On Trial UK - The Lady Luck, Canterbury, Kent 22.1.15

The first gig of 2015 and we're off to the Lady Luck in Canterbury for a little bit of Punk Rock!
Even though Operation Stack had shut a good section of the motorway, I still made it with plenty of time to spare. So it was a quick drink before Steve arrived, then it was pizza and back ready for the off. First up were a band we've seen quite a bit of last year, Skaciety. They are a bunch of young lads playing their twist on Ska/Punk .. and playing it very very well! These kids get better and better each time we see them, and they also bring their own support, which managed to pack out the Lady Luck.
Following closely on their heels were the 'Horror Punk' Headstone Horrors from Nottingham. This was the first time I'd seen them (although they used to be Girlfixer, who we saw a few times) and was interested to see what they were like. They certainly didn't disappoint! they were superb, even though a lot of the crowd had disappeared as they seemed to have been there solely for Skaciety. They rattled through their set and and were received very well from everyone around. I will certainly make sure I see them at Rebellion this year.
Next up, another new one for me, The Lords of Lonesome. This is Arthur Kitchener's new band having been with The Last Resort and The Warriors in the past and more recently solo acoustic. They were superb! probably my favourite band of the night. Not fast and not massively punky, but a really good band making a really good sound! They are playing again soon at the Davee Wild Memorial and I can't wait!
Last up for the night were On Trial UK from Reading. Now I've seen these guys a couple of time before at Rebellion and 3 Chords festivals and loved them ... this was no exception. Jonny Wah Wah leapt up and down and did his usual showman bit at the front and really got the crowd going, as more and more people arrived to watch the headline act. They breezed through their set to rapturous applause and then did a few extra at the end to fill in a bit of time, especially when they did one of my favourite 70's tracks, 'Love & a Molotov Cocktail' by the Flys ... great set, great night!
Well, that was another brilliant night laid on by the Lady Luck. That place has to be the best pub in Canterbury and continues to put on class acts, long may it last! Wearily me and Steve headed home ... oh! but by way of the kebab house first!

Less Than Worse - The Castle, Sheerness, Kent 31.1.15

A second gig in just over a week, a good way to start the year, this time Amelia joined me to practice her concert photography.
Amelia and I set off on her first time photographing a gig and we chatted in the car about how she should go about it and what she'd think of the bands. It was a short trip and we were soon at the Castle. Once in I introduced her to the many faces and we got prepared for the fun to come! The evening kicked off with The Commited, always good for the money, they were superb as usual. Unfortunately the lighting was the worse its ever been in the Castle, so a lot of time was spend by the both of us trying to get the cameras to focus on the subjects!
Second up were Skaciety. Now I had seen them the week before at the Lady Luck and was really looking forward to seeing them again as was Amelia. Unfortunately a fault developed with the mics and so for most of the set they played with no vocals while people worked around them to try and restore sound. When they finally got things working again they only played 3-4 tracks before leaving the stage. That said they were very good and Amelia really got into them, even buying at-shirt at the end!
Before the last band a draw was made for the Up The Punks project. The idea is that a number of Kent bands all put a cd of their music into a hat and each band then drew someone else's CD. They then have to go away and learn one track from it. They will then meet up in Blackpool the day before Rebellion and play a gig in a local venue with each band playing their track! Now that should be fun! There may even be a CD made out of it ....
Last up for the night were Less Than Worse. This was the first time I'd seen these guys and was very impressed! The crowd had swelled by this point and all vocals were back on line, so they were able to rattle through their set with very little fuss. They certainly went down well, but as a local band it's just what you'd expect. Really looking forward to seeing these guys again some time as they were superb.
So another gig over and 3 excellent bands. Amelia really enjoyed herself, I think she liked Skaciety the best and would like to see them again some time soon. Next up is the biggie .. Davee Wild Memorial Weekend, 4 days of Punk/Ska bands, now that's gonna be immense.

Davee Wild Memorial Weekend - Canterbury, Kent 5-8.2.15

This four day festival had been orgianised as a memorial for Davee Wild who died last year and had 40 + bands who had some connection with Davee and most of who had agreed to play for free. I felt very honored to have been part of it ....
I arrived for the the first day rather early and after helping bring in the gear, it was a quick pint before Steve arrived. There were 5 bands on the line-up so we had a pizza and nipped back just in time for the evenings kick-up. We started with DeKadanCe which was Russ Crimewave and Kay (from PCF & Decadent Few), they were superb and were quickly followed by a covers band that had not long reformed, called The Remains. These guys were ok but the guitarist really needs a lot more practice ... Next up were Surgery Without Research, an old favourite of ours! However they were a little late starting as we all awaited the arrival of Paul the drummer!. Once he was settled, Surgery, really set the place alight and paved the way for the final two bands, The Vile and Sick on the Bus. Both these bands we had been looking forward to, and we were not disappointed, however The Vile most definitely stole the show!! They were superb and Rat was at his best.
On paper day 2 looked the weakest of the weekend and Steve had not been able to make it either. I started out at the Cheery Tree but unfortunately Criminal Brainstorm had pulled out as only half the band would have been able to make it. So first up were the strangely named Baptist Killing Spree, but this was the first surprise .. they were superb!! would really like to see them again. They were followed by another old favourite, The Halfwits. They really went to town and as usual got the crowd bouncing along. The final band at the Cherry Tree were Centurion Sect, these guys turned up in pyjamas and WW1 German headgear! They were great fun and the crowd loved them too. Next it was round the corner to The 3 Tuns for the rest of the bands. First we had Terminal Heads and The Spoilers the latter headed up by Davee's old friend Dan. In quick succession we then had 3 DB's Down, Wonk Unit and Morgans Puff Adder, Wonk Unit were really excellent while Morgans Puff Adder had the largest following, with the crowd going nuts. The day was rounded off with an excellent set from W.O.R.M and then Faintest Idea
Day 3 had to be the best line-up of the weekend, kicking off with the likes of Russ Crimewave, Local Madman, 16 Guns and the The Commited. We popped out for a quick bite eat and returned in time for PMT who we had not seen before and were very impressed with. After that the bands came thick and fast with Anthrax, The Lost Cherrees and Belinda Carbuncle.
Now the evening was really bout to kick off ... it was packed and the likes of Left for Dead, Red Flag 77 and The Restarts blew the lid off the Maidens Head big time!!. That just left Citizen Fish to top off the evening. After Saturday I was finally starting to flag a bit! However with bands like Skaciety, Snide, Drop This and Arthur Kitchener I started to pick up a bit again. Close their heels we had Captain Bastard & the Scallywags, The Lords of Lonesome, Hacksaw and the brilliant Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band, the day was really getting into gear, the crowd was packing out the Maidens Head and all was looking good! The evening got even better with 7 Day Conspiracy, The Griswalds, T//Alan and, the band should have headlined The Warriors. The evening was washed up with Kunt & the Gang ... the only act that was really not up my street, we stayed for one or two songs then beat a hasty retreat!
So that was it, 4 days done and dusted. What an event, Davee would have been so proud to have seen so many attending and so many bands playing! a true memorial befitting such a generous guy. Davee you will always be remembered and missed by those who knew you.

Another Winter of Discontent - The Boston Arms, London 26.2.15

It's that time of the year again, when Steve and I disappear off to North London for AWOD!
I arrived quite early and popped in the pub for a swift beer. Steve arrived later and after another beer and a chat we had a bite to eat before hitting the venue ready for the evenings entertainment. There had been a bit of work done to the venue which meant the stage was far better than before and the lighting was amazing! So we were all set for a great night.
First up were Skurvi. I had seen them once before at Rebellion on the Olympia stage and was not really impressed, however, here, on this stage, they were brilliant. Even though they were first on, they got the crowd bouncing and were full of energy, a really superb start to the night.
There was only a very short break before Emergency Bitter took to the stage. Never seen these guys before but they were excellent. Had quite a following there including the vocalist from Skurvi, who by now was very pissed and joining them on stage! Their set was excellent and the longer it went on, the more people tuned up to mosh at the front.
Next up were a well known band to us, 16 Guns. We've seen these guys so many times now and they are always value for money. This was second time in month we'd seen them and with the new line-up too. Last time the drummer seemed rather nervous .. no sign of that this time! Chris from Local Mad Man on bass has slotted so easily into his role, that is seems like he's been there forever. Tom's son joined them on stage later in the set as they belted out the likes of 'Evil Man', 'Cracked', 'C 29', 'Sod the Neighbours', 'Can't Pay, Won't Pay', 'Private 999', 'Psycho' and 'Feed the Paedophiles to the Sharks'.
Penultimate band for the night were our old friends, Charred Hearts. It has been quite a while since we last saw them over in Bangor. This was one of the best sets I've seen them do in a long time! They were superb, even with Dermot doing his walkabout later on in the set. Maybe it was because they were still sober? who knows, all I know is that they got the crowd going and really set the place alight with tracks 'Ronald Reagan', 'Everybody', 'Throwaway Society', 'Fucked in the Head', 'Nowhere Town' and 'You're Bringing Me Down'.
Headlining the first day of AWOD were Peter & the Test Tube Babies. Always like this bunch as they always put on a great show .. and the crowd always go wild. These guys are always a favourite with Steve as well, so he was very pleased as they went though their set with 'Run Like Hell', 'Banned from the Pubs', 'The Jinx' and 'Moped Lads'. So that was it for the first night. So glad we went as all the bands were excellent! Next up, Sham 69 at the 100 Club ... and it's Jimmy Pursey's 60th too!

Sham 69 - The 100 Club, London 27.2.15

The day after AWOD, I made another dash to London, this time for Jimmy Purseys 60th at the 100 Club.
Was on my own for this gig as Steve was doing a second day of AWOD. I arrived early and managed to get a few shots of the soundcheck, bit of a shame that Jimmy Pursey didn't turn up for it though! Anyway was good to the rest limbering up ready for the off. First up for the night was a Brighton based band, Dirt Royal. I'd never seen them before, but was very impressed, they sounded like a heavier version of the Jam. They went down very well as the place was already filling up nicely. The more they played the more people came to the front to join in, they were going down very well.
Next up were another new band for me, Knock Off. They had been support for the Last Resort gig last year at the 100 Club, unfortunately they came on after the headline act, so we had already left to catch our train home. I realised very quickly that we had missed a rather excellent band! They blasted their way through their set and the crowd was really getting stuck in with them! Knock Off were superb! Especially as they had only been going for a year or so. I would definitely like to see these guys again some time.
After a short wait, Sham 69 took to the stage. They were superb, with their set containing 'What Have We Got', 'I Don't Wanna', 'Ulster Boy', 'Rip Off', 'Tell Us the Truth', 'Angels With Dirty Faces', 'Questions and Answers', 'White Riot', 'If the Kids are United' and 'Hurry Up Harry'. What a set, and the place was absolutely heaving as it was a complete sell-out weeks in advance ... as Jimmy strutted his stuff, so the crowd urged back and forth towards the stage, everyone seemed to be lapping up the tracks
Sham 69 are a great band to watch and have some of my favourite ever tracks, however Jimmy Pursey needs to realise he's not that well known any more. When you have the likes of 'Sir' Charlie Harper (Jinsy praise him) who spends his time chatting and mixing with the crowd while posing for endless photos, Jimmy disappears off into the dressing room and stays as far away from his fans as he can. That's not the way really and it was shame because that left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth after an excellent night of Punk Rock.
Next up.. well probably the Lagan in Canterbury ... but who knows! things change so quickly at the moment.

The Ramonas - The 100 Club, London 21.3.15

We were back at the 100 Club again, this is getting to be a bit of a habit now!
There were three of us for this little jaunt as a friend, Gerry, joined us for the evening. We got to the 100 Club with a while to spare, so it was down to the Ship for a couple before heading back to the 100 Club. There was still no sign of any bands when we got back so there was just enough time for another swift beer and a CD purchase before band members started heading towards the stage.
First up was Louise Distras and now with 'her band'. we had seen Louise a few times and she has always been excellent, this time she had a drummer and bassist plus she was no longer using an Acoustic guitar! This was really what she needed! The sound made was now so much heavier and suited her 'angry' style of music. She reeled off tracks 'Stand Strong Together', 'Bullets', 'People of the Abyss', 'Shades of Hate', 'Story is Over' and 'Love Me the Way That I Am'. The crowd loved her and they responded to each and every one of her tracks. It was a short band list as the second band up were the headliners .. The Ramonas. I had seen these girls once before at Rebellion and was very impressed then, this time, headlining the 100 Club, they were superb! I'm not normally into cover bands, but here we have an all-female Ramones cover band .. and you know what, it works .. and works sooo well. The girls even look like the part, with their haircuts, dress and their stage moves. The sound they make is just what you would want, their setlist is endless, as most Ramones songs were just over a minute each!
So we had the likes of 'Judy is a Punk', 'Beat on the Brat', 'I Wanna be Your Boyfriend', '53rd & 3rd', 'Chainsaw', 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue', 'Loudmouth', 'Shock Treatment', 'Suzy is a Headbanger', 'Pinhead', 'California Sun', 'Commando' and 'You're Gonna Kill That Girl', in fact it was the entire first two albums, all done at 100mph in true Ramones fashion. Well, superb band! superb sound! ... and I do hope i get to see them again some time soon.
Next up it's me and the wife off to see the Lagan at the Lady Luck in Canterbury, this should be good!

The Lagan - The Lady Luck, Canterbury, Kent 26.3.15

It was just Melinda and I that were making the trek to Canterbury for this gig at the Lady Luck.
This was a first time for Melinda at The Lady Luck and she seemed to like it, it was also her first time to see The Lagan, which she was very excited about. It lifted the spirits after a somewhat shit meal at Zizzi's, which consisted of a tasteless pizza (which i ate anyway) and an appalling pasta dish for Melinda which had asparagus on top that had more string in it than the waiters vest! That was sent back! It took so long for the replacement to arrive that we just paid for what had eaten and left .. never again. So, after a couple of beers Melinda had calmed down and the first band Jo Carley & the Old Dry Skulls started up. Ok, this was folk music really, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. Was interesting to watch Jo Carley play the washboard but that was it. They weren't on for long so it didn't get to a point where we were fed up.
Next up was a one-man band, Andy Twyman. Now again this was folk, but his songs were amusing and kept the crowd laughing through his rather short-ish set. Looking back on it he was actually quite good and the Lady Luck was beginning to fill, so he got a good round of applause. Following close on his heels were The Folkestra. They were like a non-irish Lagan ... but really not as good. They were from Burnley and were stopping off to do a gig on their for a few dates in France. Melinda was really, really not keen .. she said they were too heavy and she didn't like the sound they made. Earlier I had chatted with the guys from the Lagan and mentioned how much we loved the track Fields of Athenry' .. so they had promised to play it for us! So, it with great excitement that we greeted The Lagan on stage! The place was rather packed by this point and you just knew it was going to be a good night!
The lagan just blew us away .. they went into their set with so much energy and seemed to love all that they did! With tracks 'Sunny Day in Southie', 'The Star of County Down', 'I'll Tell Me Ma', 'Work Away', 'Sailin' East' and then, dedicated to Melinda and I, they did 'The Fields of Athenry'. Bu that wasn't the end though, as they finished on 'Same Shite Different Night'. The place was in uproar, everybody was clapping and cheering, as were we! I just can't wait to see these guys again, and Melinda is going to make sure she is there at the 3 Chords Festival to see them again.
What an evening, Melinda and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to see them again in August. My next gig now is back at the Lady Luck for Maid of Ace and a very strong supporting line-up.

Maid of Ace - The Lady Luck, Canterbury, Kent 2.4.15

Just a week's break and now it's back again to the Lady Luck for another 4 bands.
Steve arrived straight from work, and we met up in the Lady Luck. We had a chat then it was off for a quick Pizza then back ready for the festivities to begin.
First up for the night was Nobby's band, Snide. We've seen these guys a few times since Nobby resurrected them and they just seem to get better and better. This time they were a good tight combo and pumped out the tracks. As they are a local band there were a few regulars there to shout them along, but as is usual for the first band on, they were not particularly well attended. a shame really as people were missing a really very good band. Next up were a new one for us, all the way from Aylesbury, it was UK Vomit. Great sounding name and turned out to be the real surprise package of the night! They were superb. They blasted their way through their set hardly pausing for breath. The drummer was manic and as Steve put it, he was reminiscent of Sam from Charred Hearts/Strength in Blunders, due to his face pulling and limitless energy. The crowd by this time has increased and was filling nicely so they got a rousing applause on completion of their set. Would love to see these guys again and have bought a couple of their CD's to keep me happy until that time.
Next were an old favourite, 16 Guns. A while back two of the members left 16 Guns and two new guys were brought in .. in my mind this was the best thing they ever did! Now 16 Guns are a real force to be reckoned with, blasting out tracks 'Cracked', 'Friend or Foe', 'Private 999', 'Feed the Paedophiles', 'Punk Rock Stardom', 'Child Batterer', 'Evil Man', 'Sod the Neighbours' and finishing with 'Johnny Be Good'. 16 Guns were superb even in the small confines of the Lady Luck and the crowd loved them, bouncing and bashing their way through each track.
Headlining the evening were Maid of Ace an all sister 4 piece from Hastings. We've seen them a few and they are another band that never fails to hit the mark. From the moment they hit the chord the crowd were enthralled and pretty soon there no space to be had at the front as they really got into their stride. It was noticeably all men at the front, either fans of the music of the girls themselves .. it made no difference really everyone was enjoying themselves anyway.
So, another superb evening spent at the Lady Luck, 16 Guns really nailed it for me, however UK Vomit were the surprise package of the night and I would really like to see them again on a larger stage..

Cockney Rejects - The 100 Club, London 17.4.15

And once again it's back for a visit to the birthplace of Punk ... The 100 Club!
Early trip to London for me as I wanted to catch the soundcheck. Once there I spent a while chatting with one of the promoters and the Rejects manager, until the Rejects (and Steve) arrived. Then it was a few shots of the soundcheck before popping up to watch the Rejects do an interview for a magazine (and take a few more shots).It was quite refreshing to chat with Jeff & Mick (really down to earth guys) and gave me a chance to tell them that I was at the Demelza's gig back in '79, was good to reminisce with them. After doing a few more shots of the Morgellons soundcheck it was time for me and Steve to pop for a bite to eat, then it was back ready for the evening to start.
First up were 16 Guns. These guys are always a crowd pleaser and tonight was no exception! They powered their way through their set with tracks 'Can't Pay, Won't Pay', 'Sod the Neighbours', 'Mind Games', 'Punk Rock Stardom', 'Child Batterer', 'Feed the Paedophiles', 'Johnny be Good', 'Private 999' and 'Killer'. They really are getting better and better each time I see them now!
Next up were The Morgellons. I had seen them once before at last years Rebellion, but to be honest I could not remember what they were like. I did quite enjoy them, although I do think I'm gonna have to see more of them to make a clear decision. The crowd seemed to like them as well and they played a great set until the last couple of tracks when it seemed to fall apart a bit! Still, they did 'Cold Dark Sunrise', 'Blank Generation', 'Monochrome Soul', 'Give it Back', 'The Drawback' and 'Foos Rush In'.
following close on their heels were the East End Badoes, we had seen them a couple of time before and quite liked them, however since then they slit and reformed with a new line-up leaving only the lead singer as the original member. This made o difference as they blasted into their set, the crowd were all over place and really enjoying every minute of it!. To be fair, I really liked them and they were much better than I remember, so I'm looking forward to seeing them again sometime. They belted out tracks 'Gary Doesn't Glitter', 'Forever Proud', 'Poplar Boys', 'Sticking to My Guns' and 'Yesterdays Zeros'.
Finally it was the turn for the Cockney Rejects. Ive always liked these guys since seeing them in '79, so this was another great gig. The sell-out crowd went mad (as expected) and rucked along to 'Fighting in the Street', 'Power & the Glory', 'Shitter', 'We Are the Firm', 'Hate of the City', 'We Can Do Anything', 'Join the Rejects', 'War on the Terraces', 'Bad Man', 'Police Car', 'War on the Terraces', 'Flares & Slippers', 'Bubbles' and 'Oi Oi Oi'. The place just went wild and the rejects really played to the crowd, egging them on and knocking out tracks that everyone loved.
So that was that, a truly brilliant gig! Next up is Anti-Pasti and support is 16 Guns (again!) ... excellent.

Anti-Pasti - The New Cross Inn, London 25.4.15

It was only second time at the New Cross inn but it's a great venue and we were there to see a clutch of fine bands.
It was a different train journey this time, travelling from Chatham rather than Maidstone. Once there I met up Steve and the 16 Guns lads, so a few beers and chat followed before we were ready for the first band. The evening opened with Knock Off, a really seriously good punk band. I had seen them once before supporting Sham at the 100 Club and really liked them then, this time they were even better! They blew their way through 'The Hunted', Same Shit Different City'', 'Bullet in the Head', 'Believe', ''Aint No Fool', 'Little Boy Soldier', 'Why' and 'Jack the Ripper'. There were not many in the crowd to see this set but those that missed it, missed a real treat!
Next up were a band we'd never seen before, Slutdrop. These guys were very raw, not really to my taste but I could definitely seeing them maturing a bit and then they'd be excellent. They were still enjoyable and it was good to have a chat with the vocalist after. I would like to see these guys again after a few more gigs and see how they have progressed.
Penultimate band were old friends, 16 Guns. We had already seen them twice t5his month already, but it was always good to see them again. 16 Guns were their usual brilliant selves, this time the crowd was quite small as there was a lot going on this weekend, but that didn't dampen the set, they still gave us 'Killer', 'Friend or Foe', 'Johnny be Good', 'Don't Care', 'Psycho', 'Punk Rock Stardom', 'James Bond', 'C29', 'True Story', 'Private 999' and 'Feed the Paedophiles' ... but still no Roy Cropper!! When WILL they add this classic back! .
Finally the headline band, Anti-Pasti hit the stage. Now, they have changed their lead singer and I have seen them once with the new singer at Rebellion and really liked them then. This time they were just as good!. The place was still not very packed, but those that were there made the most of it and a brilliant time was had by all with tracks like 'No Government', 'Another Dead Soldier', 'Let Them Free', '6 Guns' plus a load of new songs which will on their upcoming new album .. can't wait. Anti-Pasti were superb and much heavier than before, which for me, is a real improvement.
So, although the crowd was thin on the ground it was another superb night with 4 superb bands. I think both Steve and I went home well pleased ... especially as the night ended with a kebab ... nice!

Theatre of Hate - The 100 Club, Oxford Street, London 10.5.15

Another trip back to one of my favourite venues, The 100 Club on Oxford Street, and this time it was not really a Punk gig.
I got to the 100 Club quite early and was in time to catch Theatre of Hate's sound check .. bloody hell they were good! It was a bit more official this time, having to ask permission from their manager to take photos during the soundcheck and being told yes, but stand well back. So shots were done and it was time to pop out for a quick beer with Georgina before returning ready for the start. I met up with John Griffiths and we chatted for a while until it was time for the first band.
First up were a new band for me Folk Grinder. Now these guys are really just a heavy folk band (as per the name I suppose). They were ok but not really my thing at all, however I was happy to listen to them, plus they seemed to go down very well with the crowd. The place was really filling up now.
So, to rapturous applause, Theatre of Hate took to the stage. I was always a fan of these guys and Spear of Destiny too, so seeing them live makes for a great evening. I had seen them once before supporting the Damned at the Roundhouse and they were very good then. This time in a smaller venue they were superb as they kicked off with 'Westworld'. The place was now really packed and the crowd were bouncing along to each of the tracks 'Propaganda', 'The Wake', 'Rebel Without a Brain', 'The Hop', 'Grapes of Wrath', 'Judgement Hymn', 'Original Sin', 'Poppies', 'Triumph' and 'Legion'. It was so good!
Well, that was another successful trip to the 100 Club, next up is a trip Spain with the Warriors!! Can't wait!.

The Warriors - SHARP Invasion, Gijon, Spain 16.5.15

This really was a first for me, being asked to travel to Spain with a band and photograph them for a couple of days, how could I refuse an offer like that.
The weekend started early .. very early, up at 3am and off to Stansted. Met the Warriors at departures and, after being held up to have my bags searched in microscopic detail, I finally made it to the aircraft with seconds to spare! We were met in Santander by a couple of the organisers and a member of one of the other bands playing, and after a spot of breakfast we took the 2 hour drive to Gijon. Gijon did look lovely and the weather was quite warm too. We were shown to our rooms in the hostel then it was off for a few beers (which were badly needed by this point). We were later moved to another bar where we met most of the crowd that would be at the venue later, all were quite young skinheads and very friendly. Lunch was part of their festival, so it was stand up and help yourself to plates of food that just kept coming out, and very nice it was too, with Calamari, Breaded Mozzarella, Spanish Omelets, bread and so much more. part of this festival was Cider, but it had to be poured from a height to 'activate' the alcohol .. hmmm. I don't drink cider so I just had a taste then stuck to beer. After a few hours we popped back to the hostel for a quick rest before the gig.
It was only a 10 minute walk to club where the gig was to be held and it was nice just to see the town a bit. We arrived and had a quick look around and then waited for the other bands to arrive as the Warriors were going to use their equipment.
After sound checks and more beer the gig finally got under way. There were already a few people milling around when the first band, Dentellada took to the stage. These boys were a local band and all young kids, but they really went for it and the crowd did like them anyway. They breezed through their set and I really did enjoy them.
Next up were another local band, Mad Skins. These guys were a bit heavier and seemed to have a lot more local support. Again they blasted their way through their set with guys climbing on the stage to join them for the last couple of tracks.
The penultimate band were from Madrid, Strike Back, and they were the best so far. They were far heavier in sound and a really tight little band. I loved them, and again the crowd were going wild, jumping on and off stage to join in. These guys were obviously well known to the locals and went down very well.
Finally it was time for The Warriors to take the stage. I was wondering how well they would go down as most there seemed quite wrapped up with their local bands .. fear not .. the place went wild!!! every song the Warriors pumped out was greeted with applause and a big ruck at the front .. they loved them! Was so good to walk round the venue and see no-one hanging around, everyone was up at the front enjoying the band, even the bar staff had stopped working and were bouncing around behind the bar. The Warriors really got stuck in with tracks 'Warriors Come Out to Play', 'Bankrupt Britain', 'SNAFU' ,'Marlon Brando', 'Bank Holidays', 'Dead to Me', 'Never Forgive, Never Forget', 'Woman Beater', 'Predator', 'Horror Show' and 'King of the Jungle'. When it came to encores, all the crowd wanted was 'England' .. the Warriors had not done this is in their current line-up for months, but as the chant was for it, then 'England' it was .. wow! It was superb, so much so that I popped down the camera and jumped in at the front!. It was a superb set and the crowd loved them. After the gig was done, it was off to a party until 2am, then it was back to the hostel for a couple of hours sleep before our flight back to the UK.
What a superb 2 days! I have to say a huge thankyou to the Warriors for taking me along, and thanks to the guys and girls, who organised the gig sand came along to watch, such a friendly crowd and great to chat with.

The Warriors - The Lady Luck, Canterbury, Kent 4.6.15

An unscheduled trip to the Lady Luck to see a few local boys plus one who has traveled from the US.
This was a last minute decision to pop over to Canterbury for a gig that put together some really excellent local talent plus a Minnesota band touring Europe.
I was on my own this time, however upon arriving there were all the usual faces to chat and have a quick beer with. I spent a while with Paul chatting about the new line-up of Swampstomper, a band who I'd not seen for ages. The first band Terminal Heads came on rather quickly and took me by surprise as I still thought it was the sound-check going on. Luckily I only missed the first track and was soon getting into their set. Not many people had arrived by this point so it was a bit of a sad turnout for a band that were really very good! Despite the lack of a crowd, Terminal Heads really went for it (all credit to them) and didn't seem the least bit phased, the blasted their way through their set to the obvious pleasure of those who were there to enjoy them.
Second up were Degeneration an Oi band from Minnesota. These guys were superb, hard and heavy. They were doing a tour of Europe and were heading to Brighton next, then back to the continent. They pulled in quite a crowd, with many wanting to see what they were like and then staying because thy were so good. I would certainly ant to see these guys again if they come back to this country.
Degeneration were always going to be a hard act to follow, but Swampstomper managed it easily! I had not seen these guys for some time (having loved them before) and now they had a new tighter line-up, so it was a case of are they still as good? I needn't have worried, they were even better! much tighter and still that heavy Rock/Punk sound, superb!.
The pace had packed out now and Swampstomer were going down a storm, the crowd were really enjoying the evening now.
Now came the headline act, The Warriors, as usual the place rocked.... Saxby spat out the lines of each track to an exuberant and exited audience, they responded by leaping around, a little crowd surfing (not really allowed in the Lady Luck, but hey!). The Warriors pulled out all the stops with tracks 'Warriors Come Out to Play', 'Marlon Brando', 'Shit Town', 'Bank Holidays', 'Never Forgive Never Forget', 'Woman Beater', 'Horror Show', 'Dead to Me', 'Violence in our Minds', 'John Fila', 'S.N.A.F.U.', 'Buddah of the Backstreets' and 'Bankrupt Britain'. Having just seen them the other week over in Gijon, they seemed even better back on home turf with a local crowd .. even if the Lady Luck is getting a bit small for them now.
Well, what an evening that was, next up is Special Duties and Chelsea ..tomorrow night!

Special Duties - The 100 Club, London 5.6.15

Another trip to London, the 100 Club is fast becoming a second home for me! Superb venue and more superb bands to see.
Again it was an early arrival for me so as to catch the sound checks. Steve also arrived in time, so we sat and watched both Chelsea and Special Duties run though their pre-gig checks, it was really excellent. We then popped out for a bite and returned refreshed and ready for the evenings entertainment.
First up were Rage DC a band I had seen a couple of times before and really enjoyed, so I was looking forward to seeing them again. They did not disappoint and were even better than I remember them, which prompted a quick dash after their set to purchase the latest CD! Their set was superb! The crowd really got into it and they had a lot of support as they worked their way through their set, becoming heavier and faster with each track. Next up were Special Duties, a band I'd only seen once recently at Rebellion and was their first return to the 100 Club in around 30 years. I was really looking forward to seeing them again as their Rebellion set was superb, this was no exception with 'Special Duties', 'Too Much Talking', 'Police State', 'Violent Youth', 'We Gotta Fight', 'Class War', 'Rondelet Control', 'Judge & Jury', 'Punk Rocker', 'Bullshit Crass', 'Colchester Council' and 'Violent Society'. The crowd was swelling by now and they responded to Special Duties more and more as the set went on. They were brilliant, really enjoyed them and was good to discover that three of the four are original members.
It was a short break then Chelsea hit the stage, again another band I'd seen a few times and really enjoyed, but tonight they were on fire. They blasted their way through 'I'm on Fire', '12 Men', 'Come On', 'The Loner', 'No Admission', 'Evacuate', 'War Aross the Nation' and 'Right to Work'. They went down so well, being called back for their encore and still the crowd wanted more of them.
So, all in all another superb night! Not sure when my next gig will as I may have to cry off the Evil Conduct gig I had planned for next week!

Up The Kent - The Co-op Sports & Social Club, Sheerness 11.7.15

Off to Sheerness for a day of Kent punk bands, I've been looking forward to this for ages! .
I managed to make the venue with some time to spare, so I settled in and had a chat with a few of the guys before the bands started. The whole idea of 'Up the Kent' was to promote Kent bands, and this was done by each of the bands involved recording a track from one of the other bands. So during the gig each band had a set which included their track. Some bands had difficulties in getting their band together so some changes were made during the day.
That said, the first band All Flags Burn kicked off the proceedings in superb style. They had a full compliment and crashed through their set and covered their track 'No Solution' by Dropthis. Next up was an old friend, Russ Crimewave with his usual acoustic set.. he really does get better and better each time I see him. Russ covered 'Queen of the Council Estate' which was a Less Than Worse track. Russ was even joined on stage, for one track, by Andy from Surgery doing some vocals and Aiden from Skaciety on guitar, superb! Next up was due to be Less Than Worse, however due to band member having to have surgery it ended up with the vocalist doing just an acoustic set. He was very good, the crowd really liked him. His cover was 'Getting Away From You', a Surgery track. Next up were Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band and weren't they just superb. This was probably the best I've seen them, complete with corpse, bags of powder, money and the cigar!! Great fun. Their cover was a Skaciety track, 'Why Give Up'. Following on from them was Dropthis, they had a full compliment and really went to town. I only saw these guys for the first time earlier this year and they seemed even better this time. Their cover was from All Flags Burn, 'Magpie Song'. After a quick bite to eat, it was the turn of The Commited. Daz had been slowly absorbing beer all afternoon, and I was surprised he made it through the set, that said, it was the usual excellent set from them, this time it included Daz singing and dancing with a chair on his head! Their cover was 'Graduation Day' by Lords of Lonesome. As most of Surgery Without Research could not make it, Andy did one number with Digger (Commited, All Flags Burn) on drums and Russ on Bass.. wow! Superb even if it was just 'Social Spies' a Commited track. The day was getting on now and Skaciety took to the stage for their set. Again they had a full compliment and blasted through a superb set doing their cover, 'Race to the Bottom' a Russ Crimewave track. Then came the only downside of the day .. Skaciety then continued by doing a cover of 'The Mobster of Market Street' by Ted DiBiase. This was Snide's cover who were waiting to come on and do it!! Snide then left quite disappointed, which to be fair, I can't blame them.
So, that over The Halfwits took to the stage with their usual 'take the stage by the scruff of it neck' attitude! They bounced and crashed through their set to the obvious enjoyment of everybody there. Their cover was The Warriors 'We Are Not the Enemy'.
Headlining were The Warriors and they went full into their set! They were, as usual, superb! Love this band!, their cover was Snide's 'Pain and Glory'. The crowd loved them although their set seemed a bit short, however that made no difference to the quality. SO, that was that, a superb day out and all the bands really went for it! Great meeting up with the usual crowd, and Steve even made it for the last two bands. Rebellion looms now and three of the bands, Ted DiBiase, The Warriors and Skaciety will all be performing there, with the Halfwits playing a Rebellion warm-up the night before in Blackpool with Skaciety, Ted DiBiase and Dropthis, can't wait!.
For me, its a well deserved holiday first .. then Choking Susan at the Lady Luck before the trek to Blackpool the following day!!

Choking Susan - The Lady Luck, Canterbury, Kent 4.8.15

With Rebellion only a day away it's a quick zip over the Lady Luck for a bit of a Warm-up gig.
I arrived quite early and had a quick chat with those there, had a bite to eat and settled myself ready for the evenings entertainment. As I was sitting outside Colleen and the guys from Choking Susan turned so we had a bit of a chin wag until it was time for the first band to strike up.
First up were a band I had seen once before at last years Rebellion, Glitter Trash with the awesome Jenna Talia fronting up the band (literally). Glitter Trash are out of Detroit, like Choking Susan and have the brash style, although not quite skilled in the stage presence yet. They make a superb sound and Jenna can already keep the crowd on their toes. They breezed through their set with, unfortunately, the place only being a third full. One guy, obviously already slaughtered was attempting to dance and then tried groping Jenna, then kept putting his hand in front of my lens, until I politely told him to f*** off. Once Glitter Trash had completed their set he was thrown out.
Next up were an old favourite, The Healthy Junkies. These guys always put on a great set and are a great bunch to sit and chat with. Since I last saw them they have again changed their lineup, with the drummer replaced and Dave Renegade back on bass. The place had started to fill up now with people wanting to see the Healthy Junkies and they didn't disappoint, crashing through their set and the usual fashion, and the crowd loved it and responded. When they were finally done, you really felt everyone would have liked more. Last up were Choking Susan .. this is what everyone was waiting for. Colleen struts and pouts her way around the floor using as much space as she possibly can in such a small pub. The crowd warm to her immediately as they belt out their set and mosh starts early. They regaled us with tracks 'Gay Lance', 'Dementia', 'Magic's Johnson', 'Colleen's Derriere', 'Susan Slutty Susan', 'I was a Teenage Tranny' and 'Touch Me'. It was a shame there was no Steve here as I'm sure he would have loved this one. So, warm-up over and tomorrow we do the long journey to Blackpool and the event that is Rebellion!.

Rebellion Festival - Winter Gardens, Blackpool 6-9.8.15

Another year, another Rebellion .. except that each year it gets bigger and better and it seems there are no signs of it slowing down.
We did our usual jaunt up on the train, except this year Steve booked us 1st class on the journey up! Wow, comfy set and we were plied with beer by the attendant after she realised where we were heading! Once there we settled in to our usual room then it was out for food. The evening was a bit different as a number of Kent bands had come up and were playing in a pub nearby! so we had The Half Wits, Ted DiBiase
DAY ONE: So the first morning was met with a full English breakfast, then it was off to prepare for the first day of festivities. I had to do my usual queue up for my pass and wristband, Steve had already done his the day before and was able to disappear for a beer while waited.
The Thursday, as per last year had a cracking array of bands more usual on the line-up, so were were treated to the likes of Reverends, Evil Blizzard, Trioxin Cherry, System of Hate, Sick of it All, The Business, Red Alert and our superb local boys Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band who, for me, really topped Day 1.
DAY TWO: After breakfast it was a rather slow relaxed start, then Steve and I headed off down the front to take publicity shots before making our way back to the Winter Gardens for day two! It turned out to be a superb day with Funeral Dress, Control, The Damned, The Last Resort, UK Subs, Skaciety and The Restarts. But the highlights of the festival had to be Dirtbox Disco and even more so, In Evil Hour, who had their first taste of the Empress stage and just simply blew us away!!
The halfway point, and I didn't even see it coming!! too wrapped up the fantastic 2015 line-up.
DAY THREE: Saturday appeared suddenly! but did bring with it such an excellent line-up. The Adicts, Argy Bargy, A-Heads, The Boys and Crashed Out, The Lurkers, Anti System, Wonk Unit and Coitus. There was an unusual headliner, The Boomtown Rats and Bob Geldof, who managed to alienate the whole crowd, of which many just walked out after he abused them for wearing 'Black t-shirts with crap bands on them' .. way to go Bob .. you knob!. I loved the whole day, but the highlight for me was the Buzzcocks who just lit the place up, they were on fire for the whole set and captivating to watch.
DAY FOUR: It was the last day and had come around so quickly... this years Rebellion was proving to be quite superb but also very tiring and by 8pm, having incurred some swellling to my leg/knee area, I was heading to A&E and so missed bands after that time! Complete bollox and made me very pissed off that I'd missed some seriously good bands, however during the day I did get to see The Cundeez, Maid of Ace and The Avengers, Vice Squad, The Defectives, The Cleopatras (from Italy) and the ever superb Strength in Blunders.
I didn't get back to the guest house until about 1am, then Steve and I went for a kebab and a chance for me to recount my sad few hours in A&E, before heading back to the guest house for a well deserved kip.
Another Rebellion over, had a superb time with Steve and met so many friends and made some new ones too. Highlight of 2015? A clear decision this year .. In Evil Hour, they have just got better and better each time we've seen them, this year, on the Empress stage, they just blew the rest away.
Next up is the 3 Chords Festival in Cornwall and that is also a superb line-up this year.

3 Chords Festival, Penzance, Cornwall 29-30.8.15

Just like last year, hardly time to draw breath after Rebellion and it's the long haul to Cornwall for the 3 Chords Festival.
I set off this year, again with Melinda and Amelia, except this year Amelia was to be helping me by taking shots as well, to it looked to be a superb festival and hopefully one that could Help Amelia get into some of my bands. On the trip down she was listening to a few CD's, in particular Dirt Box Disco .. I could see this was going to be THE band fro her to see.
This year was a bit of a change as a lot of the bands had down two years and so would not be picked again! So, what did we have this year? Kicking off the proceedings were Bobby Funkhouse and Die Spangle both were local bands and both very good as I'd seen or heard neither before. Following on from them were a great favourite Hazard who did their usual superb set! This was the first band that Amelia seemed to take a great interest in and really liked them .. so things were looking up already. Next on the stage were Trioxin Cherry who I had just seen for the first time at Rebellion. Again they were great, however they did sound better at Rebellion. Another old band that was at the first 3 Chords, Plymouth punks, Bus Station Loonies were the next to thrill us. First time they were very good, this time they were far better! Excellent band!
After a brief beer and a chat it was time for the craziness that is Wonk Unit. Seen these guys a few times now and they never fail to impress. Following them were Noise Agents who are always a great band to see. Little did I know but it would be the last time I was to see Noise Agents as not long after Andy stated his retirement. Next on the agenda came the fabulous Eastfield. Not yet seen a gig when this lot do not do an outstanding set .. and this was no exception. Following on their heels were Control who I think are superb and straight after was the one and only TV Smith. This was another act that Amelia loved, so she has superb taste. We were now into the last part of the evening and were blown away by performances from both The Lurkers and Vice Squad both of who put out the most superb sets and really got everyone bouncing and singing along to the well loved tracks.
After such an excellent day to start the festival, the second day would have to be pretty damn good if the momentum were to be kept up .. well the first two bands really started the day well, The Red Cords and The Eyelids, I had never seen these two before and were both Cornish bands and both superb! I was very impressed, especially with the Eyelids. Then came the B-Movie Britz. Now, I had seen these last year and was not really impressed with them, this year they grew on me and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not fully convinced yet, but I'd be happy to see them again some time. Next, a change to the original line-up, we had The Membranes, John Robb's original band. Now these were quite off the wall and not the usual punk, but hey, they were good!
This now called for a beer, before our local boys, Skaciety took to the stage. These kids can be put anywhere and they still put out a superb set! Amelia and I have seen then before and she does like them .. a lot. After them came another new one for me, Hearts Under Fire. They were very good but I did feel they lacked a cutting edge, none of their tracks really struck me as memorable. I think I need to see them again somewhere.
Now it was the turn of two bands who are very good friends .. The Wonder Beers and the brilliant Lagan. Melinda had turned up now as she wanted to see them again too. Both bands were superb, but The Lagan were outstanding! We bounced along to all their tracks and the crowd loved it, so did Amelia and Melinda .. we can;t wait to see them again later in the year at the Lady Luck.
Dragster were up next and flew through their high-octane set and prepared the way for one of the band Amelia had been waiting to see live .. Dirt Box Disco and as usual, they didn't disappoint and did all the old favourites so Amelia was over the moon. These are definitely one of her faves now and she even popped off to buy a t-shirt!.
The final bands for the night were Goldblade with John Robb who really went to town and leapt all over the stage and barrier, closely followed by one of my favourite bands, The Restarts who were on blistering form! Amelia loved them .. Melinda hated them .. I, well I thought they were one of the best bands of the weekend!.

Wonk Unit - The Maidens Head, Canterbury 4.9.15

The Maidens Head is opening it's doors to bands again, so Amelia and I headed down there to see some old favourites
So, after the Davee Memorial gig earlier in the year, it was back to see what the Maidens Head could offer now it was back in the Punk scene. There were to be five bands on, all who I'd seen before but Amelia was with me again and she had only seen the headliners, so it would be good to see her reaction. The evening started well, loads of old faces turning up and much banter and I spent some time introducing Amelia to the crowd, until finally it time to start. First up were DeKadanCe which comprises of Russ and Kay with acoustic and vocals. Not to everyones taste, but I really enjoy them, I don;t think it was Amelia's cup of tea but she stayed and watched the set anyway.
next up were The Spoilers. I had seen them for the first time earlier in the year and thought they were only ok, this time however they were far far better. We really enjoyed them and the crowd that was starting to fill the pub responded to their set well. Following on from them were the uniquely named Baptist Killing Spree. These guys are heavy and noisy and very very good. Amelia loved them, i think it was closer to her metal noise bands she likes. They took the pub by storm and a mosh pit erupted at the front threatening to suck in all who walked past .. which you had to do to reach the toilets! Baptist Killing Spree were superb when I saw them for the first time at the Davee Memorial, this time they were way way better, definitely a group I would be happy to see again at maybe a larger venue.
penultimate band were our old friends and favourites The Commited. Amelia had not seen these guys before although she had met them all earlier. Tone, as it turned out, had been nipping at the cider for a while too long .. he was rather pissed and it needed Big F to step in and tune his guitar up for him! Was this a warning for what was to come? Not really, they were superb as usual, blasting through their set to a ready and willing audience, they were a great warm-up for the headline act! Daz ducked and dived and jumped around the pub and the crowd followed suit.
last up were Wonk Unit who we had seen a few days earlier at the 3 Chords in Cornwall. Amelia was rather please as she did like them and they didn't disappoint her this time around either. The crowd were throwing themselves around to all the tracks which really made this the icing on a superb night. Really must see more of Wonk Unit they are a superb band.
So , that was that, Amelia loved it .. I loved it, all in all a cracking night out in Canterbury.

The Best of UK82 - The Flag, Watford 19.9.15

Now this was one gig we really didn't want to miss, these guys were the backbone of the UK82 movement
This gig was to be held at The Flag in Watford and Steve very kindly agreed to drive, so with Gerry Potten wedged into the back seat we made our way round the M25 to Watford. Luckily the Station car park was right next to the venue Steve parked very carefully, then very carefully got out of the car and very carefully walked to the ticket machine .. then tripped on a kerb and gracefully fell arse over tit onto the tarmac. Once we realised he hadn't broken anything we heading into the venue for a beer. After catching with friends and a couple of beers later we made our way to where the stage was ready for the festivities. First up for the evening were one of my favourite bands, The Defects. As usual they did a show-stealing set with tracks 'Revelator', 'Guilty Conscience', 'Survival', 'Metal Walls', 'Hill Street', 'Riot Free Zone', 'Dance Till You Drop', 'Brutality' and 'Get up Stand Up'. The pace was quite full and they went down a storm. I don;t think I've seen a gig yet when The Defects didn't put everything into their set, they were superb.
Following close on their heels were Anti Pasti. We saw them quite recently and really enjoyed it at the New Cross Inn and this time they were even better, belting out the tracks to a waiting crowd. They had quite a following but not quite as big as the Defects before them, still, We were treated to 'Call the Army', 'Let Then Free', 'Six Guns', 'Ain't Got Me', 'Lies Lies Lies', 'Freedom Row', 'Time to Hate', Another Dead Soldier' and 'No Government'. we are still waiting for this elusive new album that seems to be in the making, hopefully it will appear early 2016.
Next up we had another old favourite, Infa Riot, who really brought the crowd into the venue, they started off in style and Lee just kept it going as the crowd rose to the occasion. They smashed their way through all the old favourites like, 'Still Out of Order', 'Power to the People', 'Riot Riot', 'Each Dawn I Die', 'Kids of the 80's', 'The Winner' and 'In for a Riot'. Everyone was leaping around until the last chord, which was a testament to Infa Riot's popularity. Again another band that I could not fault at this gig.
Finally Chron Gen took to the stage. We don't see them very often, but as with the other bands on this bill, when you do they blow you away every time. And so it was as we stood there and heard 'Jet Boy Jet Girl', 'Reality', 'Chronic Generation', 'LSD', 'Outlaw', 'Puppet of War', 'Lies', 'Clouded Eyes' and 'Breakdown' which took us back to memories of the UK82 scene. They were brilliant and really capped off a superb evening.
Well, what a night! Steve drove us back and, after Gerry off, we tucked into the obligatory Kebab and chatted about how good an evening we'd had.

TV Smith - The Flowerpot, Maidstone 26.9.15

He was back, TV Smith returned to Maidstone to play the Flowerpot again!
After seeing him at the 3 Chords, it was Amelia who accompanied me down to the Flowerpot to see the legend that is TV Smith!. It was only a short hop from our home and we even managed to find parking on the road outside! Once in we bumped into TV Smith immediately and had a beer and chat, discussing among other things, next years Rebellion. TV Smith had not heard yet whether he would be playing but we did tell him that Rebellion would not be Rebellion without him .. and its 40 Years of Punk next year, so it'd be a strange omission to leave him out.
After the chatting was over there were two support acts, both acoustic, Richie Brake and Mikey Price. They were both very good, although not my taste in music, but they seemed to go down well with the audience.
Finally it came time for TV Smith to take centre stage. As usual he works with no setlist and just reels off the tracks like 'I Delete', 'Complaints Department', 'Expensive Being Poor', 'The Lion & the Lamb', 'Tomahawk Cruise', 'No Time to be 21', 'We Who Wait', 'Gary Gilmores Eyes' and 'One Chords Wonders', the crowd were joining in with all the old Adverts hits and most of the newer stuff too, even Amelia was singing along at one point. So, another great night out watching TV Smith, he really is the nicest man in Punk. What's next? Well, GBH at the UCA in Canterbury, now that should be good.

G.B.H. - UCA Canterbury, Kent 10.10.15

For the first time G.B.H made it to Canterbury and it was a new venue we headed off to, the UCA bar!
Steve and I travelled over to Canterbury and easily found a spot to park, then it was time for a chat and beer with the bands before the gig kicked off. Was nice to see everyone again as most of the Kent crowd were drawn in the by the mouth watering prospect of a first time gig here by G.B.H. The night opened with The Halfwits who brought their usual take on Punk/Ska/Noise to the floor. The crowd was already starting to build but they needed a bit of warm up .. and that's just what these lads did, with their blistering pace and Tadhg striding around the floor there soon those around him getting into the evenings festivities. Hot on their heels were a local favourite, Surgery Without Research. These guys never ever put on a bad show and were on form this time too! Their angry form of 77/82 style Punk goes down so well and soon the crowd was bouncing around as Andy spat out the lyrics to so many well know tracks. They covered 'Religious Bullshit', 'Fight Back', 'Spit Mask', 'police are Liars', 'Government Dream', 'Power Unpower', 'Woman Beater', 'Paedophile Scum', and 'We are the Punks' .. a brilliant set and we were sad to see them leave the stage!
Still, this left us with a band we had not seen before, Liberty. These guys were in the Anthrax anarcho-type vein and were very very good! How did I miss these until now?
The crowd loved them too and were bouncing around the floor. These guys were a 5 piece unusually with two vocalists and made a superb sound, will have to hunt out CDs/Vinyl by them soon!.
Last up for the night were G.B.H The sound in the UCA was superb (even if the lighting left a lot be desired) and that made G.B.H all the more heavy and powerful. They eased into their set as the place went wild! Everyone seems to love G.B.H and they play to it with tracks 'Knife Edge', 'Lycanthropy', 'Dead on Arrival', 'Generals', 'Alcohol', 'No Survivors', 'Big Women', 'Sick Boy', 'Am I Dead Yet', 'Give Me Fire', 'Catch 22', 'City Baby Attacked by Rats' and 'Man Trap'. G.B.H were superb, crashing from one track to another with hardly time to take a breath, everyone was bouncing around the hall and more joined when old favourites were played. All in all a superb set from a truly excellent band, no wonder they are still playing after all these years.
So, that over, it was the short trip home and the obligatory Kebab while we disseminated the evenings fun.

Drongos for Europe - The Lady Luck, Canterbury 20.10.15

I hadn't seen Drongos for ages and kept missing them at Rebellion, so for them to be playing I'm own back yard was something too hard to resist.
No Steve this time and it was a Tuesday night, so I made my way through ridiculous traffic and hold-ups to finally arrive at the Lady Luck for, hopefully, a superb evenings music. I met with Gerry and Dave and had a chat and a beer before it was time for Russ Crimewave to take the stage. Russ has really improved every time we've seen him, and now seems part of the fixtures. With his gravelly voice and angry songs he is always a great opener and on 'home' turf there are always quite a few around to see and listen to him. Again he went down a storm and really kicked the evening off well. Next up were a new band for me and not really Punk, more 'a bit indie' .. they were Reverbed. They were very good and managed a few in to watch and also a number of their own followers, but they were never going to get the local crew in. Not my thing I'm afraid, but still enjoyable to listen to and full of passion and energy. Following on from them were another band I'd not seen before, Rats from a Sinking Ship. Now these guys good, i mean very very good! They managed to pack the place and everyone seemed to have the same thoughts about them .. "excellent". They got the place jumping and kept it that way, track after track, in fact they were so good that after the set I had to rush and buy a CD!
Finally it was time for the headliners, Drongos for Europe, they were here on a Tuesday as they off for a tour on the continent and so wanted a gig for the night before heading off British soil. Really glad they did because they were great! Having not seen them for a while, and kept on missing them at Rebellion I was really hoping they would be good here in in the small confines of the Lady Luck, I need not have worried! They got the crowd jumping immediately and kept it that way for the rest of the set, everyone responded and it became difficult at times to get shots of them without being shoulder barged by those in the mosh.
So another evening over, and a great one at that. Hopefully next up is a big one ... Exploited at the London Forum .. can't wait.

The Exploited - O2 Forum, Kentish Town, London 24.10.15

Now this had 'Gig of the Year' written all over it, so many fine bands all in one evening!
It looked like most of the Punk family from Kent were on their way to see this gig, Steve and I being two of them! We arrived at the Assembly Rooms and met up with everyone else for a chat and few beers before Georgina finally arrived. So with this little entourage we made out way to the O2 Forum to pick up our passes .. however when we got there neither Steve or I were on the list! So step forward Georgina, and in a couple of minutes we were both sorted and heading in to the venue. I do like this venue and used to love when it was the Town & Country years ago having seen the likes of Love & Rickets and Fields of the Nephilim among others here. We had a quick look around and a beer before things got under way.
First up were In Evil Hour who are one of the best bands on the circuit at the moment. They came on to great applause and proceeded to blow the place away! They were superb especially up on a big stage and to a huge crowd too with tracks 'Cracks', 'Predators', 'Divide & Conquer', 'Progress', 'Where You're Left', 'Bright Lights' and 'Don't Wake Up'. There were superb and the crowd loved them too!
Following on closely were Paranoid Visions who I have seen a number of times recently. Now, to begin with I was not too keen on this lot, however the last couple of times I've really been blown away by them .. this time they were bloody excellent! maybe the big stage and sound really helped? Dunno, all I know is this was the best I've seen them. 'The Angelus', 'Sex Kills', 'Anagram Sam', 'Holocaust', 'Anger Turns...', 'Something More' and 'Braindance', all done to a baying crowd who loved every minute.
Old faves of mine, The Defects were next to take the stage. Never a bad moment from these guys, loved them! Buck bounced around the stage while they blasted out hit after hit from their long and varied career covering 'Defective Breakdown', 'Metal Walls', 'Survival', 'Revelator', 'Rock n Roll is dead Tonight', 'Dane Till you Drop', 'Head on Collision', 'Riot Free Zone', 'Brutality'. They were the best so far and everyone in the venue loved them too, bouncing around and joining in on all the tracks, it was a great set. Next we had Discharge. This was the first time I'd seen them since Rat left, boy were they good! New singer Jeff Janik was superb and a a great replacement for Rat. They powered their way through 'Protest & Survive', 'Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing', 'State Violence, State Control', 'The Possibility of Life's Destruction', 'Decontrol', 'Fight Back', 'War is Hell', 'Never Again', 'Hell on Earth' and 'Realities of War', the tracks juts kept coming and coming. The crowd were now going wild as the stream of surfers coming over into the pit increased. Brilliant set from a brilliant band.
last up, and we had all been waiting for this, The Exploited finally took to the stage. This was the first time we'd seen Wattie since his heart op and he had put on a slight bit of weight, but still pounded around the stage (although at a slower pace) as before. The Exploited are one of my best remembered bands and I always get a kick out of seeing them live, so when the set included 'Dogs of War', 'Army Life', 'Alternative', 'Dead Cities', 'I Believe in Anarchy', 'S.P.G', 'Beat the Bastards', 'Troops of Tomorrow', UK82', 'Punks Not Dead' , 'Holiday in the Sun' and 'Sex & Violence' I couldn't ask for more. The crowd was going wild and the security were having their work cut out dealing with the many crowd surfers coming their way.
Well, what a gig! Superb! really couldn't have asked for better, I will live on this gig for many months to come .. as I write this I am listening to a mix of Defects, Discharge and Exploited .. lovely!

The Last Resort - The Westcoast Bar, Margate, Kent 21.11.15

We hadn't been back to the Westcoast in Margate for ages, but it was superb to return for The Last Resort!
Steve and I left a bit early so I could catch the soundchecks, however on arriving it was blowing a gale and bloody freezing. Having parked less than 5 minutes away it took a real effort to battle the elements in order to reach the venue in one piece! Once in it was a chance to have a chat with the bands and a beer before we braved the weather again to get a spot to eat. We made it back, in one piece, with time to spare so it gave me a chance to try out the new camera before the bands started ... very nice it was too!
First up for the night was Russ Crimewave. This looks to be his last gig until well into next year due to personal reasons, quite a shame really because Russ just gets better and better and from the crowds response, they thought so too. Russ is very angry acoustic and the lyrics always seem to go down well, so he will be missed for a few months, but hopefully he'll be back stronger and better. Second band on were The Halfwits. These guys are always fun and they blasted through their repertoire. I don;t know if it was the sound or the venue, or maybe the band were having a better day, as they came across even better than normal. Everyone knows the band now and and few new faces here for The Last Resort seemed impressed as well with them. Tadhg did his usual wandering off the stage to sing amongst the crowd while the guitarist, John, spent some time lying on the stage playing! Was a great set and was well received by everyone.
Following them came one of our local favourites, The Warriors. We hadn't seen the guys for a few months and was good to see them back on the stage. They are also promoting now and this gig was their first.
As soon as the Warriors hit the stage the crowd was up and running, they always go down well and this was home turf so they went for it with tracks 'Warriors Come out to Play', 'Bankrupt Britain', 'S.N.A.F.U.', 'Marlon Brando', 'We're Not Like You', 'Bad Guys', 'Dead to Me', 'Keep It Real', 'Shit Town', 'Buddah of the Backstreets' and 'Operation Oi'. The crowd loved it! Bouncing around while Saxby belted out the lyrics. They were superb, but then I've not seen a bad performance from them ever.
last up were The Last Resort. Love these guys, nice genuine guys and some really wicked tracks! The place went nuts when they started and kept going until the very end. They blasted out 'We are Invincible', 'ACAB', 'Working Class Kids', 'Never Get A Job', 'King o the Jungle', 'Violence in our Minds' and 'Maggies Boys', brilliant set from a really top class band.
Well, we had a superb time and managed to get back without being blown across to France. Next up for me is The Lagan at the Lady Luck ... but I hear tell that the Last Resort are now filling in for The Business at the Xmas gig at the 100 Club ... nice!

The Lagan - The Lady Luck, Canterbury 26.11.15

With the Lagan and The Wonder Beers on the bill, this was something we could not refuse to attend!
No Steve this time, however Melinda joined me as she loves The Lagan and The Wonder Beers. Amelia should have joined us too but as she's managed to land a part-time job she had to work .. and she was extremely gutted to miss out. Quite an uneventful trip, and after arriving Melinda and I had some chips to warm up as it was rather a chilly evening.
We finally made it to the Lady Luck and settled in with a beer ready for the evenings festivities and we had a chat with Dave Booker and Emma Luck before the entertainment kicked off. First up for the night were Dutch Courage, a guy with a huge beard and guitar and another guy with a bloody washboard! Really not my thing, but they seemed to keep the few people that had already arrives very happy. Melinda stayed in her seat as juts one look at the scary beard was enough to put her off.
They were quickly followed by Thumbscrew & the Flicknife Barbers. Another band that really didn't do it for me. A bit loud and brash and more Indie than my usual tastes allow. Again Melinda was unimpressed and stated that they seemed to try too hard to be controversial .. I can see that as well.
Following them came a band I'd only seen the once at the The 3 Chords festival, The Wonder Beers. Now, they were extremely good in Cornwall so I wondered how they would go down on the tiny stage of the Lady Luck ... I needn't have worried, they were superb! Really great fun and sang songs about beer and kebabs with their tracks 'Skint Again', 'Meat & Chips', 'Walk of Shame' and their new track 'Let's get Pissed for Christmas'.
Brilliant fun and now the Christmas track has been released for real and they are trying to get it to No.1 for in time for the big day! They are also very good friends with The Lagan as they both hail from Kingston Upon Thames so there was much banter between the two.
Headline band for the night were the brilliant Lagan. We've seen these guys a few times now and they are always brilliant! Tonight was no exception.
They cracked on with all their tracks 'I'll Tell me Ma', 'Sunny Day in Southie', 'Staring the Devil in the Eye', 'Star of the County Down', 'Same Shite Different Night' and again, especially for Melinda and I, 'The Fields of Athenry! By now the place was packed and everyone was bouncing along in time to the music. Great night and a truly superb band, had the whole place jumping and shouting for more at the end.
Well that was a superb night, The Lagan and The Wonder Beers were superb .. I'll take a rain check on the other two though...

Menace - The Westcoast Bar, Margate, Kent 5.12.15

We hadn't seen Menace for a good couple of years, so it was nice to welcome them back to Kent at the Westcoast Bar.
Steve drove this time and after a quick bite to eat we waited outside the venue for them to open the door. Finally Saxby popped his head out and let us in, so it was down the stairs, a quick hello followed by a beer and then check out the merch stands. This looked to be a great gig with some excellent names, all it needed now were people to arrive.
Eventually Punka kicked the evening off to the few that had arrived. Not seen these guys before but they were very good. A three piece and they blasted out there tracks to those who were around. Steve and I thoroughly enjoyed them, so once the set was over we rushed off and bought a CD each. Second up were Lords of Lonesome. We've seen them a couple of times before and always liked them, with Arthur Kitchener leading the band (Ex Last Resort and Warriors). Still there was only a smattering of people that had ventured in, so the Lords of Lonesome's set, although excellent, was not appreciated by many people. I always seem that as quite a tight, experienced band and they continue to make a good noise that everyone enjoys.
Following on from them were a somewhat new band, Butcher Baby, although they are made up of Mark Licker (Short Bus Window Lickers), Robin Licker (Restarts, Short Bus Window Lickers), Les Doherty (ex Left for Dead) and Luke Hackett (Drummer for Blatoidea), so this was a kind of 'Supergroup' really. That said, they were good, they were very good and I'm so pleased they are confirmed for the Davee Wild Memorial next year!. They crashed their way through a rather superb set that set the few that had turned up, bouncing and crashing away at the front.
Menace took to the stage with a rather unhealthy 30 people watching!! Still we all tried to to make seem more, by standing around of bouncing away at the front. Menace are a really great outfit and still have the '77 feel to their set with tracks 'GLC', '1212', 'C&A', 'Insane Society', 'Screwed Up', 'I Need Nothing', 'Fuck You', 'Party Animal', 'Civilised' and 'last Years Youth'. They did an encore as well, but sadly the evening had to end. Loved the whole set including the new tracks so much that I went off and bought another CD!
Well .. a bit fed up that most people couldn't be bothered to turn up! There was another gig on that night in Sheppey, but there were so many people from the local scene that just didn't seem to want to turn up!! Well, if numbers don't increase I would think we are in trouble as bands will not want to travel down here if that's the reception they get!

Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band - The Lady Luck, Canterbury 8.12.15

I think this was the first time I had been to a gig that Ted DiBiase were headlining!
I arrived at the Lady Luck with plenty of time and chatted with a few friends there. There was only one band on the bill that I had seen before so I was quite looking forward to the evenings entertainment and what the bands were like.
First to kick off the night was Dog Rotten. They arrived late having been stuck on the motorway, so they had their set cut short. However it was good to see Jack on drums from 16 Guns. Dog Rotten were really good, however the set was too short and towards the end they had guitar problems. Hopefully I'll get to see them again under better circumstances.
Next up were tHE rASH. These guys are local, Ashford, and although I had heard of them, I had never seen them, but they came highly recommended by Daz. They got straight into their stride and to be fair were rather good! Not excellent, but rather good. I think I need to see the more to get a better idea. However, the crowd loved them! they were piling in now and bouncing around to each track. They had brought their support with them too so it made for a much better set.
Next up were a Spanish band Pussycat Kill who are currently touring around the UK and supporting quite a few well known bands, I think Jonny Wah Wah was helping them as he was around for the whole gig and i did see that On Trail UK were with them at a couple of venues. Pussycat Kill turned out to be one of the best surprises for a long time! They were superb!! In fact so good that I rushed off at the end and bought their CD.
The crowd had swelled considerably for this band and no-one was disappointed, they crashed their way through their set covering tracks from their CD 'Wake Up', 'Whiskey Love', 'We Say No', 'Eat You', 'Don't Go Away', 'All Night Long' and 'Faster Than Punk'. Brilliant set and brilliant band .. need to see these again .. and very soon please!
Last up were the superb Ted DiBiase & the Million Dollar Punk Band, who always put on a great show whatever! They bulldozed their way though their set, with Lee doing his masked bit, running off through the crowd wearing a ski mask and brandishing a pistol, throwing money at the crowd, snorting make-believe cocaine and generally making out they are cut above everyone else .. it's great fun. The music is superb and get the crowd the crowd bouncing away, but the stageshow is just as good and they have refined it now to real art.
All too soon the evening was over. Still another superb time had at the Lady Luck with, again excellent bands playing. Pussycat Kill were superb! Definitely want to see them again, and Ted DiBiase?? well, they are always superb .. and they now have a well deserved spot back at Rebellion next year!.

The Last Resort - The 100 Club, London 18.12.15

The second time in a month to see The Last Resort, this time its Human Punk's Christmas gig at the 100 Club.
I arrived early and in time to to catch the soundchecks of both The Last Resort and Skurvi .. it certainly promised such a good night just based on this! I had a couple of drinks and met with Georgina, Boo, Buck (The Defects) and Sharon until Steve arrived, then it was time for the festivities to begin.
Skurvi were up first. I've seen them a few times and they get better each time. Tonight was no exception, they were excellent and certainly got the welcoming crowd warmed up!
after a short break we were treated to The Gonads. Now I've never really been a fan of the Gonads however on this occasion they were fine, and their set was not long so it was ok really. They did do the one track 'I lost my Love (To a UK Sub)' which I like so it was not all bad there, however they also rattled through 'Tuckers, Ruckers', 'Buy Me a Drink Lee Wilson', 'Charlton Boys' and 'Punk Rock Till I Die'. The crowd seemed to like them and spent the set bouncing around like lunatics.
Next to take to the stage were the brilliant Infa Riot, always up for a good show and always getting better (especially since Chris took over on bass) each time we see them. Lee is a real showman and the crowd responded to him immediately, so the pit as just a melee of bodies hurling themselves around. They did a usual set with 'Riot Riot', 'In for a Riot', The Winner', 'Kids of the 80's'.
They really were superb, almost the best on the night, however the highlight of the highlight of the evening was yet to come.
Last up for the night were The Last Resort. This should have had The Business headlining, but Mickey Fitz is still recovering from an op for throat cancer, so The Last Resort stepped in and dedicated their set to Mickey and their fee to a Cancer charity! Great guys! The set itself was superb with 'We are Invincible', 'ACAB', 'Working Class Kids', 'Rebels With a Cause", 'Never Get A Job', 'King of the Jungle', 'Violence in our Minds' and 'Maggies Boys'. The pit was manic by this point and one poor punter managed to get knocked out! The band stopped playing and waiting until everyone was sure the guy was fine, then they continued.
Well that was a Christmas gig to be reckoned with, again, all bands were superb but, for me, The Last Resort really excelled. Last gig of the year tomorrow night down in Tunbridge Wells ... the triumphant return of the Anti-Nowhere League.

The Anti-Nowhere League - The Forum, Tunbridge Wells 19.12.15

Last gig of the year and back to Tunbridge Wells Forum for the League's end of year return!
Now this had all the makings of a superb gig. Last year we saw the League in the same place, same time, except I was not driving and had no camera .. so i was rather wrecked and got a few choice bruises in the pit. This year camera in hand and at the wheel of the car, Steve and I made our way over to the venue.
First up were the same support as last year Night Without Sleep, these are two guys with acoustic guitar and vocals ... about all I can say really as they were definitely not our cup of tea at all and it was a bit of a relief once they were done. They were followed by a cross-dressing comedian who did try his hardest and had a couple of amusing jokes, the rest were straight off the internet and barely raised a giggle.
Finally it was time for The Anti-Nowhere League to take over the stage, and boy they did not disappoint. They went straight into their set and belted out 'This is War', 'We are the League', 'Woman', 'Animal', 'I Hate People', 'For You', 'Pig Iron', 'We Will Survive', 'Fucked Up & Wasted' and two renditions of 'So What!'. The League were absolutely superb, and were probably the best I've seen them, in addition to being one of the best gigs I've attended this year! As it was the drummers last ever gig with them we were treated to two encores, just as it should be!! Animal was a proper showman, out front of stage, strutting around, and the crowd loved it, responding to his every request. They were perfect on the night and a real credit tot he outgoing drummer, I'm sure he will be missed.
So that was it .. last gig of the year and what a superb way to end it!. I have always loved the League, but this night they were something very special. They will be at the 100 Club and Rebellion next year, so I cant wait!