the upstairs room at the Betsey Trotwood is tiny and the stage is basically the corner of the room) she has a character that’s easy to warm-to. She talks to the audience as if she already knows everyone and although some of her songs have ‘political’ content, they come across in a more personal manner that’s easy to relate to. Most of the songs are pretty recent compositions although ‘Let’s Make Up’ dates back to The Chefs (I only know this because she told us…) and, after this gig, I’ll certainly be pleased to see her play live again. Anyway, Pauline gets ready to play next and never mind bands with strange rider requests… she’s brought her own chair with her! Nothing complicated or fancy, just a normal plastic and metal chair, but apparently this is what she needs to feel comfortable when she plays guitar and sings. Good for her! Fortunately, the venue have been pretty strict with their ‘no-ticket-no-entry’ policy as the place is full but comfortable and if any further people had been allowed in it may well have started to become uncomfortably crowded. Pauline introduces herself with her usual self-effacing manner, which no-one’s going to believe – we already know that she has a great voice and writes great songs. I’m not sure if she played to a strict setlist, but there were a lot of new songs (presumably to be featured on her upcoming solo album) and they sounded great. She didn’t play many Penetration songs, although ‘Just Drifting’ from the ‘Resolution’ album works really well in an acoustic setting and I’d guess that more of the tracks from that album might also be pretty effective. But she mainly chose new, mostly unknown (to us!) songs and I doubt that anyone was complaining because they were all sounding really good. At the end of the set, she relented and played a version of ‘Don’t Dictate’ which, by this point, was enough to send shivers down your spine. I’m so glad that I was able to see this gig ad, if you ever get the change to see Pauline play an acoustic set, be sure not to miss it.
BUZZCOCKS / THE SKIDS / PENETRATION. Royal Albert Hall, 21/6/19. When this gig was first announced, people were excited because it was such a great line-up. But in between times, fate intervened and the untimely death of Pete Shelley at the end of 2018 came as a big shock to everyone who had ever met him or had been a fan. After a period of doubt as to whether this event would go on, it was decided to treat it as a tribute to Pete, a way that everyone could raise their glasses to the man and say their goodbyes. To me, this seemed entirely appropriate. Buzzcocks would still headline the show, with various special guests appearing in Pete Shelley’s place. This inevitably complicated matters and the show had to start earlier than expected , which meant that by the time I get inside, Penetration are already onstage. I’m in a seat directly to the side of the stage which is a little bit odd but means that I can see everything going on and, since this is the Royal Albert Hall, the sound is still very good. Unfortunately, I missed their opening song, ‘Nostalgia’, which was originally written by Shelley for inclusion on Penetrations’ debut album ‘Moving Targets’ (although it also ended up on Buzzcocks second album, ‘Love Bites’, later in the same year…) Unfortunately, Penetration only have a short set and so, in the circumstances, concentrate on their older material, with fine versions of ‘Movement’, ‘Shout Above the Noise’ and ‘Don’t Dictate’ among others, although they do end the set with an appropriate version of ‘Beat Goes On’ which goes down just as well as the older songs. And then, all too soon, they’re off the stage.
There’s a quick switch around, giving us just enough time to head to the bar before The Skids arrive onstage. Again, with a relatively short set and considering the circumstances, they stick pretty closely to their best known material with only one song, ‘Kings of the New World Order’, from their recent album ‘Burning Cities’. Apart from that, nearly every song they play was a hit single or an album favourite, from ‘Charade’ and ‘Of One Skin’ to ‘The Saints Are Coming’ and ‘Working For the Yankee Dollar’ (appropriately dedicated to the Tory Party.) The one odd moment happens when they play ‘TV Stars’, only for it to be interrupted by a brief cover of ‘Pretty Vacant’ and then, more understandably, ‘What Do I Get?’ It sort of works, although no-one seemed to understand the reason for this odd little medley… That being said, immediately after this, they finish their set with great versions of ‘Masquerade’ and ‘Into the Valley’, leaving the atmosphere in the venue close to boiling point.
Soon enough, it’s time for the Buzzcocks set, introduced by their original manager, Richard Boone. A short film clip is shown featuring Pete with Howard Devoto, before Steve Diggle and current Buzzcocks members Chris Remington and Danny Farrant take their places onstage to perform ‘Fast Cars’, ‘Promises’, ‘Why She’s the Girl From the Chainstore’ and ‘Autonomy’. This is where things start to get pretty confusing so I’m relying on poorly scribbled notes… Former Luxuria / Magazine guitarist Noko joins the band onstage, together with Captain Sensible, for a suitably raw version of ‘Boredom’. Captain is quickly replaced by Pauline Murray while original Buzzcocks members Steve Garvey and John Maher take the places of Chris and Danny, to run through a sharp, snappy version of ‘Love You More’.
The line-up is now joined by Peter Perrett for a truly great version of ‘Why Can’t I Touch It’, a song that really suits his voice, promptly followed by Richard Jobsons’ return to the stage, to sing ‘Fiction Romance’. Danny Farrant then returns together with the next guest, Dave Vanian, who sings ‘What Do I Get’ and ‘Something Goes Wrong Again’. Chris Remington returns to the stage for adrenalin-charged versions of ‘Time’s Up’ and ‘Noise Annoys’, featuring Thurston Moore on vocals. Then, before things get comfortable, Steve Garvey and John Maher return to play with Tim Burgess on vocals for ’16 Again’ and ‘You Say You Don’t Love Me’. There’s a brief interlude when Eugene from Vive La Rock appears onstage to present an Award to Steve Diggle, before the band run through ‘Harmony in My Head’ and ‘Orgasm Addict’.
Then we get both drummers, John Mahar and Danny Farrant, playing ‘I Don’t Mind’ with the rest of the band. By this point, there’s only one way to end the set, and that’s with everyone returning to the stage for a chaotic but wonderfully heartfelt blast of ‘Ever Fallen in Love’. Yes, it had been a pretty chaotic set and at times even a little messy (sound-wise) but it was the emotion that made this gig so good and, if you couldn’t appreciate that, then you just weren’t feeling it the way the rest of us were. As a final word, Eugene returns to the stage to present a posthumous Award to Pete which is accepted by his widow, Greta. This was the way Pete deserved to be remembered – not with sadness, although many of us also felt that way, but with celebration, paying positive tribute to a true inspiration.
THE PHOBICS / BUCHA EFFECT. The Pelton, 22/6/19. It’s a nice warm evening down at the Pelton, so the beer garden is getting full use. In fact, it’s so pleasant that it starts to feel like it’s going to be difficult to give up my comfy seat in the sunshine to go indoors and watch the bands. But some things have to be done and I eventually set my feet in the direction of the stage. Bucha Effect are on usual form this evening, playing a bunch of newer songs like ‘Uphill’ and ‘Tommy Hates Cheese’ alongside older ones like ‘Roland’ and ‘345 to Peckham’. They’re always a lot of fun, and the new songs are getting better and better. But The Phobics steal the show, as they usually do at The Pelton. With a set full of songs like ‘Gentrification’, ‘Down and Out in Deptford’ and ‘Path of Love’, they really can’t go wrong, especially when the pub is full of their home-crowd! The set ends with ‘Burnt Rubber’, the title track of the upcoming album, and it’s a great slice of Hi-energy rock’n’roll. What more do you need to know? See them soon and don’t miss the album!
RUTS DC. The Pelton, 28/6/19. I think this is the first time I’ve had to pay to get into The Pelton, but it’s only a tenner and an event like this is well-worth my money. After everyone enjoyed their previous acoustic set at the Little Crown (celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of ‘In A Rut’) tonight they’re celebrating the release of ‘Babylon’s Burning’. They’ve moved the venue to a slightly larger pub to allow a few more fans to come along, but it’s still a pretty intimate setting. That being said, even though there’s a strict ticket-only policy, the place is pretty packed. There’s no support band so we don’t have to wait too long and Ruts DC play pretty early (probably so they have plenty of time to hang out with their many friends after the gig.) The stage in The Pelton is pretty low so it is a little awkward to get a good view, but the sound is spot-on, clear and powerful. I can’t remember the actual order of the setlist, but they did play ‘In a Rut’, ‘Staring at the Rude Boys’, ‘West One’, ‘Something That I Said’ and ‘Love in Vain’ amongst the older tracks, combined with songs like ‘Psychic Attack’ and ‘Music Must Destroy’ from their most recent album. Their acoustics sets are a bit more relaxed than their full electric gigs, allowing Segs and Ruffy to chat with the audience in between songs and share a few anecdotes, but musically they were just as tight and precise as they always are. Obviously, they ended the gig with ‘Babylon’s Burning’, a song that still has a place in many hearts and which still rings true even now. It was a relatively short set but I doubt if anyone felt short-changed and with the combination of a warm evening and a packed crowd, it was probably a wise thing to do. The Ruts / Ruts DC continue to be an amazing band – long may they continue!