With the added bonus of reasonably priced drinks, this is a proper decent sized grassroots venue where you can see up and coming bands alongside far more established international bands without the need to travel into that there London. In the last twelve months, we’ve seen the likes of A Certain Ratio, Pet Needs, Ricky Warwick, Beans on Toast and Supersuckers grace the venue’s stages. Those bands that have played here enjoy it so much they keep coming back, with the likes of Los Fastidios (Italy), Heathen Apostles (US) and now Ghost Dance making a return journey within less than a year of their last visit.

Having emerged from the ashes of the influential Skeletal Family and The Sisters of Mercy, Ghost Dance were a more poppy aside to the tidal wave of arena goth that threatened the upper echelons of the UK charts in the late eighties. Unfortunately, by the time their debut album ‘Stop the World’ was released in 1989, the rise of dance culture and Madchester saw the zeitgeist move on and the band became a footnote.

However, times change and a reformed band returned in 2019 with Anne Marie Hurst back on vocal duties. In 2023, thirty-four years after their debut album, the band released their excellent sophomore album ‘The Silent Shout’. And when Ghost Dance played here last May, it was a triumphant celebration of the band’s history, so expectations were high tonight.

Korinthians, a four piece band from Ghent in Belgium are the support for tonight. With even more minimalistic lighting than usual for the venue, we are treated to the band’s neon symbol hanging behind the drummer, the rest of the band being lit from behind by a single row of lights. As such, most of the band are either in shadows or silhouetted against the neon sign for the duration of the set.

Given the dark synth beats coming from the stage, it’s a suitable look. There’s elements of late nineties EBM permeating through their sound, albeit with added drums, whilst vocalist/guitarist Mattias has touches of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan and Editors’ Tom Smith in his intonation. Songs such as ‘No Future’, ‘The Whimper’ and ‘Normal Lives for Normal People’ are enjoyably dark and atmospheric. I love this stuff and the album ‘A Major Walk’ is nice entry into the genre. A good set, but perhaps a little too similar to others ploughing this musical field to really distinguish themselves. Korinthians - Apr 24 There’s been a lineup change in Ghost Dance for logistical reasons since last year’s show although Anne Marie and guitarist Tim Walker remain at the core of the band, so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

Thankfully there’s a little more light on stage for the main set, although it does tend to make the audience more visible than the band themselves. Anne Marie, with her fiery red hair is clearly in a good mood tonight as her smile beams out at the crowd and she introduces ‘I Will Wait’. ‘River of No Return’ with its unmistakable Gary Marx guitar intro follows and we are back in the glorious days of 1985.

Ghost Dance - Apr 24 ‘Falling Down’ from the new album has a more updated sound and allows Anne Marie the opportunity to showcase a more mature vocal than the earlier material. ‘When I Call’ returns to the swirling guitars of the past and whilst the intro to ‘Down to the Wire’ has echoes of Simple Minds’ overblown overtures before it turns into a gothic glam rock stomp.

‘Spin the Wheel’ slows the pace down and has the crowd swaying in unison. The updated lineup are jelling together nicely and this is shown on the rockier ‘Goodbye’ where the band gets to flex its muscles. The night sees Anne Marie make several journeys off the stage to mix with the audience much to their delight. ‘A Deeper Blue’ returns to the early days with added guitar solos and sweeping chorus. It is possibly one of the best songs to come from the first EPs. Ghost Dance - Apr 24 ‘A Town Called Sympathy’ was a live favourite back in the day but remained unrecorded until it appeared on the new album. It sounds great on record and is fantastic live. 'Yesterday Again’ with its spaghetti western intro is a more haunting number, whilst with ‘Jessamine’, the band have a song title that in the old days would have been added to the official list of names you could call your goth kittens.

Fan favourite ‘Last Train’ completes the main set and is much appreciated. Like most bands playing the Facebar, the band stay on stage for the encore and launch into ‘Walk in my Shadow’ which should have been a full blown goth anthem on its release. Revisiting Anne-Marie’s Skeletal Family roots, the band play ‘Promised Land’ which, with its urgent guitars, pounding beat and soaring vocals, goes down a storm. Ghost Dance - Apr 24 It’s been another highly enjoyable set from a band that should have been far bigger, but couldn’t survive the advance of the relentless hordes of baggy jeaned, ecstasy fueled indie kids that would dominate the early nineties.   Ghost Dance - Apr 24

Providing the backdrop for the first half of the night are the Vive Le Rockers, a feisty cavalcade of musicians led by the ever flamboyant Paul-Ronney Angel. Opening with the instrumental surf rock perfection that is The Chantays ‘Pipeline’, the band are soon joined by a succession of musical talent. Lily from young upstarts, The Meffs performs a blistering version of ‘Bad Reputation’ whilst local legend Alan Clayton from Dirty Strangers performs a crowd pleasing ‘Gold Cortina’. The Vive Le Rockers - Apr 24
Lily - The Meffs - Apr 24 Paul-Ronney Angel & Alan Clayton - Apr 24 In the first of tonight’s tributes, Paul Ronney leads the band into the Pogues ‘The Old Main Drag’ and ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’ as we all remember the late Shane MacGowan. Casino Steel joins Paul-Ronney for a couple of numbers although it may be a little early to sing ‘Thank God This Bar is Closing’. Everyone’s favourite elder statesman punk, Charlie Harper comes on stage to sing a very well received ‘CID’ before being given a celebratory cake in respect of his impending 80^th birthday next month. Casino Steel - Apr 24

Charlie Harper - Apr 24

Tonight’s compare is the returning Beki Bondage who charms the crowd whilst the chaos of herding presenters, winners and the awards themselves goes on backstage. Grade 2 deservedly win best new band whilst Spike from The Quireboys presents the best album award to The Damned for the excellent ‘Darkedelic’. Ruts DC reminisce about their long association with Kirk Brandon before giving him the ‘Voice of a Generation’ award. A gushing Saffron from Republica presents the ‘Icon’ award to the legendary performer, and now massive internet star, Toyah. Beki Bondage - Apr 24

The Vive Le Rockers return aided by Beki Bondage to pay tribute to Geordie Walker (with Gizz Butt) and Tina Turner respectively with versions of Killing Joke’s ‘Requiem’ and an incendiary ‘Nutbush City Limits’. Chris Spedding who had earlier received a ‘guitar legend’ award from Neal X, comes on stage for a couple of numbers. With a career lasting over 50 years, the list of people Chris has played with and the important albums he has appeared on would fill a telephone book, so it is good to see him play especially with the full band accompanying him on ‘Motor Bikin’. Beki Bondage & Gizz Butt - Apr 24 Chris Spedding - Apr 24 Saffron joins the band to sing ‘Ready To Go’ closely followed by Toyah performing a glorious ‘I Want To Be Free’. Head honcho at Vive Le Rock, Eugene Butcher, comes out to perform a raucous ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ with Gizz Butt demonstrating his dexterity on the fretboard. As is the case nowadays, the list of iconic musicians leaving us this year is growing painfully big and it is left to Jim Jones to pay final respects to Wayne Kramer and John Sinclair with a suitably bombastic version of MC5’s ‘Kick Out The Jams’. Saffron (Republica) - Apr 24 Toyah - Apr 24

Eugene Butcher - Apr 24 Jim Jones - Apr 24 After a short break we are on to the headline sets. Theatre of Hate have always been an enjoyable live band and it is good to see Kirk up and running again after recent health issues. Starting with the spaghetti western stomp of ‘Do You Believe in the Westworld’, the pace does not let up with ‘Original Sin’ following. 2020’s ‘You Can’t Stop What’s Coming’ slots nicely into the set with its dominating sax underpinned by Kirk’s unmistakable vocals. It’s back to the early days for the run in with ‘Judgement Hymn’ followed by ‘Incinerator’ and set closer ‘Propaganda’ which still sounds essential today.

Theatre of Hate - Apr 24 Theatre of Hate - Apr 24 Theatre of Hate - Apr 24 There’s one more award to give out and that is best live band, which goes to Ruts DC. One of the most consistent live bands out there, handily they are next on the lineup, so they immediately launch into ‘Psychic Attack’ and ‘Kill the Pain’ from 2016’s excellent ‘Music Must Destroy’ album. The chilled out reggae of ‘Jah War’ is always one of the highlights of a Ruts DC set. Zac Starkey joins the band on second guitar to take us back to the beginning with ‘In a Rut’ and a superb rendition of ‘Babylon’s Burning’. It’s a short set and reminds me I need to see the band more often. Ruts DC - Apr 24 Ruts DC - Apr 24
Ruts DC - Apr 24 Sham 69 have had a checkered past but whilst Jimmy Pursey is fronting the band, you are always going to get some good old fashioned in your face street punk aggression. Staring down the audience and frequently launching water towards into them, he goads the assembled room into action and the crowd starts to bounce around. ‘What Have We Got’ sets the scene with its ‘fuck all’ call and response. ‘Borstal Breakout’ is an early highlight and the final run in of ‘Angels with Dirty Faces’, ‘If the Kids are United’, and ‘Hersham Boys’ is almost perfect. By the time the band finish the set with the iconic ‘Hurry Up Harry’, the whole room is singing along. Sham 69 - Apr 24 Sham 69 - Apr 24 Sham 69 - Apr 24 With the main bar remaining open till 1am, there’s plenty of chance to catch up with friends and various band members after the show. Slightly chaotic as expected in places but overall good fun all the same.

It’s quiet when we first venture up the venue’s spiral staircase to the first floor, but it soon fills up and we are introduced to Thrill City. Featuring veteran players, Zodiac Mindwarp guitarist Cobalt Stargazer and Crazyhead’s drummer Robbie Vom plus relative newcomers Aiden and Laurence on vocals and bass duties respectively, Thrill City produce the sort of classic psychedelic, riff heavy punk rock that wouldn’t be out of place on an 80s horror film soundtrack. Thrill City - Mar 24 Cobalt’s an old hand at this entertainment business and frequently lets rip with his soaring crowd pleasing solos especially on ‘Chained to the Ground’. A couple of times, he comes off the stage and solos with the audience – never a bad thing. With engaging songs such as ‘The Crow’, ‘Thrill City’ and ‘Pill City’, the band certainly have a promising future. The watching crowd certainly thought so. Thrill City - Mar 24 Timmy DeRella is an omnipresent force on the London punk scene having been responsible for the excellent Rockaway Beach monthly night at Islington’s iconic Hope and Anchor for many years. With bands as diverse as King Salami and the Cumberland 3, Flesh Tetris and Rubella Ballet having played there in recent times, it’s always worthwhile popping along to check out the action. The DeRellas - Mar 24 Tonight, Timmy’s brought his own band, The DeRellas along to The Lexington. Having been through a number of singers over the years, Timmy has now taken over vocal duties full time and has really grown into the role in recent years to the extent it’s hard to imagine anybody else doing it. Bouncing around the stage like a vaudeville punk rock urchin with his low slung bass, he remains one of the most enjoyable frontmen currently on the scene. Ever reliable guitarist Luca provides the restrained cool in comparison to Timmy’s energized performance whilst the rest of the band add to the musical muscle.

The DeRellas - Mar 24

Recent album ‘Something’s Got to Give’ was a glam infused punk classic and gets a welcome airing tonight, especially ‘Sonic Detonator’, but a splattering of old favourites keeps the older fans of the band happy as well. You can’t help but walk away from a DeRellas show with a smile on your face and tonight was no different.

Vive Le Rock’s Editor in Chief, Eugene Butcher originally formed Desperate Measures back in New Zealand in the 80s before he relocated to London. Resurrecting the band a few years back, the lineup now includes Ricky McGuire on bass, James Sherry on drums and Gaff on guitar slinging duties. Some impressive support slots have followed performing with a number of iconic punk bands whilst the band has been venturing further outside of London on a more frequent basis. Desperate Measures - Mar 24 Opening with ‘Scars & Memories’ with its chugging guitar intro, pounding bass line, scathing lyrics and singalong chorus, the band set out their stall for the night. Eugene has mastered this frontman lark and has developed his own posturing style as he squats and gesticulates menacingly into the crowd. New song ‘Pockets’ is a welcome addition to the set giving the rhythm section a chance to shine. Desperate Measures - Mar 24 Album title track ‘Sublime Destruction’ is a thumping speed fest with some quality ‘woahs’ permeating the chorus before Gaff is allowed to let loose on his six string. Despite the mass of hair almost forever covering Gaff’s face, there are occasional flashes of his grinning gnashers, and he’s clearly loving playing this stuff. Dating back to the original band days, ‘1984’ is reminiscent of early Killing Joke and will always get a thumbs up from me. ‘Lost Angels’ reminds me a little of Bob Mould’s exploits with Sugar which is no bad thing, whilst ‘Enjoy the Ride’ sees the ever versatile Kit Swing venture on stage to provide backing vocals. Desperate Measures - Mar 24 The almost gothic ‘Flowers at Your Door’ starts off sounding like a Neff outtake before mutating into a mini punk epic. A rousing ‘Back to the Rats’ brings the main set to a close, but there’s still time for a fun stomp through The Stooges ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’.

I’ve seen Desperate Measures a number of times over the last few years and there is a definitely a progression in what they do, with the set list becoming increasingly varied, whilst retaining that punk rock edge. The band are tight and clearly enjoying themselves as did the audience.

So, three very different bands, each excelling at what they do and putting a smile on my face after a long hard month. Desperate Measures - Mar 24

Headliner Jason Eady played here back in 2018 and loved it so much he wanted to play it again despite the limited capacity. So the Texas based country and blues guitarist is back here for a UK and European tour, and a sold out Aces ‘n’ Eights awaits in anticipation.

Up first we have Reading based Nicole Allan who brings her own version of Americana to Aces ‘n’ Eights for the first time. I’d briefly caught Nicole a few weeks back at the open mike night she hosts at The Butler in Reading and was immediately impressed by her voice. Tonight was the first time seeing a full set and I was not disappointed. Nicole has an incredibly strong soulful voice coming across like a countrified Alanis Morrisette whilst having a decent collection of tunes to show off her vocal dexterity. Making the first of many appearances tonight, Runnin Blue’s own Neil Packman gets on stage for Nicole’s final song and provides harmonica for a rousing ‘Should’ve Known Better’.  Nicole is definitely one to watch and a name to remember.  Nicole Allan - Mar 24 Christmas 2020 and the UK went back into lockdown for a second time – I found myself facing a solo Christmas in an empty house. Luckily a few days before, a copy of Sarah Vista’s ‘…Sings Songs from the Silver Screen’ had popped through the letterbox and became my soundtrack for that strange Christmas Day. I love spaghetti westerns, especially the soundtracks, as does Sarah and the album included cracking versions of ‘Django’ and ‘Johnny Guitar’ amongst others. I’ve missed seeing Sarah on numerous occasions, so tonight was going was always going to be special. Sarah Vista - Mar 24 Opening with the atmospheric ‘Killing Fever’, Sarah’s velvety tones weave around a tale of vengeance whilst Neil is back on the harmonica again. Not surprisingly given Sarah love of westerns, her songs feature tales of gunslingers and murderous intent with echoes of Morricone’s legendary soundscapes, especially on ‘I’ll Die With My Boots On’ about the only woman to be hung in Arizona, Eva Dugan. An imagined duet with Johnny Cash, ‘My Baby’s Bad’ invokes memories of the great man himself and his album of duets with June Carter. With songs such as ‘I Wish You Hell’ and the dark ‘Now You Are Sleeping’, Sarah shows that she can match the best of the murder balladeers. Despite a few technical glitches, it’s a fantastic set that brought a big smile to my face. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I see Sarah again. Sarah Vista - Mar 24 Mississippi born but Texas based Jason Eady has made a name for himself over the last 20 years on the country scene and has released a number of critically acclaimed albums. This gig sold out months ago and Jason clearly has a dedicated fan base in the UK, although extra marks must go to the fellow American who came along having met him on a tequila trip in Mexico earlier in the year and just happens to currently live in London.

Jason’s guitar playing is second to none and it is hard to believe that he is playing by himself given the range of sounds coming from his instrument. With crystal clear vocals permeated by his southern drawl, Jason is a very engaging raconteur treating us to as many tales as songs. Reminding us that mentioning your age in the first line of your songs is the easiest way to age yourself, Jason gives us a version of ‘Old Guitar and Me’ and it shows that age really doesn’t matter when a song is performed this well. Jason Eady - Mar 24 Jason comes from a military family and served his time in the American air force including a posting to the UK in his youth. Following this introduction, he tells the story of his grandfather’s involvement in the Allied invasion of Italy during the last world war and how chance meant he survived to the end of the war unlike many of his comrades on the beaches of Italy. The song ‘French Summer Sun’ moves the story to France but remains incredibly powerful especially the killer final verse. Jason Eady - Mar 24 With a back catalogue stretching back twenty years, Jason has plenty of material to fall back on but a light hearted highlight is a song about being mistaken for his doppelganger Matt Damon. With smiles all round, Jason introduces his latest album ‘Mississippi’. Preceded by a fascinating insight into his early teenage years living in Mississippi, Jason reminisces about his old blues guitar teacher and the Mississippi blues he taught him. Jason Eady - Mar 24 What follows is a fantastic selection of outstanding swampy delta blues songs from the album with Neil being allowed to let rip on his harmonica throughout. DJ Dam Muddy joins Jason and Neil with his egg shaker and the night turns into a bluegrass hoedown. Jason Eady - Mar 24 Sadly, all good things need to end and after ninety minutes, the curfew kicks in and the set has to finish. Considering that Jason plays considerably larger venues in the States, getting to see him in such an intimate venue as Aces ‘n’ Eights has been a privilege tonight. 

It's nights like this that remind you why grassroots venues such as Aces 'n' Eights are so important - three excellent artists at various stages in their careers entertaining all with their musical abilities.  Jason Eady - Mar 24

Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24

However, the band have decided to call it a day and tonight is their last London gig before a couple of hometown gigs at the Cluny in Newcastle bring the show to a close. As a result, tonight is to be a celebration of what the band have achieved in front of a sold out Omeara. The Omeara is perfect for this this gig with its distressed music hall décor.

It’s an early start and there is already a decent crowd to watch Izzie Walsh’s set. Izzie has been making waves since her debut performances in 2016 and is a rising star on the folk and country scene. Playing solo tonight, Izzie enthralls the audience with her engaging personality and gorgeously rich voice. Songs such as ‘Take Me Back’ and the wonderfully named ‘Day Drinking Astronaut’ are perfectly gauged to demonstrate Izzie’s songwriting prowess and vocal range. As Izzie tells us, most singers have a song about the isolation of the covid lockdown for musicians and her song ‘Balcony’ is a beautifully haunting tale of longing. London crowds can be a bit standoffish at times, but tonight Izzie certainly has them won over. Izzie Walsh - Feb 24

The Omeara is a great venue, but the stage is relatively small especially now that the ranks of Holy Moly and the Crackers have swollen to a seven piece including a percussionist. Regardless of the lack of space Conrad is determined to make use of any free space there is and is as energetic as ever alternating between guitar, trumpet and vocal duties. Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24 Opening with the laid back groove of ‘Solid Gold’ with its funky riff and Ruth’s sultry vocals, it’s a grand start. The bass heavy ‘Like a River’ sees the first crowd participation of the night with Conrad standing on the monitors to get the audience to join in with the ‘yeahs’ for the duration of the song. ‘Sugar’ sees Conrad’s gravel like vocals and trumpet take centre stage whilst Ruth provides the strings and angelic tones – it’s an early highlight.  

‘Cry Wolf’ has a wonderfully fuzzy guitar riff and glam rock stomp to it before the fairground swing of ‘All I Got With You’ brings Rosie’s accordion to the fore. ‘Sister’ continues the rockier feel to the set with a strong vocal from Ruth with Conrad’s trumpet raising the song up a level. Referring to the stunning pair of Texan red boots she has on, Ruth introduces the single ‘Hot Red’. ‘Angeline’ is probably the most poppy song on the last album with its big chorus - it sounds great in the live arena. Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24

The original trio of Ruth, Conrad and Rosie come together to play ‘Comfort in Lies’ and ‘Bluebell Wood’ from the first album. They are welcome throwbacks to the band’s folk roots, especially ‘Bluebell Wood’ with its hoedown shuffle. Fan favourite ‘Punk Called Peter’ is a mutant ska folk monster of a tune and has the crowd bouncing around as does the east European folk fervor of ‘River Neva’. ‘Naked in Budapest’ has the crowd joyously joining in with the chorus of ‘we’re not going home’. Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24 The opening bars of ‘Cold Comfort Lane’ raises a big cheer from the crowd as the band play a storming version of what is probably their most popular song. The eminently danceable ‘Upside Down’ follows with its accordion led disco beat and violin solo, it is a cacophony of sound that somehow comes together perfectly. Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24 Despite the fact that this is one of the band’s last shows, Ruth and Conrad still have enough gall to encore with new song ‘If I Die Tomorrow’ getting the audience to provide the harmonies, and suggesting that there may be further adventures ahead.

The full band return to the stage and it’s time for one last stomp and ‘Devil and the Danube’ produces an adrenaline pumped up beast of a finale. If this is indeed the end then it has been a joyous occasion celebrating the wealth of material the band has produced. There are mixed emotions for the departing crowds and the merch desk sees a long queue of well-wishers chatting to the band and snapping up any remaining t-shirts and albums.

It’s sad to see the band depart but I suspect that this is not the last we will hear from Holy Moly and the Crackers.

Holy Moly and the Crackers - Feb 24

The Clockworks - Feb 24

Getting Alan McGee to release your first few singles is never a bad way to start your CV. The man who introduced the likes of Ride, Primal Scream, Jesus and Mary Chain and, um, Oasis to the world has an impressive ability to recognize burgeoning talent. Four years ago, McGee jumped on a plane to Galway, saw the band in rehearsal and signed them. A series of decent singles followed before Bernard Butler came on board to oversee the recording of their debut album, ‘Exit Strategy’.

Now on tour to celebrate the album, the boys from Galway arrive at the Facebar on a Tuesday night, never a great day to pull the punters in. However, for a band promoting their debut album, there is a decent crowd here with a good range of ages.  

Up first we have the electro indie duo of Martellos. Originally hailing from North West Ireland, the duo has relocated to London and bring some smooth bass driven beats to the proceedings. With a stage setup dominated by a pub high table with a laptop and strategically placed pint of Guinness on it, there’s not much room for the band to move around meaning its down to the music to do the talking. As it is, singer and bassist Lorc, along with his magnificent mullet, has a soothing laid back half sung / half spoken delivery which nicely compliments Kev’s meandering guitar. It’s an engaging enough experience and tracks such as ‘Card Tricks’, ‘West’ and ‘95 (Strawberry Blonde)’ are certainly worthwhile giving a listen to.

Martellos - Feb 24 Like Martellos, The Clockworks have also moved to London and this experience runs through their debut album. Giving the album a cinematic feel, ‘Exit Strategy’ is a series of stories telling of a boy leaving Galway, moving to London and his various encounters along the way including speed freaks and a drunken Jesus. It’s a varied and accomplished album (not surprising given Bernard Butler’s involvement) and it will be interesting to hear how it transfers to the live arena.

The Clockworks - Feb 24

Making the stage as moody as possible, the lighting is restricted to a minimum tonight covering everyone in a blue haze. Opening with the piano driven ‘Deaths and Entrances’, the ambience is only enhanced by James’ dulcet tones as the song builds to its climax. From here on, it is a virtual run through the album with the post punk sounding ‘Bills and Pills’ following. ‘Mayday Mayday’ initially threatens to turn into an early slice of Kaiser Chiefs hokum but just about makes it to the other side without losing face.

The Clockworks - Feb 24 ‘Hall of Fame’ slows the pace down considerable and James’s vocals take centre stage once more before the band gently take the song to its conclusion. ‘Car Song’ sounds like it will become a live favourite with its increasing wall of sound. The wonderfully named ‘Danny’s Working Like a Dog’ is a pleasant jangly number with another big ending. ‘Feels so Real’ is a nice slice of indie rock that would sit nicely beside early Arctic Monkeys.

‘Advertise Me’, ‘Modern City Living (All We Are)’ and ‘Life in a Day’ all keep the momentum up before ‘Lost in the Moment’ takes the band back to the sounds of early 80s indie pop. Finishing with album closer ‘Westway’ brings the set to a satisfactory end with an extended instrumental session as James runs through the crowd fist bumping everyone there, before returning to the stage for the encore. The Clockworks - Feb 24 It is at this stage that the band really step up a gear and a good portion of the audience respond with mass dancing. ‘Blood on the Mind’ is followed by ‘Endgame’ and then a corking version of ‘The Future is Not What is Was’. Final song ‘Enough is Never Enough’ with its chorus of ‘these fingers were made for pointing’ is sure to become a festival staple and leaves the audience contented.

For a band that I only heard about recently, they are certainly polished and have bags of confidence plus some decent tunes to boot. There is a lot of promise there and I can see the band becoming a firm festival favourite especially in that mid to late afternoon slot. Whether they can break away from an increasingly crowded market and take it to a higher level will depend upon whether or not they can continue to produce engaging and musically adventurous records. The Clockworks - Feb 24

Eater - Jan 24

Eater go down as being one of the earliest bands on the punk scene. They were almost certainly one of the youngest with the band still being at school and made the likes of The Damned, Sex Pistols and The Clash seem positively geriatric. They were supported by both Buzzcocks and The Damned in their early days and featured on the legendary ‘The Roxy London WC2’ live album recorded in early 1977. By the time they folded in 1979, they’d released their sole album, cunningly named ‘The Album’ and looked like they would be resigned to just being a footnote in punk’s congested history.

Roll forward to 2024 and singer Andy Blade is touring as Eater again, but in a masterstroke has recruited up and coming glam rockers Jo-Jo & The Teeth to be his backing band. Reviews of this lineup have been very positive and with Jo-Jo & The Teeth being the main support as well, it was an easy decision to start my 2024 gig season in their company.

First up are local outfit, Juliet & The Raging Romeos. I saw the band supporting The Rezillos when they appeared here last year and found their set entertaining. Tonight, they open with their 2015 debut single ‘Good Girl’ and its b-side ‘Venus’ - the band have a pleasing ragged early 80s indie/new wave sound to them whilst Angela’s vocals have echoes of the likes of Toyah, Lene Lovich and Pauline Murray. It’s not often that you hear Serbian rock covered, but tonight the band give us an intriguing cover of Boye’s ‘Dosta Dosta Dosta’. Finishing with the dual vocal jangle rock of ‘Riot!’ it’s been a good start to the night. Juliet & The Raging Romeos - Jan 24 Jo-Jo & The Teeth appeared on the scene a couple of years ago and have been making all the right noises. Debut album ‘No More Good News’ arrived in 2022 and is a stone cold classic that entices you to keep it on repeat all night long. Playing as a four piece tonight, the band start with the album’s opening track ‘My Babe’. It’s a great song beginning with pulsing glam rock beat before Jo-Jo’s deep, powerful and acrobatic voice kicks in before ending with a Jack White squealing guitar. Dressed in fishnets and black leather shirt, Jo-Jo prowls the stage with a Siouxsie Sioux-esque aplomb. Jo-Jo & The Teeth - Jan 24 You can imagine ‘Hellhound’ being played in a smoke filled truckstop bar just as a mass brawl breaks out whilst the band continue oblivious to it. ‘Don’t Get Too Heavy’ is one of those classic songs that should be getting endless radio play with its singalong chorus of ‘Dream on dream weaver’ and epic guitar solo. Finishing with the far quieter ‘A Hungry Love’ this has been a consummate set and definitely a band I want of see more of. Jo-Jo & The Teeth - Jan 24

Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long, as a mere fifteen minutes later they are back to play along with Andy Blade.

It’s been a while since Eater performed in their formative years and much of their youthful style and short sharp bursts of unbridled energy have become staple approaches in the global world of punk rock. As a result, listening to their debut album can sound very familiar even if you don’t know the songs themselves. Rarely letting a song breach the two minute mark mean that the likes of ‘Anne’ and ‘You’ could never outstay their welcome.

The rest of the original Eater lineups are long gone having retreated from the music business, so it is an astute move for Andy Blade to recruit a bunch of musicians already on the ascendancy in their own right and full of vigor and confidence. It certainly makes selecting a support band a lot easier. Whereas the original songs on record can seem a little thin in comparison to modern productions, the songs tonight become something a lot beefier without heading into cod rock territory. Having Jo-Jo on vocal duties alongside Andy brings another dimension to the songs. Eater - Jan 24
With the youthful exuberance emitting from his fellow band mates, Andy is reveling in this new resurgence. Looking dapper in his black shirt, tie and coat, his eyes forever hidden behind his shades and cap, there’s an air of Harry Dean Stanton to the Andy Blade of 2024 (had Harry grown up in North London rather than Kentucky) with all the cool that that brings. Eater - Jan 24
We get most of the debut album tonight including the covers of ‘Jeepster’, ‘Waiting for the Man’ and ‘Queen Bitch’ each reduced down to two minutes bursts of energy. Not being a fan of Pink Floyd means that the band’s version of ‘Eclipse’ bypasses me completely but at least it is short. 

Before you know it, the hour is nearly up and we are treated to cracking versions of ‘Thinkin’ of the USA’ and ‘No Brains’. The gamble has paid off and having the young guns back him has resulted in Andy giving the songs of Eater a new coat of paint nearly 50 years after they were first written. An all round success I would say. Eater - Jan 24

The costs of touring have risen by ridiculous amounts and with the demise of physical album sales, most artists are reliant on the income from live performances to scrape a living out of their passion. As a result, gigs at the lower end rarely break even and promotors are more wary of making more adventurous decisions. At the other end, the advent of demand based ticket pricing means that many people can only afford one or two arena gigs per year at most (strengthening the argument that you should see lots of smaller gigs instead). Brexit continues to be the gift that keeps giving as US bands that used to base their European gear in the UK have moved into Europe and sometimes avoid the UK altogether. Home grown bands travelling into Europe frequently find issues at the border leading to cancelled tours. Whilst the smaller venues struggled with indifferent audiences and the vulturous planning officials hoovered nearby, the bigger venues took 25% of bands merchandise sales and charged close to £10 for an insipid pint of beer.

Despite the challenges the above presented, lots of bands went back out on tour and there were several highlights. I clocked up 77 gigs across the year and saw 174 different bands in venues ranging from the boutique Aces n Eights in Tufnell Park, through to the legendary Hull New Adelphi Club and all the way up to the soulless Wembley Arena. Special mention should go to Siouxsie’s gig at Tynemouth Priory – a perfect sunny evening looking out into the North Sea in the shadow of the Priory. Siouxsie - Jul 23 2023 saw the return of a number of artists we thought we would never see again. The aforementioned Siouxsie Sioux thrilled audiences with a series of sold out shows in the US, Europe and the UK. The Cult resurrected Death Cult and played sets based on their material from 1982 to 1984, and it was glorious to hear those goth tinged songs played in the wild again. A short set from a Michael Monroe fronted Lords of the New Church concluded the chaotic but thoroughly enjoyable Vive Le Rock awards show at Shepherds Bush Empire. Lastly The Almighty reformed and delivered some of the best gigs of the year. There are some artists who continue to release exceptional albums in their twilight years and one of these was ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ by Sparks. The accompanying tour was a thing of beauty covering all aspects of their career – a trip to Oxford New Theatre to see them is one of my favourite gigs of the year. I’ve lived in Reading for 23 years now and the town has always had a relatively vibrant music scene despite not having many venues. Whilst Sub89 used to bring in the mid tier touring bands, it has become a sad reflection of its former self with more tribute bands playing than original bands these days. In its wake, the long established Facebar is making a name for itself as a venue of choice. Together with promotors such as Club Velocity, Heavy Pop and Runnin Blue, the venue has seen a highly impressive lineup in 2023 with the likes of Ricky Warwick, Supersuckers, Ghostdance and The Rezillos all playing there. Veteran goth band, The March Violets produced one for the best gigs of the year there whilst Los Fastidios had all the rude girls dancing on the stage. Special mention to the Heathen Apostles who brought their southern gothic country sounds to an enchanted audience. Heathen Apostles - Jul 23 The annual ‘Are You Listening Festival’ saw a multitude of bands playing at various venues across the town. Highlights included the Lambrini Girls, Deijuvhs, Pet Needs and a cracking set from Black Honey in the magnificent setting of St Lawrence Church. After ten years, the festival has become an essential highlight in the gig calendar. Over in that there London, Terrorvision had a rammed Electric Ballroom bouncing around from the start and The Middlenight Men tantalized us with tracks from their forthcoming second album. Amigo the Devil brought a full band over this time to further enhance his stupendous tales of love and murder at Islington Assembly Hall.  Over at the Roundhouse, The Sisters of Mercy appeared to implode on stage despite having a back catalogue of songs that should have kept the band in fine fettle. Instead, we were treated to a disappointing set of mumbled lyrics and overall dodgy sound. In contrast, a trip to Finsbury Park to watch Pulp was an excellent celebration of Jarvis and the gang’s musical heritage. Wembley Arena was the location for a pair of cracking gigs by punk legends Dropkick Murphys and Rancid despite the venue’s attempts to make the experience as soulless as possible.   London’s smaller venues continued to provide highly enjoyable sets which frequently were more fun than the gigs at the city’s bigger venues. Islington’s legendary Hope & Anchor was host to excellent sets by Black Bombers, Desperate Measures, The Carol Hodges Band and Sarah Borges. Over in Kings Cross, The Water Rats continued to entertain with shows by the likes of The Rose of Avalanche, Salvation, The Hip Priests and Wolfsbane. It was also the venue for the always enjoyable annual Vive LE Rock Xmess party with The Electric Shakes, The Priscillas, Ultrabomb, The Speedways and Desperate Measures providing the music for the night. Local homecoming gigs can be something special as friends and family join the audience, occasionally making the bands raise their game. I’d not seen The Amazons before but was pleasantly surprised by their set at Reading University. As an aside, it’s a shame that the University circuit is not what it used to be like – back in the early Nineties I saw numerous well-known bands playing the likes of Nottingham Trent University and Hull University. Returning to my own personal roots, the band I have seen the most, Lithium Joe, reformed for a couple of gigs including a home town gig at Hull New Adelphi Club. They are the band I saw develop from playing to four people and a dog to becoming major players on the Hull music scene during the Nineties. Now in their fifties it was a joy to see the band rejuvenated and playing to a loyal crowd of supporters – these are the special moments that will stay in your memories for a long time. Lithium Joe - Nov 23 2023 continued to demonstrate that there are numerous quality bands playing around the country, but that audiences need to be more willing to take a punt on their local music scenes. There are plenty of grass roots venues out there putting on bands every week and they don’t charge the earth for a drink (and travel costs will be much less). Yes, occasionally go to see one of the big shows by the big headliners but also go and see the future stars of tomorrow at the same time else you’ll be stuck watching holograms of Abba and Kiss for the rest of time, and paying through the nose for the privilege.

Here's looking forward to 2024 and more gig fun. Wolfsbane - Dec 23

Tonight, they are back at a packed The Water Rats in Kings Cross following a series of well received gigs around the UK. The gig had already sold out before Blaze’s hospitalization and the anticipation in the room was intoxicating.

Starting proceedings tonight we have The Spangles featuring guitar for hire Ben Marsden and the Idol Dead’s Polly Phluid. It’s been four years since I last saw the band play and it’s a welcome return. The band bring with them a collection of energetic songs with plenty of Wildhearts/Ramones sensibilities on show. New drummer Ace fits in nicely between the two charismatic frontmen despite having been previously auctioned off for a measly 23p. Thankfully the buyer’s consideration included a Guernsey 10p and the was auction voided. Finishing with ‘Growing Up’ and its squealing guitar solos, the band should have won over a few more fans. The Spangles - Dec 23 The Hip Priests are one of my favourite bands to photograph. There is so much energy emanating from the band that you can’t help but be taken along for the ride. Singer Nathan Von Cruz with his blackened eyes is like a whirling dervish as he runs around spending as much time in the crowd as he does on the stage. Dressed like the coolest biker gang in town, the band pummel the audience with the heaviest and fastest rock n roll you’ll hear this side of Supersuckers. Songs such as ‘The Best Revenge’ and ‘Shakin Ain’t Fakin’ from the recent ‘Roden House Blues’ album are straight in your face, fist pumping slices of sonic greatness. The Hip Priests - Dec 23 On stage, whilst the rhythm section keeps the music tight, the dual guitarists let rip with glorious rock n roll posturing making use of the gaps left by Nathan during his frequent trip into the crowd. An aural and visual adrenaline rush if there ever was one – some of the audience are looking a little shell shocked by the experience which is exactly what the doctor ordered. The Hip Priests - Dec 23 Cheers go up as Jase is lead to his chair and his guitar is passed to him, a big cheesy grin as he sees and hears the crowd welcoming him back. The rest of Wolfsbane follow with Blaze looking ecstatic to be back on the London stage. Considering it’s only 9 months since he was hospitalized, Blaze is looking in good condition as he whips the audience up. The band launch into ‘Steel’ with its epic  late 80s metal opening, chugging bassline and soaring riffs coupled with Blaze’s distinctive voice and the audience chant of ‘tough as steel’. Jase gets to exercise his fingers with a suitably over the top scorching guitar solo.   Wolfsbane - Dec 23
Talking to Blaze after the show, he mentioned that he thought his voice had improved following his heart surgery – on tonight’s showing it’s hard to disagree. You can see why Blaze was considered a suitable replacement for Bruce Dickinson. Wolfsbane - Dec 23 The set is a good mix of old and new with tracks such as ‘Spit It Out’, ‘Zombies’, ‘Things are Getting Better’ and the highly enjoyable ‘Rock City Nights’ getting an airing from the recent ‘Genius’ album. The vinyl issue of the album is out now and Blaze gives an engaging sales pitch for the red vinyl version (infused with the band’s blood apparently) complete with Wolfsbane comic book. Wolfsbane - Dec 23
Debut album ‘Live Fast, Die Fast’ is represented by a frantic ‘Killing Machine’, ‘Money to Burn’ and the ludicrous MTV glam rock of ‘I Like it Hot’. As the rest of the band are nursing their various medical ailments, it falls to bassist Jeff Hateley to do all the leaping into the air which he frequently does with a satisfying aplomb.
Wolfsbane - Dec 23
The still relevant ‘Seen How It’s Done’ shows a more serious side to the band with its slower spoken word sections in contrast to the thrash of ‘End of the Century’. Prime slice of Wolfsbane ‘Temple of Rock’ sets up the last segment of the show leading into the reflective rock of ‘Smoke and Red Light’ and the screaming ‘Kathy Wilson’. It wouldn’t be a Wolfsbane gig without the dumb rock of ‘Manhunt’ but no matter how daft the song and lyrics are, it always goes down a storm as we are joined by two werewolves on stage.
The night finishes with the band’s biggest hit ‘EZY’ and perennial favourite ‘Paint the Town Red’. It’s an excellent end to a very fun night out. Afterwards, Blaze would spend the rest of the night mixing with the fans, signing autographs, having photos taken and generally chatting away. Wolfsbane - Dec 23 Wolfsbane are another of those bands who were always a quality live draw but suffered at the hands of the industry and the tidal wave of 90s grunge. The dedication of their fans tonight demonstrates the feeling people had for the band in their heyday as one of the most exciting live bands out there. The years may not have been kind, but the fact that they are still out there playing heavy rock at venues across the land and bringing a smile to their audiences is worthy in itself. Wolfsbane - Dec 23

Lithium Joe - Nov 23

Arriving at the start of 1992, Lithium Joe’s indie punk crackled with youthful exuberance and social insight. Having releasing numerous demo tapes, singles/EPS and the ‘Upstairs at Park Street’ album, the band folded in 2001. The various members went their separate ways with frontman/washing machine repairman, Joe Solo going on to have a well respected career as a protest singer relentlessly touring the country and releasing a huge number of socially relevant albums on topics such as the Spanish Civil War, the 1984/85 Miners Strike and the Hull Fishing Fleet.

Roll forward to 2019, Joe decided to reform the band to celebrate his 50^th year, a few gigs were played and plans were put in place to record new material. And then the lockdown struck and plans were put on hold. Regrouping in 2023, new material was recorded, two singles released and two gigs arranged for Joe’s birthday week including this one at the Adelphi.

Back in the Adelphi for the first time in years, it somehow feels smaller than the venue I used to come to in the nineties and the crowd tonight certainly make it feel cozy. The band’s changing rooms are no longer the toilets and the bar seems to take up more space than I remember. The stage is slightly larger and the lighting is much improved. In the background, we have local legend Chris von Trapp on the decks warming up the crowd – the Red Guitars' ‘Good Technology’ opening the night followed by a reminder of some of the quality bands that Hull has produced.

Jess Silk starts the live music with an exceptional solo set. I’ve been wanting to see Jess for a long time, helped by Joe Solo’s patronage on his weekly radio show. Equipped with her guitar and an engaging personality, Jess enchants the audience with thoughtful word play and beguiling melodies. Songs such as ‘Sea to Shining Sea’ and the beautiful ‘There’s a Bar at The End of the World’ need to be heard by a far greater audience instead of the normal mainstream drivel they listen to. ‘Stranger on the Tube’ proudly wears its anti-fascist sentiments on its sleeve at a time when the dark seeds of intolerance are on the rise. Jess Silk - Nov 23 Tonight is the 42^nd time that I’m seeing Lithium Joe and so I’m reviewing this as a slightly biased fan who was there at the start and saw the band develop though various lineup changes, becoming more proficient with each new release. This evening, Joe is joined by long time guitarist Dave Foy, drummer Aidy Gill and new on bass Micha Laing. The audience is made up of friends, family, long term supporters plus a few curious punters, so the band get a raucous reception when they grace the stage. Lithium Joe - Nov 23 Opening with 1993’s ‘Lifeblood’, the memories flash back. The band may be greyer and wiser, but they are determined to recreate the feel of their original shows even if their bodies are telling them it is unwise to do so. As such, Joe is making no concessions to his maturing voice and consistently sings as if he was still in his twenties, whilst jumping around the stage like nobody's business. Lithium Joe - Nov 23

The punchy pop punk of ‘Growing Pains’ is prime Lithium Joe, with Dave’s guitar taking control whilst the melody sweeps you along to its climax. ‘Do’ follows with its intro channeling Stiff Little Fingers – which is no surprise considering Joe’s love of SLF and the Clash. ‘Wake-up Call’ marginally slows down the tempo and allows Dave to get some harmonies in before the band go full throttle punk with ‘SOS’. Hearing ’Pretend (You Haven’t Changed)’ thirty years on is more poignant given how much the world has (or hasn’t) changed. Lithium Joe - Nov 23 ‘Appearances’ dates back to the very early days when the band was still a three piece and the extra guitar beefs up the song considerably. ‘I’m Not Saying’ is has one of those singalong choruses that Joe has been known for in his solo work. Likewise for new song ‘See You When I Get There’ which is so well received the band play it twice in a row just in case the audience hadn’t grasped the equally hummable chorus. Lithium Joe - Nov 23 The incredibly bouncy ‘This is Your Life’ is accompanied by Joe going all rave, hands aloft with the sound of his whistle punctuating the room. Old favourite ‘Disappointed’ sounds magnificent with its melodic harmonies. New single ‘Answer Phone’ was actually written at the end of the band’s first tenure and serves as a perfect bridge whilst the demise of the technology in the intervening years is not lost on the band. It’s another song that continues to grow on you with its ‘beep beep’ becoming an earworm.

‘Belongings’ takes the band back to the early days and is the slowest song of the set with its meandering bass line. It’s probably the closest the band get to an epic with its peaks and troughs, leading up to its wig out final section. Lithium Joe - Nov 23 We’re near the end and the band launch into live favorite ‘Snow’, one of their oldest songs and the one that will always bring me fond memories of dancing like a muppet as a twenty something. Final song ‘Outsiders’ sees the band cement their place in the venue as returning heroes. It’s a suitable end to a highly enjoyable night. It might have been a little rough in some places but the energy of the band has not been diminished. The wry glances and smiles across the stage indicating how much the band have enjoyed themselves can only mean there is more to come. For those of us who were there, it can’t come soon enough.

Lithium Joe - Nov 23
In recent years, grassroots venues across the UK have been disappearing at a depressing rate, whether it be as a result of covid lockdowns, increasing costs, local planning departments convinced that city centre living should come at the expense of live venues, or the apathy of the general public to only watch established bands in cold, emotionless enormodome. It’s nights like this that remind you why it is so important to support your local venues and scene. With arena tickets now going into three figures, you could have eight or nine nights out at your local venue and get just as much enjoyment, so what’s stopping you.

Lithium Joe - Nov 23
 

Vision Video - Nov 23

Athens, Georgia has long had a reputation for producing intriguing and influential bands (REM, The B-52s and Drive-By Truckers amongst many others) and Vision Video hail from the city’s growing darkwave scene. Having Tom Ashton from the highly influential The March Violets based in the city and at hand to produce both their debut and sophomore albums gives the band’s recorded output a pleasing mid 80’s melodic post punk sound. With a striking image and some very danceable tunes to boot, tonight was looking like a very promising indeed.

There are a number a die hard Club Velocity regulars who you will see at the majority of the gigs the promotors put on, but tonight also included a decent contingent of younger goths who had travelled far and wide to see the band. I suspect that many were too young to have been around when a lot of the big goth bands first reformed never mind when they were originally on the scene. However, if there was one thing that was always good about the old goth scene, it was the commitment of the fans to travel across the country to see their favourite bands. They may travel on the megabus nowadays instead of hitch hiking but the fact they are still doing it shows that the scene is still flourishing across the generations.

Opening tonight’s show are West Wickhams who originally hail from the Isles of Scilly, a place not exactly known for being a hot bed of rock n roll excesses (although I am happy to be corrected). Singer / guitarist Jon mixes the social awkwardness of Emo Philips crossed with Milton Jones whilst Elle comes from the Chris Lowe school of enigmatic keyboard players, almost motionless behind her stands.

West Wickhams - Nov 23
Describing themselves as psychedelic garage-noir, it is an intriguing mix of influences, with elements of indie rock mixed with early eighties experimental post punk. At times, Jon’s half speaking / half singing touches on the vocal stylings of early Robert Smith. The haunting ‘The Sentinels’ is certainly a grower and I have found myself playing it several times over.

West Wickhams - Nov 23
Vision Video primarily consist of former infantryman, paramedic and firefighter Dusty Gannon and keyboardist Emily Fredock. Tonight, they are also joined by Tom Ashton, fresh from a very well received tour with The March Violets. Dusty casts a striking figure with his spikey mohawk, immaculate eye makeup and black bat like lips as he towers across the stage. He is also a very engaging frontman throughout the set as he explains the background to the songs.

Vision Video - Nov 23
Starting with ‘Beautiful Day to Die’, the silky lead track from their recent ‘Haunted Hours’ album, the band’s sound is a cross between the melodic sounds of The Chameleons (who the band acknowledge as a key influence) and the harder sounds of Joy Division and the Psychedelic Furs. The music may be a throwback to the Eighties but the lyrics cover current topics especially those based on Dusty’s experiences in the various services.

The band’s influences are clear to see as ‘Static Drone’ initially mimics The Cure at their poppiest, whilst ‘Inked in Red’ is a glorious synth infused tune reminiscent in places of The Comsat Angels. ‘Haunted Hours’ is one of those classic alternative tunes beloved by paisley shirted youths in skinny jeans and winklepickers, which is well received by the crowd. Vision Video - Nov 23
Dusty recounts his fifteen years spent in the US army, especially the respect for his fellow comrades, but not the politicians who sent them to Afghanistan and then abandoned the country and its people. ‘Kandahar’ depicts the emotional horrors of Dusty’s time there. ‘Death in a Hallway’ concerns Dusty’s time as a paramedic during the pandemic and those profiteering as others suffered. The song starts with archetypal pounding drums, swirling guitars, pulsating basslines, and smoothing synths before building to its crescendo.
The recently released ‘Normalized’ follows and it is a belter of a tune, faster and more urgent than the songs that proceeded it. The song has the strongest chorus of the night and should find itself being a dancefloor favourite at any decent goth nightclub. ‘Organized Murder’ is another emotionally charged song that continues to build throughout. Vision Video - Nov 23
It’s written into the bog goth bible that all goth inspired bands are allowed to cover one song in their sets. Sometimes it can be completely off the wall (Rosetta Stone’s version of ‘Sisters are Doing It For Themselves’ comes to mind), or as in this case, something more reverential to their inspirations. In Vision Video’s case, this is Joy Division’s ‘Transmission’ – it’s a faithful version made more personal by Dusty’s tale of his thirteen year old self hearing it for the first time and thinking this is my music. A quick truncated version of ‘I Love Cats’ follows before the band launch into ‘In My Side’ with its catchy bassline intro. Probably their most well known song, the audience are singing along in unison as the room bounces along. It’s a fitting end to a highly enjoyable set.
Vision Video - Nov 23 Having seen a number of unfulfilling goth revivals over the years, I am a little more skeptical nowadays about newer bands picking up the mantle, but Vision Video certainly have the presence and tunes to pull it off. I think they are still a couple of songs away from producing that truly epic song that would put them amongst the greats but if they keep on this trajectory they should get there and I can’t wait to hear it. Vision Video - Nov 23

The March Violets - Oct 23

Since the world reopened, the Facebar and promoters Club Velocity have been showcasing an ever impressive lineup of punk, goth and psychobilly bands both new and old. In recent times we have seen the likes of Guana Batz, Johnny Moped, Ghostdance and Los Fastidios gracing the venue’s stages. Adding the March Violets to this list certainly increases the reasons for those of a certain vintage to venture back into the town’s best live venue.

By the time I got to the venue, there was already a sizeable crowd building in the venue’s main room. With a suitably goth infused soundtrack coming from the speakers, it was looking a good night was on its way.

Opening the night are local favourites The Go Go Cult with their gothabilly infused set. It’s their last appearance for the year before they go back into the studio to record new material, so it was a final chance to win over new fans and reward the returning ones. Opening with the slow build up of ‘You Get Under My Skin’ with its Morricone styled spaghetti western guitars, the band are sounding good after a rewarding 18 months of supporting the likes of the Primitives, Guana Batz and goth titans, The Mission. The Go Go Cult - Oct 23
‘Town Called Sorrow’ and ‘Bring Out Your Dead’ remain firm favourites and are a good representation of the band, all rockabilly shuffles with dark foreboding lyrics. New song ‘I’m Going Down to Hell’ continues the tradition of the band with the rhythm section having a fun workout. Finishing on a high with the all hell let loose of ‘It’s a Car Crash’, there is a lot of appreciation from the crowd. I looking forward to seeing what the band produce next. The Go Go Cult - Oct 23
Hailing from the Northern goth heartlands of Leeds, the original lineup of The March Violets consisted of singers Rosie Garland and Simon Denbigh, guitarist Tom Ashton, bass player Loz Elliot and their faithful drum machine. Sharing a record label with The Sisters of Mercy would lead to unjustified comparisons, but the dual male/female vocal interactions on top of epic swirling guitars and pulsating basslines would always make the band a far more interesting proposition than Eldritch’s more monotone vocal stylings. The March Violets - Oct 23
Tonight, the reformed band sees original members Rosie and Tom joined by William Faith (Faith and the Muse) on bass duties. Sadly, Simon D is no longer able to perform and so William also takes on his vocals. The band look immaculate – Rosie in wearing a resplendent white shirt, black tie, waistcoat and long tail jacket, looking like a mischievous imp beckoning you into her devious world. The slender William Faith towers over Rosie and looks cool as fuck with his slicked back white hair, whilst Tom retains that rock god guitarist look of old. The March Violets - Oct 23 The familiar drum machine beats kick in, the muscular bass lines bounce around and the guitar swirls as Rosie and William have fun with the vocal interplay of early single ‘Crow Baby’. Rosie’s voice remains as enchanting as it was 35 years ago whilst William is a good substitute for Simon D. Reminding us that the band have released new material since they reformed, we are treated to the title track from their 2013 debut studio album ‘Made Glorious’. It’s less abrasive than the earlier material, but sounds good all the same with its charming chorus. The March Violets - Oct 23

It's back to the old material with ‘Radiant Boys’, the song that introduced the band to a legion of fans back in 1982. Introduced as the closest song the band have a to a love song, the wonderous ‘1 2 I Love You’ follows. Throughout the set Rosie prowls the stage, her arms pulling poses out of the air and enticing the audience.

‘Crocodile Teeth’ is a new song which ramps up the swirling guitars whilst William augments Rosie’s melodic singing with guttural roars. Old favourite ‘Grooving in Green’ follows but the request to turn the stage lights to green falls on deaf ears, although that means nothing to the those in the crowd who are dancing as only old goths can do, choreographed arm gestures and careful pacing backwards and forwards. ‘Dress 4 U’ is another from the debut album and fits in with the tone of the night, especially as it’s been a while since I’ve been to a gig where people have truly dressed up. The March Violets - Oct 23

Newer songs ‘Mortality’ and ‘Heading for the Fire’ follow before we are told it is the end of the set. Epic goth single ‘Walk into the Sun’ follows and the crowd is a mass of shimmering bodies as they dance to the band’s signature tune. There’s no real back stage area at the Facebar so it’s more a case of walking to the side of the stage, have a quick chat and come back on. So as soon as they go off, the band are back on the stage performing the thrillingly urgent ‘Strangehead’, a song that was never officially recorded bar as session for John Peel.

The familiar guitar riff from ‘Snakedance’ starts and the band finish the set with one of the greatest singles of the period. My camera has been put away and I’m swaying away with happy memories of dancing to this on many a Saturday night at the legendary Spiders nightclub in Hull.  And then it is over – following a collective bow to the audience, the band leave the stage job completed. The March Violets - Oct 23 I wish I had seen the band in their heyday, but this was still beyond good. The band could have just played material from the first two years of their career, but instead played an almost 50:50 set of old and new material, and they still won with ease. If the band are playing near you, I thoroughly recommend that you go and see them. The March Violets - Oct 23

Supersuckers - Oct 23

First up we have Desperate Measures NZ opening the night with their angry punk rock. Eugene Butcher has surrounded himself with some of the best musicians on the London scene and they make a fantastic sound. New single ‘Sublime Destruction’ is a prime slab of hook filled fast punk rock and shows promise for next year’s debut album. With songs such enjoyable as ‘Back to the Rats’ and ‘Flowers at Your Door’ in their repertoire and some cracking support slots, the band can look forward to greater things. Desperate Measures - Oct 23 Back in Reading, The Warner E Hodges Band took the top spot after an incendiary performance by Supersuckers. It was a hard act to follow and they just about pulled it off. Would tonight be any different with the band coming on before Supersuckers.

There’s a change of set from last time and the slow grinding burn of ‘Gunslinger’ opens the show. Warner’s Nashville drawl is spot on as the band muscle through the riff heavy song and there’s time for some searing solo guitar work. This feels much heavier than before and sets the tone for the rest of the night. New song ‘Red Devil Road’ continues with the squealing guitars and bar room boogie. It’s sure to become a firm live favourite.

The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23
The rocky tempo continues through the set until Warner asks if he can play some country – course he can and ‘The Magician’ takes us down to the sleazy dives of backwater USA. Another new song, the banjo inspired ‘Shine’ is played incredibly heavy tonight and is a highlight of the set. ‘The Hard Way’ and ‘Back in Town’ follow and the band are winning over any doubters in the audience. The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23 It wouldn’t be a Warner show without at least one Jason and the Scorchers song and tonight we get two in the form of the excellent ‘Bible and a Gun’ and ‘White Lies’. Metal Marty joins the band to add a third guitar and shortly after Eddie Spaghetti has also got in on the act to demonstrate how much the two bands have bonded on the tour. I’ve heard Warner and the band play John Denver’s ‘Country Roads’ many times, but tonight was the heaviest, most intoxicating version I have heard and the crowd loved it. Finishing with their raucous version of the Pistols’ Holidays in the Sun’ interspersed with ‘White Lighting’ the band leave the stage to huge cheers.I’ve seen Warner play over a dozen times and this night was one of the best. Being on the road with Supersuckers has clearly made the band up their game and it showed tonight. The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23
Tucson’s rock n roll exponents Supersuckers take the stage to a mighty roar from the crowd and launch into the adrenaline filled block of jubilant rock that is ‘All of the Time’.  Combining the power of Motorhead and the riffs of the Ramones, the song is a sledgehammer to the head and there can’t be that many opening songs better than this to get people bouncing around.  

Supersuckers - Oct 23
The immaculately dressed Eddie Spaghetti continues to look like the coolest cowboy on the scene whilst Metal Marty has the look of a man who has seen every truck stop in the US, guitar in hand as he travelled the dusty roads. Keeping the rhythm at the back is the equally cool Chango who pounds those drums without breaking sweat. The tunes keep coming with the likes of ‘The Evil Powers of Rock n Roll’, ‘Dead Inside’ and ‘Roadworn and Weary’ giving Marty ample room to abuse his guitar with the dirtiest of riffs around. Supersuckers - Oct 23 ‘The History of Rock n Roll’ suitably namechecks the likes of Rocket From the Crypt, the Dirtbombs, Mudhoney and the mighty Bellrays in their celebration of American rock. As always Marty gets to sing a few of his own songs including the glam rock infused ‘Idaho, Baby’ where Warner joins the band for the rest of the set. Supersuckers - Oct 23 ‘Pretty Fucked Up’ follows and Warner adds his magic to the song. From here onwards it’s another meeting of the bands as Ben Marsden joins the action for some juicy guitar sparing with Marty and Warner.  Both bands have clearly had fun on this tour and the camaraderie is clear to see as they bring the set to a thrilling end.
Supersuckers - Oct 23 When this tour was announced it was uncertain how well the two contrasting bands would appeal to the more partisan fans in their respective camps. Judging by the applause at the end of tonight, it was clear that all had been unified by an enduring love for exhilarating rock n roll in its many forms.

Supersuckers - Oct 23
 

The last time Supersuckers played Reading was way back in 2000 when they had an early slot on the main stage of the Reading  Festival and they were one of the best bands all weekend. Warner has played the Facebar a couple of times with his old friend Dan Baird (with Homemade Sin) but this was the first time that he was bringing his own band to the venue. Would the good people of Reading be up for a night of punk, country and metal infused rock?

There’s a smallish crowd for sleaze rockers The Suicide Notes partially due to the early start but this has grown considerably by the end of their suitably chaotic set. Tonight is an acoustic set with the band reduced to the seated guitars of Alex and Danny whilst Billy Tee reaffirms his position as debauched lounge lizard hanging from his mike stand. Songs such as ‘Take A Bullet’ and ‘Momma Sang the Blues’ work well as acoustic numbers. Having broken his mike stand early on, Billy spends much of the set sat louchely on the stage in the shadow of his band, but is suitably entertaining all the same. Finishing with their version of ‘Dead Flowers’, the band depart with a few more fans in tow. The Suicide Notes - Oct 23 Supersuckers are up next and despite the 8pm start, the main area is full of eager waiting punters filled with anticipation. The unmistakable figure of Eddie Spaghetti takes the stage looking irresistible in his familiar all black get up, shades and cowboy hat. Joining him are denim clad Marty Chandler on guitar and the impeccably cool Christopher von Streicher on drums. Supersuckers - Oct 23 Opening with the riff heavy ‘All of the Time’, the band come on like the bastard country sons of Motorhead and the Ramones with a magnificent aural assault. Heavy bass lines, pounding drums and fast thrashy guitar matched with Eddie’s distinctive growl are the order of the night. ‘Rock n Roll Records (Ain’t Selling This Year)’ is closely followed by ‘The Evil Powers of Rock n Roll’ and the crowd are lapping it up. Supersuckers - Oct 23 Throughout the set Marty prowls the stage letting rip with his solos and truck stop guitar posturing mixed in with some nifty fretwork behind his head. He’s not bad on vocals either taking charge for a couple of tunes. With a full 75 minute set of over twenty songs from all eras of the band’s existence (including a debut of a song from the next album), this was a fan pleasing performance. Given it’s been over twenty years since the band last played Reading this has been a huge success and the band are welcome back anytime. Supersuckers - Oct 23 Warner E Hodges first broke onto the scene in the early eighties as guitarist with country rock legends Jason & the Scorchers, a band that effortlessly mixed country with hard rock and punk’s anarchic sense of purpose. With Dan Baird’s retirement from the live scene and the end of Homemade Sin as a touring unit, Warner has spent a number of years honing his own material and this tour celebrates the launch of his latest album ‘Soul Shaker’. Featuring UK musicians Ben Marsden on guitar and Jason Knight on bass and recorded in Nashville, it is the first time that the core of the current band has been able to get together in the studio and it’s another fine slice of hard rocking americana. The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23 Starting with the thumping ‘That Rock n Roll’ from the new album, the band show that they can match the aural power of Supersuckers. ‘Where Did you Go’ and ‘Preachin’ to the Choir’ keep up the ante with Ben showing why he’s in so much demand whilst Warner demonstrates why he is so respected as a player in Nashville. Meanwhile Jason continues to test the ceiling heights of venues worldwide with his frequent joyous leaps into the air (he is not exactly short in stature) whilst providing solid bass lines throughout. New boy Shane Dixon on drums has slotted effortlessly into the band. The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23 Having played some of his rockier songs, the ever charming Warner asks if it is okay to play a few country tracks. No problems with that here - ‘Company Man’ and ‘The Magician’ suitably fit the bill. As there’s a new album out, we also get ‘Great Unknown’ along with the bluegrass infused ‘Shine’.

Like many of his country contemporaries, Warner is not afraid of a cover version and scatters a number across the set. Cheap Trick’s ‘I Want You to Want Me’ and Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ fit nicely alongside Warner’s own ‘Right Back Where I Started’.

It wouldn’t be a Warner show without a rendition of John Denver’s ‘Country Roads’ and it goes down a storm. The band are joined by Marty from Supersuckers for the Pistols’ ‘Holidays in the Sun’ interspersed with the Big Bopper’s ‘White Lightning’ before the band conclude with a raucous version of AC/DC’s ‘Let There Be Rock’. The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23 It was always going to be hard following a band as good as Supersuckers and the audience had spread out by the end, but The Warner E Hodges Band were unfazed and produced another highly enjoyable and mixed set.

So tonight saw three very different but very engaging bands – it’s always a privilege to be present at gigs like these.

The Warner E Hodges Band - Oct 23
 

The Sisters of Mercy - Sept 23

Thirty-six years later and I’m at the Roundhouse, one of my favourite London venues, to see the latest version of the band. It’s been six years since I last saw the band and the lineup has changed again with Andrew Eldritch now supported by Ben Christo and Dylan Smith on guitars, and of course Doktor Avalanche producing the beats. With a setlist comprising a lot of new unrecorded material, would tonight satisfy the teenager in me who treasured those records all those years ago.

Support for this tour comes from The VirginMarys, currently a two piece who are close to celebrating their 15^th anniversary and are seasoned veterans on the live circuit. I’ve seen them numerous times since supporting New Model Army way back in 2010 and have always been impressed by their take on classic rock. Starting with ‘The Meds’, the duo launch into an energetic set. Drummer Danny is a whirl of bouncing limbs as he moves around his drum kit as if it was alight. Ally’s passioned vocals retain their northern grit throughout the set and seem to be winning over the crowd.

The VirginMarys - Sept 23

New songs such as ‘You’re a Killer’ and ‘Devil Keeps Coming’ are nicely sequenced between old favourites such as ‘Just a Ride’ and ‘Into Dust’. Finishing the 45 minute set with my long time personal favourite, ‘Bang Bang Bang’ the band sign off a successful opening night of the tour.

The lights go down and the familiar tones of Doktor Avalanche mark the entrance of the Sisters to the stage. Bar for a few fixed spot lights, the camouflage decorated stage is generally shrouded in darkness and it remains so for a significant part of the set.

Opening song ‘Don’t Drive on Ice’ has all the usual Sisters’ trademarks with chugging guitars, piano motifs and pounding basslines. Ben is front of stage flicking his hair back as he relishes being in the only real spotlight on the stage. However, something is off – Andrew’s vocals are so low in the mix, it’s hard to know if he is actually singing at times, with Ben’s vocals apparently more audible.

The Sisters of Mercy - Sept 23 The distinctive opening to ‘Ribbons’ fairs a little better helped by the familiarity of the song. On stage, something is amiss as Dylan gesticulates to the sound engineer that he can’t hear anything on stage. ‘I Will Call You’ is mildly engaging but
the first highlight comes in the form of ‘Alice’ where the audience fill in for the vocal issues.

‘But Genevieve’ sounds like the missing link between the first two albums with its swirling guitars and a new addition to list of names that goth kittens can be officially called. ‘First and Last and Always’ has the crowd dancing like it’s 1985 again and is much welcomed, as is the powerhouse of ‘Dominion/Mother Russia’. ‘Summer’ has been in the Sisters’ repertoire for a number of years and fits in with the band’s rockier aspirations. The pace slows for the melancholic ‘Marian’ and is the last visit to the band debut album.

The introduction to ‘More’ has the crowd cheering, even more so as for the first time tonight, Andrew’s vocals are clearly audible. It makes a big difference and the epic song is a set highlight. Throughout the set Ben prowls the stage finding any opportunity to solo in front of the crowd none so more in the cunningly tilted instrumental, ‘Instrumental 86’. To the right, Dylan is still having problems with his onstage sound frequently raising his arms in exasperation.

A pulsating medley of ‘Doctor Jeep/ Detonation Boulevard’ is prefaced by a rare part of audience interaction from Andrew. ‘Eyes of Caligula’ is followed by the similarly paced ‘I Was Wrong’. ‘Crash and Burn’ returns to the chugging guitars of nineties Sisters and starkly contrasts with the slow build up and acoustic guitar of ‘Here’. Another highlight comes in the form of the thumping ‘Vision Thing’ with its memorable line of ‘another motherfucker in a motorcade’. A couple more newer songs ‘On the Beach’ and ‘When I’m On Fire’ bring the set to a slightly subdued end. The Sisters of Mercy - Sept 23

Given the sound problems on stage, it wasn’t clear if the band would return for an encore. However, after we see Ben stride across the stage and the familiar intro to ‘Lucretia My Reflection’ has the massed gothic crowd dancing. The crowd are enjoying it but Dylan has had enough standing on the stage arms aloft clearing having no luck with his guitar. The song ends and he is seen storming off stage and out of the exit.

Even without their second guitarist, the band play on with the biggest two songs of their lengthy career, ‘Temple of Love’ and ‘This Corrosion’. Despite the loss of a guitar the band persevere and pull it off as the remaining band (including Ravey Davey who has been operating Doktor Avalanche all night) thank the crowd with Andrew staying long after.

This was a strong set and the unreleased songs are sounding good – that long awaited fourth album is highly desirable. However, the band were let down by sound issues which dampened the whole feel of the set. Otherwise, this could have been one of the best gigs I’ve been too which is a shame as I’m yet to see the Sisters reach the heights my teenage self-elevated the band to. The Sisters of Mercy - Sept 23

UK Subs - Sept 23

Charlie Harper was already in his thirties when punk broke and his band embraced the new sound and changed their name to the UK Subs. Quickly gathering 6 Top 40 singles and a legion of loyal fans, the band have been a permanent fixture on the punk scene ever since. Now on the crest of his 80th birthday, Charlie is on a farewell tour with the band which will culminate with a five date residency at the legendary 100 Club in Oxford Street.  Tonight, the band are back in Reading at Sub89 for their final appearance there and despite it being a Monday night, the fans are out in force to show their appreciation to their hero.

Support comes from veterans of the ’77 scene, Menace with original member Noel Martin now on vocals and carrying the torch for the original street punks. There’s a sizeable crowd here to support the band and they are paid off with a tight set of songs from across the band’s career. ‘Screwed Up’ ‘Monkey’, ‘Leave Me Alone’ and ‘Executioner’ are all fast and shouty songs that have the crowd bouncing around. Tory baiting ‘GLC’ and the storming ‘Last Years Youth’ finish off a satisfying set.

Menace - Sept 23 UK Subs have had so many members over the years that they make the revolving doors of Mark E Smith’s The Fall look positively pedestrian in comparison. However, Charlie Harper has been there from the start and long term bassist Alvin Gibbs has been in the band on and off since 1980. Joined by the ever reliable Steve Straughan on guitar and newcomer Stefan Häublein on drums, the band launch into ‘Scum of the Earth’ at break neck speed. It never slows down for the entire set with the frantic riffs and basslines pounding incessantly into your head. Charlie is still spritely moving around the stage and his voice is still as strong as ever.

UK Subs - Sept 23 Watching Alvin play bass from my vantage point is a joy as his fingers move across his fretboard. On the other side of the stage Steve is resplendent in his red biker jacket throwing shapes with his guitar. The songs come fast and furious with ‘Rockers’ followed by ‘New York State Police’ and ‘Barbie’s Dead’. The thrash opening of ‘Emotional Blackmail’ is exhilarating as always whilst ‘Kicks’ has the crowd pogoing like its 1979.

UK Subs - Sept 23

The set mainly covers material from the first four studio albums with ‘Another Kind of Blues’ and ‘Brand New Age’ getting good representation. By the time we get to the last third of the set we are treated to the dream track listing of ‘Down on the Farm’, ‘Tomorrow’s Girls’, ‘Warhead’, ‘Riot’, and ‘Stranglehold’, turning the venue into a big throbbing sweaty mass of moving bodies with Charlie encouraging everyone to chant ‘Warhead’. Finishing off with ‘Disease’ the band depart for a quick rest before returning for an encore.

UK Subs - Sept 23 ‘C.I.D.’ still wipes the floor after all these years and is the quintessential UK Subs with throbbing bassline and staccato guitar. ‘I Live in a Car’ still resonates today as life becomes increasing difficult for many. Finishing the encore with ‘I Couldn’t Be You’ and ‘Party in Paris’, the band leave again to rapturous applause and cheers for more but the house music is on and the stage unlit. Just as you think that’s it, Charlie saunters back on stage for a final fling with ‘Squat 96’, ‘Keep on Running (Til You Burn)’ and ‘Teenage’. After 23 slabs of fast and furious punk rock, Charlie leaves the stage for one last time and we appraise what we have just witnessed.

UK Subs - Sept 23 Charlie Harper has been playing with UK Subs for nearly 50 years, clocked up thousands of miles across the globe and performed more gigs to more people than most of us can imagine. He’s never given up on the purpose of the original band and has stayed true to his cause, supporting many of the bands that sprung up in the Subs wake. Prior to the gig, Charlie could be found sat in the near the bar willing to talk to anybody who wanted to say hello, have a chat or just nod appreciation at his legacy. The music world needs more people like Charlie and he will be much missed as a performer.

UK Subs - Sept 23

Los Fastidios - Aug 23

There’s a modest crowd present, many who were here back in November and know what to expect. Any newcomers would be in for a treat.

Launch Control - Aug 23 Local socio-political skate punks Launch Control open tonight’s proceedings with an enjoyable and varied set. In a night of replacement drummers, the three piece hold it together surprisingly well with their noisy but melodic diatribes against the injustices in the world. It’s the second time I’ve seen the band and each time my appreciation for them has grown stronger.

Launch Control - Aug 23 Los Fastidios have graced stages across the world since 1991 starting off as an Oi band with their politically charged terrace chants. Over the years, more ska and reggae influences have seeped in turning the band into a genuine punk rock force to be reckoned with. Only singer Enrico remains from the original lineup, but he has surrounded himself with an excellent collection of musicians who do the band’s legacy justice.

The band’s customary intro starts with the chant of ‘xxx the number of the beat’ before launching into the ska infused ‘Monkeys’. At this point the band is just a four piece as they run through a mixture of songs in both English and Italian – my knowledge of Italian is non-existent, but with tunes this enjoyable my linguistic inadequacies are left lying on the side of the road. ‘Torneremo Ancora’ is closely followed by ‘Clandestino’ with its fantastically catchy chorus and wonderfully scratchy guitar solo that does not outstay its welcome.

Los Fastidios - Aug 23

‘These Boots’ is a top quality old skool terrace chant with the stark reminder that ‘it doesn’t belong to them, your future belongs to you’. ‘Rock n Roll Town’ is a throwaway earworm that stays with you long into the night with its Beach Boys backing vocals. If you are looking for prime ska punk tunes then you can’t do much better than ‘Radio Babylon’ which skanks across the stage like the cooler older brother you wish you’d had.

At this point, the band are joined by rude girl Elisa who adds another dimension to the night. The band were already firing on full cylinders, but Elisa spurs the band on to even greater levels. ‘Back in 1979’ and ‘Beverley’ are so uplifting that you can’t help but smile and sing along whilst the rude girls in the audience are invited down the front for a dance in one of the most good natured gigs I’ve been to in a while.

Los Fastidios - Aug 23 ‘Skankin Town’ has the rude boys in the audience showing off their moves while ‘Take a Stand’ is a cracking singalong against football racism on the terraces. ‘Ellos Dicen Mierda’ is followed by the band’s anthemic ‘Antifa Hooligans’ which would no doubt have a certain ex president sending out incoherent and badly written rants.

This would be a natural point for the band to walk off the stage having suitably entertained the audience. Is anybody up for another song? Of course we are, and we are treated to ‘In 1968’. This being a Los Fastidios show, one more song means another half dozen including ‘Joy Joy Joy’ and an excellent ska version of Yazoo’s ‘Only You’. Paying tribute to the much missed Terry Hall and the Specials, we get the band’s eminently danceable medley of ‘You’re Wondering Now’ interspersed Cock Sparrow’s ‘We’re Coming Back’.

Los Fastidios - Aug 23

There’s time for one more song and we are treated to the band’s reworking of their own anthem with ‘Antifa Hooligan Ska’ getting the audience singing along in celebration of what has gone before.  

This year is proving to be an epic one at the Facebar with so many good performances it is going to be hard at the end of the year to put together a top ten but on the strength of tonight, Los Fastidios will definitely be in there. The fact that they are one of the nicest bands around, frequently thanking the venue, promoters, support band and audience, only endears them to you more.

The band will be coming back to the Facebar again in 2024 and you should try your damnedest to be there too – you will not be disappointed.

Los Fastidios - Aug 23

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Jul 23

Ricky Warwick has been in various bands for over thirty five years now, and with those bands including New Model Army, The Almighty, Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders, he knows a thing or two about putting on exhilarating rock n roll shows. Having him play at the Facebar is a bit of a coup and raises the venue’s profile even further as one of the best places in town to see both local, national and international touring bands. Seeing bands at close quarters, not having to travel into London and having reasonably priced drinks adds to the overall appeal of the venue.

The night starts quietly with the deep baritone vocals of Boss Caine returning to the venue again to entertain the early birds with his Yorkshire take on Americana. It’s a short set but with songs as strong as ‘Ghosts and Drunks’, ‘Father Time’ and ‘Truckstop Jukebox’ in Boss Caine’s repertoire, it was always going to be a winning and well received one.  

Boss Caine - Jul 23 It’s a complete change of pace next with the frenetic gutter trash rock n roll of The Suicide Notes. The fact that they are still standing given the number of ailments within the band is testament to the power of rock n roll excess to produce the sort of adrenaline rush that normal medicinal remedies cannot replicate. Even new drummer Scott missed his own Facebar debut after a (non-gardening related) muscle strain incident.

The Suicide Notes - July 23 Tonight, after a few acoustic performances, we are back to the full The Suicide Notes experience with Danny and Alex trading dirty licks whilst Damien’s bass rumble keeps the whole shebang together. Billy Tee is as reliably louche as ever with his droll sardonicism between songs whilst growling through the likes of ‘Momma Sang the Blues’, ‘Snakes Grin Within’ and ‘Smoke it Like a Cigarette’. It’s a cracking set and the addition of Scott adds extra power to the rhythm section – I’m looking forward to what comes next.

The Suicide Notes - July 23

I’ve already seen Ricky Warwick once this year with Black Star Riders and will be seeing him with The Almighty later this year, so seeing him close up and personal with his solo band will be a satisfying juxtaposition between the two London shows. In The Fighting Hearts, Ricky has assembled a formidable bunch of musicians with a wealth of experience between them. Guitarist Ben Christo (The Sisters of Mercy), bassist Richard Vernon (The Mission) and Jack Taylor (Tax the Heat) on the drums are a formidable lineup.

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Jul 23

Opening with Ricky’s raucous cover of Mink Deville’s ‘Gunslinger’, the scene is set for a night of adrenaline filled rock. Tonight’s set covers a great multitude of Ricky’s career with songs from his time with The Almighty, Black Star Riders, Thin Lizzy and his solo material. The Almighty’s ‘Over the Edge’ is followed by ‘The Road to Damascus’ and ‘You Don’t Love Me’ before the band embark on a fearless run through Thin Lizzy’s ‘Jailbreak'. 

Thin Lizzy clearly knew what they were doing when they invited Ricky to take lead vocals back in 2010, adding his own touch to the songs while keeping them instantly recognisable. For those in the front row, the thrill of having no barrier means that every bead of sweat, facial expression and guitar posture is clearly visible from their enviable positions. Ben Christo plays most of the gig foot on top of his monitor breaking down the distance between band and audience even further.

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Jul 23

The wonderfully named ‘When Patsy Cline was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang the Blues)’ starts a run that features Black Star Riders ‘The Killer Instinct’, The Almighty’s ‘Wrench’ and ‘Fighting Heart’ from his last album.  Songs such as ‘You’re My Rock n Roll’ and ‘When Life was Hard and Fast’ easily match the material from Ricky’s earlier career and add up to a highly enjoyable set. The final portion is an almost perfect run with The Almighty’s ‘Wild & Wonderful’, Black Star Riders ‘Finest Hour’ and an incendiary version of Motorhead’s ‘Iron Fist’ making sure that the venue is now a hot sweaty mass of rock appreciation.

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Jul 23

Finishing with a rampaging version of The Almighty’s ‘Free n Easy’ the band depart the stage to cheers from the elated audience. This has been a masterclass in how to put on a career covering set maintaining the pace and satisfying everyone in the crowd.

After the show Ricky can be found at the merch desk chatting freely with the fans and having pictures taken long into the night. This is what venues like the Facebar are here for – the opportunity to see great bands at close quarters and mingle with them afterwards. Luckily for us, there are musicians like Ricky who frequently play on huge festival stages but still return to the smaller venues to remember their roots and give their fans a memorable night. May he long continue to do so.

Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts - Jul 23

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23

Opening act Lord Cemetery & the Beautiful Dead are local gothabilly heroes The Go Go Cult in their alt country guise. As such we get a slightly different set to usual with ‘Get Under My Skin’ making a welcome return with its epic western twangy guitar permeating across the slow groove. ‘Town Called Sorrow’ is a cracking rockabilly stomp whilst ‘In Tupelo’ dials up the spaghetti western vibe to the max. New song ‘Going Down to Hell’ gets a debut and fits seamlessly into the set whilst old favourite ‘Bring out your Dead’ concludes a highly enjoyable venture into the band’s alter egos.

Lord Cemetery & The Beautiful Dead - Jul 23 It’s hard being a sole acoustic performer sandwiched between two bands, but Page of Swords proved to be a pleasant interlude. Matching intricate finger picking with deliciously dark lyrics and pleasing melodies, songs such as ‘Black Dog’ and ‘The Red Ledger’ along with some amicable banter make for an entertaining set.

Page of Swords - Jul 23 A quick look on youtube for Heathen Apostles and you will find a collection of wonderfully macabre videos depicting a dark gothic sand blasted version of Americana. The question arose – could the band replicate our high expectations on the live stage?

The elegantly dressed and flame haired singer/guitarist Mather Louth spent her formative years performing burleseque blues in Radio Noir, whilst guitarist Chopper Franklin played with the Cramps in their twilight years (including the two shows I saw them play at the much missed Astoria). Joined by Thomas Lorioux on upright bass and Luis Mascaro on violin, the band make up the nastiest looking selection of hired gunslingers this side of Henry Fonda’s Frank in ‘Once Upon a Time in The West’. As a bonus, they have the best collection of hats I have seen grace a stage in a long time.

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23 Opening with ‘Paint the Stars’ the band set out their stall with Mather’s rich soulful voice perfectly complimenting the flawless band. Luis’ violin is given plenty of space to fill the room with energy without taking away from the vocals. ‘Death’s Head’ keeps the pace up and is a powerhouse of a song – if only the mainstream charts had songs like this in them, the world would be a better place. ‘Fool’s Gold’ is marginally slower but only just and if the room wasn’t already won over, it was now.

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23

As with most Americana bands, they are not adverse to a cover and Hank Williams ‘Ramblin’ Man’ gets a very welcome airing as does a version of Mark Lanegan’s ‘Gravedigger’s Song’ later in the set. Chopper Franklin’s guitar and later mandolin playing is a joy to watch as he eludes the sort of cool that we can only aspire to in our dreams.

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23 The top notch songs keep coming with ‘Into the Wild’ featuring a foreboding vocal that wouldn’t look amiss on a Nick Cave album circa ‘Murder Ballads’. By the time we get to ‘Get Outta Dodge’, I’m convinced that this is one of the best sets I have seen this year. Sadly, it all has to end but we get a stunning version of ‘The Reckoning’ plus Luis playing the unmistakable intro to Bach’s ‘Toccata in D Minor’ on his violin.

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23

Tonight is what seeing live music is all about – discovering a band that you take to your grave with you. Everything about the band worked from the effortlessly cool image to the expert musicianship and Mather’s incredible vocals. The albums I bought post show have been on constant rotation ever since and I doubt that will change for a few weeks.

The band are doing a decent sized tour of the south of England and if they are anywhere near you, I recommend taking a punt and buying yourself a ticket. You will not be disappointed.

Heathen Apostles - Jul 23

Siouxsie - Jul 23

However last December, it was announced that Siouxsie would be returning to the live arena to headline Latitude Festival later this month. Before we knew it, more and more dates were announced around Europe along with last month’s Cruel World festival in the US. As soon as the Mouth of the Tyne festival announced that Siouxsie would be the headline act for one of the four nights, I was making plans to return to my birthplace to spend a night with the Ice Queen.

I spent a lot of time in Tynemouth when I was growing up and the memories came flooding back as we left the impressive Metro station and headed to the main street to pick up some pre gig fish and chips. Well fed, we arrive at the entrance to the festival site to find a large queue patiently waiting to be let in. Not long after we are following the crowds along the winding path and through the castle gates towards the far corner of the peninsula where the stage has the imposing North Sea as a backdrop. As stage setups go this has got to be one of the most enchanting I have seen. Luckily it is also a warm sunny evening with the forecast thunderstorms not due until the following night when Paul Heaton would be gracing the festival stage.

Right on time, support band LYR take the stage in the early evening sun. Featuring the current Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, LYR are an unusual prospect with a mixture of poetry readings infused with a prog rock background. There are times when the band seem to move into Mercury Rev territory when guitarist Richard Walters’ vocals are added to the spoken word parts. ‘Great Coat’ stands out and gets a good response whilst the closing song has an urgency that some of the other songs seem to lack.

LYR - Jul 23

It's still daylight when Siouxsie enters the stage (and will be for most of the set – this is the North East after all and at this time, of year it’s still light till 10.30) and the recent opener of ‘Nightshift’ is replaced by ‘Voices (in the Air)’. It’s a bold move opening with the B-side to the Banshees’ debut single, but it sets the scene for tonight with a good range of singles and album tracks from across Siouxsie’s career. Siouxsie is resplendent in her shades, flowing pale blue jumpsuit and long frock coat as she slinks across the stage. The trademark growls and yelps are all here as are the mischievous glances across to the band showing Siouxsie’s sense of fun is still very definitely present.

Siouxsie - Jul 23
Next up is ‘Israel’ and Siouxsie’s voice comes to the fore with one of the Banshees best loved songs. ‘Arabian Knights’ follows and the crowd is lapping it up. In the old days, Siouxsie was always one for playing the new material, decrying those who wanted the hits – tonight is all about celebrating the highlights of her career and it is a joyous occasion. ‘Here Comes that Day’ from 2008’s ‘Manteray’ album with its farting horns is a throbbing beast of a song. ‘Kiss Them for Me’ and its ode to Jayne Mansfield is a welcome addition from the later Banshees albums.

Siouxsie - Jul 23

Another big hitter follows in the form of ‘Dear Prudence’. I always considered the Banshees’ version to be better than The Beatles’ original and tonight it still sounds fantastic. It’s all purrs and seduction for ‘Face to Face’ as huge cat’s eyes stare out from the backdrop. Returning to her solo material, ‘Loveless’ is given a thunderous workout before the sunglasses finally come off and ‘Land’s End’ from the ‘Tinderbox’ album makes an appropriate appearance. It’s probably one of the least known tracks in the set tonight, but it still gets a rapturous response. ‘Cities in Dust’ sounded like nothing else when it came out and it remains one of my favourite songs – hearing it live again made my day.

Siouxsie - Jul 23 The band move to a selection of percussion instruments to run through the tribal beats of The Creatures ‘But Not Them’ from their first EP. I’d have loved to have seen more from The Creatures back catalogue tonight but it was always going to be hard to satisfy everyone’s wish list. Strapping on an electric blue guitar, Siouxsie joins the band to play through a magnificent ‘Sin in my Heart’. The Banshees had an incredible run of singles and the double header of Christine’ and ‘Happy House’ are hard to beat. The looks of glee on the faces around me say it all – this was all you could ask from a Siouxsie show.

Siouxsie - Jul 23

‘Into a Swan’ from the ‘Manteray’ album sees Siouxsie dancing expressively around the stage enthralling all before departing the stage. It’s still daylight in the North East and it feels too early for the show to end. Luckily Siouxsie returns after a short break and the unmistakable opening chords of ‘Spellbound’ get a huge cheer. An appearance on the latest episode of Stranger Things has raised the song’s profile once again demonstrating to the world what a timeless song it is. The end of the song sees the return of Siouxsie’s trademark high kicks, although the high heeled boots of old have been replaced by a pair of far more practical and comfortable trainers.

Siouxsie - Jul 23

With Siouxsie announcing a return to the very start, the piano notes of ‘Hong Kong Garden’ take the crowd back to their youth for one last time. Swinging her mike across the stage, Siouxsie still continues to enchant and it is sad to see her leave the stage for one last time.

For somebody who thought that they would never see Siouxsie again, tonight was incredibly special. Hearing those songs again had me grinning from ear to ear, and worshipping at the Church of Siouxsie a life affirming act. As we left the Priory we all knew we had seen something special – if you have the chance to see Siouxsie on this tour you will not be disappointed.

Siouxsie - Jul 23

I’d like to hope that this tour has reinvigorated Siouxsie’s creative juices and there will be new material coming. If not, I’ll still have a memory of this almost magical night to keep me smiling.

Siouxsie - Jul 23

Rancid - Jun 23 Rancid – Wembley Arena

Amigo The Devil – Islington Assembly Hall

Stevie R Pearce & the Hooligans – Reading Facebar

And so Glastonbury Festival finishes for another year and the BBC’s annual televised music budget has been decimated in one fell swoop. Rick Astley elevated himself to legend status, Guns n Roses divided the nation and Elton showed the world how it is supposed to be done. Elsewhere bands on the smaller stages hoped that their profile would be raised by having the TV cameras record their moments of glory, only to be left on the cutting room floor by an unadventurous producer.

Glastonbury now seems to dominate the annual music calendar, as everyone praises the select few artists who garnered the producers favour at the expense of every other musician who plays live on a frequent basis. There is an ever-shrinking live circuit out there and the returns on performing live are diminishing. In the old days, tours were used to promote new albums whilst young artists honed their trade. Today, following the demise of record sales and miniscule royalty cheques from streaming, the live circuit is the only way for most musicians to earn any sort of living.

Sadly, too many people now consider just going to a couple of big events/festivals each year or complain that gigs are too expensive whilst asking where is the new talent coming from and completely overlooking the scene happening on their doorstep.

Last week I ran the full gauntlet of live music with an arena gig, town hall gig and low key club gig highlighting the wealth of music that is out there if you can be bothered to look for it.

First up was Rancid at Wembley Arena. This was originally at the excellent Brixton Academy but was moved following that venue’s extended closure following the devastating events late last year. Moving the gig to the cold soulless vacuum that is Wembley Arena was inevitable but somehow the venue still felt very busy at least from where I was standing. However, having limited drink choices and charging nearly £9 for a fairly repugnant lager is never going to win fans over. It would appear that the term economies of scale has failed to reach the venue’s owners, either that or they are fleecing their punters.

Moving to the larger venue did mean that we had three excellent support bands in attendance. Rising stars of the scene Grade 2 braved an early start and received a warm reception. Reminiscent of the second wave of punk, the band bring some decent tunes with them. LA’s The Bronx have been around for over twenty years and bring their short but very welcome assault on the senses with songs such as ‘Shitty Future’ and ‘Knifeman’ (which for some reason reminds me of ‘Another Brick in the Wall’). The Skints are always a pleasure to watch with their ska beats, this time including a frantic run through Capdown’s ‘Cousin Cleotis’ which gets the crowd skanking like there’s no tomorrow.

Grade 2 - Jun 23 The Bronx - Jun 23 The Skints - Jun 23

Some of my friends see Rancid as important as the Clash and Stiff Little Fingers with their politically charged anthems and thought provoking lyrics. Opening with ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ from their new album is merely a concession to the current as they play a mammoth set covering a large part of their breakthrough album ‘…And Out Come the Wolves’ and other highlights from their lengthy career. Second song ‘Roots Radicals’ has half the arena engulfed in a huge mosh pit and it never really stops from then on. By the time we reach ‘Timebomb’ and ‘Ruby Soho’ there is a very sweaty and exhilarated crowd with huge grins on their faces.

Despite the limitations of the venue, all four bands contributed to a highly entertaining evening.

Rancid - Jun 23

Next up, we are heading to Islington Assembly Hall to see the return to these shores of Amigo the Devil. The Assembly Hall is typical of council owned buildings with a distinct foot in the past but having a decent lighting and sound system.

The wonderfully named Tejon Street Corner Thieves open with their Trashgrass n Blues. For a three piece consisting of banjo, guitar and upright bass, they make a wonderfully melodic and ramshackle start to the night. They got such a rapacious response at the end of their set that you would have thought they were the headliners. I picked up their ‘Stolen Blues’ album after the show and it has been well played since.

Tejon Street Corner Thieves - Jun 23

I’ve seen Amigo the Devil twice before but this is the first time with a full band in tow. Singer Danny Kiranos has such an affable stage presence that it is hard to imagine that his material would concentrate on the darker side of life with tales of murder being at the forefront. Yet here we are with a crowd enthralled by his disturbing tales. The set is a mixture of solo songs and riotous full band stomps. The latter remind you a bit of the Bad Seeds when Nick Cave allows them to let rip. With songs such as ‘Murder at the Bingo Hall’ and ‘I Hope Your Husband Dies’ the band produce one of the highlight performances of the year. Hopefully it won’t be long before Amigo returns.

Amigo the Devil - Jun 23 Amigo the Devil - Jun 23

The last gig of the week sees us in the small room at Reading’s Facebar. Sat on the wrong side on the ring road that surrounds the town centre this venue is often forgotten about, and yet it has a cracking lineup of bands playing there. In addition, it has one of the best sound systems in town, although the stage lighting has much to be desired.  

Tonight, it is the turn of Stevie R Pearce & The Hooligans to grace the stage. The crowd is a small but loyal bunch of punters who will turn up for the rockier bands playing at the venue and as a result there is a relaxed feeling to the night with most people knowing each other.

Kim Jennett opens with an acoustic set that demonstrates her powerful vocals. The set includes an interesting version of ‘Ace of Spades’ whilst Stevie joins Kim for a version of ‘Black Velvet’. It would be good to see Kim playing with a full band.

Kim Jennett - Jun 23

Unfortunately, The Suicide Notes lose their drummer earlier in the day to a back injury and have to embark on an impromptu acoustic set. It’s a little rough around the edges but sets by the Suicide Notes are never supposed to be highly disciplined performances. Songs such as ‘Ragdoll’ and ‘Smoke it Like a Cigarette’ sound just as decadent played by a demonic lounge band as by the full plugged in version.  

The Suicide Notes - Jun 23

I’ve not seen Stevie R Pearce & The Hooligans before and so had no idea what to expect. What we got was a tight rock band with a splattering of riffs and good tunes. Despite the small audience, the band represented the soul of the music scene, giving it their all for scant reward bar the joy of preforming. Kim Jennett joined the band for the last number and we got to see what she could do with a full band behind her. It was highly entertaining stuff for all those in attendance.

Stevie R Pearce & The Hooligans - Jun 23 Stevie R Pearce & The Hooligans - Jun 23

Rancid may have had the big crowds and back catalogue, but it is watching bands in the small venues across the country such as the Facebar, Hull Adelphi and Islington’s Hope & Anchor that brings me the most pleasure. This is where the beating heart of the music scene lies, not the impersonal megadomes selling corporate rebellion. So next time you are watching the Glastonbury TV coverage, remember where the scene starts and ends – go out and watch a band playing for their lives, not knowing where the next pay check will come from. Who knows, you may even enjoy yourself and open a door to a whole new world of excitement (and you will spend considerably less on a drink).

Ginger Wildheart - Jun 23

Former Magic Eight Ball singer, the immaculately dressed Baz Francis opens the show with a mixture of songs from both his excellently named ‘Face That Launched a Thousand Shipwrecks’ and his earlier band career. There’s a 90s indie rock feel to the songs (the Manic Street Preachers come to mind) and Baz has an enigmatic stage presence. I’d love to see him again with a full band to see how the songs play with more instrumentation behind them.

Baz Francis - Jun 23 I’ve never been disappointed by a Carol Hodge performance and with album number four now out, she has a wealth of material to play with. You can’t go wrong with the opening duo of ‘The Moan of a Thousand Years’ and ‘Stop Worrying Baby’ which allow Carol to demonstrate her full vocal range and playing ability. Coupled with Carol’s northern charm it’s a winning combination – you can’t help but be won over.

A version of The Offspring’s ‘Smash’ is turned into a powerful torch song at which point Carol is joined on stage by Ginger’s faithful dog Maggie, who saunters around oblivious to the music being performed around her. Dog lovers in the audience swoon and there is a danger that Maggie will be the star of the night.

Carol Hodge - Jun 23 Ginger joins Carol for ‘The Price’ from her latest album and you can see the respect between the two artists. Closing with the ’Twenty Miles up’ Carol has the appreciative crowd singing the harmonies and hopefully even more fans about to delve into her back catalogue.

Carol Hodge - Jun 23 The WIldhearts live were always an exhilarating experience with the gruff vocals, lush harmonies and crashing guitars, and as a result their fans are some of the most loyal out there on the scene. You know that no matter how obscure the song, they will know the lyrics and will sing along.

Opening with ‘Weekend (5 Long Days)’ Ginger chooses a clear fan favourite and already the crowd is bouncing in appreciation. There’s no mistaking Ginger with his dreadlocks and glorious Geordie drawl as he reminds us that he will probably talk as much as he sings during the set.

Ginger Wildheart - Jun 23

Mentioning that ‘My Baby is a Headfuck’ has four guitar solos and he can’t perform all of them, kazoos are distributed to the crowd and a new star is discovered with a very impressive kazoo solo. Baz is on backing vocals for the epic ‘Do the Channel Bop’ with some highly entertaining vocal gymnastics and posturing. ‘Urge’ and ‘Eager to Leave ‘er’ follow, the latter getting a rare outing. It sounds great.

Carol and Baz return to the stage to play some of Ginger’s favourite Wildhearts songs. The three piece sound great but sadly after just one song Ginger leaves the stage along with Maggie (who has continued to win hearts). Nobody is quite sure whether Ginger is coming back and after a storming 50 minutes the gig finishes in a haze of numb confusion. Earlier in the day Ginger had cancelled the post gig meet and greet, and later stated online that his depression had kicked in during the day.  He'd played as much as he could. Sadly Ginger’s well documented mental health issues had reared their ugly head again.

Ginger Wildheart - Jun 23 Until the abrupt close to the set, we had been treated to a fantastic night of music and the sell out crowd were clearly enjoying themselves. Ginger is one of our finest songwriters and his experiences have infused a good number of his songs – he should be treasured for his song writing and increasing awareness of the complicated mental health issues that inevitably will affect most of us at some point during our lives.

Maggie Wildheart - Jun 23

Since Dave Ruffy and Segs reformed Ruts DC, I’ve been fortunate to catch the band a good number of times and each time has been a treat. With a new album in tow, would the band match the energy of those previous shows?

Starting the night is TV Smith, another alumni of The Damned support brigade from his days in The Adverts. In recent times, I’ve seen TV Smith both solo and with a full band, most recently at The Damned reunion shows where he performed all of the first Adverts album. That was a stunning run through a classic album although the inter song chat was kept to a minimum. Tonight, TV is in a more talkative mood introducing a variety of songs from across his career. The lack of a backing band does not change the performance in the slightest as he moves across the stage kicking his feet in the air as if still in his twenties.

TV Smith - May 23 Staples such as ‘Expensive Being Poor’ and ‘Immortal Rich’ are interspersed with brand new songs ‘Blank Screens’ and ‘One Minute to Midnight’ which retain TV’s gift for lyrical content. Finishing with the always welcome ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ and ‘One Chord Wonders’, TV demonstrates why he has remained so popular on the scene with his consummate performances.

TV Smith - May 23

By the time Ruts DC arrive on the stage the venue is reaching capacity, such is the draw of the band and their live reputation. Leigh on guitar is now an integral part of the band more than complimenting the original members. He is clearly still having too much fun in the band as he takes centre stage with his rumbustious guitar licks. Ruffy and Segs have been playing together for other 40 years and the respect is clear to see as their muscular rhythm section rumbles through the room. Equally when Segs and Leigh swap instruments for one song, you can tell how much this band enjoy playing with each other.

Ruts DC - May 23 Starting with ‘Faces in the Sky’ from the latest album, the band show that they have not lost their ability to write a cracking song. Going back to The Ruts catalogue, the band play a storming ‘SUS’, ‘You’re Just A…’ (appropriately dedicated to any politician you can think off)  and ‘It Was Cold’. The first Ruts DC album ‘Animal Now’ is often overlooked in comparison to their post reformation material, but tonight we get good renditions of ‘No Time to Kill’ and ‘Despondency’.

Ruts DC - May 23 There is a good splattering of tracks from the new album ‘Counterculture’ in the set tonight with the title track, ‘Born innocent’ and ‘Poison Games’ being highlights. The latter song could be a soundtrack to one of those 1960’s spy shows in the vain of The Persuaders or Department S, and is fast becoming an earworm. ‘Jah War’ reminds you of the band’s reggae influences although sadly there is nothing from the excellent ‘Rhythm Collision’ albums tonight.

Ruts DC - May 23 The intro to ‘Something That I Said’ starts up and we back into The Ruts territory. The crowd has been enjoying themselves up to this point, but this is where the middle of the room erupts. Followed by an excellent extended version of ‘In A Rut’ with its massive chugging bass line and ‘Babylon’s Burning’ the band finish on a high.

Returning to the stage the band run through the more laid back and almost psychedelic (echoing the lights that have covered Leigh in colourful polka dots all evening) ‘Pretty Lunatics’. ‘Staring at the Rude Boys’ has the crowd bouncing around again and is urgent as ever with its cry of ‘Never surrender’ and ‘Psychic Attack’ is a fitting end to a decent length set that covered a good part of both bands’ careers.

Ruts DC - May 23

In an age where a number of the original punk bands are close to hanging up their instruments for good, it is still inspiring to see some of the old guard continue to produce and perform exciting new material that is appreciated by the fanbase. Both TV Smith and Ruts DC fall into this bracket and long may they continue to do so.

Ruts DC - May 23

Now into its tenth year, the festival has grown in statue and reputation as one of the highlights in the town’s year. Over the years we have seen incendiary sets from the likes of Idles and Bob Vylan to early shows by Dream Wife and Black Honey, the latter two bands paying their respects by headlining the Friday night warm up party and Saturday night in the stunning St Lawrence Church this year. With over 60 acts to choose from across nine venues, decisions would need to be made on who to see.

Marisa and the Moths - May 23 Local rising rock stars Marisa and the Moths open proceedings at Sub89 with a consummate set, which after a technical delay demonstrated why they are becoming one of the town’s best exports. The band have a good number of really strong songs that suit Marisa’s impassioned vocals. With album two due to make an appearance soon, 2023 should be a stellar year for the band.

Playing Fields - May 23

Over at the Oakford Social Club. I catch the last song by Playing Fields which has a nice laid back groove to it. I’ve seen Eat Daddy Eat a few times and am a big fan of their late 80s/early 90s mix of indie rock. Seeing Rich wig out on his guitar is always a pleasure to watch.

Eat Daddy Eat - May 23 There’s a massive queue over at Sub89 and by the time we get in, we’ve missed the first ten minutes of Coach Party’s set. It’s heaving in there and their forthcoming Queens of the Stone Age support slots are well deserved. They have got loads of big tunes that should see them moving into the field currently occupied by the likes of Wolf Alice.

Coach Party - May 223 The Facebar is on the edge of the town and can easily be forgotten about by the general gig going public, but it is one of the town’s best venues with a truly eclectic range of artists performing there. By the time we arrive, talk of the town Lambrini Girls are already performing to a rammed room. Invoking the spirit of riot grrrl, lead singer Phoebe spends a large chunk of the set in the crowd and hanging off the lighting rig. The songs are short sharp visceral punches to the head and are some of the most invigorating punk rock blasts of energy you will hear all weekend. They’ve already got a support slot at Iggy’s Crystal Palace Park gig with the likes of Generation Sex and Blondie and look like they should take the scene by storm.

Lambrini Girls - May 23 I knew nothing about Deijuvhs before today, but what a discovery. Mixing drill and jungle with punk and metal, they make a ferocious sound. They have an incredible amount of energy and it does not take long for their singer to be in the middle of crowd. Back on stage he pushes both his guitarist and bass player into the crowd where they perform in the raucous melee that has erupted. I cannot say how much I enjoyed watching and photographing this set. Long may the chaos and beats continue.

Deijuvhs - May 23 Pet Needs have been making waves recently and a support slot with Frank Turner was well deserved. They are heading to the US soon which can only lead to greater things. Musically we are in earnest anthemic punk rock tunes with plenty of energy which go down well with the bouncing audience. Credit to the lads for quite literally selling their merchandise out of the back of a van.

Pet Needs - May 23 Final act of the night is Black Honey over at the impressive St Lawrence Church. I have seen the band several times since their debut appearance at Reading Festival in 2015. Early single ‘Spinning Room’ with its spaghetti western guitar has remained a firm favourite of mine. Tonight, the crowd is far larger and with three albums to their name, the band have a wealth of material to choose from. Songs from the new album dominate the set but they go down well. Sadly, whilst I was at the front of the stage for the set. my friends left early as the sound at the rear of the venue was not great which is a shame as it was a cracking set.

Black Honey - May 23 And so ended another fantastic Are You Listening? This is a festival that is going from strength to strength with its pleasing mix of local acts and more well known national names. Here’s to the next ten years.

The Suicide Notes - Apr 23

The Suicide Notes live are a tour de force with singer Billy T’s debauched performances echoing the likes of Iggy Pop and Lux Interior. Would a seated and drummer less band be able to pull off a performance to match those heady heights? The night has already sold out so the audience are certainly hoping so.

Aces regular Boss Caine opens the night with his americana infused roots music. Last month I saw him supporting Alejandro Escovedo and the Rant Band at the majestic Bush Hall where he was equally at home as he is here in his spiritual home. Dan’s voice is in fine form as his whisky and cigarettes infused baritone vocal enthrals the room whilst his intricate guitar playing beguiles us. The set list has been mixed up a bit but as always contains those dark soulful tales that we have come to love.

Boss Caine - Apr 23 Rich Ragany is another artist who is just as comfortable playing those big stages as he is stuck in the corner of Aces n Eight’s basement. Rags has been a stalwart on the London scene for nearly two decades and built up a solid reputation both live and on record with Role Models.

His current band, Rich Ragany and the Digressions, have just released their third album and it is already a contender for my album of the year list. Mixing the sonic sounds of the Stooges and the Heartbreakers with the lyrical input of Tom Petty and Steve Earle, it is a triumph of styles and highlights a band at its most confident.

Tonight, the band is absent and Rags is relying on his own irascible personality and the strengths of the songs themselves to carry the set.

Rich Ragany - Apr 23 Opening with Role Models ‘(I Broke My Back) Disappointing You’ and the Digressions ‘Little Let Down’, Rags sets out his stall for a night celebrating his extensive back catalogue. Rags is a gifted songwriter and even when his songs cover sadder topics there is always an uplifting chorus to raise your spirits. As a result, songs such as ‘Beyond Nostalgia and Heartache’ become even more memorable. The latest Digressions album is represented by a stripped down ‘Pretty Breeze’ and a much subdued ‘One Last Thing to Prove’. Even without the full band treatment the songs still rock. 

Finishing with a very welcome rendition of Role Models ‘Leave Tonight’, Rags has put in another fine performance.

Rich Ragany - Apr 23 The Suicide Notes are in transition as livewire drummer Gavin has departed to concentrate on other musical projects. At the same time, guitarist Alex is recovering from a back operation so tonight would be a much more subdued event than normal. Opening with ‘Take A Bullet for Me’ this is a much relaxed band and Billy is able to breath more life into the songs without the normal kinetic aspects of his performance. Draped over his mike stand for much of the set with his hat forever hiding his eyes from public gaze he rasps through the songs like a degenerate lounge singer.  

The Suicide Notes - Apr 23

‘Black Dog Howling’ is turned from a riff heavy stomp into a gentler sonic assault. Behind Billy, the band produce a laid back groove that matches the drape heavy décor of the venue. The Stonesy feel of ‘Momma Sang the Blues’ wears its influences clearly whilst on ‘Ragdoll’, Billy is joined by the enchanting voice of Kate Holmes to raise the song to another level. ‘Snake Grin Within’ and ‘On the Rocks’ follow before the band’s signature tune ‘Smoke it like a Cigarette’ has the crowd singing along. Rags is back to accompany the band on their heartfelt version of the Stones ‘Dead Flowers’.  As always, the song is dedicated to those we have lost and in particular Darrell Bath who played Aces a number of times and frequently played the song himself.

The Suicide Notes - Apr 23 Concluding with ‘Billy Two Rivers’, this has been a highly enjoyable set. The songs are less frenetic but still retain that sozzled smoke filled bar room feel to then. The band have clearly enjoyed themselves and I look forward to see how they take this type of performance forward once their new drummer is on board.

The Suicide Notes - Apr 23

The Damned - Apr 23

As we arrive, the new album is being played in the background – it was a bit too quiet to really comment so I’ll need to defer my judgement until I get my hands on a physical copy.

First up we have up post punk survivors, the Nightingales, one of those bands I should know a hell of a lot more about. Original singer Robert Lloyd has put together an impressive band who power their way through the angular riffs and mid song time changes with style. In particular watching drummer Fliss Kitson is a joy, as her hands seemingly dance across her kit rather than the usual pounding them into submission. I recognise ‘Crafty Fag’ from one those post punk compilation albums that enlighten my collection and quickly find myself singing along.

It was a different and highly entertaining set, enough for me to invest in their latest album, ‘The Last Laugh’ after the show.  

Nightingales - Apr 23 Elmer Bernstein’s ‘The Man with the Golden Arm’ welcomes The Damned to the stage and they launch into perennial set opener ‘Street of Dreams’. As always Dave Vanian is dressed to impress looking like a 1930s Gotham crime boss in a splendid two piece suit, tie and fedora. Paul Gray strides onto the stage with effortless cool as he plays his beefy Rickenbacker. Captain Sensible and Monty Oxymoron bring the fun to the show whilst new boy Will Taylor can be barely seen behind the huge cymbals on his drum kit.  Despite the fact that most of the band now have bus passes, this is still a band that knows how to look good on stage.

In a sign of things to come, new song ‘Invisible Man’ gets an early run through. I’ve heard this track a few times and it is slowly growing on me – in particular the band get to have a good psyche out in the mid section whilst Vanian cackles in the background. ‘The Black Album’ opening tracks ‘Wait for the Blackout’ and ‘Lively Arts’ have the crowd bouncing around like its 1980 again and then the Captain mentions that there is a new album out this month and we are going to get to hear now. And so begins a nine song run through the album.  

The Damned - Apr 23 ‘Bad Weather Girl’ opens the run and is pleasing enough whilst the following ‘You’re Gonna Realise’ is a fast little number. Of the new material, the epic ‘Waking the Dead’ and current single ‘Beware of the Clown’ fared best. The latter has a cracking chorus which will have you humming along within a couple of listens. The rest of the material sounded good but I need to listen to the tracks a few more times before they become more memorable.

As a long term fan, I loved hearing the new material but appreciate that the more casual punters may have been more engaged had a few more familiar songs been inserted into this section.

However, this is The Damned and they know how to build up to a finale. Going back to 1977 and 1979 respectively, ‘Born to Kill’ gets a welcome airing followed by ‘Love Song’ and ‘Second Time Around’. ‘Love Song’ sounds as gloriously irreverent as always. One of the highlights of the last album was ‘Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow’ and it still sounds brilliant once Captain remembers when to come in. Ending the set is ‘Neat Neat Neat’ and we are treated to the familiar extended middle section. By this stage, the front of stage security are having to deal with the ever bold crowd surfers who had been quiet until now. It’s a fitting end to the main set.

The Damned - Apr 23 The crowd is shouting for more and the band come out again to play the big hit ‘Eloise’. I’ve always loved this song and the band always do it justice especially giving Vanian the opportunity to test your vocal chords. The Captain and Paul start playing the instrumental ‘Smash It Up pt 1’ and the simmering room explodes when Dave screams Smash it Up and launches into the main song. There are a lot of old punks bouncing around like lunatics who will surely feel the after effects on their aging bodies the next day.

Coming back for a second encore we are treated to the last track to be previewed from the new album, ‘Girl I’ll Stop at Nothing’. It’s another fast number with one of those classic Damned choruses that will surely become a fan favourite, along with a typical guitar solo from the good Captain. Reminding us how important the band were at the start of their career, we are treated to a furious version of the epic ‘New Rose’ – still one of the greatest singles from the start of punk rock. Bowing out to a now jubilant crowd, The Damned have done their work for the night.

The Damned - Apr 23 I’ve rarely seen a bad show from The Damned, no matter which of the many line ups was performing, but the current one is still playing with as much fun and panache as they did in their heyday. Whilst other bands continue to trade wholly on the fruits of their youthful endeavours, The Damned are still releasing music that has a relevance to its audience. Given the number of youngsters in the audience, they are also clearly appealing to the younger generations brought up on their parents record collections as well.

As always, a solid night’s entertainment from a great band.

The Damned - Apr 23 The Damned - Apr 23

Alejandro Escovedo & The Rant Band - Mar 23

Bush Hall, down the road from Shepherd’s Bush Market, is one of those old school London venues – a dour façade hiding a large ornately decorated room with large mirrored walls, a viewing balcony and a plethora of chandeliers. It would be a fitting venue to hear one of the best albums of the early seventies played by a highly accomplished band.

York’s Boss Caine starts tonight’s proceedings with an accomplished set made up of old favourites (opener ‘Ghosts and Drunks’ never outstays its welcome) and a few newer unrecorded tunes. As always Boss Caine’s deep baritone voice and skilled guitar playing adds layers to the lyrical power of his song writing abilities. On record, Boss Caine is accompanied by a full band and it would be great to see him backed by other musicians in a venue as iconic and impressive as this.

Boss Caine - Mar 23 Chasing Mallory have a direct lineage to Mott the Hoople with Ian Hunter’s grandson sitting behind the drums. Musically they are damned loud – I was in the bar during the soundcheck and the walls were moving even then. Close up to the stage, your entire body vibrated as sound washed across you from the speakers. Fronted by a seemingly young tattooed Tom Cruise, they played a competent emo/grunge infused set but with the exception of ‘Reason’, no songs really stood out to these seasoned ears. Singles ‘Everybody Needs Somebody’ and ‘Breakaway’ have plenty of promise but don’t quite yet hit the anthemic heights they aim for.

Chasing Mallory - Mar 23 Alejandro Escovedo has a career going back to the late seventies when his band The Nuns opened for the Sex Pistols’ final infamous gig at Winterland in San Francisco. Since then, he has played in a number bands or solo across a wide range of genres from power pop through alternative country onto rootsy rock n roll. He’s gathered a wide following of fans over the years to the extent when incredibly ill during the early 2000s, the likes of Ian Hunter, John Cale, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle contributed versions of his songs for an album raising funds for his medical expenses.

Tonight, Alejandro is paying Ian Hunter back by fronting the band that has supported him for a good part of the last two decades, The Rant Band, playing what is considered to be the best Mott the Hoople album, ‘Mott’. Riding high after the career invigorating ‘All The Young Dudes’ album, ‘Mott’ was a band flexing its musical muscles and was a breakthrough for the band in the elusive US market. If an album was to define classic rock, ‘Mott’ would be near the top of the list.

Alejandro Escovedo & The Rant Band - Mar 23 The epic piano build up at the start of ‘All the Way From Memphis’ sets out the band’s muscular musical intent for the night with Alejandro’s vocal style matching Ian Hunter’s perfectly. Considering the age of the band and the material, this is an invigorating start to the set, sounding as fresh as it was in 1973.  It’s a straight run through ‘Mott’ with the contrasting sounds of ‘Hymn for the Dudes’ and ‘Honaloochie Boogie’ demonstrating what a varied album it was. Between songs we get engaging and reverential anecdotes from Alejandro which makes the set even more enjoyable.  

In stark contrast to the glam rock overtones of ‘Drivin’ Sister’, the laid back grooves of ‘Ballad of Mott the Hoople’ see the band readying themselves for the full on throttle of ‘I’m a Cadillac’ leading into its coda, the dust trodden meander of ‘El Camino Dolo Roso’. ‘I Wish I Was your Mother’ has the crowd singing joyously and concludes the run through the album.

Alejandro Escovedo & The Rant Band - Mar 23 The second half of the set starts with ‘The Golden Age of Rock n Roll’ and they are not wrong. We are treated to a brilliant version of the song that laid the template for several eighties glam rock bands, ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’. Otis Lee Crenshaw himself, Rich Hall pops up on stage to read a well received poem before the band proceed through ‘Boy’ and ‘Walkin’ With a Mountain’.

Rich Hall - Mar 23 Delving onto Alejandro’s own back catalogue, the band play an excellent ‘One More Time’, the song that Ian Hunter had covered on the fund raising album. A euphoric ‘Saturday Gigs’ follows before the set closes with a triumphant ‘All the Young Dudes’ complete with full audience participation.

This was one of those gigs that you approached not quite knowing what to expect and were subsequently blown away by it – it was one of the most enjoyable celebrations of music I have been to in a long time. Alejandro did a fine job in bringing life into those words, whilst the band were beyond words. My appreciation for Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople is now undergoing a serious renaissance whilst I also explore the magic of Alejandro’s varied back catalogue.

Alejandro Escovedo & The Rant Band - Mar 23

Mudlow - Mar 23

Promoters Runnin Blue have put together a cracking lineup as their first gig of the year and the room is full despite the national train strike threatening to derail the entire gig. Kudos to the Runnin Blue team for driving Tensheds back to Brighton after the gig in order to keep him on the bill.

Sadly Aces favourite, Boss Caine, was prevented from travelling down from York by various additional travel issues so at very short notice, The PHillbilly One Man Band stepped in to open the night. Boosting a fascinating collection of homemade box guitars and a suitcase foot drum, we were treated to a quality set of trashy hillbilly skiffle blues. Songs such as ‘Black Dog’, ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ and ‘My Drinking Days Are Over’ may have originated in deepest Suffolk but for a moment they transport you to a smoke ridden joint along the Mississippi Delta.

The PHillbilly One Man Band - Mar 23 Next up is a welcome return to Aces n Eights by Tensheds, Brighton’s finest piano playing dandy punk prince. Three years ago, Tensheds was on the verge of a huge tour to promote the brilliant ‘Deathrow Disco’ album when the country went into lockdown. After a short period of introspection, the essential Sunday punk palace sessions started online and with that came new material on an almost weekly basis. By the end of 2020, a new album ‘The Days of My Confinement’ had been released. Whereas ‘Deathrow Disco’ was a stomping blues boogie disco beast, the latter album contained a series of exquisite piano driven ballads.

Tensheds - Mar 23 Tonight’s set is a mixture of those thumping blues numbers where Matt’s gruff vocals mix with the pounding keys to produce a glorious cacophony of melodic noise, and the classically led ballads that bring tears to the eyes of my fellow audience members. Tensheds performing is a thrill to watch as he rolls his eyes back and lets the emotion of the songs flow over him. Watching Matt’s hands, to paraphrase Mudlow’s singer, is like seeing two huge spiders dancing across the keys in a frenzy of movement and is glorious to behold.

The inter song banter is always engaging as Matt gives the background on the origins of the songs, none more so than the introduction to ‘The Bridge Song’ – a song that is guaranteed to have a few people in the audience wiping away the tears at its denouement. Highlights tonight are the spinetingling ‘Mirrors’ and the bar room boogie of ‘City of Dreams’. A night with Tensheds is never a bad thing and hard to be beaten.

Tensheds - Mar 23

I first saw Mudlow at this very venue four years ago and was enthralled by their swampy delta blues. Their ‘Waiting for the Tide to Turn’ compilation is an essential collection of scuzzy blues driven Americana which belies the band’s Brighton roots. The horn infused ‘Down in the Snow’ is almost the perfect soundtrack to one of those sleazy 70s police detective films that dominated late night regional TV in my youth. Last year saw the release of the equally excellent ‘Bad Turn’ album although being finally stuck down by covid stopped me seeing them on the supporting tour.

Popeye endorsing singer Tobias has mastered the art of the Southern trucker with his nonchalant approach to his songs, before launching into impassioned gravelly vocals coupled with wonderous guitar playing (even playing one song in a ‘Drop C’ for the musicians amongst you). Matt and Paul’s rhythm section evokes memories of long night time drives along the back roads and truck stops of rural US. It’s addictive stuff with songs such as ‘Further Down the Road’ and ‘Red Rock’ drag you down those dusty roads.  

Mudlow - Mar 23 It's all over too soon, but the band come back for one last song and it’s a new one that is getting its first public airing. It’s an epic song that allows the band to keep the rhythm going almost indefinitely without outstaying its welcome. Departing to a very appreciative (and attentive crowd) the band have certainly won a few more fans over.

Tonight’s lineup has played to Aces n Eights’ strengths – a warm and cosy setting to watch musicians closeup without the trappings of over the top light shows and fog machines to distract from the music.

Another cracking night out in North London.

Mudlow - Mar 23

Rich Ragany and the Digressions - Mar 23

It’s Saturday night in Camden Town and what better to do than head to the Assembly for the album launch party for Rich Ragany and the Digressions excellent latest offering. Already garnishing multiple glowing reviews ‘What We Do (To Not Let Go)’ is already a contender for one of my Top 10 albums of the year.

I’ve not been to Camden Assembly before (nor in its previous incarnation as the Camden Barfly), so it was good to tick another London venue off the list. It’s not a bad venue with a decent sized stage although the fact that the stage was constantly doused in unrelenting red light meant that it was a challenge to get any decent colour shots.

Gracing the stage first we have James from More Kicks performing a number of songs from his band coupled with some of his solo material. More Kicks are an excellent band and the stripped back versions of their songs come across well.

More Kicks - Mar 23 By the time The Middlenight Men walk on stage there is a decent crowd in attendance. Normally a nine piece who swamp any stage they venture onto, tonight we are treated to a much trimmed down four piece. If you haven’t seen The Middlenight Men before, the full band is a tour de force featuring a brass section and pumping out fun catchy singalong rock songs whilst resembling the most bizarre bunch of masked superheroes since The Mystery Men. Their debut album ‘Issue #1’ was one of the highlights of 2021 and ‘Issue #2’ currently being recorded is highly anticipated.

Reduced down to two guitars for tonight’s set, we are first treated to the pop punk sounds of ‘Rat Star’ with its chugging guitars and harmony laden chorus. ‘The Middlenight Men Theme’ follows given an indication of the new material that is coming – it starts slowly before building to a suitably big ending. ‘Prison of Love’ is a corker and is in prime mid 70s Alice Cooper territory as singer Nick proudly proclaims. Even without the brass section, it sounds brilliant as Nick growls through the verses before the chorus kicks in.

‘We All Need Help Before Tomorrow’ with its Beach Boys harmonies is followed by another new tune which bodes well for the new album. ‘B.A. Baby’ is easily the band’s most singalong song and the audience duly join in. Finishing with a cover of Hey Hello’s ‘Perfect’ the short set leaves you in eager anticipation for the return of the full band.

The Middlenight Men - Mar 23 I’ve seen Rich Ragany play multiple times in a number of guises over the past few years, whether that be solo, in tandem with Kit Swing, or at the very well received Role Models reunion last year. However, it’s been nearly fourteen months since I have seen the full six piece Rich Ragany and the Digressions play. Rags has pulled together an impressive group of musicians with equally impressive CVs to make two of the best albums of the past few years. ‘What We Do (To Not Let Go)’ is a highly enjoyable progression from the sublime ‘Beyond Nostalgia and Heartbreak’ covering a wide range of styles.

Opening with the title track of the new album, the band set the pace for tonight with an emphasis on the rockier numbers in the band’s repertoire. ‘Like We’ll Never Make It’ is followed by the two standout tracks on the band’s second album ‘Beyond Nostalgia and Heartbreak’ and ‘Heartbreakers Don’t Try’. Kit’s angelic vocals are pushed to the front of these songs and take them to another level.

Rich Ragany and the Digressions - Mar 23 Bar room stomp ‘Scotty Thompson’ is always a welcome addition to the set and is followed by ‘You’re My Way Back Home’ from the new album. It’s another one of those Digressions’ staples with big riffs and killer choruses allowing the full band to have fun playing it. The pace is slowed a little for ‘One More for the Train’ as Rags enters a more reflective state of mind. It’s another killer song as is ‘How Much of Me Is You’ that follows. ‘Pretty Breeze’ rattles along at a fair pace with its piano motif standing out and will have you bouncing around the room.

Rich Ragany and the Digressions - Mar 23 As always, Rags is an engaging raconteur and keeps the audience entertained between songs. There is a clear respect between the band and how they play off each other with everyone given space to do their thing. The highly successful juxtaposition between Rags’ Canadian drawl and Kit’s powerful voice is more than demonstrated on the uplifting ‘Fade in Blue’.

Rich Ragany and the Digressions - Mar 23 All too soon the set is over but not before the band launch into ‘One Last Thing to Prove’. My favourite song from the new album, it starts quietly with a piano intro before launching into a Stooges like sonic rampage and is a fantastic set closer. This has been a rollickingly good gig tonight with the highly polished Digressions being on the verge of something great.

Despite having been in the business for over 20 years, Rich Ragany and his associates are still pulling aces out of a hat with apparent ease, and producing some fantastic material that should be recognised by a far greater audience.

Rich Ragany and the Digressions - Mar 23

Kristeen Young - Feb 23

Kristeen Young has been recording since the late nineties and has an impressive CV, releasing eleven albums, recorded backing vocals on David Bowie’s ‘Heathen’ album and utilising Dave Grohl’s drumming skills on her own ‘The Night Shift’ album. I saw her supporting The Damned on their ‘Evil Spirits’ tour at Camden’s Koko back in 2018 and was suitably impressive to pick up her excellent ‘Live at the Witch’s Tit’ album. Tonight is the start of a UK tour in support of her eleventh album, ‘Beauty Shop’ and as it was taking place where I live it would have been daft not to go.

Opening tonight are Strange Cities from San Francisco and they elude a decadent coolness especially singer Daniel Clark. Clearly influenced by late 70s, early 80s bands such as Joy Division, the Psychedelic Furs, Echo and the Bunnymen, and early U2, the band open with the wonderful ‘Cage’ and its angular guitar riff and beefy bass line. Within one song the band have pulled the crowd in and what follows is anthemic tune after tune.

Strange Cities - Feb 23 ‘Holoscene’ with its cries of ‘meet me on the dancefloor’ is another corking tune that could have filled the indie discos of my youth. ‘Dead to Dust’ is a brooding gothic earworm that you can’t help swaying along as the swirling guitars take you to a different place. By this stage, I am fully won over and will be following this band in the future. ‘Another Version of Love’ has elements of the Mission and the Bunnymen in its DNA and is most welcome.

Strange Cities are the reason why you should go and see the support bands at all gigs. Sometimes you will catch something special that will blow you away.

Strange Cities - Feb 23 There are a number of singers out there whose vocal styles can split an audience straight down the middle into likes and dislikes. And so for everyone who loves the vocal gymnastics of Kate Bush and Diamandis Galas, there will be an equal number of detractors. Kristeen Young falls into this bracket effortlessly making the best of her four octave range moving from sweet harmonies to shrill operatic peaks usually in the same verse. Luckily, I fall into the half that loves this style of performance.

Kristeen Young - Feb 23 Kristeen normally records with a number of musicians, but this time she is touring alone meaning that she is more reliant on backing tracks for a number of songs. When she is playing the keyboards, she pounds away at the keys, thumping them into submission with pulsating beats. Given that her latest release is a concept album looking at the life of a serial killer, this means that a number of the songs have frequent changes of pace, almost representing demented musical numbers that you can imagine being performed at an off Broadway production.

‘Sara Get The Baby’ is one of the closest songs you will get to an out and out single, and it is a cracking tune with its urgent and whirling beat. As this is the first date on the tour, Kristeen tries out a couple of numbers not previously performed before and they go down well.

Kristeen Young - Feb 23

There’s an element of performance art in the numbers where Kristeen lets the backing tracks take over whilst she crouches in pained positions to carry the emotion of the songs. More gothic eeriness follows with the likes of ‘The Beauty Shop’ and ‘Absence Makes the Heart Grow Father’ which captivate the room.

The overall set has been a pleasing selection of new material, supplemented by songs from her vast back catalogue. Before you know, the set finishes and Kristeen leaves the stage. As expected, it was an eclectic performance and I loved all of it, although what those seeing Kristeen for the first time thought, I do not know, but I hope that they found Kristeen as enjoyable bewildering as I did first time round.

Kristeen Young - Feb 23

Marisa and the Moths - Jan 23

By the time first band Bloodhounds hit the stage there is already a sizeable crowd forming, so not bad for a Sunday night in Reading. With a name like Bloodhounds this was never going to be a sedate affair. Bringing an updated 90s/00s grunge to the stage, the five piece have a powerful heavy rock sound.

Singer Joe has that classic 90s vocal style switching from gravelly singing to all out screaming and his banter with the audience reminds me a little of Frank Turner (if he was fronting a grunge band rather than his hardcore exploits with Mongol Horde). Throughout the set we have pounding rhythms, catchy hooks, thrash guitars and screeching solos which pulsate throughout the venue. Songs such as ‘Drip Fed’ and ‘We Are Not The Same’ deserve to heard – a fine band that I will be keeping an eye on.

Rilas Edge - Jan 23 I wasn’t sure of Rila’s Edge at first as they came across a bit too poppy for me, but the variation in their material slowly won me over. Another five piece, the band produce an enjoyable indie stadium rock sound with Alfie’s vocals being a strong point. The guitars have that early U2/Bunnymen feel to them whilst allowing the band to let rip when needed. An excellent cover of Queens of the Stone Age’s No One Knows’ with bassist George on vocals nicely demonstrates the band’s ability to have fun.

Bloodhounds - Jan 23 There’s been a fair few changes in the Marisa and the Moths lineup since I first saw them, but the core of Marisa and Liam have remained steadfast with the more recent lockdown additions of Alez and Alex nicely slotting in on lead guitar and drums.

Last time I’d seen the band, we had special appearances from former guitarists Chris Merton and Sophie Lloyd (weeks before she headed off on a huge US arena with Machine Gun Kelly) in a gig that celebrated both the past and future horizons. Tonight was defiantly looking forward with a number of new songs being interspersed amongst the favourites from the debut album, along with the news that the band were making their debut on Radio 1 the following night.

Marisa and the Moths - Jan 23 Opening with ’10.69’ the band power into one of the many high points of the debut album. Full of classic riffs and Marisa’s soaring vocals, this is always a strong opening statement and Alez gets his first solo of many. The crowd love it and the band launch into ‘Skin’ with its huge chorus. Alex and Liam effortlessly feed off each other whilst Liam prowls the stage making use of the minimal barriers to lean into the crowd.

‘Pedestal’ from the current ‘Damned If I Do’ EP is next and has a nice riff taking centre stage. Lead track from the EP, ‘If I Knew’, is a slower song in the vein of ‘Black Hole Sun’ and it works especially in the later stages when Marisa’s vocals take the song to a new level and the restrained guitar solo makes it sound epic.

Marisa and the Moths - Jan 23 ‘Choke’ is next with its signature motif feeding into another massive chorus and its crutching middle eight. ‘How Did You Get So Weak’ is another classic tune from the debut album and demonstrates why the band are getting so many positive reviews in rock circles.

The current line up play the material with so much ease and there is clear comradery between them, and Alez in particular is given room to put his own slant on the older material. ‘Easy Target’ slows the set down and is more restrained but still has that rush of power in the chorus that the band have become known for. ‘Slave’ keeps the momentum up whilst the gentle ‘Baby Goodnight’ is a welcome change of pace.

‘Human’ with its multiple pace changes lets the band loose as it charges furiously towards the end of the set. Closing with the excellent fan favourite ‘Needy’, this has been an excellent and well received home town gig. 

Marisa and the Moths - Jan 23 In celebratory mood, the band encore with the latest single of the EP, the excellent ‘Wither Away’ which further increases expectations for the new album when it arrives. Persuaded to play one more song, we are treated to another new currently unreleased song that continues the strong vibe for the album.

Despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic, Marisa and the Moths have come through a much stronger band and this version of the band is proving itself to be very adept both live and on record. The future is looking very good.

Marisa and the Moths - Jan 23

CJ Wildheart - Sept 22

First up and with less than 24 hours’ notice, we decided to leg it up to Fat Lil’s in Witney (near Oxford) to watch The City Kids, supported by old favourites Rich Ragany & Kit Swing and The Suicide Notes. It wasn’t the easiest venue to take photos in, although trying to make use of the light coming off a pinball machine was fun. Rags and Kit have honed their acoustic set to a fine T over the past 12 months, whilst The City Kids and The Suicide Notes sweat rock n roll excess in every song.

As a footnote, if you are ever driving through Oxfordshire, just be wary, the locals seem to have let loose a particularly vicious type of hedgehog or at least that’s what the numerous warning signs suggest.

The Suicide Notes - Sept 22 Inevitably as you get older, some of your favourite bands will split up and in a number of cases, some will tour as two or more operating units. I’d already seen Jay Ashton’s version of Gene Loves Jezebel earlier in the year, and now it was time to see The Quireboys without founding singer Spike. The gig had already been postponed a number of times and the two London dates condensed into one when we finally got to Kentish Town Forum. With Guy Griffin taking over vocal duties and accompanied by an orchestra, the band moved from the familiar territory of booze drenched bar room band to a British take on Aerosmith. It was okay but not fully appreciated by the more diehard Quireboys fans in our group. Spike would return with his version of the band later in the year, but more of that later.

I’d be back at the Forum within the week to see the legendary Toy Dolls (supported by the equally legendary UK Subs) for one of the most fun gigs of the year. With more energy than most bands half their age can muster, Olga and the boys celebrated their belated 40^th anniversary in fine style. Frank Turner returned to Reading’s Hexagon and this time brought along the intriguing husband and wife duo Truckstop Honeymoon, and Pet Needs (another band on my need to keep an eye on list).

UK Subs - Sept 22 The next gig was in imminent threat of cancellation following a water leak at London’s XOYO. Thankfully the show was only delayed by a couple of hours and an excellent night was spent in the company of Grand Theft Audio, Scott Sorry and CJ Wildheart. However, the late start did mean that we missed the semi Wildhearts reunion for the encore.

It was back to Reading’s Facebar for the last two gigs of the month. Dick Lucas and The Subhumans have been on my bucket list for a long time – they did not disappoint with their politically charged punk set. The band were supported by Uncle Peanut who I’ve seen a few times this year and his vaudeville punk vignettes are well worth checking out. Gaz Brookfield ploughs a similar field to Frank Turner and his set was most welcome at the Facebar as was Boss Caine’s return to the venue.

I’ve been slowly ticking off the bands that formed part of the early proto goth movement and so the opportunity to see Ausgang at The Water Rats in Kings Cross was not going to be missed. The fact that the excellent The Go Go Cult and Healthy Junkies were supporting made this an essential gig.

Ausgang - Oct 22 There have been two versions of Sham 69 touring for a while now, and this time it was Tim V’s version that came to the Facebar to provide those familiar terrace anthems. The ever reliable Who Killed Nancy Johnson? were joined on support duties by Deathtraps from Newport who were highly enjoyable.

A Warner E Hodges gig is always going to be good, but a double header with Texan Ryan Hamilton was going to take it to the next level. With Warner’s backing band playing both sets, a rammed Water Rats was treated to a night of alt country rock at its finest. Over at the Facebar, The Pink Diamond Revue and the exciting prospect that are Anchor Lane, opened for The VirginMarys. The VirginMarys were one of the first bands that I photographed live and I’ve followed their career ever since. Now a two piece, the band were playing their first headline show in Reading and they are still producing material as good as their first couple of releases.

Ryan Hamilton - Oct 22

Staying at the Facebar, it was time for Crazy Cowboy 8. I’d missed the previous seven for various reasons but the line-up was to hard to resist. Over two days, Reading was treated to some quality sets from the likes of Sonic Gypsy, Dukes of Bordello, The Royal Beggars, Daxx & Roxane, The Suicide Notes with headliner Spike (Quireboys) playing two sets to conclude the weekend.

Spike - Oct 22 The Ginger Wildheart and the Sinners tour finally rolled into London at Bush Hall with the excellent Boss Caine and Marc Valentine in tow. It was good to see Boss Caine in front of a large appreciative crowd, whereas Marc’s debut album is fast becoming one of my albums of the year. Compared to the last Wildhearts tour, Ginger seemed to be really enjoying himself playing with the Sinners and sharing vocal duties made for a more varied show.

The next gig had been announced early in the pandemic and had now been pushed back for over two years. However, the wait was worth it when the original line-up of The Damned appeared on stage together for the first time in nearly 30 years. This long time Damned fan was over the moon as I’d seen numerous variations of the band over the last 36 years, but never the original line-up. Playing material from the first two albums, it was a magnificent sight to witness, especially considering some of the bad blood spilt over time. Credit to Smalltown Tigers, TV Smith and Skids who opened the show with some quality sets of their own.

The Damned - Oct 22 I don’t normally watch tribute bands but I got asked to come along to the Facebar to see Remones, Sex Pistols Expose and Totally Blondie do their stuff. Sex Pistols Expose were brilliant really channelling the look, characteristics and sound of the original Pistols – a true pleasure to photograph.

Sex Pistols Expose - Oct 22 November started quietly with a return trip to Tufnell Park’s Aces n Eights to see Ray Waters, Boss Caine and Tim Loud perform three very different acoustic sets. Third Lung have performing and recording for much of the last 10 years, but November finally saw the release of their brilliant full debut album. To celebrate, the band played Reading’s Sub89 with support from fellow locals Doops, Elucidate and Jesse Smith and played an accomplished set to a very congratulatory crowd.

A last minute decision to watch The Priscillas at the 100 Club proved to be a winning move as they played an excellent set and had the crowd nicely warmed up for headliners Clem Snide and The Split Squad.

The Priscillas - Dec 22 In my final gig of the year at Islington’s Hope & Anchor, Boss Caine and The Carol Hodge Band warmed up for Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel. I’d never seen Carol perform with a full band and tonight was fantastic. It was going to be hard to top that but somehow Sarah and Eric managed that with a selection of songs from across their careers.

Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22 Sometimes, a venue has a great run of gigs and the Facebar found itself in that position for my next four gigs. The excellent Voodoo Radio opened for the Captain Kirk baiting Spizzenergi, closely followed by The Freudian Session and The Deckchairs supporting Italian ska punks Los Fastidios. The latter were incredible – it’s just a shame that there weren’t more people there to see them. Uncle Peanut and Jopy did the honours for another rising star, Gemma Rogers and her wry observations on modern life.

Los Fastidios - Nov 22

December tends to be a bit quieter but nobody told Long Tall Texans who brought their rockabilly/psychobilly sounds to the Facebar and led to some serious wrecking in the audience. Prior to that The Go Go Cult and The DeRellas pulled out two cracking sets as warmup. In contrast, the next afternoon at the Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon to see my old mate Joe Solo perform his rousing protest songs was a more sedate but nonetheless enjoyable affair. Sadly, I missed Joe’s duet with The Long Ryders’ Sid Griffin.   

In December, more people are interested in Christmas parties then gigs, so the Vive Le Rock X-mess party at Water Rats was the best of both words. Sets from Rich Ragany & Kit Swing, Marc Valentine, Paul-Ronney Angel and Desperate Measures with additional guests were the perfect alternative to the staff party.

Desperate Measures - Dec 22 As mentioned earlier, we’d seen one version of the Quireboys, so in mid December it was Spike’s turn to unleash his new version as the Islington O2. Complete with on stage bar, this line-up brought back memories of the older more decadent days with Spike being on top form. With the year coming to a close, I decided to squeeze one final gig and headed across to Water Rats to see Healthy Junkies again supporting Sylder Smith and the Oblivion Kids. It was a highly enjoyable way to end the gig going year.

What a year 2022 turned out to be. In contrast to the previous two years, I had clocked up 79 gigs, over 200 different bands, taken tens of thousands of pictures and discovered quite a few bands I will be following for some time. Hopefully 2023 will prove to be equally fruitful.

Slyder Smith & the Oblivion Kids - Dec 22

Alice Cooper - May 22

The month started strongly with 80s glam goths Gene Loves Jezebel teaming up with The Priscillas at Nambucca in Holloway. This was my first time at Nambucca but sadly would also be the last, as the venue permanently closed its doors a few weeks later. Another venue had been lost to increasing costs and indifferent landlords.

The Priscillas - May 22 The excellent Tensheds brought his drummer along to squeeze onto the tiny stage at Tufnell Park’s Aces n Eights, whilst in support, Paul-Ronney Angel took time off from his day job with The Urban Voodoo Machine to perform with Tamirae Brown.

Marisa and the Moths have been making a name for themselves in rock circles in recent years, and their appearance at Reading’s Purple Turtle was a full-on homecoming gig. Starting the night with the band’s original guitarists (including Sophie Lloyd who within weeks, would be playing massive arenas across the States as one of Machine Gun Kelly’s guitarists) the band played material from their excellent debut album before morphing into the current line up to play their newest songs.  

Marisa and the Moths - May 22

The Lexington in Islington was the venue for Terrorvision’s Tony Wright to perform a most welcome acoustic set. Prior to that, we were treated to a very short notice acoustic performance from a much reduced The Middlenight Men (with only five of the stage bothering band available). Reading’s Rising Sun is basically the front room in a large house, but it’s an ideal venue to see the likes of Damien A Passmore, Uncle Peanut and the previously mentioned Tom Webber.

Another trip back to the soulless and ridiculously expensive O2 Arena followed to see the Alice Cooper/ The Cult double header with added support from Creeper. You can’t go wrong with an Alice Cooper show especially as Alice prowls the stage with an energy that has long left some of the audience. Sadly not enough was played from the excellent new ‘Detroit Stories’ album but a quality set nonetheless.

Alice Cooper - May 22

Rising stars Bob Vylan played a blinder at Camden Underworld and it looks like it will be a long time before you can see them play a venue this small again. Finishing the month, Rockaway Beach at Islington Hope & Anchor featured King Effers, She Made Me Do It and The DeRellas and easily satisfied my need for trashy rock n roll fun.

Bob Vylan - May 22

May was a busy gig month, June would be busier with a number of big names from the 80s alternative scenes making an appearance.

At Reading’s Facebar, The Lovely Eggs instigated geriatric stage diving whereby the aging punters were carefully carried through the crowd to the back before they headed back onto the stage. Wonk Unit finally made it to Reading and brought their humorous DIY punk to the Facebar.

Back at the Hope & Anchor, we gathered to pay our respects to our late friend JB Hery. The three cracking sets from Swampstomper, The Electric Shakes and WitchDoktors were a raucous and fitting tribute. Club Velocity have been putting on some cracking gigs at the Facebar and Millie Manders and the Shutup more than demonstrated why so many people are talking about them. Next up we travelled down to Bracknell’s Acoustic Lounge to watch the always excellent Who Killed Nancy Johnson? and their pounding agit punk.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to get with Wolfsbane at The Water Rats in Kings Cross, but former Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bailey and the gang pulled out a really tight set of rock numbers to a packed venue. Earlier Daxx and Roxane brought old school classic rock to the show and are definitely one to watch.

Wolfsbane - Jun 22 Bob Mould made his name with the brilliant Husker Du and Sugar, so a day trip to Southampton’s Engine Rooms was called for. Despite being a solo show, nobody appeared to have told Bob and he moved around the stage as if there was a full band there supporting him. Fantastic stuff.

The Hip Priests headlined June’s Rockaway Beach at the Hope & Anchor and produced another set of pure rock n roll trashiness. It’s been a while since I seen The Mission played, but their set at Reading’s Sub89 was one of the best I have seen from them. Despite the blistering heat in the venue, the audience sang along with Wayne Hussey’s every word in a fan pleasing set.

The Mission - Jun 22 Having supported The Mission a few days earlier, The Go Go Cult opened for 80s indie darlings, The Primitives at Reading’s Facebar with a short but very accessible set which should endear their gothabilly sound to a wider audience. Tracy Tracy from The Primitives had the audience entranced as the band went through their extensive back catalogue of jangly and fuzz infused pop songs (including ‘that’ song).

The Primitives - Jun 22

July is normally a quiet month as bands head off onto the festival circuit. Nonetheless, there were still a few choice gigs out there. After many delays, California punks Social Distortion finally made it across to London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. The wait had been worth it as the band pulled out a stormer of a set. Earlier Grade 2 put themselves out there as a band to watch.

Fresh from touring as a Nameless Ghoul with Ghost, Chris Catalyst brought his main band Eureka Machines to the Camden Underworld. Not only did he play a solo set first he dragged along the reformed Grand Theft Audio. In Jay Butler, GTA have a whirling dervish of a frontman as he dives into the audience and climbs onto any structure able to hold him.

Grand Theft Audio - Jul 22

Former Last Great Dreamers frontman Marc Valentine has a debut solo album out and it is brilliant. Supported by the equally great Carol Hodge, a quiet night at Camden’s Dublin Castle was something rather special including a cracking cover of Blondie’s ‘Touched by Your Presence Dear’. Janus Stark also have a quality new album out and Gizz Butt’s band celebrated with a gig at London’s iconic 100 Club. With opening support from Dealing with Damage, Spring Park and the always enjoyable Healthy Junkies, we were treated to a memorable night out as Gizz cranked out riff after riff overlaying some quality songs.

Janus Stark - Jul 22

Closing the month was another trip to Aces n Eights to see a Runnin’ Blue triple bill of Boss Caine, Tensheds and Rich Ragany.

With the festival season in full swing, August was restricted to a solitary gig. Rich Ragany and The Middlenight Men frontman Nick Hughes, reformed The Role Models for a short tour in memory of Roger Segal. The London leg was at Camden’s Black Heart and included The Empty Page, Billy Liar and the City Kids. I’d never seen The Role Models live and this was a fantastic gig all round – another of the year’s highlights.

The Role Models - Aug 22

August Bank Holiday weekend is my local festival and so it was off to the Reading Festival for the 21^st time. I’ve been every year since 2000 and have only missed 2010 (eye operation) and 2020 (global pandemic). However, the festival has changed considerably over the years and having reached this milestone, it was time to call it quits on going for the full weekend. Despite the festival no longer having the same appeal, there were still some fantastic sets out there including Kid Kipichi, Tigress, The Interrupters, Poppy and Ho99o9. I don’t normally do Reading headline sets but Bring Me The Horizon and Halsey were awesome.  

The Interrupters - Reading 2022

That was supposed to be the end of the gigging month, but I was persuaded to go to the Wokingham Music Festival for one last throw of the dice. Having a beer festival there at the same time was a godsend considering the expensive crap sold at the Reading Festival. Local band Third Lung opened the day with a set showcasing the material from their then imminent debut album. The rest of the day was decidedly prog based with the likes of The Honey Pot and Kelper Ten taking us back to the 1970s. In Albion’s singer should be singled out for the most energetic performance of the day as he moved through the audience. Headlining were prog legends Focus with their lengthy instrumentals and the only song we really knew, Hocus Pocus with its iconic yodelling. At the end of a heavy day of drinking it all seemed to make sense.

May through to August threw up a lot of quality gigs – what would the last four months of the year give us?

Focus - Aug 22

Dream Wife - Mar 22

2022 was hopefully going to be a far better year. The year started slowly with the remnants of the December Covid wave still permeating across the country coupled with the usual January malaise. As a result, it wasn’t until the end of January that I got to my first gig. Local comedy punks, The Deckchairs got the show rolling with a typically shambolic show, whilst a couple of more vanilla punk covers band supplied the rest of the entertainment for the evening.

February was to be more promising. First up, a cracking Runnin’ Blue triple bill with three of the country’s finest songwriters, Boss Caine, Rich Ragany and Carol Hodge at Aces n Eights in Tufnell Park. I would see each of the artists several times over the next year. Sadly, covid finally caught up with me and a few others at the gig meaning I missed the next three gigs on my list. It would be the end of the month before I was back in action with my first Club Velocity gig of the year and the experimental punk of Girls in Synthesis at Reading’s Facebar.

Carol Hodge - Feb 2022 Things really got moving in March with a plethora of gigs starting with The Hawkmen at Reading’s Facebar supported by rising star Tom Webber and his take on the sounds of the 50’s and early 60’s. Tom should be huge and has already made several inroads with support slots with Nick Lowe and Deacon Blue, plus multiple festival appearances raising his profile. One to watch in 2023.

Tom Webber - Mar 2022

More followed with excellent sets from Third Lung, The VirginMarys and Ricky Warwick and the Fighting Hearts. Next up were a couple of trips to Oxford Bullingdon to see Dream Wife and an extended set from The Warner E Hodges Band. Gig of the month, however, came courtesy of Amigo the Devil supported by Katacombs at the London Omeara. Taking a leaf out of Nick Cave’s nineties output, Amigo the Devil delves into what he describes as ‘Murderfolk’. It’s excellent stuff and it would be great to see Danny playing with a full band in the UK.

The Virginmarys - Mar 2022

April was a storming month with the first arena gig of the year. But first came the much delayed The Warner E Hodges Band appearance at Islington Hope & Anchor. Warner was on top form and supports Dead Hombres and the mighty WitchDoktors made it a night to remember. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Killing Joke, but their appearance at Hammersmith Apollo demonstrated that they had lost none of the power that has kept them at the top of their game for over 40 years.

Killing Joke - Apr 22

I’ve seen Ghost a number of times and their show at the soulless O2 Arena was a true spectacle. Boasting an impressive stage set and the Nameless Ghouls’ new futureworld stormtrooper look, Ghost produced one of the highlights of the year with the new material mixing seamlessly with the highlights of their earlier albums.

Ghost - Apr 22

I was asked if I’d like to photograph The Christians at Reading Sub89 – I seemed to remember that ‘Forgotten Town’ was a decent tune but otherwise went in with few expectations. How wrong was I – Gary Christian still has an incredibly soulful voice and I had so much fun shooting this one. A trip back up to the Oxford Bullingdon saw an excellent post-hardcore set from Mclusky and another to Camden’s Black Heart to see the unsubtle rock of the ludicrously named Thunderfuck and the Deadly Romantics followed.

The Christians - Apr 22The Christians - Apr 22

In complete contrast, Alabama 3’s techno country at Reading’s Sub89 was another of the year’s highlights. Having missed the UK Subs on their previous visits, I finally got to see Charlie Harper and his band. For a man close to 80, Charlie has the look of a much younger man and still has the passion he possessed in the early days of punk. Fitting support came from Who Killed Nancy Johnson? who are always put on an enjoyable set, and once again local comedy punks, The Deckchairs.

Alabama 3 - Apr 22

The final gig of the month saw me attending the monthly Rockaway Beach event at the Islington Hope and Anchor with the headline slot taking by the wonderfully named King Salami and the Cumberland Three. If you want fun primal garage rock n roll and songs, then you can’t go wrong with this band.

King Salami and the Cumberland Three - Apr 22 So far so good, after a slow start the gigging year was really starting to ramp up with a number of really strong sets and line ups.

Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22

Sarah Borges is a Boston based artist who straddles that fine line between country and punk. Having released her first album back in 2005 she brings a wealth of material with her. Eric ‘Roscoe’ Ambel played with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts around the time of the ‘I love Rock N Roll’ album before forming the New York based Del Lords and their East Coast take on country rock. Stints playing with the likes of Dan Baird and Steve Earle, and his skills as a producer have only enhanced his reputation.  Having produced Sarah’s last three records, it was natural for the two of them to head out on tour again.

Starting the night’s entertainment, we have the ever reliable Boss Caine. I’ve written a lot about Boss Caine previously and his recent support slot to Ginger Wildhearts and the Sinners has seen him reinvigorated after the slumber of the covid years. Starting with ‘Ghosts and Drunks’, Dan’s rich baritone voice and impressive guitar picking skills soon has the crowd listening intently. Favourites ‘Truckstop Jukebox’ and ‘Father Time’ follow by which time even the talkative ones at the back of the room are won over. A mixture of old and new songs completes the set and reminds us how you can never have too much Boss Caine in your life.

The Carol Hodge Band - Nov 22 When she’s not singing Crass songs with Steve Ignorant or playing keys with the likes of Ryan Hamilton and Ginger Wildheart, Carol Hodge ploughs her own field with an impressive line of songs ranging from heartfelt ballads to epic stompers that should be massive if there was any sense in the world. I’ve seen Carol a couple of times as a solo artist but never with a full band, so this was a good chance to hear her songs in the same vein as they were recorded.

Opening with ‘Stop Worrying Baby’, Carol’s crystal clear and passionate vocals dominate the room whilst the laid back rhythm sets the scene for an all-engaging set. ‘Magic Bullet’ ups the pace and is an all out rocker. There’s a new album due any day and we are treated to ‘The Price’ which is a little more electronic than the last album but still sounds fantastic and bodes well. ‘Virtue Signals’ follows and sounds incredible with the full band, all swirling guitars, pace changes with ethereal vocals that soar into something truly uplifting.

Throughout the set Carol is as engaging as ever, with her winning northern charm completing the package. Kudos to Carol’s bass player who has to have been the happiest bass player I seen in a long time bouncing around the stage and punching the air frequently in wild abandon.

The Carol Hodge Band - Nov 22 The stunning ‘Waving Not Dreaming’ slows the pace down and almost enters power ballad territory but without the spandex and dubious lyrics. ‘The Moan of a Thousand Years’ is a cracker of a song with its 80s keys and power chords – the full band treatment raises it to a different level live. By the time ‘Twenty Miles Up’ concludes the set, Carol has the audience singing the harmonies along with the band.

Solo Hodge is always good; the Hodge with a full band was incredible.

Carol’s set would be a hard act to follow, but Sarah Borges and Eric Ambel pulled it off. Joined by John Powney from The Warner E Hodges Band on drums and the impeccably cool looking Keith Voegele from The Bottle Rockets on bass they have brought together a powerhouse of a band.

Dividing the set between them saw Sarah predominantly singing most of the first half of the set with Roscoe taking main vocal duties for the second half. Sarah opens with ‘Same Old 45‘ from her debut album with its tumbling drums and bass line and almost rockabilly stomp. It’s good start with Roscoe getting an early solo and it sets the scene for the remainder of the set. ‘She’s a Trucker’ was written about Sarah’s lockdown career and is a chugging rollick of a song which proudly wears its road travelling country roots. Between songs, Sarah is an engaging orator with her Massachusetts tones and the tale of her witch tattoo was endearing, and any tales about Salem are good by me.

Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22 ‘Wouldn’t Know You’ is the first duet between Sarah and Roscoe of many and is a pleasing juxtaposition between their vocal styles. Most of Sarah’s songs are rocky in nature, but in a change of pace, ‘13^th Floor’ starts with a hint of the haunting chords of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ before becoming a melancholic ballad.

Roscoe’s part of the set ranges through songs from his solo albums, a Del Lords track and a few choice cover versions. ‘Monkey With A Gun’ from his Yayhoos days is particularly welcome addition with its incredibly hummable chorus. ‘Let’s Play With Fire’ is followed by a cover of Nick Lowe’s ’12 Step Program’ which is most appropriate considering this is the venue where the Damned recorded the video for ‘New Rose’ which was produced by said Nick Lowe.

Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22 A proper Americana version of ‘Honky Tonk Woman’ has the crowd dancing around shouting for more. Finishing with rock n roll exuberance, the band knock off a cracking set with the likes of ‘The One I Love’ before returning for a short encore, although this being the Hope and Anchor, leaving the stage is a little pointless so the band launch straight into a final song and it’s all over. The smiles on the band’s faces say it all – this was a victorious night in the Capital.

This was a highly impressive set showing off the skills of both Sarah and Roscoe and contrasted nicely with the early support acts. The quality on show tonight was clear to see and it is a very good contender to feature in my top ten gigs of the year (and there have been a lot).

Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22 Sarah Borges & Eric Ambel - Nov 22

Third Lung - Nov 22

This doesn’t mean that there are not Reading bands, there are many and some have had success, most recently The Amazons and before them The Cooper Temple Clause, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Chapterhouse and Slowdive.

In recent years, however, the local scene has seen a resurgence with local bands and promotors trying to pull out all the stops. Club Velocity have been promoting local bands for 20 years and the annual Are You Listening? Festival is an excellent mix of local and national bands at various venues across the town.

Tonight’s gig at Sub89 is therefore a bit of a showcase for the town with all four acts originally coming from the area. It’s a celebration of local talent and more specifically the launch of Third Lung’s debut album ‘Gameplay’.

Doops open the night with their updated psychedelic space rock. ‘Gushroom’ has a pleasingly fuzz infused bass line overlaid by meandering guitars and distorted vocals that build up into a hypnotic tune. A version of ‘Toxic’ has its merits but could never surpass the original and is bettered by the band’s own material.

Doops - Nov 22 Rising stars Elucidate were beset by technical problems causing their set to be sadly shortened. There’s a mixture of influences in here ranging from punk, through 90s indie pop to laid back electronica. Ozzy’s vocals move from almost spoken word to a soulful run through the faster numbers, reminding me a little of Nina from the Cardigans. Despite the technical issues, it’s an enjoyable set and guitarist Caleb is clearly having fun as he disappears for a tour of the crowd during the set.

Elucidate - Nov 22 Jesse Smith has been performing for many years across the globe in a variety of outfits and genres including a stint the West End. 2022 sees him releasing his debut solo album ‘Songs from a Concrete Box’ and this is an opportunity to showcase the new material. Backed by a solid rhythm section, it’s a pleasing mix of acoustic guitar led tunes and more soulful pop songs.

Jesse Smith - Nov 22 I’ve seen Third Lung a fair, few times over the last few years and have seen their material and stagecraft grow from strength to strength. Their current sound is very much in the U2 / Kings of Leon / Elbow vein with big passion filled tunes galore. Their excellent last EP, ‘Dialogues of the Fatal Few’, saw the band increasing the anthemic nature of their songs over their previous releases. The debut album sees them build upon the indie rock anthems, but also demonstrates a softer side with a number of piano led songs that never outstay their welcome.

Opening with ‘What is a Life’, arguably the most accessible (and most U2 like) song on the aforementioned EP, the band instantly warm up the crowd with its slow build up and Tom’s impassioned vocals before reaching its crescendo. ‘Maybe’ from the album is another rousing tune that starts full pelt and never really slows down.

Third Lung - Nov 22 Throughout the set, rhythm section Sam and Rob keep it tight whilst Cam’s harmonies and her glorious Gretsch adds a touch of class to the show.

Up next is ‘Dance Me Lover’ which is my favourite song from the album. In a perfect world, the song would be a festival set closer with a full orchestral backing. In the confines of Sub89, the chorus swirls graciously around the venue before the soaring guitar solo kicks in. ‘Laura’ and ‘I A Fire’ keep the pace going before Tom retreats to the piano for album closer ‘The Little Man’. It’s a far slower song with gentle guitars that allows Tom to really stretch his vocals as does the melancholic ‘I Won’t Sleep Tonight’. ‘All Of That Love You Can't Lose’ is another slow burner showing the mellower side of the band.

Third Lung - Nov 22 The tempo ups again with ‘Press Rest’ and its chorus of ‘as the crow flies’ before the band close the set with recent single ‘No Names’. Another cracker of a tune with its thumping drums and Tom’s closing wails over an almost Mission-like guitar line.

Coming back on, we are treated to the even newer and unrecorded song ‘Pin Stripe Maroon’ which suggests that there are plenty more songs coming down the road to enthral us.

Third Lung - Nov 22 It’s been a long journey to get here, but Third Lung are on the verge of something with an excellent debut album and a big sounding live experience. It’s going to be fun to see where this leads to.

Third Lung - Nov 22

Aces n Eights - Nov 22

Aces n Eights opposite Tufnell Park tube station in London is one of those unique Independent venues. At street level, you have the main bar with its rock n roll aesthetics and some of the best pizzas in London. In the basement you have a small cosy and decadent cabaret room with its curtained and mirrored walls, which can hold about 40 seated people or 100 standing. The stage is big enough for a small drum kit plus two or three other people in front and occasionally you might also find yourself sharing a stage with a tasselled standing lamp. It’s ideal for acoustic acts or stripped back band performances.

Tonight, we have a triple bill of Ray Waters, Boss Caine and Tim Loud.

Ray Waters normally plays in rockabilly band, The Zipheads and so tonight we are treated to a mixture of stripped back Zipheads tracks, some of his own solo material and a couple of covers. The Zipheads ‘Revenge’ is turned from a rampant ‘billy stomp into a much slower laidback countryfied version and it works. There is a big sense of humour in Ray’s material and this comes across in his performance with a number of laugh out loud moments. A song written just before lockdown about fellow musicians finding excuses not to tour is fun especially with the hindsight that lockdown made many realise how much they missed it.

The tale behind Dick Dale’s ‘Misirlou’ is fascinating and Ray’s interpretation is well received. Finishing with a cracking version of John Leyton’s haunting ‘johnny Remember Me’, Ray is given a rousing applause after a thoroughly entertaining set.

Ray Waters - Nov 22 Up next is Aces N Eights’ regular Boss Caine. Fresh from a national tour with Ginger Wildheart and the Sinners, Boss Caine is back on home ground. Opening up with ‘Ghosts and Drunks’, Boss Caine’s rich baritone voice permeates the room whilst demonstrating some impressive guitar playing. Despite being a Joe Solo penned song, I can’t ever imagine the song ever been seen as anything other than an outright Boss Caine song, so much of his personality infuses the material.

Fan favourite ‘Truckstop Jukebox’ details why everyone will eventually fall in love with country music and is dedicated to Gram Parsons. ‘Father Time’ is an always welcome entry in the set and sounds excellent in its stripped down form. It’s been four years since the excellent ‘Loved by Trouble, Troubled by Love’ album and the set includes newer songs such as the excellent ‘Diamonds into Coal’ and ‘Taught Me Bad’ which both deserve the full band recorded treatment. I’ve seen Boss Caine many times and I’m yet to see a disappointing performance. I suspect that most of the audience regulars would agree as well.

Boss Caine - Nov 22 I’ve not seen Tim Loud before, so tonight was going to be a new experience. Joined on stage by Ray Waters (on a myriad of instruments dotted around the stage), this is the last date on Tim’s tour and he is determined to make it a memorable night. Opening song, the harmonica infused ’Born To Lose’ from Tim’s debut album sets the scene with Ray accompanying on double bass. You can image this going down well with the locals in the smoky backrooms of a Nashville bar.  

Tim Loud - Nov 22 Although the musical roots are deeply set in Americana, Tim’s lyrics are very much centred upon issues within the North of England. Taking aim at the wealthy and their pomposities for ‘Millionaire’s House’, Tim has the crowd of fellow rabblerousers on his side. Throughout the set, Ray switches between his nicely decorated Gretsch and a lap guitar which perfectly augment Tim’s acoustic guitar.

Tim Loud and Ray Waters - Nov 22 Despite being adamant that there would be no encore, Tim picks up his guitar for one last time for a humorous swipe at the gentrification of left-wing musicians with ‘I Don't Care What Everybody Else Says About You…’

Three very different acts but all equally worthwhile and the reason why venues like Aces N Eights continue to be needed in today’s society. If all we could consume was the product of TV talent shows and lifestyle youtubers who’ve suddenly found their desire to delve into their previous unknown musical talents, then the world will be a horrible sterile one devoid of any real emotion, feeling or lyrical enlightenment.

As demonstrated tonight. there’s no need to spend a fortune on arena tickets to drink expensive beer and watch a distant figure strumming on a guitar, when you can get so much more from multiple trips to your local venue for a fraction of the price.

Tim Loud - Nov 22

Since announcing the reunion back in 2020 we have had various date changes as the pandemic decimated touring schedules. As it happens, the final rescheduled date turns out to be exactly three years after the epic Palladium gig where the band and the Circus of Horrors brought Dave Vanian’s gothic vision to life (including his extreme makeover during the interval). This time was going to be a much stripped back show playing the songs that appeared on the first two Brian James penned albums.

First up we have Smalltown Tigers opening the night to a reasonably sized crowd given their early start. The three piece from Italy play a nice line in Joan Jett / Runaways like power pop and are going down well. ‘Darling Please!’ has a nice twangy guitar feel to it whilst bassist/singer Valli growls through the vocals. I’ve made a note to investigate them further.

Smalltown Tigers - Oct 22 By the time TV Smith enters the stage, the venue is starting to get busy. Pausing only to tell the crowd that he was going to go breakneck speed into a load of songs from the Adverts, he launches into ‘No Time To Be 21’, only for two mikes to instantly fail on him. Unperturbed he bounds over to his bass player’s mike until another working one is found. Mike issue sorted we are treated to a frantic set culminating with the triple headed monster that is ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’, ‘Bored Teenagers’ and ‘One Chord Wonders’. I’ve never seen TV Smith do a bad set and this ranks highly amongst them.

TV Smith - Oct 22 I’ve not seen the Skids before and have never really listened to them outside of their most well- known songs, although I have a lot of time for the sole album from the Jobson/McGeoch project, The Armoury Show. Opening with ‘Of One Skin’, Richard Jobson proves that he still has stage presence and his familiar voice has not diminished with age. ‘The Saints are Coming’ is brilliant and ‘Working for the Yankee Dollar’ has the crowd bouncing around. With Jobson introducing ‘Out of Town’ with a humorous put down of his home town of Fife, the swirling guitars that would later dominate late guitarist Stuart Adamson’s output with Big Country take centre stage to great effect.

‘Circus Games’ goes down a treat before the band surge through a raucous ‘Into The Valley’. Introducing ‘TV Stars’ as the worst song ever written doesn’t stop the crowd going crazy for it. Finishing with a faithful version of the Clash’s ‘Complete Control’, the band leave the stage after a thoroughly enjoyable set.

Skids - Oct 22 Taking us back to 1976, the old Dr Who theme plays and into the light walks Brian James, closely followed by Captain Sensible and a remarkably match fit looking Rat Scabies. Dave Vanian suitably overdressed in a flamboyant trench coat and slick black hair comes on and the Damned launch into the Stooges ‘I Feel Alright’. It’s a magnificent slice of garage rock and sounds as gnarly as it did when the band used it to close their debut album.

Brian James may not be so mobile nowadays but that doesn’t stop his fingers playing the hell out his guitar. The Captain is back on bass duties on a beautiful Epiphone viola bass playing whilst Ratty pounds those drums as he always did. Vanian’s voice has matured into that of a fine crooner over the years and he approaches the old material with a renewed gusto whilst shaking those snake like hips like a man half his age.

The Damned - Oct 22 ‘You Take My Money’ from the band’s undervalued second album sounds great in the live arena whilst the cover of ‘Help’ is still as glorious as ever. ‘Born to Lose’ brings some great basslines from the Captain and Brian’s fingers go into overdrive. Rat’s frenetic drumming intro takes us into ‘Stretcher Case Baby’ and my favourite song from ‘Music for Pleasure’.

The sinister ‘Feel the Pain’ demonstrates why the band were not just a one trick pony back in 1976 with its altogether slower pace and Dave’s sinister delivery. You wonder what would have happened if the Captain had got his way and ‘I Fall’ had been chosen as the band ‘s first single rather than ‘New Rose’. It’s still a great song but it does lack that incredible opening salvo.

The Damned - Oct 22 ‘Fan Club’ lets Brian go all out with his guitar’s aural assault before the MC5 feel of ‘Alone’. All this time, the crowd has been constantly jumping around and there is no let up for ‘Fish’ and ‘1 of the 2’. ‘Problem Child’ follows and then the place erupts for the opening bass line of ‘Neat Neat Neat’. One of the greatest punk singles of all time, the band keep in as tight as possible without the usual mid song jam, instead Brian demonstrates why he was considered to be one of the most inventive guitarists of the time.

The Damned - Oct 22 A rare outing for ‘Stab Yor Back’ is disappointing for not following up with ‘Singalongascabies’ which could have doubled its length to two minutes. There’s more of Brian’s kinetic guitar for ‘See Her Tonite’ and then the band are joined by a saxophonist for ‘You Know’. I’d never really cared for the closing number on ‘Music For Pleasure’ but this was turned into a six minute beast of a song with chugging guitar and sax building up to a crazed ending. ‘So Messed Up’ follows and that’s it – the band leave the stage, but not for too long.

The Damned - Oct 22 They’re back and Ratty starts pounding the drums before Brian’s guitar kicks in and we have the greatest punk single of all time, ‘New Rose’. No matter how many times I see the Damned play this song and no matter which line up, it has always been a fantastic piece of garage rock. Tonight, it caps off an incredible trawl through the first line up’s recorded output.

A version of Bo Diddley’s ‘Pills’ is welcome and fun whilst ‘The Last Time’ reminds us how lucky we have been to finally see the original line up back in action.

Having seen the Damned many, many times over the years, this was an experience well worth waiting for and is in my top 5 Damned gigs. Some of the songs might not be a touch on the material that followed a few years later but this was where it started and without Brian James’ vision, we wouldn’t have been here at all.

The Damned - Oct 22

Zac and the New Men - Oct 22

The previous night had seen Dave Kerr (Silverjet), The Suicide Notes and the eagerly anticipated Swedish rockers The Royal Beggars serenade the early weekend arrivers with their acoustic sets. The small but appreciative audience were treated to a not so laid back selection of songs from the three bands which nicely warmed us back for the main event.

First up on the Saturday were Zac and the New Men. Unbelievably young, the band have clearly been listening to their parents (grandparents?) classic rock collections. ‘Social Blur’ and ‘No Mans Land’ have that early 70s Sabbath/Zeppelin feel with the pounding drums, riff heavy guitars and soaring solos. Covering ‘Iron Man’ reinforces the direction the band are taking. For an opening festival act, it was a good start.   

Zac and the New Men - Oct 22 From the youth of Zac and the New Men, we move across to the main stage to watch early 90s veteran Sonic Gypsy. Whereas singer, Mickey Banks’ earlier band Scorpio Rising had a baggy rock feeling to them, Sonic Gypsy are firmly in the sonic blues mold. It is a glorious noise with echoes of the delta blues of John Lee Hooker. A cover of Bo Diddley’s ‘Who Do You Love’ fits in seamlessly with the likes of ‘Shotgun TEL’ and ‘Backyard Stomp’.

Sonic Gypsy - Oct 22 Three piece The Dukes of Bordello piqued my interest with their rockabilly infused rock sound. Imagine Ministry’s Al Jourgensen fronting a psychobilly band and you’ll get the gist. Songs such as ‘She’s my Witch’, ‘Alternative Jesus’ and ode to Wilko Johnson ‘Come Back Wilko (All is Forgiven)’ will have you shaking those hips in a frenzy. A fine version of rock n roll staple ‘Strychnine’ goes down well and set closer ‘Scream If You Wanna Go Faster’ is short and punchy and totally hits the spot.

The Dukes of Bordello - Oct 22 Vambo are starting to make a name for themselves with Jack Stiles being singled out for his vocal acrobats. Musically, we are skirting into Muse territory particularly on ‘We’re Not The Same’.  ‘This Is Your Life’ has echoes of Def Leppard and sounds like it could become a Planet Rock mainstay. The band have potential as long as they stay away from ponderous rock ballads. A cover of  Deep Purple’s ‘Burn’ allows the band to flex their chops and give Jack’s vocals a good workout.

Vambo - Oct 22 I wasn’t sure about New Generation Superstars at first, but slowly they won me over with their Backyard Babies/Supersuckers type punk rock. Singer/guitarist AJ is an imposing figure and certainly has presence adds to the intensity of the band. They are tight and songs such as the immense ‘Bastards’ and ‘Goodbye 2020’ had the audience singing along. Everybody is inserting covers into their sets today and here we get the Ramones and a frenzied ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ (is there any other way?).

New Generation Superstars - Oct 22 Dave Kerr had regaled us the night before and it was time for his full band, Silverjet, to make an appearance. Having been around for a good 15 or so years, the band produce a well oiled mid 2000s rock soundtrack with enough licks and hooks to get the crowd bouncing around.

Silverjet - Oct 22 The Royal Beggars Friday acoustic had us eagerly awaiting their full electric set. The band fall into that well worn path of country rock n roll but with sufficient tunes and presence to make it distinguishable. Looking like a 1970’s Scandinavian rock god, singer David Roobert has a similar vocal sound to Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder which perfectly compliments the band’s sound on songs like ‘Midnight Romeo’ and ‘Rid of You’. Given the chance, The Royal Beggars should make a big impact of the scene. After the set, I picked up a couple of their EPs and they are worthy additions to my collection.

The Royal Beggars - Oct 22 Ransom are old school NWOBHM and don’t they know it. Having progressed from pub covers band to playing their own material, there are no fills here – this is straight in your face heavy metal. Having a rest from compere duties, singer Matt is happy channeling the early 80s rock gods. The kids from Zac and the New Men are in the front row watching intently and Matt returns the favour by dedicating ‘Gender Offender’ to them and the latest generation of rock bands.

Ransom - Oct 22 I saw Daxx & Roxane supporting Wolfsbane at London’s Water Rats a few months back and was very impressed. This Swiss outfit know how to open a show starting with ‘Ticket to Rock’ with its massive AC/DC riffs and Bon Scott like vocals. ‘Strange Woman’ is classic rock which would not have felt out of place in one of the ‘Wayne’s World’ films. By the time the set finishes with ‘Fast Lane’, they should have won over a load of new fans. This is a band that know that, sometimes, you don’t need to keep reinventing the wheel to produce classic rock music.

Daxx & Roxane - Oct 22 Unfortunately, early evening food needs meant that we missed Airforce.

I’ve seen The Suicide Notes multiple times and they are one of my favourite bands to photograph. Singer Billy Tee is a strikingly decadent figure channeling the best (and worst) of Jagger/Pop/Interior. Whether he’s hanging off the mike stand rasping through ‘Black Dog Howlin’ and ‘Snakes Grin Within’, in the audience or having tripped up on the way back, singing on his back on the stage floor, that presence is always there and he looks cool as…

Drummer Gave is never content to stay behind his kit and you are never quite sure where he will end up. It helps that he is a cracking drummer behind all the tomfoolery. Alex, Danny and Damien hold the show together and keep the riffs coming to please us all. For the customary set closer, ‘Dead Flowers’ the band are joined by David from The Royal Beggars and JJ from the City Kids.

The Suicide Notes - Oct 22 This was my first time seeing Spike since the acrimonious split from his band The Quireboys. As with Sham 69, Gene Loves Jezebel and countless others, we now have two versions of the band touring the country to confuse audiences. This time Spike was solely accompanied by Christian Heilmann on guitar, so it would be interesting to see what he pulled out of the bag.

Having the largest songbook ever set out in front of him, Spike regaled us with tales of his musical adventures (especially those with Bonnie Tyler and Dogs D’Amour’s Tyla) whilst singing a selection of cover versions and a few from the Quireboys back catalogue. Across two sets we got the likes of ‘Pearl’s A Singer’ (Elkie Brooks), ‘The First Cut is the Deepest’ (Cat Stevens) and one of my all time favourite songs, ‘The House of the Rising Sun’. Everyone is singing along especially for the Stones ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’.

Spike is an amusing orator and his tales about Tyla Pallas staying with his mother were fun to hear. The subsequent cover of Dogs D’Amour’s ‘How Come It Never Rains’ was well received. However, playing the Quireboys ‘There She Goes Again’ reminds you how much you want Spike to have a full band behind him to get that full blown bar room swagger feeling again.

It’s been a long but highly enjoyable day with a good selection of bands. May events like this continue.

Spike - Oct 22 Spike - Oct 22 Spike - Oct 22

The VirginMarys - Oct 22

Flash forward to 2022 and my photography has moved to a completely different level and the now two-piece band are celebrating their third album and a number of excellent one-off singles and EPs. Earlier this year, they supported Ricky Warwick at Sub89 and showed that they could still hold it together as a two-piece. This was their first headlining show in Reading and expectations were high.

First up we have The Pink Diamond Revue, one of Reading’s more prolific live bands. The band are unique in that they are a guitarist, drummer and shop mannequin (aCiD Dol) who acts as a visual centre piece. As Tim menacing prowls the stage you occasionally feel the eyes of aCiD Dol following you around which is disconcerting, almost as much as her frequent change of headgear throughout the set.

Musically, the band produce pulsating instrumentals with looped vocal samples reminding you of the proto dance beats of Batcave veterans, Alien Sex Fiend crossed with the retro soundtracks of Carpenter Brut and the twangy guitar of Dwayne Eddy. Swirling spirals of light drench the stage in a multitude of colours adding a psychedelic feel to the entire show. By the time they play ‘Go Go Girls’ the band will have won over a few more fans in the crowd.

I’ve heard good things about Glaswegian band Anchor Lane and know a number of people who had come along especially to see them. Formerly a four and now a three piece (as with The VirginMarys, losing a bass player would appear to be a thing nowadays), the band have already released their debut ‘Casino’ and are about to release their second. One of those bands whose career projectory was rudely interrupted by the global pandemic, they are now working hard to regain that lost ground.

Sporting an immaculate mohawk, singer Conor has a clear presence as he moves viscerally across the stage (and is a gig photographer’s dream) whilst Lawrence provides the heavy riffs, occasionally venturing into the crowd to play.  Concentrating on the new album, the band open with ‘Choke’ and new single ‘Stutter’. We are back in classic rock territory with an element of the less pretentious side of Muse making an appearance. It’s all good stuff and the band make it all very enjoyable.

Title track of the new album ‘Call this a Reality’ is a bouncy number with a suitably scratchy guitar solo, whilst the early single ‘Fame Shame’ has one of those incredibly catchy choruses that you will be singing all day, plus it has plenty of room for some nifty shredding. Finishing with ‘I Don’t Have Another Soul to Pour’ the band have demonstrated that they have a lot of potential and why so many people are raving about them.

Starting with recent single ‘The Meds’ The VirginMarys’ set themselves a high standard for remainder of the career encompassing set. It’s a punchy opening number with a pleasing riff and Ally’s cries of ‘Here comes the medicine’. Danny is as energetic as always, sometimes forgetting he has a stool to sit on whilst pounding his drums.

‘Thousand Times’ takes us back to the early singles and crowd favourite ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ from the first album reminds us of that revitalised classic rock feel the band achieved in those early years.

‘Portrait of Red’ sounded great when it originally came out and still sounds magnificent played loud and live. Those opening bars retain their thumping build up before Ally screams impassionately through the chorus and lets rip on his guitar. ‘Through the Sky’ from the ‘Sitting Ducks’ EP is tamer by comparison but makes up on the melodic chorus. A couple of newer unreleased songs ‘Lies Lies Lies’ and ‘Where Are You Now?’ up the tempo again before Ally picks up his acoustic guitar for ‘Sleep’.

‘Brothers’ from the bands first, hard to find, album ‘Self Medication’ is a welcome addition to the set as is the excellent title track of the next EP, ‘Devil Keeps Coming’ with its chant of ‘This is war fought in my head’. ‘Just a Ride’ is another cracking song from the early EPs and is equally matched by the recent single ‘You’re a Killer’ for hum ability. We are into the closing straight with ‘Look out for my Brother’ followed by the always excellent ‘Bang Bang Bang’.

It's been a quality hot and sweaty 90 minute set with a good representation from the whole of the band’s output. My faith in the band continues after all these years and it has been fascinating to see them develop over the years, fulfilling that early electrifying promise. Whatever comes next can only be good.

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Ryan Hamilton - Oct 22

Ryan has been on the circuit for nearly two decades having been one half of Smile Smile before starting his solo career backed by the Traitors and then the Harlequin Ghosts. I caught Ryan supporting the Alarm back in late 2018 and since then he has released three excellent albums with new material on the way so this this gig has been long anticipated.

Warner’s been performing in bands since he was a child and is best known as a founder member of Jason and the Scorchers, as well as playing with Dan Baird and Homemade Sin. With plenty of tales of his past endeavours and a wide repertoire of songs, a night with Warner is always guaranteed to be fun.

Singer, songwriter and short story author Shaun O’Reilly opens the procedures with his melancholic blues. Whilst being a gentle player, his voice resonates around the room with his astute observations on life drawing familiar pictures.  

Looking resplendent in his light coloured suit jacket, Boss of the Plains hat, orange tinted glasses and the niftiest pair of shoes I have seen in some time, Ryan comes onto the stage and launches into the bar room boogie of ‘Get Down’. Warner’s band have been playing together for a while now and are an incredibly tight unit. The addition of Ryan’s guitarist is seamless and you would think that everybody has been playing together for years rather than just a few days.

The blink and you’d miss it, ‘Ode to the Idiots’ is a welcome message to internet trolls, followed by the equally catchy ‘Do the Damage’ and ‘Smarter’. Ryan’s collaboration with Ginger Wildheart, ‘Fuck You Brain’ is a welcome addition to the setlist. The jacket is off revealing a well worn Keith Richards t-shirt and the spirit of Keith is certainly on stage tonight. Ryan’s cover of The Refreshments ‘Banditos’ is more country infused power pop that drags you at speed down rock n roll’s highway.

Latest single ‘Paper Planes’ gets an airing and it is a slower track but with another of those hummable choruses. Personal favourite ‘Mamacita’ would still sound good if it was played on a nose flute – power rock at its best. There is a welcome return for ‘Records and Needles’ from the ‘Hell in a Day’ album with its alt country feel and chorus referencing Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones.

By the time the set concludes with ‘Out of My League’ and a ‘Freak Flag’, Ryan has people emotional at the prospect of meeting him at the merch desk. A huge talent and eminently charming, he deserves success on both sides of the Atlantic.

Warner has been coming to the UK for many years and having his band based in the UK is a bonus for us. On drums, John keeps the band in check being the steady influence on stage contrasting bassist Jason’s urge to test the ceilings and lighting rigs of venues across the country with his frequent leaps into the air. Meanwhile on guitar we have the in-demand Ben Marsden trading licks with Warner and soloing to his heart’s content. Including the previous set with Ryan, this is the fourth band I have seen him play with in 3 weeks.

A Warner set will usually include tracks he has recorded personally, a few Scorchers/Homemade Sin songs and a number of choice covers from both country and rock worlds. Tonight, is no different and we start with a raucous cover of AC/DC’s ‘Riff Raff’. Songs such as ‘Where you Gone’ and ‘Right Back Where I Started’ demonstrate how close alt country was in attitude to their Australian forebears. When Warner slows it down for a more country song such as ‘The Magician’, the band show their musical versatility with even Ben reigning the urge to let rip.

A quick look to the ceiling and Warner’s guitar makes its customary spin around his back and over his shoulder for the first but not last time tonight. Always the raconteur, Warner has a genuine rapport with his audience filling the gaps between songs with his life stories.

Do you want some Cheap Trick? Yup and the band go into a cracking version of ‘I Want You to Want Me’. Crowd favourite ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ has the audience singing in unison, whereas a stunning version of Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ blows a fuse and the stage goes dark with only Ben’s guitar still working. Warner starts singing a new song only for the power to return and seamlessly we are back into ‘War Pigs’. ‘Rockin in the Free World’ follows and the band conclude the set with more AC/DC. This time ‘Let There Be Rock’ and there certainly was, with added country sensibilities.

This is clearly a band enjoying themselves – no fixed set list and all prepared to play whatever is shouted from the crowd (within reason). I’ve not seen a Warner show that I haven’t enjoyed yet and I suspect with this lineup, I never will.

Overall a fantastic night for all who attended.

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Ausgang - Oct 22

Despite touring with the Cult, an indifferent record company and a lack of funds saw Ausgang split in 1987 so I never got to see them. Mick Mercer brought them to my attention in his ‘Gothic Rock’ book and Cherry Red put out an excellent compilation in 2001. The band reformed in 2003 and have since played sporadic gigs across the globe. With an excellent supporting line up, it was time to finally see the band live at The Water Rats.

Ongoing train and tube issues meant that I missed the first few songs by The Go Go Cult and got there in the middle of ‘Bring out Your Dead’ with its rockabilly beat and ever singable chorus. The band are as tight as ever and it is always a pleasure to watch John’s pounding drumming. Both ‘A Devil in the Process’ and ‘It’s a Car Crash’ allow the band to go into a frenzy with their pulsating bass lines and stop/start structures, creating waves of sound that permeate your ears. The band have been getting some cracking support slots recently and, based on this performance, they should be increasing the legions of the Go Go Cult.

I’ve seen Healthy Junkies a few times recently and they are fast becoming one of my favourite bands. Their take on trashy rock n roll is incredibly addictive with songs like ‘The Sound of My Guitar’ and ‘Juliet’s’ Call’ quickly becoming earworms. Nina’s onstage persona ranges from baby doll through sixties siren to screaming banshee, sometimes in the same song whilst Phil’s guitar harmonises perfectly with the vocal gymnastics.

‘Tricky Situation’ sees Phil taking lead vocals with a nice early 80s new wave feel to them. New song ‘Media Whore’ is promising and the punk rock thrashy chords of ‘Lion in a Circus’ closes the set with the band giving it all whilst Nina interrogates Phil’s guitar. Another band to keep an eye on as they are a great live band with tunes galore.

Max from Ausgang is looking sleek and dapper as he bounds on stage. The mohawk may be long gone but as soon as the vocals kick in, Max’s voice is unmistakable taking you back to the heady days of the mid 80s. The tribal drums set the rhythmic beat and it is unrelenting for most of the set. Taking songs from the Kabuki period (the band that morphed into Ausgang), the original album and early EPs, plus some newer tunes, the set weaves itself tightly together and nothing feels out of place.

‘Hunt You Down’ gets a short intro but ‘4 Tin Doors’ sets the scene with those jagged guitars and angular almost growling vocals. ‘Trapper Sam’ from the Kabuki period sounds refreshed whilst new song ‘Resurrection Man’ is a nice progression.  The crowd is a strange mix of ages with a significant number of suitably attired youngsters who have come to see how the originals do it. The band are going down well with all and a version of ‘Lick’ is well received.

‘Weight’ and ‘Sink Into You’ have the crowd bouncing around even more as Max joins them and then we are in the home straight. ‘’Fat Vigilante’ sounds as urgent as always and makes me a happy man, although not as happy as when the band launch into the lyrically surreal Kabuki single ‘I Am A Horse’. The show might not have been as chaotic as those in the 80s but this was still a welcome addition to the list of bands I‘ve seen.

Three excellent sets more than making up for the long train journey home that was awaiting for me.

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Subhumans - Sept 22

Local legend Uncle Peanut opened the night with his punky music hall observations and tales of the people of Peanut Town. Armed only with his mobile phone for backing tracks, Uncle Peanut is an accomplished orator and purveyor of fun vignettes, with each one being accompanied by a catchy singalong chorus.  

‘Mark E Smith’s Still Doing the Fall’ is a throbbing stomp listing influential artists lasting barely less than two minutes. Most of Uncle Peanut’s songs last little longer just being sufficient to plant that immoveable earworm. I never thought that I would be singing 18 inch party pizza to myself on the way home. ‘Popstars Down the Pub’ could be one of those more obscure children’s tv themes from the 70s with its school yard chant.

By the end, Uncle Peanut has been into the crowd several times and has everyone singing along to set closer ‘Nobbers’. The complete antithesis of Subhumans political musings, Uncle Peanut comes from the fun side of punk running through the lineage of the likes of John Cooper Clarke, The Toy Dolls and Half Man Half Biscuit - an excellent start to the night.

Subhuman’s Dick Lucas has one of the most distinctive voices in punk rock and although it has matured over the years, it has not diminished the power of the songs. Original member Bruce and long term members Phil and Trotsky complete the lineup tonight and make a solid sound to back up Dick’s vocals.  Throughout the set, Dick prowls the stage like a man half his age quickly winning over the attendant crowd.

Starting with ‘Apathy’ from 1985’s ‘Worlds Apart’ album the band race through songs from across their back catalogue. None of their songs are long enough to outstay their welcome, and each one maintains the punchy power of the set. Newer songs such as ‘Fear and Confusion’ with its police siren guitar line seamlessly fit in with the older material.

The crowd is a mix of ages with a number that would not have been born when the band first split up, so it is good to see them down the front jumping around to the likes of ‘Joe Public’ and ‘Til the Pigs Come Round’.

‘Too Fat Too Thin’ coming at nearly four minutes sounds like an epic and links the ska sounds of Dick’s later bands with the thrashy chords of the original lineup. ‘Poison’ from the last album ‘Crisis Point’ reminds you that the band still have something to say in today’s polluted world.

The end of the set starts with the iconic ‘No’ from debut album ‘The Day The Country Died’ and runs through ‘Parasites’ before finishing with ‘Religious Wars’.  

This was old school political punk done well with Dick and the band sounding on top form. Here’s hoping it doesn’t take so long for them to come back again.

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CJ Wildheart - Sept 22

With the Wildhearts currently out of action, this is the nearest we can get to a reunion with three members of the mid 2000s lineup in the venue at the same time. Ritch Battersby would be playing with the reformed Grand Theft Audio, whilst Scott Sorry and CJ would play their own solo sets, and you never know, there might be a reunion for the encore.

It’s been over 20 years since Grand Theft Audio toured the UK with their sole album ‘Blame Everyone’, but they are back with Jay Butler and Ritch picking up the mantel once again with a new album in tow. Joined by Ben Marsden on guitar and Rob Lane on bass duties, the band hurtle into ‘Ruin Your Youth’. It’s the last that we see of Jay on the stage as he’s off into the crowd for ‘We Luv U’. Any bigger a venue, and we’d need to have a satellite tracker on him – if there is a flat surface or pole to hang off, Jay is there singing into the faces of the crowd.

On stage Ben and Rob are having great fun making use of the vacant centre stage. The band are tight as anything and the tunes keep coming – ‘Scrub Up’ from the new album is reminiscent of Mike Patton and Faith No More and that is never a bad thing. ‘Stoopid Ass’ is as fun as it was 20 years ago whilst ‘Ici Mon Decree’ brings the hammer head assault on your aural senses right up to date. From out of the darkness Jay finds his way back to the stage and the band conclude with an excellent ‘Bury the Day’. Grand Theft Audio – it’s good to have you back.

It's been a while since Scott Sorry has been able to tour the UK for various reasons and he is back making up for lost time this time. Most of the set comes from his 2016 solo album ‘When We were Kings’ and the opening tracks ‘Broken Hearts and 45s’, ‘End of Summer’ and ‘Close Calls’ set the scene for tonight’s show as well. It’s a good mix of earnest east coast punk rock and americana.

Scott’s hardcore roots are revisited with a blistering version of Sorry and the SInatras’ ‘Hated Heart’. Latest single ‘Black Dog Dancers’ and ‘When We Were Kings’ finish the set with Kris Rodgers’ keyboards coming to the fore. I’ve reviewed Rich Ragany a number of times recently, and wouldn’t you believe it, Rags appears, finishing the set on stage with Scott and gang adding backing vocals.

I first saw CJ Wildheart when Honeycrack supported China Drum at Hull Adelphi in 1995. Since then, I’ve seen him back with the Wildhearts a few times, but never for a solo show, so this would be a brand new set for me.

First up, CJ’s beloved guitar, Mable, has had a makeover and it looks stunning. Kudos to Si Easton for doing such a quality job with the wood burning. The Devilspit oil can guitar that comes out later is also a work of art – CJ certainly has taste when it comes to guitar artistry.

CJ is joined by Ben Marsden for his second stint of the night (is there any band that Ben does not play in, bar those that feature Chris Catalyst) as part of the three guitar assault and launch into ‘Peking Duck’ and ‘State of Us’ from the ‘Siege’ album. CJ’s solo material always seems consistently harder and faster than that of his former bands, with his unrelenting vocal onslaught and heavy riffs.

However, tonight is to celebrate CJ’s varied career and the new best of ‘Lives’ meaning we are treated to a wide selection of tunes from his past. ‘Lemonade Girl’ from CJ’s time with The Jellys wouldn’t feel out of place in an early Primal Scream set. Revisiting the Wildhearts days, next up is b-side ‘Hit It On the Head’ leading into the thrashy chords of ‘F.U.B.A.R’ with its multiple speed changes. In the first of two visits to the Honeycrack back catalogue, we have a decidedly poppy ‘Sitting At Home’. ‘50% Indian’ and ‘Tea Leaf’ from the ‘Blood’ return to the heavier riffs before we are back in Honeycrack territory with ‘Gone Away’. Finishing the set with The Wildhearts’ O.C.D, there’s not much more that CJ would need to do to make the crowd even happier.

As promised we have the reunion encore with Ritch and Scott returning to the stage. Unfortunately, the delayed start and our last train being cancelled meant that we had to leave just as they started to play so we missed out on much of the encore.

However, all that had passed in the previous three hours more than made up for our abrupt departure. Three bands having the time of their lives and it showed on stage and the crowd loved it.

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The Toy Dolls - Sept 22

Tonight was part of the much delayed 40^th anniversary tour and was an opportunity to celebrate the songs and fun spirit that have kept this most enjoyable of bands on the road for so long.

First up are the equally legendary UK Subs. Charlie Harper may be close to eighty now, but there is little showing it. Joined by long time bass player, Alvin Gibbs, the band play a set stuffed with old favourites such as ‘Stranglehold’, ‘Emotional Blackmail’, ‘Riot’ and of course ‘Warhead’. Charlie may have plans to retire in the next few years, but on this showing, there’s still plenty of energy left in the band.  

Cheers go up as the famous Toy Dolls face backdrop comes down and we know it won’t be long. The lights go up (there’s no playing in moody darkness for the Dolls) and the band bound on for a raucous ‘Fiery Jack’. Resplendent in their red jackets, tartan trousers, green and orange hair, plus trademark sunglasses, the band have already put more colour in the set than most of the bands I’ve seen this year.  

The emphasis is on fun with the crowd bouncing around with wild abandonment (but being careful not to do an injury to those aging bodies!) It won’t be long before the perennial crowd surfers start to outnumber the security at the front of the stage. The band are as energetic as always with Olga and Tommy leaping into the air frequently and running around the stage in unison. This was one occasion that I wish I’d been in the pit with the other photographers.

The jackets and ties come off after ‘Cloughy is a Bootboy’ and we go into a frantic ‘Bitten by a Bedbug’.  Tune after tune follows with a welcome inclusion of ‘I’ve Got Asthma’. Olga’s shirt comes off and you begin to wonder if he has a picture in his attic – he looks no different then he did forty years ago. For ‘The Lambrusco Kid’, Olga is given a number of bottle sizes before finally settling on a six foot inflatable bottle which he rides and fires out confetti into the crowd. ‘Nellie the Elephant’ comes up next and the entire of the stalls seems to be moving. Amazing what a punk rock version of a children’s classic can do. The same applies to Johann Sebastian Bach and the band’s version of ‘Toccata in D Minor’.

The home run sees the band going through ‘Alec’s Gone’, ‘Harry Cross (a tribute for Edna)’ and a cover of the Surfaris ‘Wipe Out’. The spinning guitars are back for ‘Wipe Out’ and it is a fun effect. For the encore, Olga is back with another fun prop, the old triple necked guitar and the band launch into ‘Dig that Groove Baby’ from the debut album. ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ is followed by ‘Glenda and the Test Tube Baby’ before the show is finished with a rousing ’Idle Gossip’.

The hot and very sweaty crowd disperses having been suitably entertained by the band. This was one of the most enjoyable gigs (visually and musically) I have been to in a while (and I have seen a lot this year). Here’s to the band playing for many more years to come.

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The City Kids - Sept 22

Did a relatively last minute decision to travel up to Witney to see three bands I have seen a number of times post lockdown prove to be a good decision? 

Never been to Witney before so it was a pleasant to find that Fat Lil’s is a good small venue with pavement drinking and a relatively decent beer selection. A late start to the proceedings meant that we could catch up with the other reprobates who had travelled to see the bands.   

Kit Swing’s Seven Days and Doesn’t Die were originally booked to play but had to cancel. Instead, Kit brought along her fellow Digression, Rich Ragany to open the proceedings. I’ve seen Rags play numerous times and he never disappoints. It’s only a few weeks since we saw the reformed Role Models so it was apt to start with one of their tunes, ‘Little Let Down’. It doesn’t take long for Kit to get on stage and we get a trio of Digressions songs culminating in the always excellent ‘Heartbreakers Don’t Try’.

Reminding us that Rags’ family is predominately across the Atlantic, ‘Leave Tonight’ is dedicated to Rags’ niece and filmed so it could be sent across to her in Canada. ‘Scotty Thompson’ and classic Role Models’ single ‘This Eventually Goes Nowhere’ go down well. A glimpse of the future comes with ‘One Last Thing’ and ‘King of the Gypsies’ and we are done – the audience has been suitably warmed up. The new material is certainly sounding good and I’m looking forward to hearing the final albums (both solo and Digressions).

The Suicide Notes are one of the best live bands out there with Billy Tee being the living embodiment of rock n roll’s trashy excesses. Draped across his mike stand, Billy’s raspy growl suggests a lifetime diet of cigarettes and whisky. The rest of the band make a glorious decadent racket with their dual guitar attack and meaty bass lines. Sadly, drummer Gavin is absent today but City Kids’ Dave steps in for a dual session behind the kit tonight and does an excellent job. He even manages to remain behind his kit for the entire set!

Starting with ‘Black Dog Howlin’ and ‘On the Rocks’ the band didn’t slow down for the entire set. Clearly enjoying themselves as much as the audience, they powered through ‘Momma Sang the Blues’ and ‘Ragdoll’. ‘Snakes Grin Within’ and ‘Rollin with the Punches’ from this year’s ‘Trampstamp’ EP sound terrific. Old favourite ‘Smoke It Like a Cigarette’ always sounds good and then it’s singalong time with a cover of the Stones ‘Dead Flowers’ to finish the set off.

It's only been a few weeks since I saw The City Kids at the Role Models reunion show at the Black Heart. Since then, the current issue of Vive Le Rock has an introductory article about the band raising their profile and a new album is on the way with JJ promising lots of surprises.

Tonight, the band are here to play a full on rock n roll set trying to squeeze in as many songs as possible. Like their heroes, Motorhead, the band play loud, fast guttural rock music with dashings of furious fret work and singalong choruses.

‘Filth’ and ‘Alone’ set the pace for the night and it does not relent. Song after song speeds by as does the aptly named ‘Something Faster’. City Kids songs are not known for being long so when ‘Best of You’ comes in at nearly five minutes it almost like being subjected to a magnus opus with Dennis getting to demonstrate his shredding skills.

A cover of The Wildhearts ‘Mazel Tov Cocktail’ is a popular as ever before the band finish with ‘Round and Around’. Sadly the venue’s midnight curfew means the usual encore between the City Kids and The Suicide Notes cannot take place nor do we get to hear the band performing ‘Please Don’t Touch’ with Kit Swing.

Despite the confused end to the gig, this was a great night out in a decent venue – great company and music.  The last minute decision to travel up to Witney proved to be worthwhile and we are likely to be back in the future.

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With Rage Against The Machine cancelling at short notice, and the remaining line up for the day looking less than inspiring, I headed back to the safety of the Festival Republic tent once more. Opening a sparsely populated tent, Cardiff’s CVC played an engaging set to a slowly increasing crowd of weary youngsters. They laid down a nice festival groove with their early 70s psychedelic rock sound.

Bringing along loads of easy listening vibes, Brooke Combe has an incredible voice which floats across the tent.  After the noisy aspects of the last two days, it is good to see something at the other end of the musical spectrum. There are a number of artists appearing over the weekend who started out as Tik Tok stars before breaking across into the live arena. Abby Roberts is no exception having made her name as a beauty promoter who has now decided to enter the music world. Aiming for the poppier side of things, her version of the Cardigans ‘Lovefool’ fits nicely into her set without sounding too much out of place and ‘Video Girl’ is a fun end to the set.

Daisy Brain take us back to the alt-rock sounds of the previous two days. Formed around multi-instrumentalist Will Tse, they also have the first big crowd of the day. Introducing ‘Digital Atlas’ as a song about addiction… to World of Warcraft, I am made to feel incredibly old in an instance. What happened to the old vices of sex and drugs? The crowd stayed around for The Native who went down well but had nothing to really distinguish themselves.

Next up was the first trip to the main stage to see Pales Waves strut their stuff. With album number three just released, the band are in a jubilant mood with the new songs fitting easily into the set. The band are incredibly tight and their songs sound arguably better in the live environment. ‘Television Romance’, ‘She’s My Religion’ and ‘Unwanted’ are perfect pop songs for a Sunday afternoon. 

Back at the tent, Crawlers have pulled another big crowd and their lyrically aware alt rock sound has the crowd lapping it up. Food calls but on the way over I catch Lice playing on the BBC Introducing stage. Coming on like Mark E Smith’s younger brothers the band made a glorious noise and are definitely worthwhile investigating further.

The Blinders are next in the tent and have a competent line in indie rock. Finishing my weekend stint in the Festival Republic tent, Chloe Moriondo brings her bedroom indie pop to the stage. Chloe is highly engaging and her joy at being at the festival is clear to see.

As headliners go, putting Halsey up to top one of the main stages is a bold move. Intrigued by the Trent Rezner connection I headed over to want would be one of the best sets of the weekend. Starting with ‘Nightmare’ from the latest album and accompanied by images of female rights protests is a powerful statement of intent. This was going to be no ordinary pop show. Songs from all periods of Halsey’s career pepper the set, but it is songs like ‘The Lighthouse’ that demonstrate something far more special and interesting. An excellent cover of song of the summer, ‘Running Up that Hill (A Deal With God)’ cements Halsey’s place in Reading history. Finishing with ‘I Am Not A Woman, I Am A God’ and ‘Without Me’, this was an exceptional set.

And with that it was time to go. It’s been a relatively good festival with the girls certainly coming out on top this year although the Sunday dragged for large parts. After twenty one festivals, it was time to say farewell to the weekend festival experience. It has been fun but there has been increasing less choice of music that would appeal to me and the merging of the old Lock Up/The Pit and Festival Republic tents has been detrimental in my opinion. In addition having some tents finish at 8pm reduces an already limited choice. On the positive side, the introduction of two main stages (with a no clash running schedule) for the second year running has worked well. Having the option to see up to six main stage headliners ups the ante considerably.

No doubt I will be back in some capacity although probably only for single days, but in the meantime it is farewell old friend.

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Thumper start off the day energetically with their two drum set up, jagged guitars and hook filled choruses. It doesn’t take long for the singer to jump into the crowd, still awakening from the previous day’s excesses, for some audience participation. It’s a more than welcome start to the day.

Leeds band Static Dress bring more emo alt rock filled tunes to the tent with another entertaining set, although the crowd is still to awaken from its slumber. That all changes when The Skinner Brothers turn up - the tent is heaving and the kids are going crazy. The band have the same self-believing swagger that the Gallagher brothers brought us in the nineties. Singalong tunes galore adorn the set and I lost count of the number of times various members of the band ended up in the crowd. Singer Zach brought cans of beer for the crowd and within minutes the front of the crowd was drenched in cheap lager.  As a live experience, the lads have got a lot going for them and don’t they know it.

By comparison, Taipei Houston were plain static and a bit of a comedown. The two piece sound good with their grungy garage rock but there is a long way before they can command the sort of audience that their famous father can.

Next up was the first main stage act of the day. I saw Poppy play one of the tents pre lockdown on a whim and was impressed by the mish mash of J-Pop kawaii and thrash metal screaming. Last year’s ‘Flux’ album showed a slight mellowing of the sound but there is little of that aspect on show today. Opening with the truly disturbing but brilliant ‘Concrete’, Poppy easily wins over the crowd. New song ‘FYB’ is well received and by the time we finish with ‘I Disagree’ and ‘Say Cheese’ we are exhilarated and exhausted all at the same time.  

Over on the Festival Republic stage Sueco are recreating the sort of pop punk that dominated the old punk tent many years ago. It’s enjoyable but nothing ground breaking. I last saw Cassyette playing with Frank Carter on last year’s secret Reading set, so it was good to see her performing her own songs. She certainly has stage presence as she flits across the stage and there is a Pink element to her songs so it will be interesting to see where she goes. Tik Tok star Carolesdaughter brings her emo pop to the UK and it is pleasant albeit with disturbing lyrics.

Ho99o9 conclude the proceedings in the tent for the day although it is only 7pm. Despite the early time slot for a headliner, it’s a cracking hardcore set full of imagery and lyrical anger. Bonus points for best hat of the festival as well. Wolf Alice are on the main stage and they are cementing their right to be there. They have enough variance in their set list (and some decent tunes) to keep everyone happy.

Next up is my first main stage headliner for the weekend. I’ve seen Bring Me the Horizon a few times and they have always been a decent distraction. Starting with a lengthy Blade Runner style spoken intro, the band launch into ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ and the place is bouncing. The stage set is amazing with the multiple tiers changing colours throughout the songs. It is a visual feast and it only enhances the songs. ‘Teardrops’ has the crowd in rapture and it goes on, song after song. Not even Ed Sheeran appearing for ‘Bad Habits’ can dampen the atmosphere. The band finish with ‘Throne’ but not before Oli Sykes has run the length of the safety barriers to the middle of the crowd to thank the legions of adoring fans. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a main stage headliner this much and I’m so glad that I took the gamble.

Arctic Monkeys on the other hand were dreary and 40 minutes in, the bus home beckoned. Alex Turner’s gang have a few decent tunes, but after BMTH, this was the antithesis of what had gone before.

Day 2 was over and had once again brought some treats (even on the main stage). What would day 3 bring?

Thumper - Reading 2022 Static Dress - Reading 2022 The Skinner Brothers - Reading 2022 Poppy - Reading 2022 Cassyette - Reading 2022 Carolesdaughter - Reading 2022 Ho99o9 - Reading 2022 Bring Me the Horizon - Reading 2022

Over the last 22 years, we have seen the likes of Metallica, The Cure and The Strokes on the main stages whereas the smaller stages have been a constant source of up and coming bands, and quite a few future headliners (the Libertines, Queens of the Stone Age and Twenty One Pilots for example). The festival has constantly changed over this time with the Punk tent and skate ramps of the 2000s being replaced by the Radio 1 Extra tent. Whereas Sunday was always Rock day with a capital R, the lineup on any one day is now seemingly non connected to any of the other bands playing. Although this may be hard for the older festival goers to stomach, the youngsters appear to love the eclectic mix and their generation by far dominates the crowd.

Regardless, I’ve always enjoyed the festival and despite frequently not wanting to watch any bands on the main stage, there were always plenty of bands and artists on the other stages to enjoy. However, standing for three days solid is getting too much for these weary legs and having reached the mythical number of twenty one Reading Festival Weekends, I’m calling time on the full weekend. With this thought in mind, would the 2022 lineup produce enough quality bands for a fond farewell.

First up Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes opening the main stage having played a secret set last year. This was a reminder about what the festival used to like every day – loud shouty punk rock with an early dive into the crowd, and an already split pair of trousers barely making it out alive. A fitting start to the proceedings. I saw Black Honey open the Festival Republic tent way back in 2015 and was instantly won over by their songs for cult film soundtracks. Seven years on and they’ve reached the main stage with album number three widely anticipated. Still sounding effortlessly cool, the band’s short set includes fan favourites, ‘Spinning Wheel’, ‘Corine’, ‘Run for Cover’ and new single ‘Charles Bronson’.

It's over to the Festival Republic tent (now sponsored by a hotel chain!) for the rest of the day armed with the knowledge that The Interrupters would be making a short notice appearance. The tent is full of young people and bimbocore’s Scene Queen is definitely something for that generation – pink infused punky pop and clearly not for someone in their 50s. Thankfully rising stars Kid Kipichi are here to shake things up with their political commentaries, ‘New England’ already becoming a bona fide classic - a highlight of the day. Tigercub, Sick Joy and Tigress all bring their takes of various alt rock strands with the latter being the most enjoyable as Katy Jackson prowls the stage.

The tent suddenly fills up with the mass hordes and the two piece Cleopatrick make an entrance. I’m probably the only person in the tent who does not know every word of every song. Musically, it’s perfectly adequate indie rock but nothing special. As It Is bring so much needed emo rock to the tent with Patty Walters having the requisite stage presence to pull this sort of stuff off.

The big attraction is up next and the number of stage security vastly increases. The Interrupters are on a roll and having just released album number four to rave reviews, things are looking bright for the LA punk ska band. Opening with ‘Take Back the Power’, Aimee Interrupter and the band set out their agenda for the next 40 minutes. Aimee, Justin and Kevin own the stage swapping places with an unashamed frequency. ‘Title Holder’ is one of the great album opening tracks and comes early in the set.  New songs ‘Raised by Wolves’ and ‘In the Mirror’ are well received and although there is very little, if any, crowd surfing, everyone is in dance mode. Powering through the set, it ends too soon with a storming version of ‘She’s Kerosene’. This is what my Reading was always about, seeing a band in its ascendency, owning the punk tent and loads of skanking.

That would have been a suitable end to the day, but I decided to stay on and see Fever 333’s headline set. It was a good decision as the band were a force to behold with hardcore punk riffs mixed with hard hitting rapping. The set concludes with ‘Hunting Season’ and sees the singer precariously stood on top of stacked monitors and the guitarist on top on the scaffolding towering over the crowd whilst he played. Thrilling stuff.

So day one was much the same as in previous years: little of interest on the main stages but plenty to offer in the smaller tents. Roll on day two.

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Role Models - Aug 22

Few people expected to see the Role Models play again but the tragic passing of fellow musician Roger Segal earlier year has led to the band reforming for a short UK tour in his honour. Supported by more friends of Roger, the first night of the tour finds the band in Camden Town. Undetermined by a tube and bus strike, there is a reasonable crowd in the venue looking forward to seeing the Role Models roar again.

First up are The Empty Page who are clearly influenced by the pre grunge US scene and the likes of the Pixies and Sonic Youth. It works well with songs such as ‘Dry Ice’ and ‘Wardrobe Malfunction’ resonating around the room.

There’s a change of place when Billy Liar takes the stage armed only with his acoustic guitar and a clutch of politically charged songs with more than a tinge of Strummer/Armstrong. ‘Independent People’ seems even more relevant today given the current turmoil around the country and greater world.

The City Kids are an irreprehensible bunch of reprobates producing guttural trashy rock n roll. Displaying their trademark punk rock sensibilities matched with gruff vocals and the occasional heavy metal guitars, the City Kids soon have the crowd joining in with their punchy singalong songs. Boy are they loud and the temperature in the room has risen as the crowd bounce around. By the time the band finish the crowd feel like they have been pummeled by musical mallet.

Role Models hit the stage and within a song, Rags has already broken a string leading to an impromptu jam session. Unperturbed the band then launch into a glorious set that hits all the spots. There’s an energy to these songs such as ‘(I Broke My Back) Disappointing You’ that is infectious and just makes you want to join in with the band.

It’s good to see Rags let rip on his electric guitar, his day job in the excellent Digressions seemingly somewhat restrained compared to tonight’s excesses. The rekindled camaraderie between the band is clear to see with Simon and Daniel’s rhythm section kicking up a storm whilst Nick gleefully powers through the old songs.

Midway through the band leaves the stage to allow Rags to take centre spot and sing the truly haunting ‘Leave Tonight’. It’s the only respite in the set, as the band return and turn up a notch for the run in. Former Role Model associate and current More Kicks vocalist, Sulli, comes on to lend some backing vocals and playful chaos to the proceedings. Before you know it, we are running out of time and the venue’s strict curfew means that we have just one song left. We have one final toast to the memory of Roger and then the band, joined by Sulli and Kit Swing, finish proceedings with the excellent ‘This Eventually Leads Nowhere’.

Slightly chaotic but always exhilarating, this was a night of the highest order with all the artists serving Roger’s memory well. News is in that there may be a fourth Role Models album in the offering following this short reunion, and that can never be a bad thing.

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Tensheds - Jul 22

First up we have former Role Model, Rich Ragany, having a day off from his normal role with the Digressions. If you need a Canadian raconteur with more rock n roll stories than you can shake a hand at, then Rags is your man.

Having been responsible for one of the best albums of 2021 with ‘Beyond Nostalgia and Heartache’ and currently working on both his debut solo album and the next Digressions album, Rags has plenty of material to fall back on.

Starting with one of his Role Models tunes, Rags is soon joined by fellow Digression, Kit Swing to sing on the main portion of the set. Kit’s voice is superb and nicely augments Rags emotionally raw vocals and takes the songs to a new level. Why ‘Heartbreakers Don’t Try’ isn’t playing on national daytime radio, I have no idea. It has more heart than most of the dross that permeates through the airwaves.

Mixing up new and old songs, Rags (and Kit) leave the audience wanting more and looking forward to those new releases.  

Boss Caine is no stranger to Aces n Eights and it good to see him back in London, especially as the venue is about as far as you can get from York Barbican where he played 6 days beforehand supporting George Thorogood and the Destroyers.

You’d think Boss Caine had grown up in the Deep South on a diet of bourbon and tobacco, and not the pleasant tourist friendly streets of York. His rich baritone voice enhances his tales of love and despair (and excess, of course) in his personal take on Americana. Having a big collection of songs, both released and unreleased, means that a Boss Caine set is rarely the same. Personal favourite ‘Ghosts and Drunks’ will never outstay its welcome no matter how many times I hear it played.

It would be good to see Boss Caine performing these songs with a full band one day, but in the meantime, a solo Boss Caine show is still better than most of the better known solo performers currently playing main stages across the festival season.

Like Boss Caine, Matt from Tensheds has one of those husky voices that you just weren’t expecting, in this case one being reminiscent of the lighter side of Tom Waits with echoes of latter period Nick Cave. Tensheds songs are a mixture of torch songs and thumping bar room boogies all sealed by Matt’s accomplished piano playing and of course that voice.

Playing solo without his drummer tonight, Matt controls the hushed room performing songs such as the exceptional ‘Mirrors’ (written during Lockdown as a result of the enforced end to touring and forming part of what would become ‘The Days of My Confinement’ album) and ‘Go Out On The Weekend’. Songs from ‘Deathrow Disco’ up the tempo before we hear the distressing background to ‘The Bridge Song’, one of the most emotional songs in the Tensheds repertoire.

Finishing with the upbeat ‘City of Dreams’ and the boogie of ‘Doghouse, Tensheds had captivated another audience with his musical and vocal prowess.

Three excellent and very varied artists in one night – further demonstrating why we need to fight to save smaller venues like Aces n Eights from the land developers and their ilk.

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Janus Stark - Jul 22

Tonight is the launch party for the latest Janus Stark album (‘Face Your Biggest Fear’) and a mighty fine album it is too. Janus Stark were formed back in the late nineties following former Destructors/English Dogs guitarist Gizz Butt’s departure from the Prodigy. One album followed (‘Great Adventure Cigar’) before the band disappeared for nearly 20 years. Comeback album ‘Angel in the Flames’ came out in early 2020 only for the supporting tour to be caught up in the covid lockdown. Two years later, the third album has been released in relatively quieter times and the band are in a celebratory mood (particularly as online copies of the album sold out within days of the release) and looking forward to touring the new material.

First up we have London band Dealing with Damage. Taking a post punk sound with snatches of Fugazi they are an interesting proposition. Their speeded up version of The Cure’s ‘World War’ was a welcome surprise.

Spring Park get bonus points for their guitarist wearing a Misfits Vampire Girl t-shirt and for being genuinely excited to be sharing the stage with Janus Stark. The band provide an energetic set standing just on the right side of pop punk, closing songs ‘Ghostagogo’ and ‘Happy Holidays’ being particularly enjoyable.

This is my second time seeing Healthy Junkies and each time they have blown me away. Nina channels the spirit of Siouxsie Sioux and Katie Jane Garside whilst Phil’s punishing riffs augment the vocals nicely. Opener ‘This is not a Suicide’ from the excellent ‘Delirious Dream’ album garners the pace for the set. The slow build up of ‘Runaway Devil’ moves into a glorious thrashy second half with screeching guitars and pounding rhythm section. ‘The Sound of my Guitar’ and ‘Juliet’s Call’ show off the band’s more melodic sides with their catchy choruses together with Nina’s theatrics coming to the fore.

The band are joined by punk veteran Spizz for ‘I Don’t Give A Damn’ providing one of those involuntary comedy moments as Spizz tried to rip his t-shirt off his chest mid song and only partially succeeding. Finishing the set with a suitably trashy ‘These Boots are Made for Walking’, the band have the audience well and truly won over. Definitely a band to watch whenever you have a chance.

With Gizz Butt, Janus Stark have one of the best guitarists on the scene whether that be chugging punk rock riffs or free flying solo escapades. Add to that a set of incredibly catchy songs and easy to grasp choruses, and you have a band that can do no wrong. You can see Dave Grohl in the wings thinking why he hadn’t written these.

Starting with the killer opening track (‘Enemy Lines’) from their debut album, the band set out their stall for the day with tune after tune all ready to give you earworm on the journey home. ‘Clique’ leads in to ‘Crucify All the Leaders’ from the second album, and then we get our first new tune of the day with the suitably punky and seemingly timeless ‘Reassuring’.

‘Panic Attack’ is followed by Gizz’s tribute to former Prodigy band mate, Keith Flint ‘Commodity Awakening’. New song ‘Clusterfuck’ is reminiscent of pre pandemic tourmates The Wildhearts. ‘Floyd (What Are You On)’, ‘Barriers’ and hit single ‘Every Little Thing Counts’ have both the crowd and Gizz jumping around like it’s still 1999. Finishing the main set with ‘Last Exit to Change Your Mind’, Gizz invites the support bands on stage for a rousing version of Buzzcocks ‘Ever Fallen in Love’.

And then it’s over. Gizz knows how to produce a set that is just long enough to satisfy his fans and not overstay his welcome.

Overall a welcome return to the 100 Club – a triumph for all concerned.

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Marc Valentine - Jul 22

Great Last Dreamers, one of those iconic bands who deserve a lot more recognition, are on hiatus and lead singer Marc Valentine is out promoting his debut solo album ‘Future Obscure’. The album is garnering 4/5 star reviews across the music press and the praise is well deserved – it is a well crafted album full of glam infused hummable tunes.

First up we have Camden stalwart, Dave Renegade grabbing his acoustic guitar to serenade the room with some of his more up tempo tunes with the crowd responding appropriately.

Carol Hodge brings her Yorkshire charm to everything she does whether that be singing Crass songs with Steve Ignorant or playing keys for the likes of Ryan Hamilton. You can’t help being enticed by Carol’s warm personality as she introduces each song and discusses her past experiences. The fact that Carol has an incredible voice and tunes to die for is the cherry on the cake.

Songs such as ‘Stop Worrying Baby’ are as heartfelt as they are tuneful and are excellent vehicles to carry Carol’s voice. Maintaining the inter song banter, there are plenty of choice tunes to entice the audience to Carol’s side.

With the choice between a Bob Marley cover and a Leo Sayer cover the crowd plump for Leo and we get a fantastic version of ‘The Show Must Go On’. Finishing with the crowd participating in the chorus for ‘Twenty Miles Up’, Carol had certainly won a few more fans in the crowd. There’s three excellent albums out there (with a fourth on the way) and I recommend buying them all.

Next time she’s in London, Carol is bringing the whole band with her to support Sarah Borges at the Hope and Anchor (November 18^th) which makes the gig an essential one to attend.

I saw Great Last Dreamers at the tail end of 2021 at a mini festival in Reading and little did we know that the band would go on hiatus within 6 months. No worries as Marc Valentine has been productive and is filling the gap nicely.

Supported by former Dreamers rhythm section Steve Fielding and Denley Slade plus lead guitarist Richard Davies from The Dissidents, Marc performs a lot of the songs from the new album and they sound fantastic. There is a nice interplay between Marc and Richard, a decadent swagger emitting from the stage.

Songs such as ‘Last Train Tonight’ and ‘Zodiac Hotel’ are perfect pop songs and the crowd are lapping it up. A prolonged technical issue isn’t a concern as Richard picks up vocal duties whilst Marc sorts out his guitar. Marc is not afraid of preforming covers and there would be a few more later in the set.

We have guests as Karen Bell from Flesh Tetris joins the band to play theremin and sing on ‘Fade Out In Blue’ whilst Carol Hodge returns for two songs including a cover of Blondie’s ‘Touched By Your Presence’. Returning for a ramped up version of ‘Tainted Love’ the band bring the night to a fitting end.

This is what hot Sunday nights in Camden are made for - tunes galore and instant camaraderie between the artists and audience as they bond over the experience.  

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The Primitives - Jun 22

Tracy Tracy’s melodic vocals accompanied by Paul Court’s guitar and his mastery of the sub three minute pop song meant that debut album ‘Lovely’ went into the UK Top 10 album charts. Albums ‘Pure’ and ‘Galore’ followed before the band split in 1992. Fast forward to 2009 and the band reform around the core of Tracy and Paul, releasing a covers album of lesser known female vocal led songs in 2012 (‘Echoes and Rhymes’) and the excellent ‘Spin-O-Rama’ in 2014.

Barring the enforced break in 2020, the band have been on the road frequently since reforming and tonight was Reading’s turn.

First up we have Eat Daddy Eat, channeling late 80s/ early 90s Jesus and Mary Chain with a slice of Spacemen 3 and Loop added to the mix. Highly enjoyable stuff.

Local ‘billy favourites are up next bringing their sound to Reading for the second time in a week (having supported The Mission at Sub89 within the last 7 days). Always engaging, the pulsating rhythm section hits the right spots whilst songs such as ‘Town Called Sorrow’ and ‘Bring Out Your Dead’ are worthy vehicles for Nigel’s vocals. Matt’s frenetic surf guitar tops off the mix and the audience are suitably engaged by the band.

And then the main attraction - the band start up with the intro to ‘Thru the Flowers’ and Tracy Tracy enters the stage. Tracy has lost none of her vocal talents and their debut single sounds much as it did back in 1986, all dreamy vocals and fuzzy guitars. The set heavily rests on the debut album and the singles around it, so next up is the rush of ‘Stop Killing Me’.  The title track of the last album ‘Spin-O-Rama’ is a nice introduction to the post reformation material and sounds as good as anything off the first two albums. ‘Buzz Buzz Buzz’ sees Paul take lead vocals for the first time tonight and is a frantic two minute rockabilly stomp.  

Classic indie single ‘Stick of It’ gets the crowd jumping around before we return to the last album with ‘Lose the Reason’ and ‘Petals’. Early single ‘Really Stupid’ follows with a nice addition of b-side ‘Where the Wind Blows’. ‘Way Behind Me’ from ‘Pure’ is followed by the first of two new tunes tonight. ‘Till I’m Alive’ sees Paul back on lead vocals and is reminiscent of the Wedding Present. ‘Nothing Left’ from the debut flows into another new tune ‘Don’t Know Where to Start’ and is a pleasant addition to the band’s repertoire.

I don’t need to say much about ‘Crash’ but it is still one of those perfect tunes that never outstays it’s welcome. Finishing the set with ‘I’ll Trust the Wind’ from the last EP, the band demonstrate their ability to produce short catchy songs that would be a good addition to any serious music collection.

The Facebar doesn’t really have an off stage area, so it’s not long before the band are back to encore with ‘Everything’s Shining Bright’, ‘Spearhead’ and ‘I’ll Stick with You’.

This was a cracking set with the band making the songs sound as urgent as they did back in the 1980s. The newer material demonstrates a band that can still produce quality songs and Tracy Tracy is still as alluring and engaging as ever. Another crowd pleasing evening in Reading and no need to spend money going into that there London.

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The Mission - Jun 22

On the hottest night of the year so far, a crowd gathered in Reading’s Sub89 – I’m told the venue’s first sell out since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Entertaining the crowd tonight, The Mission, a band I first heard back on the old Channel Four Chart Show when ‘Serpent’s Kiss’ topped the Indie charts. 36 years later, original members Wayne Hussey, Simon Hinkler and Craig Adams are back on tour again to celebrate their extensive back catalogue.

Before the maelstrom of goth majesty, we have local ‘billy legends The Go Go Cult. Treading a line between The Seeds and the Cramps via The Meteors, the band have long established themselves on the (old school) garage scene.  Songs such as the magnificent ‘Town Called Sorrow’ and ‘Old Nick the Revelator‘ went down well with the rapidly swelling crowd.

Impressively for a band in their fifth decade, The Mission still have a substantial travelling fanbase with the Eskimos packing out the first few rows of the crowd. By the time the band came onto stage the venue was heaving and the temperature rising even further. We were rewarded with a lengthy set including a substantial number of singles and some rarer tracks from later albums. Starting with ‘Beyond the Pale’, ‘Hands Across The Ocean’ and debut single ‘Serpent’s Kiss’ the band quickly had the fans won over with Wayne’s 12 string taking centre stage.

2016’s ‘Tyranny of Secrets’ easily slides into the set matching the heights of late 80s Mission before old favourite ‘Naked and Savage’ has the crowd singing alongside Wayne before launching into ‘Evangline’ from 2001’s (1^st) comeback album. Much (wrongly) derided at the time, the ‘Masque’ album produced one cracking single and ‘Like a Child Again’ has me reminiscing about my student days. ‘Afterglow’ leads into ‘Severina’ and ‘Butterfly on a Wheel’ before the big singalongs of ‘Wasteland’ and ‘Deliverance’ complete the set with the latter resulting in an audience led coda as the band leave the stage.

The band are back on stage and launch into ‘Belief’, ‘Sacrilege’ and ‘The Crystal Ocean’ with its swirling guitars. Another short break and we are into the final stretch with ‘Dance on Glass’ and after a little hiccup ‘Hungry as the Hunter’. Finishing with goth nightclub favourite ‘Tower of Strength’ and a flurry of dancing hands in the crowd, a couple of words from Wayne and its all over.

Leaving a very hot and sweaty venue, the band had satisfied its fans with a consummate set of fan favourites.  As a long time fan, it was good to see the band back on a roll with the newer material fitting seamlessly in with the classic tunes from the 80s heyday. Overall a fantastic night for this aging goth.

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