The Warriors - Studio Sessions, Perry Vale Studios 20.1.13

The New Year has got underway in a very unusual style!
It was off to the Perry Vale Studios with the Warriors to watch them record some new tracks! I never expected this, but after getting a request to join them it was too good an opportunity to miss.
Having never been into a recording studio before this looked to be a rather exciting day. However the day before, disaster struck in the shape of the weather! Snow, snow and more snow!.It looked as though it would all be off.
I woke up to a light blanket of snow and more still falling, so by 10am it was really quite heavy and had been settling everywhere. I contacted Russ who said it was off and he was definately not going. I was a little disappointed but at around 11:00 I checked Facebook to find the rest of the band had decided to go after all .. so it was a mad dash to get my camera gear together and packed in the car (along with Melinda's emergency supplies should I get caught in a tsunami showdrift!) and I was off.
The journey was really easy and I was soon at the studios and taking a few shots as The Warriors got into their stride.
The band were there to record three new tracks to be used for certain projects in 2013, these being 'Bank Holiday', 'Woman Beater' and 'Weekend Rockstars'.
The band started with 'Bank Holiday' and did a run through before we went to have a listen. This was followed by 'Woman Beater', which was a Surgery Without Research track with a few changes, and lastly 'Weekend Rockstars' which took a couple of runs through to get it right.

The Commited - The Sports Bar, Sittingbourne, Kent 26.1.13

First gig of the new year and Steve and I travelled up to Sittingbourne for some local Punk Rock.
We should have been at the 12 Bar for Charred Hearts, but events conspired against us, so we found ourselves closer to home. The Sports Bar was a new venue for us and was put on by he guys from Ted DiBiase, so it all went well there may be more, which would be quite good as it is quite close. We arrived with plenty of time and had a beer and a bite in the Wetherspoons under the venue before making a move upstairs ready for the bands.
First up for the evening were The Halfwits, they are always up for a good time and this was no exception. If was starting to fill up at this point as they roared through their set to the obvious appreciation from the crowd.
Second up were Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band and they took no time getting the crowd going. These are local boys and were the ones who set up and organised the gig. They did their usual white powder and dollars strewn all over the place, which is all god fun .. as long as the camera is well protected!.
After Ted DiBiase's set we had Daz and The Commited. These guys have only been back together for a year or so, but you wouldn't believe it! They were brilliant as usual and the crowd was really getting into it now so the place was well packed. They played a good long set and really set the highlight for the whole evening as we had been treated to three really energetic Kent Punk bands.
Last up was Kunt & the Gang, a lot of people like him and think he is very funny .. I'm not one of these. I think he can be funny with his banter between songs, but once you've heard one song, you've heard them all. It's a bit like a small kid who gets a reaction from saying something rude, so they keep saying it! .. he keeps singing the same rude words again and again. Still, it takes all sorts, and as I said he seems very popular, so as long as he brings the crowds in to see the other local boys I'm not complaining. That said we lasted a couple of tracks and then left! On the way home we stopped for a bite .. the kebab was far better!
An excellent evening, local bands, good music and food all made it worthwhile. Next up are the Charred Hearts in Swindon who are playing host to Peter & the Test Tube Babies ... Steve can't wait!

Peter & the Test Tube Babies - The Furnace, Swindon, 16.2.13

It was a fair old drive to Swindon, but worth it for Peter & the Test Tube Babies and Charred Hearts and it was Fuller's birthday.
We arrived in Swindon with plenty of time and managed to get a parking space behind the venue. It was then a drink, meet the guys and off for a bite to eat. We managed to find the venue again, even though I managed to almost get us lost and take the long route back! Once back we met up with Dale and Sue plus a few of the other guys before making our way downstairs for the fun to begin.
First up were Strength in Blunders who were on their debut gig! They are a 3 piece which includes Sam Fuller (Charred Hearts) on drums and they weren't half good! If this is what they produce on their first outing then I can't wait to see them after a few gigs under their belts. Thoroughly enjoyable to listen to and really set the scene for the evening.
Next up were the Charred Hearts with poor old Sam doing drums again! The Charred Hearts never fail to impress and this was no exception. They launched into 'Changing into Something' followed by 'Everybody'. This got the crowd into the mood and so they continued with 'You're Bringing Me Down, 'Persecute Me', 'Crash', 'Nowhere Town', 'Ronald Regan', 'Throwaway Society', 'Always Beside Me' and 'Fucked'. In addition they had time to do an excellent cover of 'Born to Lose'. As they left the stage you couldn't help but feel the crowd would have let them carry on all night!
The headline band for the evening (and the band Steve had been waiting for) were Peter & the Test Tube Babies who came on to rapturous applause. They kicked off with 'Moped Lads', 'Run Like Hell', and 'Jinx'. Unfortunately it was becoming clear that the place was not as packed as we expected and the crowd, apart from a handful, just didn't seem to want to come forward and let loose which was frustrating the band no end. Still they carried on with 'Shitstirer', 'Up Yer Bum', 'Keith Moon', 'Transvestite', 'Banned from the Pubs', 'Blown Out' and 'Maniac'. They did eventually do an encore but it took some effort to get the crowd cheering for more, a shame really as the Test Tube Babies were really excellent and deserved a better reception.
The trip home was again very long (as if it would've changed?) and particularly uneventful .. apart from Steve falling asleep every few minutes!
Ok, next up? It's Another Winter of Discontent at the Boston Arms! Broken Bones are headlining the night we are there, can't wait!

Another Winter of Discontent - The Boston Arms, London 28.2.13

We went to AWOD last year and thoroughly enjoyed it .. hopefully this year would be even better!
Last year we attended one day of the four days that is Another Winter of Discontent .. this year we did the same again. This time it was the opening night we went on and were quite looking forward to seeing a couple of bands we hadn't seen before in amongst the line-up.
We arrived at the venue and bumped into a few known faces before the evening took off. And took off in style it did! First up were Violation 69, these are a newish band composed of a group of friends from the Woking/Reading area and they really do look the Punk part! Their sound is very raw and as Steve pointed out, they still seem to be finding their feet as a band and can only improve with each performance. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing them for the first time and I expect we will see and hear much much more of this band. Next up were a favourite band of mine Blatoidea, made up of three Italians and an English drummer. As with Violation 69 they really look the part, but as they have been together for quite a while they were more at ease on stage and this really showed as they thrashed around the stage and really whipped up the audience. I really like these guys and like their sound too, so it was good to see them again.
Third up were Defcon Zero. We had seen them a while back at the Maidens Head and liked them then. They were good again this time but seemed to lack the energy of the two previous outfits and so didn't quite hit the spot for me.
Penultimate band were The Enemy, no not the current indie band, these are the excellent UK82 outfit who reformed a year or so ago and who we saw at Rebellion last year and really enjoyed. They didn't disappoint this time either, blasting out their tracks. They seemed to go down really well and the crowd were now getting into full flow ready for the headline band. I hope we see these guys again as they were excellent.
Last up were the headliners, Broken Bones. These are another band I have never seen before. Most of the band seemed original due to age and stomach size .. however the lead singer being young, American and wearing a baseball cap the wrong way around, was not! That didn't matter, they were really good! Loud, fast and heavy just what we needed to end the evening. Unfortunately we missed the end of their set as we had to get back for our last train, but what we saw certainly made us want for more, so hopefully they will be another band we will see again some time.
So, AWOD .. good? Oh yes, brilliant! Hopefully next year we will do more than one day. All the bands were really really good. For me, Blatoidea stood out as top band, followed closely by Broken Bones and The Enemy. So, what's next? Well there is a local gig in Maidstone next month, but before then I will be up in Angel to see Electric River again.

Electric River - The Rattlesnake, Angel, London 2.3.13

A new venue for me, The Rattlesnake, to see Electric River
I was on my own for this gig as the bands on how were not to Steve's liking, plus I had been invited by a Rock writer to do some photos to go with her interview of the headline act.
I arrived in plenty of time and sat around with a beer, watching the wildlife until the first band came on. First up was a guy called Jaemi, on his own with his guitar (and later a couple of drums) and a laptop to provide a backing track. He called himself I Will Capture the Castle. At this point I must say that apart from the main band, this is not really my kind of music, however I'm open to all kinds of music and will stay objective about the bands that I saw. I Will Capture the Castle were very off-the-wall diverse music, however as there were only a couple of people who had the decency to turn out for the support bands, there was not much atmosphere. Still he did his set and got the applause for his efforts. Why is it that people only seem to turn up for the headline acts? Some of these supporting acts put so much effort into their slot for only a handful to watch ... not good! Next up were a band called Spill 16 and although (as I've said) they were not my kind of music, they did seem rather good and had a small following with them. They pumped out their tracks and the crowd seemed pleased with them.
Third band for the evening were Colt 45, a three piece who weren't bad either, they played some good rock tracks and seemed quite popular with the now expanding audience that was arriving. By the end of their set I was quite enjoying the sound. Maybe I will see them again some time? Who knows.
Next up were Blasted who just shrieked their way through their whole set, unfortunately the only highlight of which was when the lead singer fell over backwards into his kit .. hilarious! These log haired rockers were not my cup of tea at all and it came as quite a relief when they finally left the stage. I have no idea why they were so far up the listing as both Colt 45 and Spill 16 were far far better.
Last up were the band I had come to see, Electric River and they were as good as when I first saw them last year. A really excellent band whose influence seems to be Punk, New Wave and Rock all rolled into one. They really did blow the rest of the bands away, they put in a very slick performance and it was appreciated by the large crowd that had now filled the Rattlesnake venue. Unfortunately due to the time of my last train home I reluctantly had to leave early and miss the end of their set, but by that point I had seen enough to reinforce my previous view that this a great little rock/punk band and one to definitely watch. In addition it looks like they are are now on the bill for Rebellion! Great stuff, another chance to see them.
Me and Steve are off to a local gig at Earl's in Maidstone next, that should be a bit of fun!

Vince Vortex & the Cucumbers - Earls, Maidstone, Kent 17.3.13

A short trip into town to see a covers band, Vince Vortex and the Cucumbers ... now that's a name!
We had seen this advertised as Nobby Snide (formerly of Snide) is in the band has posted it all over Facebook, and we thought, as it's close to home it may be a bit of a laugh to pop down for the evening.
We were also joined by Ian as he was in town and fancied an evening of music. I was first to arrive and had a hunt round to check where the band would be before the guys arrived ready for the evening to start.
Vince Vortex & the Cucumbers took to the stage quite early as there was no support for the evening. The lead singer had decided to paint his face as though he had died a few days earlier, under the lights it looked quite effective! Their set consisted of covers from right across the Punk spectrum from Clash, Buzzcocks and Pistols and many more.
Were they good? Well, yes ... they were very good! The only downside was that the place didn't get very full so the atmosphere was not there, but then this was a Sunday night in Maidstone, so I suppose you can't ask for much. Still they made the most of it and certainly went down well the with the people that were there.
Well we thoroughly enjoyed the evening and will be seeing them again next time they play. It was also really good to get to meet Paul Brightman after discovering we had a few close friends in common.
Next up? It will hopefully be Hard Skin and the Warriors at the Three Tuns, this will be excellent as we've not been back there for quite a while.

Hard Skin / The Warriors - The Three Tuns, Canterbury, Kent 6.4.13

After too long a wait for one of Davee's gigs we were finally back at the Three Tuns in Canterbury with a cracking line-up of Hard Skin and The Warriors.
As usual we arrived very early which gave us a chance to catch up with Andy, Russ and Chris from the Warriors and also a rather pissed Daz. After this it was off for a quick bite then back ready for the start (and to take some embarrasing pictures of Daz).
First up were The Warriors who wasted no time in blasting into their set. As usual they were excellent and the crowd immediately got into the swing of things as well. There was no Dave for this gig but that didn't seem to make any difference as they powered their way through 'Bankrupt Britain', 'S.N.A.F.U.', 'Marlon Brando', 'Never Forgive, Never Forget', 'Violence in our Minds', 'Predator', 'Internet Bullies', 'Horror Show', 'Woman Beater' and 'King of the Jungle'.
Headliners for the evening were Hard Skin who seemed really popular as they place was now packed to seams. We had seen them once before at the Maidens Head in 2011 when they played with the Warriors and Bottlejob and really liked them then.
Hard Skin ploughed into their tongue-in-cheek Oi set and sent the crowd wild, and as the venue is not that big you had a crowd that rocked back and forth and seemed to bounce off the walls each time. Although the crowd were really up for the Warriors, this was even more packed and they went down an absolute storm. By the end of the set the place was steaming ... but very happy.
We dropped back Melvin and also Daz as he had missed his last train home. After that it was back to Maidstone and the obligatory Kebab before home.
Excellent evening, I liked Hard Skin a lot, but the Warriors, for me, easily came out on top.
Next up we are back to Earl's in Maidstone to see Menace, Insult and Criminal Brainstorm, this should be a good one.

These Guilty Men / The Furry Love Lickers - Bar Chocolate, Maidstone, Kent 21.4.13

A bit of a novelty here, a friend of a friends band playing in Maidstone ...
Now, this is definately not my type of music, however when it's people you know playing locally you just have to go along and support them and maybe take a few photos. In addition my wife was away which meant I had some time to myself anyway. So I ambled down to Bar Chocolate (what a bloody awful name!) in Maidstone to take a look and see what things were like.
Unfortunately the place was almost deserted, which I suppose would be the case for 8pm on a Sunday evening, that said it's these small bands that should be getting the punters in, otherwise all we are left with is the talentless fucking X-Factor type shit beamed across the country. It may not be my type of music but it's LIVE MUSIC!
Anyway, the first band to hit the stage were The Only Sun, a three piece who at best were ok. There didn't seem to be much life in any of them, however the music itself was listenable, but not memorable.
Next up were The Furry Love Lickers, just the name was excellent start. These guys do a sort of Indie/Rock/New Wave mix and are very good at it. Of the few people who were standing around, they managed to some of them dancing. The music was toe-tapping and I found myself quite enjoying their sound. One member of the band is in another more Punk orientated band called Swampstomper, whereas another is an ex-member of the same band.
The headline act were These Guilty Men, they, as The Only Sun, were ok, but really not my cup of tea. Two members looked like more seasoned musicians and did make a pleasing sound, and got some the watchers toe-tapping, but that was it really.
Well, it was good to meet and chat with the guys from The Furry Love Lickers and I would be happy to see them again, however the other two I could probably give a miss to. Highlight of the evening was the guitarist from These Guilty Men admiring my Warriors t-shirt and saying 'I love that film' ... he was very surprised when I told him they were a band! So i educated him ....
Next up ... Menace! in Maidstone, even better!

Menace - Earls, Maidstone, Kent 25.4.13

Wow, Menace are actually playing in our home town!
Steve and I arrived at Earls in plenty of time to be greeted by Daz, Melv and a couple of Halfwits sitting outside delicately sipping their beers ... so we joined them. Ian had come along too and got to meet some of the people he had seen pictures of in the past.
First up for the evening were Sheppey band, Criminal Brainstorm who we had seen a few times in the past. They were really excellent old school punk and got the evening off to a superb start. There were not as many people as I had expected but still this didn't make much difference as Criminal Brainstorm seemed to be having great time on stage and got those watching into the swing of things. It seemed a shame when they finally finished and left the stage, I could have quite happily listened to more from them.
Next up were Insult who we had seen once before last year down in Margate. I was not completely impressed with them before as they seemed too thrash and strode up and down the stage with mic like a young rap band. I was hoping this time we would see a better side of them, but I was a bit disappointed as they seemed the same as in Margate .. again too much thrash and striding! That said, they are a young band and have the raw energy that many have lost, let's hope they keep that.
So, headline band for the night was Menace and WOW ... they were so good! A small venue, not a lot of people and a band that really seemed to go for it .. it was '77 all over again!
Menace were all raw power and ran through their set with 'Insane Society', 'Screwed Up', 'C & A', 'Party Animal', 'I'm Civilised, 'Too Many Punks are Dead', 'Carry No Banners', 'G.L.C.' and 'Last Years Youth', they finished with a version of 'Monkey Man'.
Menace were brilliant, rough and raw, the small crowd that were there really got into it as well, especially the old favourites G.L.C, Screwed Up and Last Years Youth. I enjoyed myself so much I bought their latest CD 'Too Many Punks are Dead' and a reissue of 'G.L.C.'
Well, amazing evening being blown away by Menace and Criminal Brainstorm, real '77 style Punk Rock. Next up .... it's the Maidstone Fringe Festival as Vince Vortex and TV Smith are both playing over the weekend.

Vince Vortex & the Cucumbers - Maidstone Fringe Festival, Earls, Maidstone 4.5.13

We're back at Earls again to see Vince Vortex, this time we are mob handed!
So the Maidstone Fringe Festival was well under way as we headed down to Earls for an evening of fun and music. Melinda had already been to see Glen Tillbrook the night before and really enjoyed it and now she was accompanying me to see the covers band, Vince Vortex & the Cucumbers! She wasn't the only one either. Ian joined us along with his daughter plus Tom and Carolina and last but not least was Steve and Carol ... quite a gathering!
Bands had been playing most of the afternoon and evening and having passed by them a couple of times you could see that a couple had quite an audience especially as the evening progressed. Unfortunately Tom and Caroline had to leave early, but that still left a good group of us when finally Vince Vortex & the Cucumbers took to the stage.
By now the place was rammed, with people standing on tables at the back to catch a glimpse of the action. Vince Vortex did not disappoint and blasted straight into the their set with so many well known covers from the likes of the Sex Pistols, Clash, Ruts .. and even 'Park Life' from Blur!
The evening just got better and better, especially with covers like 'Bodies' and 'Should I Stay or Should I Go'. The crowd were loving it, and even lapping up the abuse thrown at them between each of the tracks.
A great evening, it was good to see Nobby Snide (bass) again as well. Next up is TV Smith at the Style & Winch, another part of the Maidstone Fringe Festival.

TV Smith - Maidstone Fringe Festival, The Style & Winch, Maidstone 6.5.13

TV Smith in Maidstone! The Maidstone Fringe Festival continues in style.
After the delights of Vince Vortex a couple of evenings before, I was definitely in the mood and ready for this one. In addition to me and Steve, we had Ian joining us again, he seems to be really getting into the gig thing!
We arrived in plenty of time and drifted out to the beer garden which was next to the single storey building being used for the bands to play. We met up with another guy we had seen at Menace and also had time for a quick chat with Nobby from Vince Vortex. Things were running a bit late, but finally TV Smith appeared on stage ready to enthrall us.
I do like TV Smith as he does his acoustic set with a mix of his own stuff plus Adverts tracks but it does take a bit of getting used to, however we have seen him at Rebellion backed by the Valentines and that was really good. That said, he was still excellent here, doing a number of his own solo stuff but mixed in were a number of Adverts tracks like 'The Great British Mistake', 'No Time to be 21', 'Bored Teenagers', 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' and finished with a rousing version of 'One Chord Wonders'.
An excellent evening, really enjoyable, and so good to see the likes of TV Smith playing in Maidstone. Hopefully next year's fringe festival will maybe see some more Punk bands on the line-up .... we'll see.

The Varukers / English Dogs - The Grosvenor, Stockwell, London 1.6.13

First time at the Grosvenor in Stockwell for us, but nine really excellent bands for us to enjoy, some we've seen before but a lot are new for us.
We arrived a little early and grabbed a bite before the festivities were to start. This also gave us a chance to chat with the promoter, Robak.
The evenings festivities were opened by Terminal Decline. There were still not many people around but still those who were there seemed determined to make sure they enjoyed themselves. It turned out that the lead singer was actually the landlord of the Grosvenor. It looked good for the whole evening as this was a very good, we really enjoyed Terminal Decline.
Second up were Disorder. They were a little late arriving so already the finish time was looking to run well into Sunday morning! We had been looking forward to this band as we not seen them before ... and we were not disappointed either, they were brilliant. They powered their way through their set to delight of all, the place now being a fair bit fuller. We kept wondering why such well known UK82 band were so far down the playing order, it was later explained to us that the lead singer tends to get rather shit-faced ... so get them on early while he can still perform! Excellent. Disorder were so good and, hopefully, we will get to see them again soon. This was a night of so many really good bands, we really couldn't see a weak link anywhere in the line-up ... until Noise Complaint came on. Now they are not the worst band we've seen, but they really weren't up to the caliber of the other bands on the bill. They were fronted by an American in pigs head mask, and he tended to use so many US phrases when trying to interact with the crowd. Unfortunately a lot of people went back to the bar rather than listen to them.
Next up were 16 Guns, this was only the second time we had seen them and were looking forward to seeing them again. We had been chatting in the bar with Tom Halpin earlier about their impending slot at Rebellion this year, he seems quite excited for some reason! Anyway, 16 Guns flew straight into their set and were helped by Bradley grabbing mic constantly and joining in from the crowd. This just made it better as the crowd lapped up the music. It was getting a lot busier now and 16 Guns pulled so many more people in from the bar and outside.
Following on were FUK, another band we had not seen before. They were very thrash Punk, but were very good. Again the crowd in the room swelled as the band got into their stride and belted out tracks. FUK went down very well as the lead singer goaded more and more people down to the front.
Lunatic Fringe were the next to take to the stage, this was another band we had been waiting for having not seen them before. They were good ... very good, and once again the crowd number had swelled in anticipation of seeing a band that had not played London in over 30 years. They rattled out their set to a very receptive audience. We loved 'em, they were so good, I could have listened to them for a lot longer than their short-ish set. Another band I will be looking to see again some time.
Next to take the stage were the English Dogs, and they packed the place from the first minute! We had seen them previously at the Bridgehouse and they were excellent there, but here they were just superb with tracks like 'Fall of Max' and 'Left me for Dead'. The crowd had obviously been waiting for them and made their presence felt by packing the room solid. This whole evening was just getting better and better
Slipped in between the two headline acts were Sickpig We'd never seen or heard anything by these guys however John Marshall was saying they were brilliant and one of his favourite bands, so we were ready for anything. They turned out to a thrash Punk band, but really quite good! They only had a short set and the majority of the crowd seemed to have gone back to the but they still went for it. I was surprised how good they were and how much I enjoyed them, would be happy to see them again sometime.
By now the line-up was way over the published times, due to bands taking their time to arrive or setup. So at about 1:00am The Varukers took to the stage ... and all hell broke loose! The crowd went nuts, falling into the band, joining Rat on stage, along with a mosh pit that threatened to take out the speaker stacks .. brilliant! Rat played along with all this and provided all the encouragement needed for the crowd to go wild. This was Punk at it's destructive finest, with tracks like 'Die for Your Government', 'All Systems Fail', 'Led to the Slaughter', 'Protest & Survive' and 'I Don't Wanna be a Victim'. The Varukers were superb, everyone in the venue knew it .. and had been waiting for it, a fitting way to end a fantastic night.
Well, that was a truly excellent evening, finally getting home at around 3am! So what's next? ..... oh yes! it's BBA in Bangor, Northern Ireland ... this is shaping up to be superb all-dayer! hotel and flights are all booked and waiting.

999 / Barb Wire Dolls - Marine Court Hotel, Bangor, Northern Ireland 15.6.13

A quick flight to Belfast and then on to Bangor to see the first UK gig of the Barb Wire Dolls in quite a spectacular all-dayer.
All ran to time and i was in Belfast by around 6:30pm. Georgina and Tom picked me up and off we went to Bangor. I checked in at the Marine Court and popped back down to the conference room where the gig was to be held, and helped out humping in the sound system. While we were doing this my first pint of real Irish Guinness arrived ... wow! Once we had all the kit in and the BBA banner up, it was time for a few more pints in the bar. I had enough time for a bite to eat after, then an early night ready for the next day's festivities.
Saturday started well with a great breakfast to prepare the way, a few photos outside then it was back to the gig where I helped out shifting tables and speakers, it was thirsty work and called for a couple of pints to help me through. After a chat with Gary from Punkarama Records and bit of vinyl purchasing it was time to start the days music ...
First up was a young kid Stevie VX doing a solo acoustic set. All credit to him, he was not in the least bit fazed at being on first (to only a handful of people) and doing a solo acoustic set. He went down very well and received a well deserved round of applause when his set finished.
Second band up for the day were Hard Case, a local band from Bangor who were a punk/skinhead cross. Still not many people had arrived so the vocalist made the most of the empty floor by throwing himself around on it. Hard Case were an excellent band full of grit and anger, would definitely like to see them again.
Hard Case were followed quickly by Confrontation Time a Belfast band. A good little outfit but as is usually the case, not a lot of people down the front, still they made a good sound and are one to keep looking out for.
Shock Treatment came on next and blasted their way through their set, again as per other bands the guys were superb and started to get the place rocking.
Buck Eejit were the next to finally take the stage. They were rather late as most of the band had not arrived in time! When they finally came on, it was not to be missed, they were very heavy and raw. The lead singer Paddy O'Doors told me that he takes his music style from the likes of Disorder, Sickpig etc.
Following on from them came a band from Lisburn, Stop! Stop! Start Again. These guys were the best so far! really superb mix of punk and rock and similar in sound to Electric River. A real surprise package here, I love it when a band I've never heard of really impress me, and these were no exception.
The festivities continued with Thee Flash Guns who really started getting the crowd going. By now the place was filling nicely which was really good for bands who were on early. Thee Flash Guns got stuck into their set and received applause from the crowd once they were done.
The strangely named Not the Only Clown in the Village was next, a bloke with a guitar dressed in clown gear .... I need say no more .... he was crap! So, time for a bite to eat in the dining room, greasy Cod and chips.. note to self, next year EAT OUT! I returned just as the clown was finishing and had only a short wait until Wasted Talent took to the stage. This band were fantastic, a covers band, but did them so well and for the first time the floor was full. It just goes to show how the old tracks still get people going.
Now we were starting to get into the bigger bands, first of these were the Charred Hearts, I've seen these guys so many times now and they NEVER fail to impress, this time (even though they had sound problems) proved to be no different. They thundered though their set to the obvious delight of the crowd and Dermot even made a new friend .. an inflatable doll that was checked at him. As usual Lee was well lubricated, how he manages to play in that state never ceases to amaze me, later he was completely shit-faced and people had to keep picking him up off the floor, haha! that's Punk Rock for you.
The Defects have always put on a good show and didn't disappoint here, they had a massive following here and everyone went wild in front of the stage as Buck worked crowd. They covered tracks like 'Survival', 'Brutality' and 'Metal Walls'. A real class act and one of the really high points of the day. The Outcasts were next up. These are a band that I only really know a handful of tracks from and in the past have seemed a bit mediocre when I saw them at Rebellion. This time that all changed, they were excellent, whether it was being on home turf or not, I don't know, but the whole place was bouncing around to them with tracks like 'Self Conscious Over You' and 'Justa Nother Teenage Rebel'. Arthur and the The Lurkers finally put in an appearance, a long night for him as he was to appear later with 999 as well. The Lurkers are always a good band to watch as they pumped out tracks like 'Shadow', 'I Don't Need to Tell Her', 'Just Thirteen', 'Freakshow' and 'Aint Got a Clue'. By now the place was packed and everyone was well lubricated and enjoying the bands, The Lurkers were no exception. Now the band most people had been waiting for, the Barb Wire Dolls. There had been massive marketing around this 3 piece for a good few months. They are Greek, but reside in the US and have been touring solidly for a while, both in the states and across Europe. This was their first UK appearance, but would they live up the hype. Well, they certainly looked the part, however the music was good but I think the marketing around them is what has built such an interest. I don't think they'll last though ... I hope I'm wrong because when it comes to energy they have bags of it. Still they played a good set with tracks like 'Slut', 'Wild Child Diamonds', 'Devil's Full Moon' and 'Revolution'. Headlining BBA were 999 a band I really love! They blasted their way through 'Emergency', 'Feelin Alright With the Crew', 'Nasty Nasty' and 'I'm Alive'. The crowd loved them, so for the finale most of the crowd joined them on stage for the classic 'Homicide', it was excellent, and 999 still have that cutting edge and a hat-full of superb tunes.
After the bands had finished it was time for a few Guinnesses and some pics of Sam with a stuffed deer(??), chats with Simon and Lynda and a very interesting conversation with Paddy O'Doors who only stayed on his feet due to the fact that I was holding him up. Apparently the party continued in Tom's suite ... and managed to trash the room! Excellent!. Breakfast next morning was fun, with Buck (Defects) & Dolly, Arthur (Lurkers), Nick Cash (999), Georgina and a very very fragile Tom, what a laugh!!
After breakfast everyone filtered back their rooms, then started to congregate in reception. Unfortunately there was an 80th party to taking place that day, so we were asked to move to another bar, apparently cheaper drinks at the sports bar was the way to move us, however I think our language and alcohol consumption wasn't helping. Still, we had an excellent time until it was time to get going. Many thanks to the Charred Hearts for a lift back to the airport, really good of you guys. So best band ... it's close, Charred Hearts, The Lurkers, Outcasts and Defects were all superb, but they've been pipped at the post by 'Stop! Stop! Start Again' with their brilliant set.
And that was that .. what can I say, this was one of .. no, it was THE BEST gig I've attended, everyone I met in Northern Ireland was so friendly and so much fun was had! This will stay with me for a long long time .. or at least until BBA 2014. Lastly I must just thank Tom & Georgina for a fantastic gig, for giving me the chance to do the photos and for being good friends to me. Also to Buck and Dolly for explaining what was in my Ulster fry-up and Arthur for giving me a right laugh!

GBH / Barb Wire Dolls - The 100 Club, Oxford Street, London 22.6.13

Well! Charred Hearts and Barb Wire Dolls twice in one week! Can't be bad.
I spent most of the day wandering London with my family as we had all come for a trip. The girls went back about 4pm so I wandered down to the 100 Club for about 5pm and hung around to chat with Georgina, Barb Wire Dolls and the Charred Hearts and take a few shots. What did amaze me was the history that the 100 Club has. There are framed photos all around the walls covering all genres of music from the Pistols/Clash/Damned to the Rolling Stones, the Who and a number of Indie and Jazz bands, so many have made the trip to the 100 Club.
This was the final gig in the Barb Wires Dolls / Charred Hearts mini-tour so it had the makings of an excellent evening. It was also made of 4 bands all who could headline in their own rights! First on were the Charred Hearts, they came on like a whirlwind and seemed so pumped up for this gig, even Eamon was leaping all over the stage. They worked their way through their well used set with tracks like 'Fucked', 'Persecute Me', 'Throwaway Society' and 'Ronald Regan'. As usual they were excellent and I'm looking forward to seeing them for a fourth time this year when they appear at Rebellion.
Charred Hearts over, it was now time for Louise Distras. This was the third time I've seen Louise play and I never tire of her songs. She puts 100% into every performance and this was no exception. We had tracks like 'Stand Strong Together', 'Bullets', 'Blue on Black', 'This City' and of course the brilliant 'The Hand You Hold'. She went down so well with much cheering and shouts for more, but that was it.
So, finally the Barb Wire Dolls took to the stage and immediately threw themselves into their set with tracks like 'Revolution', 'Devil's Full Moon, 'Shut Up Slut', 'World on Fire', 'Destroyer Boy', and my favourite 'Wild Child Diamonds'. I love the Barb Wire Dolls but I do think it's just the image that is driving them forward, they are marketed so heavily. Once people tire of Isis Queen and her stage antics, then the band will fade unless they can pull some new fresh tracks out.
Headlining were another old favourite, G.B.H. The last time I saw them was in Swindon where Steve and I stood and watched them do a sound check before the gig ... this time i did the same, but in the 100 Club!. GBH are always good but they seemed even more animated and made them al the better for it, maybe it's being the spiritual Birthplace of Punk that did it? Who knows?. Well, they rattled their way through 'Give Me Fire', 'Am I Dead Yet', 'Sick Boy', 'No Survivors', 'City Baby', 'Slit Your Own Throat', 'Big Women' and 'Alcohol'. G.B.H. were brilliant ... and the crowd went wild, packing out the 100 Club and always baying for more.
At the end of the gig I had a chat with Dermot and Sam (Charred Hearts) in the band room, before having to depart to get my last train home.
Well what an excellent gig! and a great way for the mini-tour to end, it seems like it was a big success, and all the best to the Barb Wire Dolls for the future. Next up, well it will be Earl's for the Commited and Swampstomper, that should be a very good evening.

The Commited - Earls, Maidstone, Kent 27.6.13

A return to Earls to see the Commited and at long last Swampstomper.
Steve was till away sunning himself in Egypt, so it was left to me to support the cause and flit down to Earls for an evening of Punk Rock ... hard life, I know! Was good to meet up with the Kent crew plus Ian and Jon turned up as well, so it was rather a good turnout.
To get the proceedings under way Swampstomper took to the stage. This band is fronted by a guy who played years ago in a band with a good friend of mine. So it was good to meet him and catch up on old memories and people. I had been waiting to hear his band and was not disappointed, they were really really good. The crowd seemed to think so as well, so as they got into their stride so did everyone else, with rapturous applause for each track. My favourite was 'Dirty Black Boots' which was even better heard live! Finally their set came to an end, and my thoughts were if anyone could actually top that.
Second up were a London band called Slow Faction. I had not heard anything from these guys prior to this gig, so was looking forward to something new ... oh dear! They were not as good as I had hoped .. in fact they were not good at all. They did try hard and the crowd did eventually warm to them, but I don't think I'll be looking out for them in the near future. <.
last were The Commited, these guys are always good .. and they didn't disappoint. After the let down of Slow Faction it was so good to have Daz and co. on stage blasting out their repertoire. Most people in the pub had come to see them and so were fully behind the band right through their set.
They roared through their set with 'Mental', 'Cloggies Lament', 'British Crime', 'Hate', 'Law & Order', 'Free Speech', 'Depression', 'Lazy Hacks' and finished with 'Joe 90'. What a cracking set, and the crowd loved it, so much they had to do an encore as well!
Well brilliant evening, was good to meet up with John and Charlotte, Melvyn, Jon, Ian and the guys from Swamptomper and Commited. So, next I'm off to Sandgate for a recording session with the Surgery guys, after that, Steve finally returns from his world tour and we're off to London from The Business and Warriors, so lots to look forward to.

Surgery Without Research - Studio Session, Sandgate 29.6.13

Off to the coast to watch and listen to Surgery recording some new tracks.
It was a lovely hot day and driving to the coast was a bit of a pleasure. I got there early and went for a coffee and a bit of a look round before arriving at the studio.
Well I use the term 'studio' very loosely, as it was a flat, and the recording was done in the front room ... but that's DIY punk for you! excellent. It turned out the guy who was doing the recording and mixing was a very old friend of Andy's.
They guys finally arrived and set up their gear then started to play a bit before recording the tracks. Paul then decided it was time to strip down to just his long johns .. really not a pretty sight1 but the show went on anyway.
Surgery were recording just a few tracks and took a few takes for each, but the vocals would be added later.
All in all it was great morning and a cracking opportunity to be there with them as they recorded some new stuff. Loved it all and was sad to be leaving, but it was a busy day for me and I had to be back home for other events. Next up is the Boston Arms with the Business and the Warriors, looking forward to this one.

The Business / The Warriors - The Boston Arms, London 6.7.13

A trip to North London with the Warriors supporting the Business, not a bad night at all.
Thanks to the Warriors we were on the guest list .. and Steve was not even a '+1'!!. We got to London with a lot of time to spare, so we were able to have a bite to eat and a couple of beers before going in. Once in we met a few faces we knew, but also a lot were missing who said that they were coming along.
So, first up for the evening were The Tendons, who flew straight into their set and were superb. They looked like a cross between the Septic Psychos and Buck Eejit, but there sound was definitely hardcore. I likes them so much that I bought a couple of their DIY CD's after. They had a good set and once done had left us in the mood for more music.
Second up were The Warriors who, true to form, were faultless. Russ was not with them due to illness, so this was the first time we had seen the new bassist, Nick. They still looked the part and still blasted the tracks, but without Russ there was something missing. Still, they pumped out the tracks, 'Warriors Come Out to Play', 'Bankrupt Britain', 'SNAFU', 'Buddah of the Back Streets', 'Marlon Brando', 'Bank Holidays', 'Never Forgive, Never Forget', 'Woman Beater', 'Horror Show' and 'England', it was a great set from a truly great band.
Headlining the evening were The Business, however they decided to come on about 3/4 hour late ... we were not impressed as we had a train to catch and we were tight for time anyway. I was very surprised at that as they were not late arriving!.
Anyway they took to the stage and any gripes over time were quickly forgotten as they tore into their set. I had only seen the Business once before and that was at Rebellion. I wasn't that impressed then, but this time they were 100 time better.
They reeled of the tracks like 'Product', Employee Blacklist', 'Suburban Rebel' and 'Harry May'. Even though we had to leave early we went away with a good feeling from all the bands and another gig under our belt.
So, excellent evening, for me The Warriors stole the show, which wasn't surprising they are such a superb band. Next up .... oh yes! It's Rebellion in Blackpool, bands, beer and kebabs, and this year I am part of the photo team, so something extra to really look forward to!

Choking Susan - The Lady Luck, Canterbury 5.8.13

I bit of a last minute pre-Rebellion gig saw me dashing off to the Lady Luck in Canterbury for a four band session.
My first time at the Lady Luck and it looked quite a good (but small) venue. It was by no means full and certainly when the first band, Blest Mess, came on there were very few people. Blest Mess are an American three piece and made a really good sound, very heavy and raw with the female lead snarling out the lyrics. I had not seen, or even heard, of these guys before but was very impressed with their set.
Second up were Southend Punks Social Schism, who I had seen a couple of times before. They were again very good, but Ben just needs to cut down on the incessant banter between tracks and concentrate on the music, the set becomes very disjointed to hear him ramble away time and again. That said they went down very well, the crowd had warmed to them and the place was starting to fill up nicely. Hopefully I will be seeing them again on their first appearance at Rebellion next week.
Third up were a favorite of mine, Electric River, who hail from Ashford. These guys are now going places and also have a first time slot at Rebellion the week following. Electric River were their usual professional selves and banged out the tracks. The place was heaving now and they went down a storm.
Now the place was packed and ready for Choking Susan who did not disappoint! They were brilliant and seemed far better than the larger stages I had seen tem on previously. Colleen took to making forays into the crowd during her set singing directly to people she picked in the crowd .. and they loved it. The place was crammed now and a number of those present had been following the band around Europe on her tour.
Well, that was certainly a great way to prepare for Rebellion, four bands, three of which we will be seeing again at Rebellion, and one who I wish I was seeing again at Rebellion! A great evening was had by all, next stop BLACKPOOL! See ya there.

Rebellion Festival - Winter Gardens, Blackpool 8-11.8.13

Once again it was time for the annual trip to Blackpool and Rebellion! This time I had a photo pass, so that added to the fun!
It was our usual early-ish trip up to London and then on to Blackpool. Easy journey, even if I was a bit bogged down with my camera gear. We stayed in our usual haunt and once settled we set out for a beer or two, then a bite to eat. We headed back to the pub after and started hooking up with people we know and those we hadn't seen for a while. As I was to be photographing Rebellion, I gave the photos a miss for this night and just settled into a few beers and relaxed watching the bands.
A useful change this year was allowing people to get their wristbands a day early so they didn't have to queue in the morning, this sounded great so Steve hopped off and got his.
DAY ONE: We were up and breakfast sorted, then it was off for a coffee before the day started. I had to pop in and get my wristband plus my Photo card, then it was off to photo the first bands of the day.
The Thursday is usually a quiet day but there were some superb bands on this year, starting with In Evil Hour, this band blew me away, they were superb and MUST see them again sometime, that really set the tone for the day and were followed by the likes of Loaded 44, the brilliant 16 Guns, The Straps, Leftover Crack, Menace and One Way System. I also managed to see some bands I had not seen before like New Model Army, On Trial UK, Penzance band, The Surgeons, who were superb, as were System of Hate. With the first day over, my band of the day has to be In Evil Hour, although it was very very close with 16 Guns, System of Hate and the Surgeons.
DAY TWO: Again I was to take photos of some of the early bands so I had to be in the Winter Gardens from this start. As with Thursday it was a really good line-up with The Casualties, Barb Wire Dolls, The Duel, Peter & the Test Tube Babies, Charred Hearts, Hotwired and Eastfield. There were also a number of bands that I was seeing for the first time like Eddie & the Hot Rods, Rage DC and Army of Skanks plus two I had to photo who turned out to be real good as well, Long Tall Texans and Vince Ray & the Boneshakers. The day ended with the big names, Exploited, The Buzzcocks, The Adicts and The Damned.
Friday? well the Damned were superb and so were the Casualties, however they were both eclipsed by a brilliant performance by The Defects.
DAY THREE: Saturday seemed to be packed with even more good bands. We saw two of Kent's finest, The Warriors and Decadent Few, the latter brought on Daz from the Commited and Andy from PCF to help out. On the Oi side we also had Cockney Rejects and Cock Sparrer. Also saw a few new bands again like Potential Victims, Healthy Junkies, Dogsflesh and I finally got to see both The Mob and Special Duties, along with the usual suspects Resistance 77, Vice Squad (I bloody love Vice Squad), The Rezillos, UK Subs, The Outcasts and The Varukers.
Last band for the night were the Misfits, who were superb with their Horror/Punk mix, first time seeing them and would definitely see them again. So, the Misfits or Cock Sparrer would have been my top for the day .. if it weren't for a small UK82 band jumping in front .. Chron Gen!
DAY FOUR: The last day ... and the bands keep coming, today we had the excellent Blatoidea, Channel 3, Prairie Dugz, Electric River and Choking Susan. It was really great after al these years to finally get to see and photo Lene Lovich, and she sounded just the same today as she did all those years ago. Headliners for the final day included Sham 69, Discharge, Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo Bay School of Medicine and G.B.H.
And that was that ... another Rebellion over for another year. But how good was this one! A photo pass and the best line-up so far (in my opinion), I was a very happy boy. Hopefully ... next year will see another press pass ... and even more good bands.
This years shock band award must go to He Who Cannot be Named who came out naked apart from a mask and boots! Not a pretty site.
It was great to see all these bands but it was also superb to meet up with friends old and new over the four days, it also gave me the chance to make friends with a few new bands as well.
Next up .... well I have been asked to do the photos for the 3 Chords Festival in Penzance, Cornwall! So I'm off for beer and pasties!

3 Chords Festival, Penzance, Cornwall 24-25.8.13

The first year for a new festival, The 3 Chords Festival, way down in Penzance, Cornwall.
It was during Rebellion that I was chatting to Pat from the Surgeons about a new Festival they were organising in Penzance, Cornwall and would I like to come along as the photographer? .. would I? .. of course, after speaking to Melinda, the answer was yes! The only downside was that Steve would be away then on holiday so it would be a trip alone. At the last minute my son, Tom, decided he'd like a holiday in Cornwall, so he accompanied me on the drive down and back.
I arrived at Trereife estate on the Saturday, slightly jaded from the long journey the day before, but ready and raring to go. I got my wristbands and wandered up, in the blazing sun, to the marquee and met Pat who showed me around and gave me a chance to organise where I could take pictures from. After that it was a quick pint and a pasty then I was already for what the day had to offer.
The festival kicked off with two local bands Pirate Copy and 50 Wolverines, both were good but Pirate Copy seemed the more confident and had quite a few more followers in the crowd.
The running order and times was very strict in order to meet the 11pm curfew, next up were Dischord the first of the bands from Blackpool way, they were very good indeed. Unfortunately Pascal Briggs could not make the day but Jenny and The Crows stepped up to the plate and played to disappointingly small (but enthusiastic) crowd. At one point Jenny's daughter popped to play with them. They were followed by The Healthy Junkies who I had seen a couple of weeks earlier at Rebellion. They brought quite a crowd to the stage and were just as good as their earlier appearance in Blackpool. After the Healthy Junkies came two more Northern bands, On Trial UK and Potential Victims, again these were two bands I had seen in Blackpool earlier in the month. Both were far better here, especially Potential Victims, so it could be the stage or sound? Another Rebellion band, Maid of Ace followed them. I had missed this Hastings based all female band in Blackpool and so was glad to get a chance to see them here. Following close on their heels was a quick set from Andy T. Apart from the Sophie Lancaster poem, this guy leaves me cold. I don't have much time for miserable rantings of a second rate John Cooper Clarke and would rather get back to the music.
The light was beginning to fade as The Straps took to the stage. They were good, but seemed to lack the raw energy of those bands that had preceded them, this left them the weakest band so far for the day. Next up were an old favourite of mine, One Way System, again, having just seen them at Rebellion I was hungry for more, and they provided it. They played to a packed marquee and crowd loved them. Last up for the day were The Vibrators. Now since Knox left I had no real interest in this band, I'd seen em a couple of times and was not 100% impressed. This time was different ... they were absolutely superb! All the power and energy were there as they blasted out 'Automatic Lover', 'Baby Baby' and 'Judy Says'. What an end to the day, couldn't ask for a better band to finish the first day of the festival.
Sunday saw me arrive slightly later and park a bit closer .. right next to the tent so as to save my knee from more damage, the weather was the same, bloody hot! First task of the day was a few pics of the Pukes up by the 3 Chords Hollywood sign, then the obligatory pint and a pasty before The Pukes took to the stage to kick off day 2. As usual the Pukes were amazing and packed the marquee out, which seems to be the norm whenever and wherever they play. Next up were another of the Northern bands, Molly Bloom with a lead singer and who also plays the flute! in a Punk band? Well, it bloody worked, they were amazing, a really cracking start to the Sunday!.
Following closely on their heels were Husbands n Knives a West Country band from Torquay. They made a very good sound, were great to watch and again went down very well with the crowd. Next up were Acid Drop, now I loved this band when I saw them last year at Rebellion, and although they were very good, this time they didn't quite hot the spot for me. Another of the Blackpool area bands were next, Crackshot, I had chatted with them over the two days and was rather looking forward to them. They started really well, very heavy and raw. They continued this way until the lead singer threw water all over everyone .. including my equipment, so that was it for the rest of their set as I went to dry off my camera.
Now the marquee was packed as the next band up were Penzance band The Surgeons. They were superb, even better than their recent Rebellion performance, probably because they were on home turf and with a good following. They blasted their way through their set to rapturous applause. It was always going to be a difficult task to follow the local band, but dress your lead singer in pink fishnets, a tutu and a T-shirt that says "I love my Vagina" and you've got yourself a winner! The Plymouth based Bus Station Loonies burst onto the stage and whipped the crowd up for a blistering set. Unfortunately Roughneck Riot could not make the gig, so Andy T was asked to get up and do an acoustic set with the help of the lead singer from Potential Victims. The set was pretty much the same as the previous day.
So we were down to the last three bands for the weekend. First of these was one of my fave bands, Vice Squad. I had seen them, again, at Rebellion and they had done a brilliant set there and this time was no exception Al the the well worn tracks were covered and the crowd went wild. It was a superb set and I really enjoyed it. After their set was over I was able, for the first time ever, to chat with Beki backstage .. and I just talked drivel! all those years of waiting and a blew it! Crap!.
Next were 999, these guys always do a tremendous set and they lit the stage up this time, the crowd went wild for them as they tore up tracks 'Homicide', 'Feelin' Alright with the Crew', 'Emergency' and 'I'm Alive', excellent, excellent set!
Headline act for the whole weekend were The Ruts DC. Now, I have seen these guys a year or so ago at Rebellion and I walked out after the first couple of tracks. I nearly did the same here, the Ruts DC are not really my cup of tea, however I stayed the distance. The crowd on the other hand loved them, the place was rammed, and loads of kids still there too. The majority of tracks I did not recognise and they were mostly reggae, although things looked up when they did 'Staring at the Rude Boys', but it was save the best for last ... 'Babylons Burning' was probably the best track of the whole weekend! The sound was perfect and they belted it out to the obvious enjoyment of all who were there. It was a most fitting end to a fantastic two days.
Well hopefully this festival will get another outing next year ... I do hope so as it was so good, even if one moaning git tried to get it stopped on the saturday, and the family who own the ground have received a lot of hate phone calls for putting on a Punk fstival. Still on the positive side, it's great to see that Punk can still put the fear of God into people! If it happens next year, I'll definately be there. In the meantime ... It's Subhumans and Surgery in Canterbury ...

Subhumans - - The Three Tuns, Canterbury, Kent 12.9.13

After a bit of a gap, Davee was putting on another gig in Canterbury .. would have been rude not to attend!
We drove over and went for a quick bite to eat before the proceedings started. In the pub there was quite a good turnout with lots of people we knew either from other bands or just friends we meet from attending gigs. As Steve was driving I decided it was a chance for me to have a drink even with the camera. After a lot of chat and a couple of beers it was time for the festivities to begin.
Surgery Without Research took to the stage first. As usual these guys were superb. It;s always great to see Surgery play, this time it had been a bit of a break since we had last seen them, and to me they seemed to have got a new edge to their music ... all very good! They ran through their set and the crowd rose to the occasion, really enjoying the music. Hopefully in 2014 we will see these guys playing at the Boston Arms ... much as I love pub gigs, it would be so good to see them in a proper venue again.
Headliners were an old favourite the Subhumans they came on to a chorus of rousing cheers and just flew straight into their set.
By this time the place was packed, and the crowd was really rising to the occasion and enjoying every minute of the performance. The Subhumans were on fine form and played well to the crowd who responded and threw themselves around at the front. Wherever I go the Subhumans seem to play well and always get the best from the crowd I believe this time they were playing on the back of their recent Rebellion performance and were then off for a few dates in France. Neither Steve of myself have much recollection of the tracks they played on the night, except Steve does remember 'Religious Wars' as it's one of his favourites.
Well, a superb evening lots of good music, friends and beer .. what more could you ask for. So next up it's Infa Riot and the Warriors at the New Cross Inn, looks like another winner!

Rage DC - Earls, Maidstone, Kent 31.10.13

Not far to travel for this one .. just to Earls to see what Nobby has in store for us all.
I nearly missed this gig as Georgina was getting me a photo pass for the day after at the Roundhouse ... luckily that didn't come off so I was able to get into Maidstone and see what Earls had to offer. Steve was on (another) holiday so I popped down on my own. I arrived in plenty of time so had a beer and a chat with Nobby (The Organiser) and Paul Brightman (Swampstomper). It was Halloween so mny of the people in the pub and the bands had dressed up .. theliving dead seemed to be the main theme. As I was chatting, the Rage DC boys arrived and remembered me from Rebellion, so it was another excuse for a beer and a chin-wag.
Swampstomper opened the proceedings and blasted straight into their set with tracks 'Swampstomp', 'Dirty Black Boots' and 'Too Tall' among many others. They were really good and went down well with th ecrowd there. By this time Jonanthan and Cass had arrived as well and were getting into the set. Swampstomper are a really excellent band and deserve to go far, hopefully we will see more of them in the new year.
Second band for the night were Flathead who I had never heard of before. I had heard rumblings the week before of right-wing influences but there was notnhign to show of that on the night. So instead I jst enjoyed the music as did the rest of those watching. Flathead weren't bad, they made qite a good sound, but I think seeing them again may help make a better decision. The crowd seemed to like them and they certainly made the place rock.
Hadline act for the evening were Rage DC, I had just recently seen these guys at Rebellion, and only caught them as they were one of the bands I had to shoot .. lucky I did, they were superb at Rebellion and again superb at Earls!! What a band, the place was filling nicely but not packed as it was only a Thursday night, but saying that, Rage DC really got everyone going and then topped it all by closing with a fantastic version to the Clash's Tommy Gun!!. This was a superb night and all the bands had put on a really good show, this is how to spend a Thursday night!
So another cracking evening, thanks go out to Nobby for arranging it. Was good to catch up and chat with Rage DC and Swampstomper, hopefully see both these bands again soon.

Infa Riot / The Warriors - New Cross Inn, London 5.10.13

It was our first time to the New Cross Inn, we were looking forward to this one with Infa Riot and the Warriors on the bill together.
My turn to drive and all went well until we reached the New Cross Inn .. then it was where to park safely?? I ended up round the corner until the parking restrictions ended, then I moved it back outside the venue. The New Cross Inn itself looked rather a good venue and, as we were early, we spent some time out side chatting to Chris and Lee from Infa Riot. After a bite to eat the Warriors arrived which meant a few beers and more chatting before the evenings events started.
First up for the evening were The Uppercuts who I had not seen before. They started slowly but built up as their set wore on. They were very good and by the end were in full flight. I wouldn't mind seeing them again some time.
Second up were our old friends The Warriors who just flew straight into their set. They really are one of my fave bands, not only a good bunch of guys but they also put on a cracking show. They went down really well with tracks 'Warriors Come Out to Play', 'Bankrupt Britain', 'S.N.A.F.U', 'Buddah of the Backstreets', 'Marlon Brando', 'Bank Holidays', 'Never Forgive, Never Forget', 'Woman Beater', 'Horrorshow' and 'Violence in our Minds', it really was a great set! The venue by this point was starting to fill up although not as packed as I was expecting, still the Warriors did have one bloke doing his pissed dancing in front of them.
Headline act Infa Riot then took to the stage, they were brilliant .. can't really say much more than that! They went through tracks 'Still out of Order', 'Riot Riot', 'We Outnumber You', 'Catch 22', 'Power', 'Drug Squad', 'Kids of the 80's, 'Each Dawn I Die', 'Feel the Rage', 'The Winner' and 'In For a Riot' ... superb! only downside was that the crowd was still quite small, needed more people. That said those that were there made themselves heard, plus John and Dave ended up on stage as backing singers!.
It was a great evening with three brilliant bands and the chance to meet up and chat with quite a few friends. Next up .. Rage DC in Earls, Maidstone .. it's a home gig!

Angelic Upstarts - The Pipeline, London 9.11.13

Gemma has decamped and moved her gigs to the Pipeline, so for the first time I was venturing over to take a peek.
This had been quite a weekend so far having been in Camden the night before to see the Toydolls, who were just so good, so I was a bit concerned this gig would be overshadowed somewhat. The venue itself is quite a trendy city bar, and we met up with Dave Booker and his mate for a couple of drinks. We then headed downstairs to the venue and then it no longer looked like a trendy bar .. this was more like it. It was great to see live and Gemma again. We got ourselves a drink and checked out he best place for some photos.
As soon as the first band took to the stage, all my worries about a 'second best' gig were dispelled .. on came In Evil Hour, a Darlington band, who are a real favourite of mine, having seen them recently at Rebellion. They were amazing, this band must go places, they are a tight little band with cracking songs and a superb heavy sound, with singer Al's rasping lyrics .. brilliant! I could watch his band time and time again, certainly one of the best bands I've seen this year. They went down really well with the crowd with tracks 'Divide & Conquer', 'Far From Home', 'Seas Rise', 'The World Bleeds Out', 'Where You're Left', 'Little Death', 'I Lost Years' and 'Murder Murder'. I was then that I bumped into Tom Halpin (16 Guns) and his brood, so we all had a bit of a chin wag and caught up about the previous night and the Toydolls.
Next on were Crashed Out. I had seen these guys at Rebellion in 2010 and quite liked them then, but this time they were far better. They crashed their way through their set and the crowd rose to enjoy the moment with them. The place was really starting to fill now and when Crashed Out reached the end of their set their was an air of anticipation for the arrival of Mensi and his Upstarts.
After a short break the Angelic Upstarts hit the stage, by this time the place was rammed .. was a superb time for just enjoying the music but no good for trying to photo the band! Mensi went straight into his set and pulled out classics like 'Last Night Another Soldier', 'Woman in Disguise', 'Kids on the Street', 'Two Million Voices', 'Solidarity', 'Teenage Warning', 'Who Killed Liddle Towers' and 'I'm an Upstart'... they were superb!! The crowd was just a seething mass i the middle with the occasional body appearing above, only to be passed down to the front where they disappeared back into the melee .. good. Mensi really worked the crowd, whipping up a storm with his lyrics. By the time the finale came it was so hot that it was becoming quite difficult to breathe .. but no-one cared. What a gig!
The Upstarts gig will go down as one of my favourites .. three really good bands, and it was so good to see Mensi back up on stage where he belongs. My lasting memory though will be In Evil Hour's performance ... I'm gonna be watching these guys very closely.
Next gig is a little closer to home, The Castle Sheerness for Anthrax, The COmmited and Surgery Without Research ... now thats a rather fine line-up!

The London Punk Festival - 229 Great Portland Street, London 29.11.13

The London Punk Festival! and quite a line-up as well.
Steve and I set off early so we could sink a few beers and have a bite before the evenings festivities got underway, the first band was due on at 6:30pm so it was still quite an early start.
After meeting up with some friends we headed over to the venue. Once there I was faced with the usual 'there's no mention of you for a photo pass' .. luckily Steve ran downstairs and got Tom (16 Guns) to come up and sort it out. Once sorted it was downstairs to have a quick beer. This was a new venue for us and it looked really good, apart from the stage was at head height, but that was only a minor issue.
At 6:30pm 16 Guns opened the evenings entertainment. They threw themselves into their set with real anger and energy. They were superb which is just what we've come to expect from them! The blew through their set with tracks 'Evil Man', 'Killer', 'Feed the Paedophiles to the Sharks', 'Private 999', 'C29', 'Psycho', 'Friend or Foe', 'James Bond' and 'Move It'. A really excellent set from a really excellent band. In addition I was able to buy a Vinyl demo copy of their album .. can't be bad. With 16 Guns done, it was now the turn of Vice Squad, another band who i really enjoy watching, again they were a pleasure to see live with the usual tracks 'Living on Dreams', 'Stand Strong, Stand Proud', 'Out of Reach', 'Latex Love' and 'Resurrection' to name but a few. The evening was really shaping up to be one to remember.
Next up were Chron Gen a band who I'd only ever seen live once before (recently at Rebellion) yet I have always loved their music. They did not disappoint!. They were so good on stage and ran through tracks 'Jet Boy, Jet Girl', 'Reality', 'Lies', 'Puppets of War', 'Outlaw', 'Breakdown', 'Behind Closed Doors', 'Pretend', 'Mindless Few' and my favourite 'Clouded Eyes'. Well they sent the crowd into a frenzy as everyone was really up for Chron Gen. The concensus after was that nothing could beat that performance! and I couldn't argue with that.
So, next up were Spizz Energi. I've always had a soft spot for Spizz Energi and having seen (and enjoyed) them at Rebellion 2012 I was looking forward to seeing them again. Now, they were still very good, but up against the others that had been on so far, they lagged a way behind. That said, their renditions of 'Soldier, Soldier' and '6000 Crazy' were bloody superb, also the obligatory 'Where's Captain Kirk' really got the crowd on their feet, then they surpassed themselves with 'Virginia Plain' ... very very good.
Last but by no means least came the Cockney Rejects. By this point the place was heaving, there was a mad pit at the front and the Rejects played to it, hurling out their tracks to the crowd, while every few minutes Stinky Turner was stabbing the microphone into the crowd for them to join in. They went though tracks 'We Can Do Anything', 'Bad Man', 'War on the Terraces', 'Oi Oi Oi', 'Police Car', 'Power and the Glory', 'On the Streets Again', 'East End' and 'Flares n Slippers', what a brilliant set.
And that was that. A most superb evening with 5 bands who all gave their best. All bands were very good, although I think the running order should have been different. So, for me, Chron Gen were the heroes of the hour, but very closely followed by the Cockney Rejects and then the rest, but what a good time was had! So, thanks go to Tom (16 Guns) and Andy (Promoter) for letting me get my photos wouldn't have missed this gig for the world. Next up ... well it's on home turf and it's Anthrax, Commited and Surgery .. will be a blast!

Anthrax - The Castle, Sheerness, Kent 7.12.13

It's been nearly a year since we last visited the Castle, it was great to be back to see three local bands.
The day started well as Daz (The Commited) picked me up from home and took me over to the Castle. It was still rather early but already a few people I knew had arrived, so it was a couple of beers and a chat. Steve arrived a bit later so we popped out for a quick Pizza and were back in plenty of time for the start of the festivities.
The place was already filling nicely before the bands even came on, probably due to it being Russ's birthday as well, which gave a chance to have a good chat with the bands and friends.
Surgery Without Research kicked the evening off .. and in serious style. This band just get better and better, they were awesome! With tracks 'Sheep', 'Religious Bullshit', 'Cuts', 'Police are Liars', 'Spit Mask', 'Fight Back', 'Woman Beater', 'Paedophile Scum' and 'We are the Punks'. The crowd really responded to them as they thrashed their way through their set. All too soon though, it came to an end. Hopefully they'll be playing in London next year, so it'll be great to see them up there again.
Daz and The Commited were next up. By this point in the proceedings Daz was pissed! But, give him his due he still put in a sterling performance. The Commited are another superb local Kent band and they didn't disappoint ... superb, firing off tracks 'Lazy Hacks', 'Fast Lane', 'Law & Order', 'Boots in Yer Face', 'Wake Up! Get Up! Pay Up!', 'Brezhnevs to You', 'Telling it Straight', 'Depression', 'Got it All Wrong', 'Free Speech' and 'Fuck Conscription'. The evening was really hotting up as the crowd threw themselves around at the front. These guys are improving each time we see them, surely soon they will be picked up for Rebellion? We'll have to wait and see. It must noted that at this point in the proceedings Daz was only just standing unaided!
Headline for the night were Anthrax. I had seen them a couple of times before and really liked them, this time they followed the course of the evening and really blew me away. I love this band and the more I hear them, the more I want to hear them (If that makes sense??). They had a great set with tracks 'Abracadabra', 'Sleeping Dogs', 'Happy', 'One Last Drop', 'All the Wars', 'Got it Wrong', 'Monochrome Dream', 'Ska', 'Capitalism is Cannibalism', 'Hunger Pain', 'Another' and my favourite 'Grin'. They were really superb and deserved the headline slot. The pace was packed by now and the crowd really responded to them, so, when the set ended they were cheered into doing two encores.
Well, another brilliant night, all bands were superb, being made better as they are local and friends. It is now very rare for us to attend a gig and not like any of the bands, which hopefully shows the quality out there.
Next up is my last gig of the year ... The Damned, Theatre of Hate and Ruts DC at the Roundhouse, cracking line-up, see ya there!

The Damned - The Roundhouse,London 13.12.13

Well December has come around again, all to soon, however that does mean it was our annual trip to the Roundhouse to see the Damned, this time with Theatre of Hate and Ruts DC.
So, the year is coming to an end and as usual the last gig is at the Roundhouse. As it was on a Friday I took a half day and travelled up early. I made it to the pub we were meant to be meeting in with plenty of time, so a quick call to Andy and he joined me for a beer. Not long after Steve arrived, then Georgina and the rest. it was a few beers and a chat before heading in. I picked up my photo pass and we headed off to the bar for another quick on before the festivities began.
The Ruts DC were first on. I have seen them twice before with mixed feelings about them, this time did nothing to inspire me. I know a lot of people who love the Ruts but I'm afraid I just can't get into them, too much reggae for me. Still the crowd loved them, it was already pretty packed, they did tracks 'Mighty Soldier', 'Backbiter', 'Love in Vain', 'Rude Boys', 'Smiling Culture', 'It Was Cold', 'In A Rut' and 'Babylons Burning'. I did lose interest part of the way through and retreated a safe distance to the bar. The main support were one band I had been waiting for, the reformed Theatre of Hate, having seen Spear of Destiny a couple of times recently it was good to see Kirk Brandon back at the helm of TOH. The crowd loved this and went wild in an already packed to seams Roundhouse, with tracks 'Legion', 'Original Sin', 'Omen', 'My Own Invention', 'Aria', 'Poppies', 'Propaganda' and of course the excellent 'Westworld'. They were superb, loved every minute of what seemed quite a short set.
The place at this point was rammed as the gig was apparently sold out, so after another beer (too many really!) I took up my position in the pit.
The Damned came on to a rapturous welcome and proceeded to blow everyone away with what was one of the best performances I've seen by them for a long time! The Captain and Dave Vanian were in top form thundering out all the tracks you would expect with some excellent additions
They started with with 'Don't Cry Wolf' and went on into 'Wait for the Blackout', 'Lively Arts', 'History of the World', 'Generals', 'Plan 9 Channel 7', 'Love Song', 'Eloise', 'Just Can't be Happy Today', 'New Rose' and 'Neat Neat Neat'. They were, as expected, called back for an encore which consisted of 'Curtain Call', 'Jet Boy Jet Girl', Anti Pope' finishing the whole evening with a brilliant rendition of 'Smash It Up'. For me the Damned seem do either good or bad gigs ... this was superb! They seemed to really let loose, the tracks were great and the crowd really responded. Can't wait to see them again now!
So, ,that looks to be it now for 2013 .... what a great year and so many superb bands, can't wait to see what 2014 had to offer!
It just leaves me to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to thank all those that I've met along the way in 2013. it's been a real blast, in particular, Steve, Georgina, Tom Tom, Tom Halpin, Dermot & Sam Fuller, Dod, In Evil Hour, System of Hate, 3 Chords Festival (and Chris!) ... to you all .. Thanks! ... now let's get ready for 2014!