tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51676430102914978972024-03-19T08:47:11.871+00:00Colin’s Punk Rock WorldColin’s Punk Rock World is a music blog dedicated to all things punk rock. Starting out as a one writer endeavour in 2014, the website has grown to an eight person team. We write album and gig reviews, feature top tens from your favourite – and new favourite – punk bands, post playlists and often have column features about topics that are important to us. We live and breathe punk rock so if you have music to share send it our way. (Facebook message or email, please.)ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.comBlogger1787125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-56032965691679101122024-03-15T16:17:00.005+00:002024-03-15T16:17:48.829+00:00Interview: New Junk City / MPF 2024<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2twqN7z6bl8CRimBix3XZRxy3PTn6Lr9gyBhZlsnVwYHqzeQiXo8LqRXzFypHiSBNf54icOQ0isbUf-kMBGFxRKBm6Qy2SxiYBW5mctEVf_gp5GRQAj7IZUYC0X_BDwtjjLE85GwOtL4v7f2QtURX6ypEFl2fVwu2ClvzvDo9VNkT3YQOYxq-KtlXrY7f/s1875/NJC%20MPF24%20banner.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />Hi! Emma here. Bringing CPRW back from the dead for one day only.<div><br /></div><div>The highlight of the UK punk rock calendar is almost here! It’s two weeks until Manchester Punk Festival 2024.<br /><br />I’ve been attending the festival since its second edition in 2016 and this year the lovely folks that organise the festival asked me to write an article for the programme. I immediately jumped at the chance to ask one of my favourite bands, <a href="https://linktr.ee/newjunkcity" target="_blank">New Junk City</a>, some questions.<br /><br />I had to lose quite a lot of the details for the programme, which you can <a href="https://www.manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/mpf2024-programme/?fbclid=IwAR1UQ1UBgvdaEGZaypw6pV8mEeYXwTA7ibWh3QoytpMozqQAG_4LqvJsZvI" target="_blank">view digitally online now</a> and pick up physically with you wristband at the fest. So, here’s my full, unedited Q&A with John Vournakis (vocalist/guitarist).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIII2UoQvFYXgFwB_kocZbfbJuPnqOE54QjYY3d0X6bzcQK-bDi2r-3ggx-yRWcf57fKI-weqWCCUzIPa2O8iDUDCewXKCxQ6YR-6d5t0aUOUY4bvH2N_y24D5w9AE85ZmPuhEG01-KFrkR5o9TUwoNu62PcqMtKiaoGR9-71K5N1FIuYQ9138mgDALDc/s1125/NJC%20MPF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIII2UoQvFYXgFwB_kocZbfbJuPnqOE54QjYY3d0X6bzcQK-bDi2r-3ggx-yRWcf57fKI-weqWCCUzIPa2O8iDUDCewXKCxQ6YR-6d5t0aUOUY4bvH2N_y24D5w9AE85ZmPuhEG01-KFrkR5o9TUwoNu62PcqMtKiaoGR9-71K5N1FIuYQ9138mgDALDc/w400-h400/NJC%20MPF.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b>This is your first time at MPF and in the UK, has it been in the works for a while? </b><br /><br />Yeah, we have friends all over the UK, and have been trying to make it happen for quite some time. We started planning an EU/UK tour back in 2022, but it just didn’t work out. We had a record come out late in 2022 and wanted to spend 2023 promoting it in the US, so we had to push the trip again and wait until this year.<br /><br /><b>Had you heard of the festival before being asked to play? </b><br /><br />Yeah! A number of our friends have played, and we’d been in talks with Kieran about trying to get over to the UK. We’re so stoked to finally get to play MPF!<br /><br /><b>How would you describe New Junk City for anyone who hasn’t heard you yet? </b><br /><br />Always such a tough one to answer, so I’ll just name some influences: Superchunk, Jimmy Eat World, Big Computer, Ben Folds Five, David Bazan, Townes Van Zandt, Mr T. Experience, The Wild, Blink-182, The Get Up Kids, Panty Sweat, Bad Mammals, Dillinger Four, Samiam, etc. If you’re into the more emo side of pop punk, I think we fit nicely there.<br /><br /><b>Having seen you play at Hamburg Booze Cruise and Florida’s Fest, I’m excited you’ll be at our equivalent best weekend of the year. What other bands on the line-up are you looking forward to playing with/seeing?</b><br /><br />I’m really excited to finally see Martha! I’ve been a big fan for years and never gotten to see them. Besides them, Pissed Jeans, our homies Reconciler that we’ll be on tour with, Perkie, Catbite, Cheekface, Antillectual, Cosmit, Big Mess, Erica Freas, Brightr, and I can’t wait to see some bands I’ve never listened to before! It’s the best part of fests like this.<br /><br /><b>Your 2022 album Beg A Promise – album of that year, some say – seems to have gained you a bigger following (the ‘at capacity’ venue at Fest last year comes to mind), why do you think that is?</b><br /><br />Honestly the response to that record surprised us! Hopefully I can say this without sounding like a jackass, but I think it’s just because Beg A Promise is better than our other records. We’ve been a band for 10 years now, and we had the luxury of writing and recording it during lockdown, so to me it’s much more cohesive and intentional than the previous records. We’ve also played a lot more shows in the past two years than we had in previous years, which I think has a lot to do with it as well. <br /><br /><b>What are your favourite songs from it to play live?</b><br /><br />I think my favorite [songs to play live] are the first 3 songs on the record: High Contrast, Quitters and Cavities. Cavities is probably my favorite of all our songs to play. Sold in Bunches is really fun as well.<br /><br /><b>Do you have a follow-up planned?</b><br /><br />By the time folks are reading this, we’ll have a <a href="https://www.say-10.com/store/new-junk-city-rutterkin-split/" target="_blank">new split 10” record</a> with our friends, Rutterkin, out in the world! As far as a 4th LP, we’re in the middle of writing now. We’ve got about half a record done. No solid plans for recording or release yet.<br /><br /><b>Anything non-gig related you’re looking forward to in the UK? The weather?</b><br /><br />Tons! I’ve never been to the UK so honestly the whole trip is pretty exciting. My wife is a total Anglophile (she can recite all of the English Monarchs dating back to the 900s by heart!) and she’s coming to meet up with us at the end of the tour. She’s got a million things planned for us to explore. I’m just excited to be somewhere new, eat some good food, hang out in some pubs, and hopefully make some new friends.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEVBV0dTfeLi20lEY7WDZsGLZwm_Fa5sdI5DKIaXWnPL-oRUy4d4KepJbuSp14T_0p7ixvaae02K7D4LqFIh9VlCTPauv87tJ2BPQpPzdjh4WY667bzYRpyk8RcMm9WYtjAr28qozbxtss-_xGdGFfhr7VQ0J-0fM1bBEgy8csQB09HD8DmnqmzO2janC/s2048/NJC%20Reconciler%20Tour.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEVBV0dTfeLi20lEY7WDZsGLZwm_Fa5sdI5DKIaXWnPL-oRUy4d4KepJbuSp14T_0p7ixvaae02K7D4LqFIh9VlCTPauv87tJ2BPQpPzdjh4WY667bzYRpyk8RcMm9WYtjAr28qozbxtss-_xGdGFfhr7VQ0J-0fM1bBEgy8csQB09HD8DmnqmzO2janC/w414-h640/NJC%20Reconciler%20Tour.jpeg" width="414" /></a></div><br />New Junk City start their Europe and UK tour on Tuesday, with their Atlanta buds Reconciler. So, even if you’re not going to MPF there’s a chance to catch them elsewhere. If you’re London based, they play CPRW’s favourite venue the New Cross Inn on Thursday 28th March – a gig I am very sad to miss!<br /><br />They finish the tour by playing MPF on Saturday 30th March at 15:50 in Gorilla. </div><div><br /></div><div>See you there!</div>Emma Prewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11693247118724159904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-25484220126057861492023-04-23T19:07:00.001+01:002023-04-24T07:48:36.611+01:00Colin's Manchester Punk Festival 2023 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZa6PlqPLV_dzyg7I04UQ7_3ZjsloS2d2nkL9mMgGynO8FBLLgc8aWrHoPFk5ktRC_aGeELNArPRTPUgARQk6AW0fpdxw8-XF5u8B_1oXQuZ-dVIswiTv8bbwHC4SgkmhE_llGWvxuY84S2HKd5RYYnODwqBQqrhFbXnorNRM_q_wvapxDT6abEmv8A/s320/MPF23_Colin.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
I was supposed to be finished with this writing malarkey. I fully went to Manchester Punk Festival 2023 with absolutely no intention of covering it for CPRW. CPRW is basically done (if you’re reading this, please don’t take this as an opportunity to send me requests for reviews), but Manchester Punk Festival was too much of a special time for me not to open up my laptop and do something other than play Football Manager. Unlike previous years, I’m not going to split each day into parts. I’m going to cover the whole weekend in one blog session. I recommend getting your beverage of choice and sitting somewhere comfortable before cracking on with this read. Hopefully this post brings back some happy memories, maybe it will inspire you to check out a band you might have missed out on. If you’ve never been or missed this year, hopefully it will encourage you to <a href="https://www.manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/tickets/" target="_blank">buy a ticket</a> for next year’s Manchester Punk Festival. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7V9Kgv2t9fzy_UvXqj5-phtckb_mmV3DS_UhJDZ-wKeWk96EYu170LvOXc7QscHWdvrKVDP7Xuzxqmo3FvZypdL_XyK0ukrcVaXL1lk2YyXVncW1Md-HO0ssbvJD9Mm5bRmiaOhW2t5GfZ1uj9O8_Sw-oTk0v5PE5vZ5GrrjuK1qSMHZXR-yv25vcA/s1600/MPF2023-March-Announcement-MPF-2023-Manchester-punk-festival-poster-line-up-v2-900x1273.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7V9Kgv2t9fzy_UvXqj5-phtckb_mmV3DS_UhJDZ-wKeWk96EYu170LvOXc7QscHWdvrKVDP7Xuzxqmo3FvZypdL_XyK0ukrcVaXL1lk2YyXVncW1Md-HO0ssbvJD9Mm5bRmiaOhW2t5GfZ1uj9O8_Sw-oTk0v5PE5vZ5GrrjuK1qSMHZXR-yv25vcA/s1600/MPF2023-March-Announcement-MPF-2023-Manchester-punk-festival-poster-line-up-v2-900x1273.jpeg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><b>Thursday</b><br /><br />I have to admit that I wasn’t feeling my best mentally in the days leading up to MPF this year. We had a Bangers reunion gig at New Cross Inn on the Wednesday and, to be completely honest, I wasn’t really feeling in the mood to go. I powered through though and saw them play the best set I think I’ve ever seen them play, except for the exclusion of Straight Gin Makes You Batshit Crazy. It had been a great night but it was also a late one and we had an early start to make our yearly pilgrimage up to Manchester for the traditional warm up show. Normally when I wake up on the morning of this pilgrimage I’m full of excitement. Like for many other people, this weekend is punk rock Christmas and it’s the thing I look forward to most in the year. Emma and I got to Milton Keynes train station and discovered that our train had been delayed – it was a solid start to the weekend. Thankfully we didn’t have to be in Manchester in any rush and the train driver encouraged everyone to make sure they got some money back. I’m quite convinced that he slowed down so we could fall into the next refund zone to get more money back. I was all for it, that paid for some dinner! <br /><br />After arriving in Manchester we checked into our Air BnB, chilled out for a bit and then made our way out for some dinner and to meet up with some pals before going to the warm up gig. Being back in Manchester and meeting up with the pals instantly began to improve my mood. Talking to friends who were MPF veterans and friends who were attending for the first time began to raise my excitement levels. We were tucking into our massive 22 inch pizza and seeing two of my all-time favourite people, Robyn and Brett, come over was the best. I went running over and gave them massive hugs. Once folk had finished their drinks and food we made our way to Rebellion to begin the warm up show. On our way there we bumped into my buddy Carl and his friend Cat and got to have a quick catch up with them on our way to the venue. As we entered Rebellion the first person I saw was Anarchistic Undertones promoter and MPF organiser Tree who was doing the door. It’s always pretty nice when the promoter leaves their position at the door to come give you a welcoming hug. He’s actually alright that Tree. We were a little late arriving at Rebellion and the opening band Galivantes had already begun their set. There was a nice early crowd gathered already and it was lovely to see so many friends in the front row. I instantly got to see Makky from Rock Freaks, Matt from Ear Nutrition (who was loving the ska that Galivantes were playing) and his wonderful partner Charlotte, as well as Scott who runs Brassneck Records. That was a great group of people and now I was really feeling ready to enjoy the rest of the weekend. All head wobbles seemed to have vanished. I was in my happiest of places. <br /><br />Like I said in the previous rambling paragraph, Manchester based ska band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/galivantes" target="_blank">Galivantes</a> were the band to open the festival. Because of our tardiness I only managed to catch the second half of their set but from what I got to see it was a lot of fun. The band had multiple singers and loads of energy. This was a great way to start the show and I hope to see them again sometime in the future. South Yorkshire fuzzy emo band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/slashfic" target="_blank">Slash Fiction</a> were on next. Having listened to them a few times in the weeks leading up to the festival I was looking forward to seeing what they were like live and I had also said to Emma that I think that she would really enjoy them. She did and so did I. They opened with the song Pick My Stitches and from then on they delivered a stunning set. This was my first time seeing the band and I wasn’t super familiar with most of the songs in their set. They also did mention that they were playing some new songs in the set which sound great and got me keen for a future release. The great thing about the warm up show is that it’s such a varied line up. We’ve had some ska, we’ve had some emo and next we were being treated to some super fast hardcore courtesy of Brighton’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NegativeMeasures" target="_blank">Negative Measures</a>. Unfortunately for the four piece they had some technical difficulties throughout the set but this didn’t stop them giving us a ferocious thirty minutes of music. Long time readers will be well aware that hardcore isn’t my go too genre but I feel like I can always appreciate when a band is good and, if hardcore is your thing, you should definitely give Negative Measures a listen. <br /><br />Greek melodic punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theoverjoyed" target="_blank">The Overjoyed</a> flew in to Manchester just to play the warm up show and they were on next. I had a chat with lead singer and guitarist Leo earlier in the evening and told him that they were mad to come over just to play this show, before heading off for a few shows in Portugal, but he seemed genuinely excited to be playing the show. The Overjoyed are a favourite amongst the gang from New Cross Inn and the few of us gathered down the front to enjoy the show. As expected from the band, they put on a hell of a show. Playing songs from their albums Boomdoggle and Aced Out, it was great to once again hear these songs live. As well as being incredibly tight, the four piece are a lot of fun to watch live and looked to be really having the time of their lives on the stage. I don’t know how many people were that aware of them before the set but I’m certain they picked up a few more fans afterwards. It would be nice to see them back at MPF next year on the main line up. The band tasked with closing the night was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/incisionsmcr" target="_blank">Incisions</a>. Last time I saw Incisions was when they played Gorilla at the 2019 edition of MPF. They played an incredible set in a big room and now I was keen to see them at a slightly smaller setting. As I mentioned when talking about Negative Measures, hardcore isn’t my favourite genre under the punk rock umbrella but I can recognise a good band. Incisions are a very good band and they really got the crowd moving. From the opening notes the mosh pit began and it didn’t seem as if there was a moment when there wasn’t someone surfing on top of the crowd. It was a relentless forty five minutes which showcased just why Incisions are so highly thought off in the DIY scene. This wasn’t so much of a warm up but much more of a 100mph sprint into Manchester Punk Festival and it was quite the spectacle to witness.<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwItjPjs4kSqlYUBjsT42ZujEil9-jZkTmwfgug7sBlpLLoag_sBGIiwiyISqR8ip6MA-1UT5qceb5yQKbwXYI_6MmVsGd_UZPDn9QIV3F6b6hRvFI09ZB_HrWVkAR38Z9mkCNrzfwX9N0hqb3j3GOBep270ZeAJ1SnwR4auPwxl3Ux70e4XGNDEVMQ/s4032/IMG_0047%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwItjPjs4kSqlYUBjsT42ZujEil9-jZkTmwfgug7sBlpLLoag_sBGIiwiyISqR8ip6MA-1UT5qceb5yQKbwXYI_6MmVsGd_UZPDn9QIV3F6b6hRvFI09ZB_HrWVkAR38Z9mkCNrzfwX9N0hqb3j3GOBep270ZeAJ1SnwR4auPwxl3Ux70e4XGNDEVMQ/s1600/IMG_0047%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br br="" />The annual MPF warm up had been great and really got me pumped for the rest of the weekend. All of my head wobbles had long been forgotten and I was now so excited to see so many more bands and so many friends from all the different corners of the punk rock world. We made our way back to the Air BnB to get an early-ish night, ready for the three busy days of punk rock and friendship that awaited us. <br /><br /><br /><b>Friday</b><br /><br />If you were unaware, part of our MPF tradition is to share an Air BnB with Robyn and Brett (or as Forever Unclean named them Brettman and Robyn). As we woke up in the morning we each spoke about the awful night’s sleep we had had. It turns out China Town can be quite noisy on a Thursday night. We made a plan to get ready and go find something for breakfast before heading to the hub of MPF, The Union. Emma discovered a great little place named Feel Good Club where I had a great vegan fry up to set me up for the day. From there we made our way to The Union to queue up for our weekend wristbands. We always like to get to The Union early for wristbands collection, as it’s nice to hang out with people in the sunshine. This year Robyn and I were given press passes for helping out with interviews for the MPF programme so we didn’t really have to queue but it was really nice to see all these people who I regard so dearly. Once the doors opened and wristbands were acquired for Emma and Brett, we met up with the wonderful Matt Ear Nutrition and his equally (if not more) wonderful partner Charlotte and headed to Bundobust to fill up on more food for the day. Suitably stuffed with some delicious food, and a doggy bag hidden away in Emma’s bag for future snackage, we headed off to Yes for the opening act of Manchester Punk Festival 2023, Jason Stirling. <br /><br />For 2023, MPF had changed the room they use in Yes. Last year they used the basement bar. It was a cool spot but a little small which resulted in folk sometimes not being able to get in. This year the festival moved upstairs to the Pink Room which was a much nicer space and sound. It somehow retained the intimate feeling of a small room but still had plenty of room for people to get it. Former Matilda’s Scoundrels member <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JasonStirlingAndTheBlueMoonBand" target="_blank">Jason Stirling</a> was given the task of not only opening the festival but also being the first artist to play in this room at MPF. There’s a fun fact for future MPF quizzes. When Jason started the set, the room for some reason turned from pink to blue. This was an interesting choice and was not great for photos. Jason played a wonderful set mixing upbeat acoustic punk songs with slower, sadder numbers. The songs brilliantly told stories and did a superb job of captivating the audience early. This was a very good way of easing into the weekend. Next was the final ever <a href="https://www.facebook.com/greatcynics" target="_blank">Great Cynics</a> show. I’ve said many times how much of an influential band Great Cynics have been for me. Quite simply if I had never stumbled across their debut album, Don’t Need Much, I have no idea what kind of path my life would have gone down but I know so many of the wonderful experiences I’ve had due to punk rock would not have happened to me. Yes filled up quickly for Great Cynics, with everyone ready for one last sing-along with Giles and co. They played a mixture of songs from across their discography but the songs that meant the most to me were Nightcaps, Moorhen and Twenty Five from Don’t Need Much and those were the big highlights for me. Great Cynics haven’t been very active for a few years now but I’m glad that they decided to play this final show to have the triumphant send off that they deserved. Thank you Bob, thank you Iona, thank you Oli and, especially, thank you Giles for all the great music and memories. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUavsppqjdFktQEKQhLGqmckYhs68VyTChmEfOTudCoDXdVnwHn8lxTUFeZH6eelZ0YR4zmtHfNmRSzvE4l7cOMdxef3eblw0XmsuBmOJ3RyUOePVLIWcLsGjVFLW3h4kXODEBC94my-YCYcxDhyId1VJmky3oOcuYq5uLiTSv8XwljObfO0HytM2nQ/s4032/Jason%20Sterling%20(Paul).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUavsppqjdFktQEKQhLGqmckYhs68VyTChmEfOTudCoDXdVnwHn8lxTUFeZH6eelZ0YR4zmtHfNmRSzvE4l7cOMdxef3eblw0XmsuBmOJ3RyUOePVLIWcLsGjVFLW3h4kXODEBC94my-YCYcxDhyId1VJmky3oOcuYq5uLiTSv8XwljObfO0HytM2nQ/s1600/Jason%20Sterling%20(Paul).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Paul Smith</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next there was one of those awful MPF clashes that show just how many amazing bands the festival books. Over at The Union Bruise Control were opening up the main stage and at Zombie Shack Animal Byproducts were on next. Despite only having seen <a href="https://www.facebook.com/animalbyproducts" target="_blank">Animal Byproducts</a> a couple of weeks earlier in Bristol at the brilliant Fishstock weekender, I chose to see them again. I didn’t feel quite ready for the massive Union and wanted to continue easing into the festival. Animal Byproducts were actually a late addition to the festival because of a last minute drop out. This really shows just how many amazing bands are in the North West scene that a band as good as this can be added last minute and the festival doesn’t lose any quality. The band’s raucous indie/pop punk with a trumpet went down a treat and I really enjoyed the band’s energy. Animal Byproducts are a band with a great sound, important messages and are clearly on a very upward trajectory. If they’re not on your radar then you should probably address that. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bruise.Control" target="_blank">Bruise Control</a> are another you should probably be checking out, they’re about to release what I expect to be one of the most talked about punk rock albums of the year. We then made our way back to Yes and caught the end of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LazloBaby" target="_blank">Lazlo Baby</a>. They were playing an upbeat style of Baltic, gypsy folk and had the crowd in Yes bouncing around merrily. <br /><br />One of the things I was most excited for at MPF 2023 was the amount of Scottish bands that were on the bill. Scotland, and in particular Dundee, has one of the most exciting punk communities around. It’s packed with so many great bands and more importantly wonderful people. The first band of the Scottish invasion of MPF were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/flinchmusicissad" target="_blank">Flinch</a>. If you’re unaware, Flinch started out as a solo project during lockdown from Slowlight/10am’s Beth. Beth released a beautiful solo album named Enough Is Enough in 2021. Since then Flinch has become a full band affair. I was fortunate enough to see Beth perform solo at Bristol Booze Cruise in 2022 and this would be my first time seeing Flinch as a full band. We got back to the Pink Room just as they were about to start. It was fantastic to see that a nice sized crowd had gathered already – testament to the people who attend the festival, always willing to check out a band they might not be too familiar with. Despite Beth having a cold and some technical difficulties, which the band sorted themselves, Flinch played a mesmerising set. The soft, melancholic songs really captured the room. Hearing the songs full band really gave them a bit more oomph but still managed to be full of emotion. This set was an early highlight of the festival for me.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDTPBSO9GefAYAgeG6IIKSIOXXVQUzPGVfzWBGv-AWUBIRV7CE4LkS2ghaQmriPBz9reyH72H5-eU6d0teyrmJ27oL0ypLsOqBrqeYiGLr0sZ_gXLIIo9LX8i_dDtKeOGsiTDnKfYf8DoXlqixTsLa9tDWSi7QSJwc7m28JAFGQQgVyRlup_ekVailA/s4032/IMG_0079%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDTPBSO9GefAYAgeG6IIKSIOXXVQUzPGVfzWBGv-AWUBIRV7CE4LkS2ghaQmriPBz9reyH72H5-eU6d0teyrmJ27oL0ypLsOqBrqeYiGLr0sZ_gXLIIo9LX8i_dDtKeOGsiTDnKfYf8DoXlqixTsLa9tDWSi7QSJwc7m28JAFGQQgVyRlup_ekVailA/s1600/IMG_0079%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />When I originally worked out my schedule for MPF I hadn’t planned on seeing Clayface. Then the Oldham based four piece released the excellent Ailments album and I knew I had to go see them. They did clash with Faintest Idea but I had already seen them play a really fun set at Fishstock a couple of weeks earlier. This was my first time back at Gorilla this year after I decided to boycott the venue in 2022, after getting fed up with the security being dickheads. As I made my way to the entrance of the venue I braced myself for security. I’m very pleased to report that I had a much nicer experience this time. MPF had acted on feedback from 2022, had clearly told security about the type of crowd they have and that security didn’t need to be as full on as they were the previous year. This really helped to add to the friendly atmosphere that was spread across the festival. As I entered the venue properly I looked around and had a feeling that something inside had changed. There was something about it that I’ve still not really worked out that felt different. I met up with Robyn and we settled in for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClayfacePunkRawk">Clayface</a>. As soon as they began their set I knew that I’d made the right choice to see them. Playing the intense, raspy vocal melodic punk that I really love, Clayface played a great set and sounded great on the big stage. I’m always a big fan of when bands have multiple singers, I believe it adds a great deal of energy to the band’s live set, and this was certainly the case here. If you’ve not checked out Ailments yet then I really suggest you do so soon. Maybe stick it on whilst you read the rest of this review. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdflxxJ5tfSM2sTw9oyPgtrPk6T3G2woQmWMhu7hLj2pNcBIZt60F3l3wwGLjyyTXL6k1PNp6q85qrA0YjfLJdMkOcrqzrbyX2tpeYKFVt-to9JgkLht6sGcPLcbVRWfJZffIWcfekLt0Rs901JKAq9b-cTQaLKz-9Ho5xg-ajQB-JeiJk7nzdVS4hQQ/s4032/Clayface%20(Colin).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdflxxJ5tfSM2sTw9oyPgtrPk6T3G2woQmWMhu7hLj2pNcBIZt60F3l3wwGLjyyTXL6k1PNp6q85qrA0YjfLJdMkOcrqzrbyX2tpeYKFVt-to9JgkLht6sGcPLcbVRWfJZffIWcfekLt0Rs901JKAq9b-cTQaLKz-9Ho5xg-ajQB-JeiJk7nzdVS4hQQ/s1600/Clayface%20(Colin).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Colin Clark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next up for me was a rare England performance from Dundee Ecossemo band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaddishband" target="_blank">Kaddish</a>. Kaddish were originally due to play MPF in 2020 and I was really excited to see them. Sadly when MPF came back in 2022 they weren’t on the line up so I was over the moon to see them in 2023. Kaddish play with this bleak emotion that I don’t think any other band can replicate. Zombie Shack was full of people ready and willing to go on the Kaddish experience. That’s what seeing Kaddish live is, an experience. It was great to see all of the Scottish pals had come out in force to support the band and they were all down the front ready to sing and dance with the band. The three piece played a mixture of old favourites and brand new songs from what I think they said was a soon to be recorded new album. I have to be honest that Kaddish aren’t a band that I will often put on to listen to at home, it’s a heavy listen, but whenever I get an opportunity to see them live you best believe that I’m going to take it. During the set it was the first time I had bumped into Nikki from Alldeepends and they gave me the best hug during the set, I fully recommend them. I stayed in Zombie Shack to catch the next band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TearjerkerNE" target="_blank">Tearjerker</a>. Tearjerker are a band from Sunderland who are signed to Little Rocket Records. They were not a band I was all too familiar with before the festival but I enjoyed the songs that were on the MPF playlist. The band I was most reminded of whilst watching Tearjerker was Hot Water Music. If you’re a fan of that band then I guarantee you’ll love Tearjerker. This was real fist in the air punk rock, packed with hooks and great choruses. I was really enjoying their set but I had to begrudgingly drag myself away to go and see some UK punk rock legends next. <br /><br />The one and only 4ft Fingers were already midway through their set when I arrived at The Union. This was my first time in the main hall this weekend and I was really impressed with how well it had been decked out. I can remember the first year that the festival used the Union as a venue and, as cool as it was for MPF to have such a big room to use, it did feel slightly soulless. You can definitely see the work that’s been put in to changing this, there were banners everywhere and the ceiling had been decorated with yellow and black drapes – the MPF colours. This whole thing gave the room a bit more of a special feeling than in previous years. It was quite a surprise when I found out that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/4ftfingers" target="_blank">4ft Fingers</a> would be playing the festival. They are a band that would have played a big part in the lives of a lot of people who were attending the festival. This was my first time seeing them in years and despite only managing to catch half of the set they managed to squeeze in many old favourites and a couple of new songs that they had been working on. Naturally, the huge crowd were more into songs such as Last Man Standing, Emergency Manoeuvre, Proud To Know You and Sense Of Direction. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to hear Brickwall or One For The Road but I guess that’s on me for getting there late. 4ft Fingers have recently signed to ACA Booking so I would assume they’re planning on playing shows with more regularity again soon. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1LYFVb8mlgv_7TwCyJ-Hpg9FClcPoXKuM3dLkC5CMe__Ejbd29pJwLC0ufz63pN1TY9a-xpuuHZ4KpndRNkKkcg9Y0sdHHrcEw-Yehb74aPyC1mNWKWlpEbHgGcxXPGsystn0RowyzOuaVw4ml5gPbD1cqA6Ov4iHkOdyldKvMp6fXRPz8gItBBsQQ/s4032/4ft%20Fingers%20(Colin).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1LYFVb8mlgv_7TwCyJ-Hpg9FClcPoXKuM3dLkC5CMe__Ejbd29pJwLC0ufz63pN1TY9a-xpuuHZ4KpndRNkKkcg9Y0sdHHrcEw-Yehb74aPyC1mNWKWlpEbHgGcxXPGsystn0RowyzOuaVw4ml5gPbD1cqA6Ov4iHkOdyldKvMp6fXRPz8gItBBsQQ/s1600/4ft%20Fingers%20(Colin).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Colin Clark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>One of the hardest clashes for me over the festival was Kill Lincoln or The Beltones. Given that I had already seen Kill Lincoln earlier on their tour at the New Cross Inn I went for the band that I hadn’t ever seen before. This choice did get me a quite a lot of abuse from my friends. Paul Smith told me I was “a fucking idiot” and I definitely detected a small amount of hatred in his voice for the decision. From everything I’ve heard about the Kill Lincoln set (which reached capacity) it was one of the sets of the entire weekend. An absolute wild time. I must admit, I was a little disappointed I missed out but I am happy I took the opportunity to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBeltones" target="_blank">The Beltones</a>. When they were announced for MPF, The Beltones were described as “your favourite band’s favourite band” which really intrigued me. I gave them a listen and was instantly dismayed that I had never heard of them before. This was more of the raspy vocal pop punk sound that is my bread and spread. The Union didn’t have the biggest crowd for the band but everyone who was there seemed so excited to see the band make their first appearance in England in twenty years. The band, especially their lead singer Bill, also seemed quite excited to be playing. He had a smile plastered on his face throughout the entire set and that was really endearing. During the set I noticed that Ryan Young of Off With Their Heads fame was down the front of the crowd getting really excited to see the band, which was great to see. I can’t say much about what songs they played as I wasn’t that familiar with them but I really had a great time watching them and being amongst the crowd that was lapping up everything they did. The Beltones had also just become my 1000th band that I had ever seen so that was nice. <br /><br />The evening’s headliner was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dasowth" target="_blank">Off With Their Heads</a>. I hadn’t seen Off With Their Heads since seeing them play in the Florida sunshine at The Fest in 2016. This set felt really overdue as they were a band that I would always make the effort to see whenever they came to the UK. To make this set extra special, it was announced that they would be playing their album Home in full to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Because of this I was quite confused when they opened their set with a song that wasn’t Start Walking. I guess they decided to play a few different songs to warm the crowd up before Home began. I’d forgotten just how many bangers Ryan has written over the years, as song after song gained some great sing-alongs. Every now and then Ryan would change the melody of a song which did throw me somewhat but it’s always fun to be kept on your toes. This was also my first ever time seeing them as three piece, which may have explained the occasional tempo and melody changes to what’s on the record. They may have also just fancied playing it slightly differently. When I first fell in love with Off With Their Heads I was definitely going through a darker time in my life and going and seeing the band, shouting the songs back at them as loudly as I could definitely felt like an act of catharsis. I’m now in a much happier period of my life so I didn’t find the same cathartic feeling of previous OWTH gigs but I still had a great time singing along with the band and it was great to celebrate these songs that have, at one time or another, been so important to me and I would guess many other people who had filled up the Union. After they finished Home, they played some more songs from the rest of their discography, including finishing with Drive and then Clear The Air which are two of my favourite OWTH songs. For Clear The Air Ryan attempted to jump into the crowd with his guitar. From my vantage point it looked as if Ryan took a bit of a fall as he tried this but he managed to finish the song and looked unscathed. All’s well that ends well. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hIwZGdetLmXSBq9IvOumJN3MIGsYdzFb3Fz9Cq3PKIlFqmGyflJ2vEmBIvT1eNKdNtARt7_qagmxyvvppkp53QvYeEShm2t2txlgS0cYOuCbL7JS-3NJtuY4YPf7BFcLnlQ_maWzDpl4Izgj7Z-DcJqXDyiswgBGtr-Fr0MBPK4ax38Q7oCoyRhJgg/s4032/IMG_0125%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hIwZGdetLmXSBq9IvOumJN3MIGsYdzFb3Fz9Cq3PKIlFqmGyflJ2vEmBIvT1eNKdNtARt7_qagmxyvvppkp53QvYeEShm2t2txlgS0cYOuCbL7JS-3NJtuY4YPf7BFcLnlQ_maWzDpl4Izgj7Z-DcJqXDyiswgBGtr-Fr0MBPK4ax38Q7oCoyRhJgg/s1600/IMG_0125%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />The MPF after parties are the stuff of legend and the 2023 editions were no different. As we’re getting older and were fully aware of the busy two days that lay before us, we decided just to go and see our friends in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeadShotHazard" target="_blank">Lead Shot Hazard</a> open the Bread Shed after party. What a perfect way to end the night this was. I’ve been watching Lead Shot Hazard play shows for ten years now and I can honestly say this was the very best they’ve ever been. The whole set was magic from start to finish. Everyone in the Bread Shed seemed up for a party and danced, skanked, moshed and at one point even crowd surfed the night away. I couldn’t help but feel a huge amount of pride for this band, that I’ve been watching work hard all these years, play to such a busy and enthusiastic crowd. They seemed to feed off of it. Lead Shot played through many old favourites and even snuck in a brand new song, which may be up there with my favourite songs they’ve ever written. The band finished the set with Between Hell And High Water which has the most apt lyrics. The line “we light fires to find our friends” seemed perfect for the setting. MPF was the beacon and it felt as if everyone I’ve ever met through music was in Manchester. The perfect way to end the night. We then headed back to our China Town digs to try and get some sleep ready for the next day’s fun and games. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueI5sNvQE2ClWNEKwID6mAedGe4sA9vYyf_hoj9LKornTsA2pY38QLPMJisKLFl6w-oEE6S4tKvphgsNhFCp9Ont0B0kUMwSoKej1xgOiEqH7W1g1zjCqxlVD8M8VB47U3o7M9jQukw_aNyxY25z01hfXI248iWsQggzJfH1CGj_k8XhXF4cCDkwT9A/s1600/Lead%20Shot%20Hazard%20(Craig).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueI5sNvQE2ClWNEKwID6mAedGe4sA9vYyf_hoj9LKornTsA2pY38QLPMJisKLFl6w-oEE6S4tKvphgsNhFCp9Ont0B0kUMwSoKej1xgOiEqH7W1g1zjCqxlVD8M8VB47U3o7M9jQukw_aNyxY25z01hfXI248iWsQggzJfH1CGj_k8XhXF4cCDkwT9A/s1600/Lead%20Shot%20Hazard%20(Craig).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Craig Darran</span></div><br /><br /><b>Saturday </b><br /><br />In an attempt to try and save some money over the weekend I decided that rather than going out for breakfast each morning it might be a good idea to make use of the facilities that our accommodation had. So the first thing I did after about five hours of sleep on Saturday morning was to go on an adventure and find some food I could use for a breakfast. That adventure was basically a four minute walk to a local supermarket (I won’t use their actual name as I’m currently grumpy with the bastards) and bought some bread, some overpriced vegan spread, marmite and some hot cross buns (it was Easter after all). I also found a Gregg’s so went and got some vegan sausage rolls for the gang. Breakfast consumed, we then made our way to Sandbar for the second annual Sober Social. This is an event that our best pal Sarah Williams of <a href="https://shout-louder.com/" target="_blank">Shout Louder</a> and MPF fame has started putting on to help make the sober and the sober curious people of the festival feel more at ease and to meet some likeminded people. It’s such a lovely little event where I think the majority of people always come away with smiles of their face. Team CPRW met up with Jess and Dan of Vegan Punks, Dan#2 and our new friend Em who we recently met at Fishstock. Then we all wandered off to Hatch to enjoy some Herbivorous burgers. They’re a vegan food place that I really recommend you check out if you’re in Manchester. Especially following the closure of V-Revs. <br /><br />Suitably full of delicious vegan burgers, some of us headed to Yes to catch Chloe Hawes. Chloe was playing with a full band and I was keen to see them live. It was when I arrived at Yes that I realised I had left my ear plugs back at the BnB so I had to quickly check my schedule to try and work out the best time to go and get them. I wasn’t going to miss Chloe but decided to rush back after their set and skip Phantom Bay. I made this choice as I had seen them earlier in the week opening up for Bangers at the New Cross Inn. If you’ve not seen Phantom Bay then I seriously suggest checking them out if you enjoy, powerful, intense and emotional punk rock music. If you’re reading this and you’re going to Fest then they’ve just been announced. They’re from Germany so I’m sure they’ll also have plenty of gigs on the mainland as well. Go check them out. But anyway, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChloeHawesMusic" target="_blank">Chloe Hawes</a>. Originally from Essex and now based in Manchester, Chloe blends folk, punk and Americana in their music and paints this brilliant pictures with their lyrics. Much like Flinch from the day before, this was my first time hearing these songs with a full live band and I think they sounded great. I think it worked really well from a performance aspect as well as it allowed Chloe to bounce of off their band mates, adding a whole new dimension to the songs. On a personal note, I also really enjoyed hearing Chloe’s accent between the songs as it reminded me of people from home and that was really nice. Chloe Hawes Full Band or Chloe Hawes is an act I think we will be hearing more and more from in future years. <br /><br />After Chloe’s set I rushed back to the Air BnB for my ear plugs. As I picked them up I had a at look where I wanted to be next and then I said “oh shit” to myself. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PkewX3" target="_blank">Pkew Pkew Pkew</a> were due to start in twenty minutes at the Union. The Union was about twenty-five minutes away and I hate to be late for things. I hurried back out and power walked all the way to the Union and somehow managed to make it with five minutes to spare. The really cool thing about the Union is that there’s always folk you know hanging around outside for a chat if you have the time. I bumped into my friends Tommy from Baldhead and the Dreads and Lloyd from Call Me Malcolm and Easydread and told them of my rushing around and they mentioned how I was looking red. Not to worry though, I made it in time for Pkew and that was the main thing. We made our way into the venue and got a place down the front with more pals. As Pkew finished setting up, I noticed there had been some changes to the band since I saw them at Fest last October. The fact that they were now a three-piece was the immediate thing I noticed. I’m sure it would have been the first thing you noticed too unless it was your first time seeing Pkew. I also noticed that Mike and Emmett had swapped instruments. Mike was now playing bass and Emmett had moved onto guitar. This took some getting used to but it did not stop me from really enjoying their set. To my surprise they mostly played songs from their first two albums, they may have even played everything off of their debut, and I had an absolute ball singing along to these songs. Pkew write pop punk sing-alongs, plain and simple. It’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s the most amount of fun and I’m all for that. Singing songs about drinking, pizza, growing up and, of course, skateboarding with so many friends around me was a wonderful time and something I got to repeat a week later at the New Cross Inn. A big highlight of the set was when Jimmy from Eat Defeat joined the band on stage to sing Bloodclot with them. It was lovely to see Pkew back in the UK.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZKjxHNSKI_hLIkOM5aDREsgLQd1SyjQ_v8wnieIWQWiPoFd4dCCgNt3OA2Vd_cCoCdrj7mE_Xqu31UzNC87opcrqyqajsfGoO9i-3JqqubAUpVwJKUOEFv9expTmcXtA4FOk_xn4afGcBcGxxSeHdET85zurATc0Jel3Ila45uiEc0x-9PxWKbPUVg/s4032/Pkew%20Pkew%20Pkew%20(Colin).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZKjxHNSKI_hLIkOM5aDREsgLQd1SyjQ_v8wnieIWQWiPoFd4dCCgNt3OA2Vd_cCoCdrj7mE_Xqu31UzNC87opcrqyqajsfGoO9i-3JqqubAUpVwJKUOEFv9expTmcXtA4FOk_xn4afGcBcGxxSeHdET85zurATc0Jel3Ila45uiEc0x-9PxWKbPUVg/s1600/Pkew%20Pkew%20Pkew%20(Colin).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Colin Clark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I think that it’s important at festivals to take the opportunity to go and see bands that you wouldn’t normally get the chance to see. I took the opportunity to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swansongband" target="_blank">Swansong</a> who it turned out are from Cornwall. We got to Zombie Shack and were pleased to see that it was already reasonably full for the band. Swansong played a grungey riot grrrl punk rock that really delivered the venom that I hadn’t experienced at this year’s festival so far. Lead singer Nat Gyll-Murray’s vocals sounded just as good as they did on the record that they released at the end of last year. I later also discovered that Swansong were playing with a stand-in drummer, I had no idea as the band seemed incredibly tight. I know people who might think that going to see a band you don’t know much or anything about is risk in the amount of fun you might have. Why go see a band you don’t know when you could go see someone you do know and guarantee you’re going to have a great time? I will forever say that it’s worth the risk because more often than not you will find another cool thing that you really enjoy. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKfNkcQzM9Fnlt_PdZKPp0KuoQlQyiEuwXldvTYpo9_RJqbUZBqRrbab7-7iGqwykFJr0KEZRINoxBhloRtJit2GJZ_jyz6iVqOFWZ5it65E4oNIMrTD8sQVfbh_EWqyluwj7pmhe_T5-JG6lLLUvKQJLS0JwMK6EWGhnLsFwUNqyzwT8nqiju1Y3_g/s4032/IMG_0161%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKfNkcQzM9Fnlt_PdZKPp0KuoQlQyiEuwXldvTYpo9_RJqbUZBqRrbab7-7iGqwykFJr0KEZRINoxBhloRtJit2GJZ_jyz6iVqOFWZ5it65E4oNIMrTD8sQVfbh_EWqyluwj7pmhe_T5-JG6lLLUvKQJLS0JwMK6EWGhnLsFwUNqyzwT8nqiju1Y3_g/s1600/IMG_0161%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />After Swansong we rushed back to the Union to see our good pals <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a> play on the massive stage. (Sometimes you do have to go see a band you’ve seen many times and lose your mind with your friends). As much as seeing Malcolm play on their home turf at New Cross is one of the best things in live music it’s always so much fun to see them get to play on a big stage in front of a big crowd. The UK ska punk scene had gathered to see them and we were all expecting big things from the set and of course Call Me Malcolm delivered. Call Me Malcolm are a band that garner so much love and emotion from their fans. From the opening song to the final whoa-oh of traditional set closer All My Nameless Friends there were constant sing-alongs and some high energy skanking. The set mainly focused on their newest album, Me, Myself And Something Else, but they didn’t forget some favourites from their breakthrough album, I Was Broken When You Got Here. It was so lovely to see the big smiles on the band’s face during the set. They had spent the week travelling around the country with Big D and the Kids Table, Catbite and Kill Lincoln and playing this massive show must have been the big finale of the best week for the band. Sax man Mark took a moment to mention that he came to MPF in 2022 and decided that he really wanted to play the Union stage and was so happy to have the opportunity to do so. I was worried for Mark’s safety at one point during the set. During Nameless Friends lead singer Lucias split the crowd in two for the wall of cuddles and Mark jumped into the crowd to get involved. Mark loves to get involved in things – offer him a ticket to something, he’ll probably buy it. I’ve seen the band do this countless times over the years but not very often for a show quite this big. I did not think he was going to make it out of the crowd in one piece or to get back on stage to sing his part. Somehow he did though. There was a nice moment during that wall of hugs where I found myself with my arms around the one and only C-Rage (#nocontextcraig – if you know, you know) singing the whoa-ohs as loudly as we could. This was a very nice moment with a good friend who hasn’t had the easiest of times lately. Call Me Malcolm take a bow for a stunning performance. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PY216Xr7BzD6HMyFD-GH81onMvPbSRb849TRjue3y26uAs9pUZIoTUZ6Q5ieZa8NzRjS1OAsSULTbO4cHKy042iie5KE3NRJa61CSUmzO3amBzWnJFdnzGP8TXV9IcsFjQsEwCHTcP3gWrXTc1L_bBXEO3vADQoQWhEe98MpXFF-ORpneV5Pu2yArg/s4032/IMG_0165%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PY216Xr7BzD6HMyFD-GH81onMvPbSRb849TRjue3y26uAs9pUZIoTUZ6Q5ieZa8NzRjS1OAsSULTbO4cHKy042iie5KE3NRJa61CSUmzO3amBzWnJFdnzGP8TXV9IcsFjQsEwCHTcP3gWrXTc1L_bBXEO3vADQoQWhEe98MpXFF-ORpneV5Pu2yArg/s1600/IMG_0165%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />The next two bands on my schedule were two very exciting reunion shows. I never quite know how I feel about reunion shows at festivals. On the one hand it’s always nice to see a band that you loved doing a show again, we all love some nostalgia. On the other hand, I always feel like a reunion set takes away a space for an up and coming band that’s currently working hard and trying to get their music heard. It’s a tricky one but I believe that MPF do a great job of giving us that nostalgic kick as well as giving opportunities to the newest bands coming up. Cornwall punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bangersbangers" target="_blank">Bangers</a> were the first of the two reunion sets I was going to watch. After watching Bangers play what I think was my favourite set of theirs that I’ve ever seen at New Cross on the Wednesday night, I did wonder if this set on the big Union stage would be as special. Obviously it was. We took a spot right at the front and were surrounded by huge Bangers fans from all over. Roo started the set with a short speech about how all he ever wanted to do when he was younger was to be in a punk band and go on tour and that he got to do that. It was a really lovely moment that preceded a massive set from the band. From then on it felt like there was one of the biggest sing-alongs for the entire set. Bangers were and still are such a beloved band from the UK scene and I’ve no doubt that they inspired a lot of the newer bands coming through, with their DIY ethos as well as their music. If this was to be the last ever Bangers show (ignoring the secret set that happened in Zombie Shack the next day) then what a way to end things (again), with a huge room singing along to every word as loudly as they can. This was special. <br /><br />After Bangers finished, Emma and I hurried off to Gorilla for the band I was most excited to see from the whole weekend – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearejoeyterrifying" target="_blank">Joey Terrifying</a>! I first discovered Joey Terrifying thanks to their appearance on a split put out by Ska Mutiny Records which also featured Kickback UK and The Best Of The Worst. I absolutely loved their heavier, raw sounding take on the ska punk genre – at the time, I hadn’t really heard anything like them. Sadly they split up before I got the chance to see them. Then a few years down the line I started CPRW and discovered Make-That-A-Take Records. I then discovered that not only was Joey Terrifying a part of the label but that Joey T’s front person Derrick was also a founding member of the label. I eventually got to meet Derrick, see his bands Uniforms, Tragical History Tour and Shitgripper and also become his friend. Seeing Joey Terrifying never seemed like a thing that could possibly happen though. Until TNSRecord’s Bev managed to work some magic and convince Derrick to do a set at MPF 2023. With all the exciting names that were getting announced, it was Joey Terrifying that really made me lose my mind. I almost checked that there wasn’t a new band with the same name – I just couldn’t believe it was going to happen. It was though and the time came as we gathered in Gorilla. I for one was buzzing with excitement. I wasn’t sure how many people really knew much about the band as they were never the most well known and their music isn’t on Spotify, so people who only listened to the MPF playlist whilst researching the bands won’t have heard them. There was a decent sized crowd gathered though, it looked as though the entire Scottish contingent attending the festival had come out in support and were ready for the ruckus. As the band were getting ready I had a conversation with a chap I recognised from attending ska punk shows in London and Bristol and he was asking about the band. I told him that he was going to love it. As soon as Joey Terrifying began their set I found myself mesmerised by all that was going on around me. Not just on the stage but in the crowd as well. I think Derrick jumped into the crowd during the opening track and continued to jump between the stage and the crowd throughout the set. This energy spread through the crowd and it wasn’t long before a mosh pit started and very soon after that there was some crowd surfing too. Goodbye Blue Monday’s Graham was quickly lifted into the sky, as was our friend Cat. I tried not to get too involved in the shenanigans that were happening around me as I wanted to take it all in – I don’t think I’ll get another chance to witness Joey Terrifying again. The set was everything I could have wanted. There was chaos, there was dancing, the band was tight, the songs sound as good as ever, I finally got to see Express Yourself Clearly live (one of my all time favourite songs) and everyone had a really fun time. Joey Terrifying were amazing. Thanks to MPF and TNS for booking them. Thanks to Derrick and the rest of the band for agreeing to play the show. It really was a dream come true moment for me. To round off a great set, the chap from before the set came over to me and told me that he had really enjoyed them which made me even happier. And now it was time for the mighty Lightyear to round out the show. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6u5T0KLwHeLJ4oUgJOtqsUVrQh-PrQlJmx92HW6S7je8vLEq5MK5taFuGmk6StyCVWNbi9EV6bHts-krG3Zkr3SppuFbUKIjDHLM5h07eURbEFFlGJx-eSWYfkBbaZOob9QkPHho7iZuwC_ieYMY_rHxgS6XOlW46VfH8AUFFzn4oc4itKjngvQNtw/s4032/IMG_0184%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6u5T0KLwHeLJ4oUgJOtqsUVrQh-PrQlJmx92HW6S7je8vLEq5MK5taFuGmk6StyCVWNbi9EV6bHts-krG3Zkr3SppuFbUKIjDHLM5h07eURbEFFlGJx-eSWYfkBbaZOob9QkPHho7iZuwC_ieYMY_rHxgS6XOlW46VfH8AUFFzn4oc4itKjngvQNtw/s1600/IMG_0184%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />Earlier this year I had the extreme pleasure of seeing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lightyearofficial" target="_blank">Lightyear</a> play every song they’ve ever released back to back at the New Cross Inn and I said at the time that it might have been my favourite ever times seeing them. You would think that this would be enough for me and I should probably take the opportunity to see The Flatliners or Death By Stereo who were playing sets at The Union and Bread Shed respectively, but whenever there’s an opportunity to see Lightyear I’m going to take it. I know they say this every single time but it could be their last ever show and I’m not willing to take that risk! Gorilla packed out for the UK ska punk legends. For the first time in years, every member of the band was on stage for the show which made the set even more special. If you’ve ever seen Lightyear before you will know that from the opening note to the final toot it’s chaotic nonsense. Chas Palmer-Williams runs around the stage like a person possessed as he belts out the words to favourites like Twat Out Of Hell, Life Jacket Water Wings, 24-04 and loads more. The crowd erupts in love for the band. It’s a party in the pit with everyone singing along with so much glee. During the set Chas talks about the Kill Lincoln set that I didn’t go to the night before (yes Paul, I know I’m a fucking idiot) and mentions how their trombone player Ume went up to the balcony seats at the back of the room. Chas tried to conduct a poll to see which member of Lightyear would attempt it but it was eventually decided that he would do it himself. And he did. I can’t imagine it was with the grace and poise that Ume did it but it was done nevertheless. A highlight of any Lightyear set is always Blindside. During the song our pal Frosty from Filthy Militia was crowd surfing and got pulled up on stage by Chas and then found himself fronting the band. It was such a great moment. This was Frosty’s first MPF and I can’t think of a nicer moment for him to have than this one. It certainly beats the night before when he had all of his furniture stolen from the hostel he was staying at. Also during Blindside the legend that is Pook (the man needs no introduction) came onto the stage wearing just his underwear and some raffle tickets that had been taped onto his bare body. He was introduced as the human tombola and was then thrown into the crowd for them to be torn off. It must have hurt. Pook is a good friend to Lightyear. The set finished with Positive Outlook and Pack Of Dogs. I made my way through the crowd to find Paul to shout the chorus of Positive Outlook at him. I think he’s forgiven me for my life choices. During the set he had been hanging out at the side of the stage with Catbite who were experiencing Lightyear for the first time. I get the feeling they were a bit confused, as I’m sure most people are who see Lightyear for the first time. If that was the last ever show from Lightyear then what a way to finish things. Forever one of my all time favourite bands. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzRSgrkDGy0C22pKMa7hOXe8eCE7yHnYH5S5zPTNBLKdKx5R8PgDRPG_mxzopDGI3IJm_2FveKimIDaEyzxvGZZVccG2UEWL071Qug1XwOYhkw6Q5kpBIlvs0fSV85oSCJJtwouWnI-aGdQpN9x9gkI1iWU3L_97LlZqNPSetRe0T4VI6PkSL79Xqeg/s4032/IMG_0201%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzRSgrkDGy0C22pKMa7hOXe8eCE7yHnYH5S5zPTNBLKdKx5R8PgDRPG_mxzopDGI3IJm_2FveKimIDaEyzxvGZZVccG2UEWL071Qug1XwOYhkw6Q5kpBIlvs0fSV85oSCJJtwouWnI-aGdQpN9x9gkI1iWU3L_97LlZqNPSetRe0T4VI6PkSL79Xqeg/s1600/IMG_0201%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />After Lightyear we made our way down to Rebellion to join the queue for the after party which was kicking off with the annual Grafteoke show. Emma and I arrived at the queue with our friend Kev from Paper Rifles and Nelson Savage, among other bands. I hadn’t seen Kev since 2019 so it was nice to catch up with him whilst we waited in the queue. We caught up on the Scottish punk scene and spoke a lot about our love of ska punk. We had quite a lot of time to talk because unfortunately there was a delay in getting us into Rebellion. It turned out that there had been a metal band playing at the venue earlier in the night and they were taking a long time to load out. There was a bit of excitement/drama when their tour buses trailer was opened and people were stood in front of it. Some quick getting out of the way ensued. Eventually we did make it into Rebellion and it began to fill up quickly. I hurried to the bar and got some drinks and a pot of Pringles. I was starving so was very pleased to see that they were available behind the bar. Grafteoke opened a three band bill for the Rebellion after party. I’m sure most people reading this will know what Grafteoke is by now but, in case you don’t, the band Pure Graft are the backing band and they invite people up on stage to sing songs with them. It’s a lot of fun and always goes down a treat. Some of the songs bands covered were Guns N Roses, Sick Of It All, Propagandhi, Sum 41, Fountains Of Wayne and NOFX. The highlight for us though was when our pal Chloe got on stage to sing Boss Of Me by They Might Be Giants. It was a lovely moment.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmLjyglR8t4zVylz6u7s3kfGpKhtZy9KboRT_UfhpRQL4Ls0dQFKZyhIR1sI9nNiZN__mHd4DsBkv3ojY8lh2w7uQJfidiQbWSRuI1bykiY18JMxtwSNA0eEVbKlvG0IBk2JKSQx-3UXfClpANz3csZazu6MpkNHih-wMclJ-goWUmO9Hwrav2_HR7w/s4032/Grafteoke%20(Paul).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmLjyglR8t4zVylz6u7s3kfGpKhtZy9KboRT_UfhpRQL4Ls0dQFKZyhIR1sI9nNiZN__mHd4DsBkv3ojY8lh2w7uQJfidiQbWSRuI1bykiY18JMxtwSNA0eEVbKlvG0IBk2JKSQx-3UXfClpANz3csZazu6MpkNHih-wMclJ-goWUmO9Hwrav2_HR7w/s1600/Grafteoke%20(Paul).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Paul Smith</span></div><div><br /></div>Next, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/InEvilHour" target="_blank">In Evil Hour</a> took to the stage to cover pre-2003 AFI. AFI are a band that I’ve never been super familiar with but I think I can quite confidently say that I enjoyed this cover set a lot more than I would any AFI show. It was small and intimate and the majority of the room were passionately singing along with the band. It was clear that In Evil Hour were having a lot of fun with the set which eventually ended with lead singer Alice on top of the crowd singing the final song. Last up, and if I’m being honest the only reason we were still up at 2am or whatever ridiculous time it now was, was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a> performing a Reel Big Fish cover set. The band took to the stage and immediately jumped into Take On Me. Call Me Malcolm opened a cover set with a cover of a cover. Like In Evil Hour before them, it was abundantly obvious that Malcolm were having a ball playing these songs and the crowd were lapping it up. I forget the song – I’m writing this two weeks after the event and it was way past my bed time at the time – but during the song which I forget, Luke was doing a bit where he explained that the guitar part was too complicated so they skipped it and just did the chorus. From my memory, other songs they did play included Trendy, Everything Sucks and of course Beer and Sell Out. During Beer I made a beeline for my friend and fellow sober ska punk fan Jake to sing “I think I’ll have myself a beer” because I love irony. This was a great way to end the Saturday of MPF. And now we would make the slow walk back to China Town to try and get a few hours kip and be up and ready to enjoy one last day of MPF 2023.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6136ttp20Wm5tAAjkFfgU4nW-ELbWAtUdJGwlqlMqKExrCZWmmxZE-mAqwr8N9dIVtzzIAf_vQPUOEyxh9s919kXh0wu_Gat3SdxoNJfa-11D7hGSTG18pUKReFNcTHOQB8D3SVpwt4L1auIWXeEQx4T7rYSLCCc3YkJvkhZir56hRPfe0u88IZsbw/s4032/IMG_0212%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6136ttp20Wm5tAAjkFfgU4nW-ELbWAtUdJGwlqlMqKExrCZWmmxZE-mAqwr8N9dIVtzzIAf_vQPUOEyxh9s919kXh0wu_Gat3SdxoNJfa-11D7hGSTG18pUKReFNcTHOQB8D3SVpwt4L1auIWXeEQx4T7rYSLCCc3YkJvkhZir56hRPfe0u88IZsbw/s1600/IMG_0212%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><b>Sunday<br /><br /></b>After nowhere near enough sleep, team CPRW woke up Sunday morning and prepared for the day ahead. For Brett, Robyn and I this preparation meant catching up on Match Of The Day from the night before. I fully recommend that everyone should watch Match Of The Day with Robyn. Bearing in mind that this was a highlights show from games that had already happened and she already knew the scores, she watched the games with such enthusiasm and excitement. We should all be more like Robyn. Football finished and breakfast gobbled up, we headed out to The Union to check out the record fair and from there we planned to head to Sandbar to watch a special live recording of the Shout Louder Punk Rock Podcast. With time not on our side, we decided to split up with Emma and Robyn heading to Sandbar to order some pizzas for lunch/dinner whilst Brett and I continued on to the record fair at The Union. On our way there we bumped into C-Rage and his friend James and they came with us to The Union. As this is MPF you’re going to continue to bump into friends wherever you go and within seconds of meeting C-Rage and James we bumped into Graham and Sean from Goodbye Blue Monday. They told us how they had had to book an expensive hotel room last night because their plans fell through and that Graham had lost his house keys during Joey Terrifying last night. After catching up with those wonderful humans, we continued on with our mission to The Union. My main stall I wanted to check out at the fair was Pookout Records, the number one ska punk label/distro in the UK. Disaster struck though! Maybe that’s a bit dramatic. On our way to the Union we bumped into Pook. He and Catbite, who he had been driving around the UK on their tour, were on the way to find beans – and, I assume, some other food to go along with the beans. Sadly, because it was still early in the day, a lot of the stalls hadn’t been set up yet but we had a quick flick through before going to meet up with the others at Sandbar. Before that however we stopped at the Teatime Collective stall to get some slabs of cake to watch the Shout Louder Podcast with. <br /><br />When we arrived at Sandbar we had another quick chat with Graham and Sean in the sunshine before heading in for the podcast. It had just started as we crept into the room, which was nice and full. Sarah Williams, the host of the <a href="https://shout-louder.com/category/podcast/" target="_blank">Shout Louder Podcast</a>, is one of my favourite people and an incredible podcast host (and guest) so it was a pleasure to watch her do her thing live. Her guests were MPF/TNS legends Andy and Kaz. I don’t want to talk too much about the podcast because I don’t want to spoil it for when it’s released but rest assured it was a very funny and interesting chat and there were some games and other shenanigans. Make sure to follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shoutlouderzine" target="_blank">Shout Louder</a> at all the places to be alerted when it’s released. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfV27JCH6xJGE5JpSTOx5REoY5EwO4dn2A_hxBgmKKCL5Cie6gHczoYks5IKDXmUXfMXA4RRyoQl7uog1GDops5DRuAjVdnb51E5uGNId_BOYYdqP31d9vU-CjOpXDPwakX5KYRkjMi-bTmhGz3j0TWh3l2twUGFof3pUjxOKOcq1xJ0n3G2q7Fi2-A/s4032/IMG_0232%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfV27JCH6xJGE5JpSTOx5REoY5EwO4dn2A_hxBgmKKCL5Cie6gHczoYks5IKDXmUXfMXA4RRyoQl7uog1GDops5DRuAjVdnb51E5uGNId_BOYYdqP31d9vU-CjOpXDPwakX5KYRkjMi-bTmhGz3j0TWh3l2twUGFof3pUjxOKOcq1xJ0n3G2q7Fi2-A/s1600/IMG_0232%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />As soon as the podcast finished Brett and I hurried towards Yes for opening band, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alldeepends/" target="_blank">ALLDEEPENDS</a>. I’ve been singing the praises of ALLDEEPENDS since I first saw them back in 2019 and it’s been heart-warming to see more and more people get on board with this band. And it’s thoroughly deserved too, not only are they one of the most unique and interesting bands to emerge in recent years,(seriously how many bands do you know that somehow managed to merge folk, hardcore and hip-hop together and it actually be good?), but they are also top quality people. All three members made a point of saying hello to me at different points over the weekend and I thought that was just lovely. Nikki even apologised for not saying a proper hello to me at Fishstock a few weeks earlier as they didn’t recognise me without a beard! When Brett and I arrived at Yes it was already beginning to look pretty busy which is a testament to the amount of hype surrounding the band at the moment. It was 2pm in the afternoon on the third day of a festival and loads of people were out and about, excited to see the first band of the day. There was a feeling of excitement and anticipation in the air as the trio got ready. And when they got started there was this incredible energy that swept through the room. The pit began to move almost instantly with friends of the bands from all over the country dancing and mosheing with glee. Nikki, John and Hooligan form a band that is captivating to watch on the stage. Nikki’s banjo strumming whilst delivering lyrics at a rapid pace, John bouncing around the stage whilst dropping some deep bass lines and Hooligan, my current favourite drummer in the scene, the way in which he plays is like a frantic whirlwind – it’s incredible to watch. Most of the set featured songs from their debut album Throwing A Pit To Nothing and their newest release BANJOVIOLENCE but they did also play their first ever single Sopht (An Homage To Aesop’s Tuff) which pleased me as it was the song that made me fall in love with the band. For one of the songs from BANJOVIOLENCE they had a guest join them on stage to play the washboard. That wasn’t the last we saw of the washboard either as during what I think was the last song the lead singer of Animal Byproducts, Joe Molloy, was crowd surfed whilst playing it. Also during the last track, Hooligan left his drum kit to split the crowd in half, seemingly just to do a knee slide which did make me laugh. This was a huge set from ALLDEEPENDS. It very much felt like a headline set and this was the first band of the day. The rest of the day had a lot to live up to after this absolute masterclass. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7exXksWWWEIFC7scx3flnIKvcDDLYgw7dEITWDM2GFo7rVyM4iPqGxOTjccoa0XQhgXCpsuK6svr9n7uspLwAGrqj5mbDm9fkB1L7mYBoKh6QYVSr98GBMnlxgHhlUiZsAulwaK_QAn8r2FzMaY6_-LKio2qSPQYJzGwsmDi4S8uZnUfhhvvS9-dGA/s4032/Alldeepends%203%20(Colin).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7exXksWWWEIFC7scx3flnIKvcDDLYgw7dEITWDM2GFo7rVyM4iPqGxOTjccoa0XQhgXCpsuK6svr9n7uspLwAGrqj5mbDm9fkB1L7mYBoKh6QYVSr98GBMnlxgHhlUiZsAulwaK_QAn8r2FzMaY6_-LKio2qSPQYJzGwsmDi4S8uZnUfhhvvS9-dGA/s1600/Alldeepends%203%20(Colin).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Colin Clark</span></div><br />With the set complete I checked my phone to see the time. I noticed I had a football notification telling me that my beloved Crystal Palace were losing 1-0 to Leeds and that made me sad. Leaving Yes I bumped into the nicest guy in UK punk rock, Mark of INiiT Records and Our Lives In Cinema. I had seen him jumping around in the pit for ALLDEEPENDS and having a lovely time and I loved seeing this. I said a quick hello and asked very nicely if he would carry me to The Union where I was due next to watch DeeCracks. Can you believe he declined!? I thought Mark was nice. (I’m of course just kidding, Mark’s the best and he has the cutest little dog named Roscoe – the two are currently the screensaver on my phone. Offer of a lift declined, I trundled along to The Union on foot. Upon reaching the venue I bumped into Sarah Shout Louder who was having a chat with Robin from Random Hand. She introduced me to Robin, as I told them about Hooligan’s knee slide. It’s always the best to spend any time with Sarah and it was so cool to meet the singer of a band I’ve loved for the longest time but I quickly made my excuses as I had some Austrian Ramonescore to go and watch.</div><div><br />As I entered the main hall in The Union <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deecracks" target="_blank">DeeCracks</a> were already a good portion through their set. Because this was Ramonescore though I still got to see a good six or seven songs, as they play so fast and it’s rare for a song to go past two and a half minutes. I’ve got such a soft spot for this style of punk rock, particularly the European variant that I will always take the opportunity to go and watch it. It wasn’t long until I was bopping along to the band as they powered through their set. I wouldn’t say that this style of punk rock is hugely popular in the UK so I’m so pleased that the MPF organisers booked DeeCracks and that they played a great set. I was really happy they put them on the biggest stage as well, as it gave a chance for the three piece to play in front of a crowd who may have just been hanging out in the venue – potentially people who wouldn’t normally listen to this style of punk rock and might not have heard of the band before. I would assume they picked up a good amount of new fans during the set. <br /><br />After the set I checked my phone once again and had been notified that Palace were now beating Leeds 2-1. This made me do a little hop and air punch in celebration. My friends Matt Nutrition and Charlotte noticed this out of context odd looking behaviour and questioned me about it. We then spoke about seeing Distral next. They headed off a bit sooner than me as I wanted to finally get to the record fair. As predicted, DeeCracks had a nice sized group of people around their merch area with all their new fans checking out what they’d got. I squeezed in to the area next to them, the Pookout Records distro. I’d already picked out what I wanted earlier in the day but spent a good while catching up with Pook about driving Catbite around on tour, his reunion shows with Beat The Red Light and what was next for his current band, Redeemon. Pook is one of my favourites and it’s always great to catch up with him. <br /><br />I rushed off to Zombie Shack next for Finnish punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/distralband" target="_blank">Distral</a>. Distral were one of the bands Matt and I were both most excited for. We’d previously seen them last summer at Punk Rock Holiday in a thunder storm and it was one of the highlights of the entire festival (apart from being wet and cold for the rest of the day). Before the set, Charlotte and I joked about getting some water and pouring it from the ceiling to recreate the PRH moment. Another person who was at that infamous set at PRH was my mate Mark from Call Me Malcolm, who also fell in love with the band at that set. And, due to a recommendation, Tom Maples of King Punch also joined us to watch the set. I was highly amused that Mark and Tom, two of the smiliest people in ska punk, were watching this ferocious, melodic punk rock. I’ve been trying to think of the best way to describe Distral’s sound so you can really get a sense of what they sound like and the best I can come up with is it’s kind of like Rise Against if Tim McIlrath was really annoyed at something, perhaps someone ate his last biscuit? Distral’s set was a thirty minute musical onslaught that just took my breath away. I had planned on leaving a bit early to make sure I caught all of Catbite at The Union but I just couldn’t pull myself away from what I was witnessing. Distral are a band you have to see live – even if you don’t enjoy the heaver side of punk rock, you just have to witness this band do their thing in front of you. By this point, Palace had won 5-1 and I was absolutely on cloud nine and completely buzzing for the night ahead of me.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23GRvKpGpcBb9Jiqv09oXzlYaz1y-YbAAcP4VeCRwEdOvA2T-cXyPhRx3QakiSVxElm6EXYgTFjSAALDRRktd8qZSIfZqPH-EeMIRzNVMqxPG2uH8nDmdJKiJOVlPP7UzVkIUVx3pe99g5gvu_aNmt8NX1acyLhA0BoguMVl8AKIV1MnQtv4OETktAA/s4032/Distral%202%20(Colin).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23GRvKpGpcBb9Jiqv09oXzlYaz1y-YbAAcP4VeCRwEdOvA2T-cXyPhRx3QakiSVxElm6EXYgTFjSAALDRRktd8qZSIfZqPH-EeMIRzNVMqxPG2uH8nDmdJKiJOVlPP7UzVkIUVx3pe99g5gvu_aNmt8NX1acyLhA0BoguMVl8AKIV1MnQtv4OETktAA/s1600/Distral%202%20(Colin).jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Colin Clark</span></div><br />Next Brett and I hammered down the street back to The Union for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catbiteband" target="_blank">Catbite</a>. I think it’s fair to say that Catbite were one of the most anticipated bands on the entire line up. The Philadelphian ska band have been making a massive name for themselves all over the world in recent years and thanks to ACA Booking they were coming to an end of their first ever UK tour. The tour started with a sold out show at the New Cross Inn. They had wowed the crowd on the small stage that night and, by all accounts, they had been doing the same all over the country. This was now the chance to see what they could do on the big Union stage. As Brett and I arrived, the band had already began their set and were playing to a huge crowd. We managed to squeeze our way down to the front of the crowd to find Emma and Robyn as well as the entirety of our NXI family. As good as Catbite are on record, it really is in a live setting when they are at their best. All five members play with such energy but also so much joy on the stage. It’s so abundantly clear that they’re so happy to be playing and that feeling sweeps over the crowd. There isn’t a frown in the room as Catbite rip through tracks from their two albums (Catbite and Nice One). The room was full of people dancing along with the band, you couldn’t not at the very least tap your toes, Catbite are infectious. At one point during the set the crowd formed a human pyramid for the band with our pal Charlotte of ’Till I’m Bones on the top. Catbite’s lead singer Brit squealed out in delight that it was her friend Charlotte on top of the pile. The band’s social media was full of this pyramid for the next few days, they were so pleased that the crowd had done it. In the days since the Catbite set I have thought more and more about their performance and something that struck me about it was not just how slick it was but how natural everything felt. It didn’t feel over rehearsed or that they were going through the motions, the whole set flowed beautifully. Catbite are a band that are clearly going to go to the moon. I’m predicting that it won’t be long until they are headlining Manchester Punk Festival as well as many other festivals. I’m glad I can say that I got to see not just their first UK show but also their first ever UK festival appearance. I can’t wait to be that “I remember when” guy. Please come back soon, Catbite.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RnGdmXZNv5gzCLUD5OTRY9gqSMwOSSl7SfZPgMN_54TVuVSpgBR-dH8BuZuQbkvlT5h9-arB9QUd1OeLePP7wMGaK6iS16YwuxRckFNUo0CyHyHLUG5WisNwAbgXaZOHzXxd-hm3ngsXSX51Jm7378ZqqT_ncGHThCe8w6ZqmrJ1aBIFaxL0DX-4JQ/s4032/IMG_0251%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RnGdmXZNv5gzCLUD5OTRY9gqSMwOSSl7SfZPgMN_54TVuVSpgBR-dH8BuZuQbkvlT5h9-arB9QUd1OeLePP7wMGaK6iS16YwuxRckFNUo0CyHyHLUG5WisNwAbgXaZOHzXxd-hm3ngsXSX51Jm7378ZqqT_ncGHThCe8w6ZqmrJ1aBIFaxL0DX-4JQ/s1600/IMG_0251%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />I can only assume that everyone who stayed in The Union was thinking “now for something completely different” as the absolute rockstars known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeBlueMondayTheGreatDepression" target="_blank">Goodbye Blue Monday</a> were up next. This was another one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend. One of the great joys I’ve had in music over the past few years is watching Goodbye Blue Monday earn more and more fans every single time I’ve seen them. They have just released their debut album – which is my current album of the year, it’s just spectacular. It’s catchy and full of ear worms but it’s also absolutely heartbreaking at times. It’s exactly what you would expect from a Goodbye Blue Monday album, brutally honest but packed with their cheeky humour. This set would be my first time seeing them perform a lot of these songs live and I have to admit I didn’t know how I would feel about singing along to these songs live. As the band came on to their new walk on music of bagpipes there was a feeling of big time rock stars about the band but then, in the most Goodbye Blue Monday moment ever, the track continued to play what would be the next song on the album when it wasn’t supposed to. Classic GBM. Starting out with Oh No! This May Be Triggering, the band jumped into the set. From the outset there were massive sing-alongs. I found myself arm in arm shouting along with Dan#2 and Mark (I’d forgiven him for not carrying me between venues earlier), I guess any worry I had about singing along to these songs was not needed. The set was unsurprisingly packed with songs from Let’s Go Goodbye Blue Monday with Meet My Avatar, I’m A Fucking Coward & My Anxiety Is Breaking Me and I’m Old & Fat & I Still Hate Myself becoming welcome additions to the GBM set list. Old favourites such at Take Your Pills and Misery Punk Ruined My Life also got run outs but it was the new tracks that were the stars of the show. As the set progressed I found myself edging closer and closer to the pit. I definitely hadn’t planned for this to happen but there was something about the atmosphere that just lead me there. I was in a sea of friends screaming along to these songs, bouncing off each other with bodies flying across the top of us and fists firmly in the air in solidarity with the band. It was completely joyous and I felt completely at peace in the moment. The band stormed through their set, briefly pausing between songs and making jokes, such as Sean shouting “hello T In The Park” which got me giggling. They saved one huge surprise for the end of the set. On the album they have a sixteen minutes song named Hara-Kiri – they played it live. I can only imagine how difficult it is to attempt to play a sixteen minute punk song and it takes all sorts of guts to play it at the end of a festival set. But Goodbye Blue Monday did it and pulled it off in some style. This was a very special moment that I’m so pleased that I got to witness. As much fun as I was having dancing in the pit, I felt I better go and check in on Emma as it’s quite emotional song. She just about survived it without any tears. Before the set, Sean and Graham had questioned why they were on the main stage, but the set they played displayed exactly why they were on that stage. The set of the weekend for me and I suspect a lot of other people.<br /></div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguigN5vQHI63jh_1hHPxNwHeVzCG-zzfzsMLNAV7jeokZSiua3KPDmUR8Gv0tO-280jP1Xt32_8bKFJRDAGRfU9noKiWqgRuI8EWPiervXsEFznfyOmvYV_hYRsLKgV4IpNAR-1zSz4gAAVOwCJLeDORwQ90irvWqVJg9D03HvSfik9UMNn6mLGOfNqQ/s4032/Goodbye%20Blue%20Monday%20(Jess).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguigN5vQHI63jh_1hHPxNwHeVzCG-zzfzsMLNAV7jeokZSiua3KPDmUR8Gv0tO-280jP1Xt32_8bKFJRDAGRfU9noKiWqgRuI8EWPiervXsEFznfyOmvYV_hYRsLKgV4IpNAR-1zSz4gAAVOwCJLeDORwQ90irvWqVJg9D03HvSfik9UMNn6mLGOfNqQ/s1600/Goodbye%20Blue%20Monday%20(Jess).jpeg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Jess Saunders</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>After that I had to take a moment to decompress and grab some food before heading back to Yes for the last time of the weekend. I popped into the Spar hoping to get some much needed fruit. Unfortunately the only fruit that they had was a sealed four pack of apples and I only wanted one so I had to settle for some plain crisps instead. Remembering a conversation that I had had with Brett in the morning trying to explain what a Cadbury’s Cream Egg was and finding great joy in his confusion, I also had to pick him up one of those. I munched my crisps on the way to Yes in time to see a last minute set from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tragicalhistorytour" target="_blank">Tragical History Tour</a>. Derrick and Michael were a late replacement for Billy Liar. They hadn’t had time to practice and were completely unprepared. Derrick wasn’t even using his own guitar. This resulted in a bit of a ramshackle set which came with its difficulties. I thoroughly enjoyed the songs they did manage to play though and will always take the opportunity to see Derrick perform when I can.</div><br />From Yes, I headed to Gorilla for the first time of the day for my final two bands before the after party. First up was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shitpresent/" target="_blank">Shit Present</a>, a band that I hadn’t seen in years. The plan was to meet up with Emma and Robyn at Gorilla but it was so busy that it took a little bit of time to find them. I eventually did though and was delighted to hear that they had had a lovely day together. When it was time for Shit Present to start I decided to let them go off into the crowd together and let them enjoy hanging out together without me some more. I feel like Shit Present are one of those bands that are universally loved throughout the UK DIY scene and it’s so great to see them back with some new material. This was a fun performance, with Iona’s voice being the highlight for me. Iona has one of my favourite voices in music and it was so nice to hear it live once again. It turned out that we were very lucky to get a Shit Present set at all, their normal bass player was sick so they had to draft in a member of Soot Sprite to learn the set. They smashed it, if you hadn’t known that this wasn’t Shit Presents normal line up then you would have been none the wiser. They played a good chunk of songs from their upcoming new album, What Still Gets Me, which they had on sale early for anyone wanting to pick it up there and then ahead of its release. They didn’t forget the classics though, all of which got fantastic receptions. As I said earlier, this was my first time seeing Shit Present for years and it was a lovely time. <br /><br />Before the evening’s headline act, Emma and I caught up with Kev some more – it really was fantastic to see him again. MPF is great for reacquainting all friends. This is one of the many great things about the festival. It was then time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/badnerves" target="_blank">Bad Nerves</a>, a band that I have to admit I didn’t know too much about. As I watched them set up on stage, it became very apparent that this was a band of cool dudes. Bad Nerves play a mixture of powerpop punk and fuzzy indie rock music that creates an infectious energy live. Even though I didn’t really know any of the songs, I can remember being stood watching and feeling like I was witnessing something quite big. It felt like quite a big deal for MPF to have Bad Nerves on the festival as it seems they’re set to become the next big thing in UK punk music. The band were seriously slick on the stage, arguably a bit too slick for my own personal tastes, but I feel like I can always appreciate when a band is seriously good at what they do even when it’s not for me. Gorilla felt far from packed out but there was a decent sized crowd of people down at the front showing a lot of enthusiasm for the band, singing along to every word. Watching a load of people party down at the front to a band that they clearly love was actually a really cool way to finish the main part of the festival.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3AW9F7D5-GCEqPe5jIWBGSRAJHO7sp-8qMljPCFQxwDNyncrO2yoYQKtWdH6HmznDBdVGHReszNwbQ82DBx5n3wbqyI2GXTlp2DBK2SOPXLc5_SHV66lCjJ2R09K9VwEgJB5wqSKgM_N6FFhXhrHfbNur_Xa4o_21Vq7cz8tRd33rdd949CKk-RNYQ/s4032/IMG_0297%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3AW9F7D5-GCEqPe5jIWBGSRAJHO7sp-8qMljPCFQxwDNyncrO2yoYQKtWdH6HmznDBdVGHReszNwbQ82DBx5n3wbqyI2GXTlp2DBK2SOPXLc5_SHV66lCjJ2R09K9VwEgJB5wqSKgM_N6FFhXhrHfbNur_Xa4o_21Vq7cz8tRd33rdd949CKk-RNYQ/s1600/IMG_0297%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by Emma Prew</span></div><br />We had a little bit of time before the after party at Rebellion began so Emma, Kev, Robyn, Brett and I took the time to have a sit down in the Gorilla bar. It was nice to have this quieter moment before deciding to stroll down to Rebellion. Thankfully there wasn’t so much of a wait to get in this time and even though a decent sized crowd had turned up it was nowhere near as busy as it had been for Grafteoke the previous night. The line up for the evening was the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChloeHawesMusic" target="_blank">Chloe Hawes</a> Band as The Gaslight Anthem, Speed Dinosaurs as Sublime and Hell’s Ditch as New Found Glory. Emma was extremely excited for The Gaslight Anthem set, potentially more so than any other set across the entire festival and went and found herself a spot at the front of the stage whilst I did some chatting with pals before joining her. I have to admit that I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with The Gaslight Antehm. I loved them, then I saw them live and I didn’t enjoy it at all and it did put me off their future releases. Emma was so excited though and that was enough for me. As soon as Chloe and co launched into the set you knew it was going to be a lot of fun. The front of the stage became one big party with every word being sung back to the stage. After the set, I heard a few people say that this set was better than seeing actual Gaslight play these days and I wholeheartedly agreed. I always felt like this music was written to play in small bars and clubs and not the massive stages that they went on to play. This felt like the perfect way to end the festival so we decided to skip out on the final two bands and head back to China Town one last time. Much like in 2022, we finished our final band and it began to revert back to normal Manchester weather… rain! <br /><br />If you’ve managed to make it this far through the review, well done you’ve read 12,000 words. Didn’t you have anything better to do? You may have noticed that I spoke a lot about things that happened to me rather than just focusing on the bands that played. I actually did this for good reason. It’s not just nonsensical rambling of someone trying to cover for the fact he didn’t write notes… honest. As good as every single act I saw was, for me MPF2023 was all about the people and the community. So many of my highlights came from the little interactions I had with people throughout the weekend. I found myself going off a lot on my own to see different things all weekend but I never once found myself standing around by myself at any venue. I’m so lucky that through this community I’ve been able to meet so many wonderful people and become their friends (or at least someone they’ll politely chat too). It’s said every year that MPF is like one big reunion and in 2023 it felt like that more than ever. I loved it. <br /><br />As always all the love, respect and appreciation has to go to TNSRecords, Anarchistic Undertones and Moving North, as well as Shout Louder, the army of volunteers and the venue staff for their work at the festival. MPF is always the weekend of the year I get most excited for and it’s always, without fail, the best weekend of the year. All festivals can pull together these amazing line ups but I can’t think of one that I’ve been to that even comes close to creating the feeling of community that you get in Manchester. It’s why we continue to return every year and have no doubt that we will do so for as long as this festival exists. <br /><br />Thanks to all the bands I saw play killer sets. Thanks to all the friends for the superb hangs. <br /><br />I was going to end this stupidly long review with a simple Is It April Yet? But then I realised that Easter weekend is early next year and it falls in March, so we get MPF early next year! Is it March yet?</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-82878288912207114782023-04-17T12:43:00.003+01:002023-04-18T10:46:59.205+01:00Emma’s Manchester Punk Festival 2023 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPMx_zHiOUp8bxOsq7BcA89Xn3Z8M3G1zjrSHSC_iLK6whU9CQKokS4VFNbibWjnQx3NIe60ikkXj-ZVlELsoZEGaBCLLHgjjHoYgqpFOCV9dCBHz1HjWvSnimjSgfZ1DkDppHF1b4g9aDV6rYVAHon7gyoqugrrZrDKBx6uljuyaI69lgKrza1gfGQ/s1600/MPF23_Emma.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />I wasn’t planning on writing a review of Manchester Punk Festival this year. I wasn’t really planning on writing any kind of review ever again – it takes up a lot of energy and free time that I’d rather use for going outside, reading graphic novels, watching Critical Role or drawing (among other things). But then I attended Manchester Punk Festival 2023 and it was without a doubt the best MPF yet. I felt inspired to write. However, what inspired me was more than just the bands I saw, so I’ve decided to write my review as more of an overall highlights piece that covers more than just the bands… At least, that’s what I set out to do. It’s ended up being a lengthy, rambling love letter of a review all the same.<br /><br />I hope you enjoy reading this even a fraction of the amount that I enjoyed attending MPF 2023!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7V9Kgv2t9fzy_UvXqj5-phtckb_mmV3DS_UhJDZ-wKeWk96EYu170LvOXc7QscHWdvrKVDP7Xuzxqmo3FvZypdL_XyK0ukrcVaXL1lk2YyXVncW1Md-HO0ssbvJD9Mm5bRmiaOhW2t5GfZ1uj9O8_Sw-oTk0v5PE5vZ5GrrjuK1qSMHZXR-yv25vcA/s1600/MPF2023-March-Announcement-MPF-2023-Manchester-punk-festival-poster-line-up-v2-900x1273.jpeg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7V9Kgv2t9fzy_UvXqj5-phtckb_mmV3DS_UhJDZ-wKeWk96EYu170LvOXc7QscHWdvrKVDP7Xuzxqmo3FvZypdL_XyK0ukrcVaXL1lk2YyXVncW1Md-HO0ssbvJD9Mm5bRmiaOhW2t5GfZ1uj9O8_Sw-oTk0v5PE5vZ5GrrjuK1qSMHZXR-yv25vcA/s1600/MPF2023-March-Announcement-MPF-2023-Manchester-punk-festival-poster-line-up-v2-900x1273.jpeg" width="450" /></a></div>Festivities for Colin and I effectively began on the Wednesday with an unofficial pre-pre-show at the New Cross Inn, our London home from home, with one of Bangers’ limited reunion shows. I was always a big, big fan of the Cornish punk rock trio and would attribute my dive into 2010’s UK DIY punk scene mostly to them (with a little help from Great Cynics and Apologies, I Have None). I was sad when they decided to call it a day around seven years ago and over the moon to hear they’d be playing MPF 2023. When they announced a couple of other shows, including at NXI, I knew I had to take this extra chance to see them again.<br /><br />It was a wonderfully nostalgic evening with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bangersbangers" target="_blank">Bangers</a> somehow managing to sound better than ever – maybe the break did them good! Also on the NXI bill were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phantombaypunks" target="_blank">Phantom Bay</a>, a heavier sounding band from Germany; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/itscosmit" target="_blank">Cosmit</a>, the Specialist Subject supergroup; and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/binboymusic" target="_blank">Binboy</a>, a trio featuring two members of Shit Present. I was especially happy to get to see Binboy as they were one of my top discoveries from the MPF playlist – and I loved them. As it happened, I didn’t end up seeing them at MPF so was glad to catch them beforehand.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjce5-vEevWBLU9p8MrY0XRpo3eb3DFluFWK8EEqo3aVyX72aH9AND0czUuACVk6D-3bpsSVIk9uZOSdq4BvQTkSfmc7jiNVoKU_lPFDtWCzorhEUADEq8CSp9VQ18EcQirVr5f05wirV1Q5_7rDj1tbU-bbGQv4toTAJXhCdw8O_N-NwaUnRZt1-1tcw/s1000/IMG_9982%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjce5-vEevWBLU9p8MrY0XRpo3eb3DFluFWK8EEqo3aVyX72aH9AND0czUuACVk6D-3bpsSVIk9uZOSdq4BvQTkSfmc7jiNVoKU_lPFDtWCzorhEUADEq8CSp9VQ18EcQirVr5f05wirV1Q5_7rDj1tbU-bbGQv4toTAJXhCdw8O_N-NwaUnRZt1-1tcw/s2000/IMG_9982%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><b>THURSDAY</b><br /><br />The only problem with starting your festivities an additional day early is that you’re inevitably tired before the festival has even begun. Thankfully we had a fairly easy journey to Manchester, driving over to Milton Keynes, leaving the car at my parents’ house and then taking the 1 hour and 40 minute train directly to Manchester. We were in no great hurry so it wasn’t a massive issue when our train ended up being over half an hour late – actually, we were pretty pleased to learn we could get a 25% refund. As Kill Lincoln would say, I can’t complain!<br /><br />When we eventually made it to Manchester we headed to our Airbnb in Chinatown – I wouldn’t recommend, it’s noisy – to dump our stuff before heading out to Freight Island to meet up with some of our London pals. Over the next few hours Colin and I attempted to eat the biggest pizza ever (22”) with a little help from Frosty. Robyn and Brett, our traditional MPF Airbnb buddies, were arriving a little later into Manchester with their flight from Denmark landing at 4.30pm. They made great time however and were able to come over and meet us before heading to the official MPF pre-show at Rebellion. Seeing Colin run across the room to give them both huge hugs is one of the most wonderful and magical things about an event like MPF. We get to see our best friends from South Africa, via Denmark, and it’s instantly like we’ve never been apart. I also gave hugs but didn’t do any running – I was very full of pizza.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyQFD2t1jxL4g0G_SmjjcDOGfHvjPpcQ2LCB-14ht4I3XnJZXGLfm9fUmS-CAcGJyCYUTY8lGFst8omrhWMTlatDIXp73uhHnARksxBEQsPWCjUu5rhYg3S1v-oXxpt2l5Wv3qSof5xViMIOLGEMDpEqxd_ClX6Nu9eSaGYCS2eTPSZBKVoPNhEYZmA/s2000/IMG_0023%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyQFD2t1jxL4g0G_SmjjcDOGfHvjPpcQ2LCB-14ht4I3XnJZXGLfm9fUmS-CAcGJyCYUTY8lGFst8omrhWMTlatDIXp73uhHnARksxBEQsPWCjUu5rhYg3S1v-oXxpt2l5Wv3qSof5xViMIOLGEMDpEqxd_ClX6Nu9eSaGYCS2eTPSZBKVoPNhEYZmA/s2000/IMG_0023%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Heading over to Rebellion for the pre-show, the MPF vibes really started to sink in and were further reinforced when we entered the venue and received more big hugs from MPF (and pre-show) organiser Tree. Damn, it felt good to be back. The pre-show was a lot of fun with five bands that spanned a variety of different punk sub-genres – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/galivantes" target="_blank">Galivantes</a> (gypsy ska punk), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/slashfic" target="_blank">Slash Fiction</a> (emo/indie punk), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NegativeMeasures" target="_blank">Negative Measures</a> (hardcore), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theoverjoyed" target="_blank">The Overjoyed</a> (melodic punk rock) and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/incisionsmcr" target="_blank">Incisions</a> (hardcore). Slash Fiction in particular were a highlight for me. Beforehand, Colin had said that he thought I’d like them and, well, when is he ever wrong! The music on the night was great but mostly it was just really nice to see people from all over the UK and Europe punk scene again. Shout out to Dan and Jess (Vegan Punks), Matt (Ear Nutrition), Charlotte, Brian, Cat and Rich and, of course, all of the NXI crew and Robyn and Brett.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue5XgoO3uZFOh0hep2U05gCVQ2x4hrFk4WS-QK_DlWj8XPsrTLT2GORaz-_6nyGjRPoCTBm5xC5tzTNn-K0wmfkeGJ9Ce6pL9BbgOFZ4AxVKH13QGvyty95l2SDGzOmoNuFRiMb0vsRoydLv_vlTjYq0zxHSK1HJSDE7vKNbKanO1zDmKjcqJj-NXTg/s2000/IMG_0029%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue5XgoO3uZFOh0hep2U05gCVQ2x4hrFk4WS-QK_DlWj8XPsrTLT2GORaz-_6nyGjRPoCTBm5xC5tzTNn-K0wmfkeGJ9Ce6pL9BbgOFZ4AxVKH13QGvyty95l2SDGzOmoNuFRiMb0vsRoydLv_vlTjYq0zxHSK1HJSDE7vKNbKanO1zDmKjcqJj-NXTg/s2000/IMG_0029%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>FRIDAY</b><br /><br />I’d like to say we woke up on Friday feeling fresh and invigorated ready for MPF to begin proper but, well, we were staying in a not very well insulated Airbnb and, despite it being six floors up, it was very noisy. So, instead, I woke up with a big need for rehydration and coffee. Coffee (and breakfast) was found at Feel Good Club – where several people had brought their doggies in and so we spent a lot of time aww-ing over them – before it was time to head to the Union for wristband collection. Queuing for wristbands came with much smiling, waving and hugs, with everyone just so keen for the weekend ahead. Wristbands secured, Colin and I headed off to Bundobust (yep, more food) with Robyn, Brett, Matt and Charlotte for Indian style tapas. It’s what we did last year after collecting wristbands so I figure that makes it a tradition now. I had some very tasty food along with the most delicious vegan chai tea. Tummies full and energy levels replenished, it was finally time for some music!<br /><br />Much of my day would be spent at Yes, which is also where we were all headed first. Last year, MPF’s almost acoustic sets took place in the basement of Yes which was a pretty small space. This year however, bands would be playing in the appropriately named Pink Room – it was very pink – which was a much more reasonable size. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JasonStirlingAndTheBlueMoonBand" target="_blank">Jason Stirling</a>, formerly of Matilda’s Scoundrels, kicked things off. It was an enjoyable performance but perhaps lacking some lively energy for an act opening the festival. However, next up were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/greatcynics" target="_blank">Great Cynics</a> playing their last ever show – at least until they have a reunion in seven years time like Bangers – which was a joyfully nostalgic singalong from start to finish. So good to see them one more time.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNOV5UmDimon5AGQRnlhjX0fP7oby2zGDcwYn6Se-PslrURVzdlXjq3itJqdblaUte06ISAANwMV3q7EwnalzGFU33br5Fb-7mzchwRFKEIadUqWHF9DbhisXamDvmYoUNxpQeWUDjq4RClu5M_dRF_idMMwHDE1c1BH1oVyZwsLdNvSaHUwvfIKN9Q/s2000/IMG_0065%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNOV5UmDimon5AGQRnlhjX0fP7oby2zGDcwYn6Se-PslrURVzdlXjq3itJqdblaUte06ISAANwMV3q7EwnalzGFU33br5Fb-7mzchwRFKEIadUqWHF9DbhisXamDvmYoUNxpQeWUDjq4RClu5M_dRF_idMMwHDE1c1BH1oVyZwsLdNvSaHUwvfIKN9Q/s2000/IMG_0065%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Having changed up my schedule just the day before, next on my list was the late addition of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/animalbyproducts" target="_blank">Animal Byproducts</a> playing at Zombie Shack. I’ve seen them a couple of times before now, but it’s always a good time bopping along to their catchy trumpet pop punk – ‘Please don’t forget that it’s your bin day!’. Heading back to Yes for Flinch, I managed to catch the last few songs of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LazloBaby" target="_blank">Lazlo Baby</a>. They weren’t a band I knew but their bouncy folky melodies certainly had me wishing I’d checked them out ahead of time. Still, it was great to be able to experience a bit of their live set. Congregating towards the front of the room with the MTAT crew, this was our first time seeing <a href="https://www.facebook.com/flinchmusicissad" target="_blank">Flinch</a> as a full band. Flinch play sad, quiet songs packed with emotion. It was great how respectful the crowd was of this sort of music, particularly when there were some sort of technical difficulties and we all waited quietly for it to be resolved. Us punks are a polite bunch!<br /><br />It was then time for Colin and I to part ways – we like watching bands together but we also like going off and doing our own thing and finding out what the other got up to later. I was off to Bread Shed to watch <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreenEeyedMonster" target="_blank">Green Eyed Monster</a> who were over all the way from Japan. I paused briefly outside the venue to say hello to Steve Millar (of Arms & Hearts fame) and Chloe Hawes and hear about their much anticipated (by me anyway) The Gaslight Anthem cover set on Sunday. Entering Bread Shed there was already a decent amount of people in attendance and we didn’t have to wait long for Green Eyed Monster to start playing. What immediately hit me about GEM was not just how talented they were as musicians but just how exuberantly happy they clearly were to be there. To travel across the world and play to people at a festival who just adore you must be something special for sure. All the love was certainly well deserved.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlE-d17MRWT_P4r9L_9pJFidwcqbDLB8SqIyIBakmES4lvPuRAxLvsgQc_PAzmPiWElsvju71mDXFMj0klxxMdutgaY2J2jNNQrPuBQLxRkiG-x48QsYSoqZmrA9F87Hxv25V4jrICV__H-m8jrCpHCmzN0yixugaWt98auZI0hkm8iTwyz_uRbfzINQ/s4032/IMG_0087%20copy.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlE-d17MRWT_P4r9L_9pJFidwcqbDLB8SqIyIBakmES4lvPuRAxLvsgQc_PAzmPiWElsvju71mDXFMj0klxxMdutgaY2J2jNNQrPuBQLxRkiG-x48QsYSoqZmrA9F87Hxv25V4jrICV__H-m8jrCpHCmzN0yixugaWt98auZI0hkm8iTwyz_uRbfzINQ/s2000/IMG_0087%20copy.heic" width="450" /></a></div><br />Basking in the wholesome-ness of Green Eyes Monster, I left a little early to head back to Yes (see what I said about spending a lot of time there?) for the next two bands. The first of which was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sniffbanduk" target="_blank">Sniff</a>. Sniff is an artist whose live show really has to be seen in person to fully understand and appreciate it. So, if you weren’t there then I don’t want to spoil too much – because you really should make it a priority to see Sniff live in future. Let’s just say it was a lot of fun and unlike anything else I saw over the weekend!<br /><br />If you were to ask me before the festival which single artist or band I was most looking forward to seeing or would recommend catching live then my answer would be this next band – Stöj Snak. I’ve seen them the previous two times they played MPF and their albums are some of my favourites of all time, so, yeah, I was excited. While Stöj Snak were setting up I had a lovely chat with Sara Harrington about illustration, design and their trumpet playing on the last Stöj Snak album. I’d never spoken to Sara in person before so it was lovely to share our collective appreciation for the band we were about to watch – Sara actually said they were the reason she’d bought a ticket for MPF. Money well spent if you ask me!<br /><br />Now, this is supposed to be me keeping things short and sweet for this whole review but I could easily write an essay about <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StojSnak" target="_blank">Stöj Snak</a> (actually, I did that for their last <a href="https://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.com/2020/10/album-review-life-death-and-everything.html" target="_blank">album</a>). In summary, Stöj Snak were as excellent as ever – even if they were missing their double bass player. There was a kazoo solo (which was actually Sara’s trumpet part on the album), crowd participation in the form of mass tambourine playing and the unplugged, much-loved staple of a Stöj Snak live set, rendition of Ronkedor. I couldn’t have asked for much more – except maybe a few more songs as I think their set got cut short due to overrunning earlier in the day (even though they were the last band on at Yes, but whatever). Although, I have to say that the overall highlight was when the crowd dispersed at the end and I spotted Mike Smith (of Tripsun and general NXI/Be Sharp fame) – who I didn’t know was in the room or that they were planning on watching Stöj Snak. He was in awe of how good Stöj Snak were which made me infinitely more happy than I already was. Is there anything better than sharing your excitement about something with someone else and having them completely understand and agree?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJa6zEOBOIrhyJvux3bttqRE-YDZjFadNUcJXeP1C2tvYlbg3mF-4DOaL13jyC7cD-JmkzH6lPAe653l730_CbLoaeMpHIy3Pb7whonOUwksVT72uWLyt98LcK9ytmZtDt3ctMPaJAoC_Tvu1J3dEnPV4iiC2m1rhYmlWlp_WXvo1pc_wbh4bIOWcKVg/s1000/IMG_0094%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJa6zEOBOIrhyJvux3bttqRE-YDZjFadNUcJXeP1C2tvYlbg3mF-4DOaL13jyC7cD-JmkzH6lPAe653l730_CbLoaeMpHIy3Pb7whonOUwksVT72uWLyt98LcK9ytmZtDt3ctMPaJAoC_Tvu1J3dEnPV4iiC2m1rhYmlWlp_WXvo1pc_wbh4bIOWcKVg/s2000/IMG_0094%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Next on my agenda was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KillLincolnDC" target="_blank">Kill Lincoln</a> at Gorilla which, having witnessed their first ever UK show at the New Cross Inn a week earlier, was guaranteed to be a wild time. In hindsight, ‘wild’ is probably an understatement. The venue hit capacity and everyone inside went crazy for the ska punk band. The band themselves put so much energy into their live performance, not least their hypeman Drew who has some of the best dance moves in ska whether they’re on stage or in (or on top of) the crowd. At NXI, trombone player Ume found their way to standing on the bar at the back of the venue before being crowdsurfed back to the stage. Gorilla is a bit bigger than the New Cross Inn and I had a strong suspicion that Ume would end up at playing trombone at the little upstairs seating and merch area. I was correct and it was spectacular. It’s safe to say that Kill Lincoln’s UK and MPF debut was an overwhelming success. I can’t wait to see them again. In the words of Paul Smith (to Colin) ‘You’re a fucking idiot [for missing them]’ – if you missed them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooJ6uj4Et29owAyWBxtuuxDd2ytJUgDMD0SwUJ0ORUwF_dEKqywyjwwJlvpGAeh-4oG79Zo-ZsRGXn1ezZk8x0BWGwbBpU_rbvm0dumuvqtJ0t54x_mlMkml5hblJDd9lO6T0Ob8r-196p-2PWTP9ry8dpZuYpx0X2JKWvNPjXRD3Tn3dDAxB7hRR_Q/s1000/IMG_0107%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooJ6uj4Et29owAyWBxtuuxDd2ytJUgDMD0SwUJ0ORUwF_dEKqywyjwwJlvpGAeh-4oG79Zo-ZsRGXn1ezZk8x0BWGwbBpU_rbvm0dumuvqtJ0t54x_mlMkml5hblJDd9lO6T0Ob8r-196p-2PWTP9ry8dpZuYpx0X2JKWvNPjXRD3Tn3dDAxB7hRR_Q/s2000/IMG_0107%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />My chosen headliner for the evening was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dasowth" target="_blank">Off With Their Heads</a>, a band I’ve seen a handful of times before but not for a long while. I headed over to the Union with Robyn and Brett and managed to find Colin in a busy crowd. It turned out that OWTH, who were playing as a three-piece for their UK dates, had decided to start playing early although they hadn’t started playing Home yet – the album they were supposed to be playing in full. They ended up playing it in a random order and in amongst other songs which was kind of weird for ‘an album show’ but it didn’t really bother me. They’re one of those bands that I know lots of songs by but don’t necessarily know song names or which album they’re from anyway. The whole set was good and I didn’t get bored, despite the length of their set – even a festival headliner shouldn’t play for more than an hour in my opinion! But the standout moment has got to be when I was stood around chatting to Robyn, Brett, Dan, Jess and Colin before vacating the Union afterwards and someone yelled my full name at me across the room. It took me a good few seconds to realise who it was that came running up to me, simply because I just didn’t expect to see them there, but the person shouting my name was my old university pal James Jackson. We worked out that we probably hadn’t seen each other for about seven years – not since the last Bangers show in London in fact. He was attending his first MPF and was having a lovely time so far. Honestly, that was the unexpected highlight of the whole weekend.<br /><br />We’d decided to end our night with New Cross Inn favourites and regulars <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeadShotHazard" target="_blank">Lead Shot Hazard</a> at the Bread Shed after party. It was their first time playing MPF (and, I think, in Manchester) but the crowd soon warmed up to them and they really got the party going with their upbeat ska punk. We had one last sing and dance for the day down the front before calling it a day – but what a day it had been! We left in in high spirits and I have to admit I was not feeling nearly as tired as I would usually after the first day of MPF. What was this new energy? Would it last?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZuLOK9SlgH5CvyF-zfE5LX6LvmnpTxaKKFXNHofGEau1ivWrRYTJkID_ciYzR-0TVrVN_4FVrJ9n2AdqECXAxjivEj0Tcb53eqlytcnMBfp0MgWmkspVR2zvrDhYw3OURgDIf70Obv6NE0h23apZ-1BVw4f4dxh8H634aEyIXg3RH5mDFQcC6GioRw/s1000/IMG_0131%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZuLOK9SlgH5CvyF-zfE5LX6LvmnpTxaKKFXNHofGEau1ivWrRYTJkID_ciYzR-0TVrVN_4FVrJ9n2AdqECXAxjivEj0Tcb53eqlytcnMBfp0MgWmkspVR2zvrDhYw3OURgDIf70Obv6NE0h23apZ-1BVw4f4dxh8H634aEyIXg3RH5mDFQcC6GioRw/s2000/IMG_0131%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>SATURDAY</b><br /><br />Our Saturday started with Colin going out to get us hot cross buns for breakfast – what a hero – before heading out to the Sober Social at Sandbar. I enjoyed a much needed coffee – more bars should sell coffee as standard. As someone who no longer drinks alcohol, I am all for encouraging sobriety – or at least beginning the day with some non-alcoholic drinks and/or drinking water in between your beverage of choice. We had some nice chats with folks, mostly about what we were excited for with the day ahead. The subject soon moved onto The Flatliners who were headlining that evening. Jess and Robyn, who are the biggest Flatliners fans I know, were discussing their unofficial ‘Flatliners Fan Club’ with Emilia (who Colin and I met a few weeks ago in Bristol). I couldn’t really join in but do appreciate how passionate they all were about this band they love. We then went for lunch at Hatch, inviting CPRW’s Dan #2 along with us.<br /><br />After some tasty grub courtesy of Herbivorous at Hatch and further chatting – it turned out Dan #2 (Reading-based) knew of Emilia’s band (Bristol-based) and is going to a gig they’re playing soon, small punk rock world and all that – we headed to Yes. We were starting our day with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChloeHawesMusic" target="_blank">Chloe Hawes</a>. I’d seen Chloe play solo briefly at a previous MPF (I think I only caught half the set) but was keen to see them play as a full band this time around. It was worth the wait as the full band sound was excellent. It was also great to see all members of the band rocking out and just have a lovely time on stage. I look forward to seeing full band Chloe Hawes again soon.<br /><br />I stuck around Yes by myself (but you’re never alone at MPF!) for a couple more bands, opting to see some smaller acts that were either new to me or I hadn’t seen for a long while – rather than going to see Pkew Pkew Pkew, who I’d be seeing at New Cross after MPF anyway. The first of these bands was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065185646968" target="_blank">Murder Club</a>, a four-piece from Wales. I didn’t really know them at all besides the three tracks I’d listened to when sorting out my schedule but I really enjoyed their set of sweet poppy songs and they had some amazing harmonies. After Murder Club was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheLabRatsUK" target="_blank">The Lab Rats</a>, a band I have seen once before (at MPF in fact) but not for quite a few years so I was keen to see them again. Unfortunately the power on stage seemed to cut out half way through their first song but everyone waited patiently for it to be fixed and when the folk punk duo did get going properly it was great. Vocalist Molly has an amazing voice and it was so good to hear some new, at least to me, songs as well as a few from their 2018 release Utopia. Hopefully they’ll have another album or EP out somewhere down the line.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTcki2hqIEuN_dy1sFrRv5WsKKI6BuxvdxS-iz87iqPEX4nZD6TiVjkgTTHlcYfrzaQbUIpZdJuNJ7m8PTHkvsCRQv9otAdiTtw_FdXqp3eUL_gIRUTZyMdn2lY2IbLtt8uWMS8MU9ynzu0ctFTptZ6fga0snOuTOaPsP-_hUKbf4Llxs384MkzMBPA/s1000/IMG_0160%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTcki2hqIEuN_dy1sFrRv5WsKKI6BuxvdxS-iz87iqPEX4nZD6TiVjkgTTHlcYfrzaQbUIpZdJuNJ7m8PTHkvsCRQv9otAdiTtw_FdXqp3eUL_gIRUTZyMdn2lY2IbLtt8uWMS8MU9ynzu0ctFTptZ6fga0snOuTOaPsP-_hUKbf4Llxs384MkzMBPA/s2000/IMG_0160%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Leaving Yes behind, I headed over to Zombie Shack where I found Colin, Charlotte and Bee all waiting to watch some noisy Cornish grungey punk in the form of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swansongband" target="_blank">Swansong</a>. Their music was not really something that I’d listen to much at home but it was captivating to watch live – such ferocious energy. I was also feeling quite pleased with the fact that I’d managed to start my day with four bands featuring non-men members that all sounded completely different. Kudos to MPF for making such an effort with diversity on their line-up, both in terms of genre and gender.<br /><br />It was then time to head for the Union and a double whammy of Prew favourites – NXI regular faves of the last few years and band I’m friends with, Call Me Malcolm, and the band that helped me get into UK DIY punk rock in the first place, Bangers. Spirits were very high and they weren’t about to come down any time soon. Both bands sounded absolutely awesome on the big stage. I know some people have issues with the Union as a venue, saying it’s soulless but it must be amazing for a punk band to play on such a big stage and to so many people. I thought the sound was great too – although what do I know! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a> had the crowd singing and dancing throughout the duration of their set, along with the biggest ‘wall of cuddles’ they’ve ever had. (There’s a great clip of that <a href="https://twitter.com/CMMalcolmBand/status/1645425147195564032" target="_blank">here</a>.) Then it was time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bangersbangers" target="_blank">Bangers</a>! CMM were great and all but Bangers were the real highlight of my day. I positioned my self right and the front and proceeded to bop and sing along to every song they played. Obviously I had experienced the Bangers reunion at NXI a few days earlier but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of seeing them another time. Once again they seemed to play better than ever and it was just so wonderful to see how much it meant to them to be playing together again and just how appreciative they were of everyone who came to watch. I can’t remember the wording exactly but Roo said something along the lines of ‘the only thing I ever wanted was to be in a punk band and play music’. I love you, Bangers. Thank you for everything.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7l218-Y3Q4xZnl0GINsXDAUrGtDviOkM1QjRsNUSWo-L8lr7RJYbOkbRMlxeithUzMIAx4pMBw2Txxbs4mpO9PBqa-Aw_3buxRyUvP8WbZwaBzvAtCdk7VfEgmYhKOlmPWEz7oLFnFAmCUnP23joLfONkAFxTGXrM1Vk7QJfRVpgyOeevdx7FPRaqQ/s1000/IMG_0173%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7l218-Y3Q4xZnl0GINsXDAUrGtDviOkM1QjRsNUSWo-L8lr7RJYbOkbRMlxeithUzMIAx4pMBw2Txxbs4mpO9PBqa-Aw_3buxRyUvP8WbZwaBzvAtCdk7VfEgmYhKOlmPWEz7oLFnFAmCUnP23joLfONkAFxTGXrM1Vk7QJfRVpgyOeevdx7FPRaqQ/s2000/IMG_0173%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />While most of our pals hung around to watch Onsind and The Flatliners, Colin and I headed off to Gorilla for some [more] ska. First up was the band of the weekend that Colin was most excited to see, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearejoeyterrifying" target="_blank">Joey Terrifying</a>. The angry Scottish ska punks, fronted by Make That A Take legend Derrick, were reforming especially for MPF. The room wasn’t especially full, I think most folks – myself included really – probably didn’t know who they were but it was so enjoyable watching the Scottish contingent of MPF, the TNS crew and Colin going crazy for Joey Terrifying. Derrick is an amazing front person and such a hardworking person in the DIY punk scene that it was great to just see him let loose. As you can imagine, I didn’t know any of the songs the band played but it was great to watch – including the stage invasion at the end. This felt like a really special MPF moment for sure. Then we had <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lightyearofficial" target="_blank">Lightyear</a>. They did what Lightyear does best – the unexpected. It was chaos, it was fun, it was Lightyear. At one point, New Cross’s Frosty ended up on stage after crowdsurfing. It was a joy to see his drunken confusion as he found himself singing and dancing as if he was a member of the band. Chas, vocalist of Lightyear, also made a comment about how he’d seen Kill Lincoln and didn’t want to be shown up by them so he proceeded to go into the crowd and climb up to the seating/merch area like Ume had done the day before. It perhaps wasn’t as majestic as Kill Lincoln – Chas wasn’t playing a trombone throughout – but it was certainly entertaining to see. A special mention has to go to Catbite who were watching all the nonsense from the side of the room at the insistence of Paul Smith (Be Sharp Promotions and All Corners Artists Booking). I hope they enjoyed it!<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4eiw6h0oN1vWngLaZKSvGCej_JkecHRyoXiOZD5HH9GZLby-vvwNoPJxIVUb2gKYpAWJF8gX5RJNfAMflWK1B0aAb_RKpGJrfD2AnJWLk9xaYgQERsKHRbaNqIGsmTOxHkaVHLBVkdF9S0WDk0qdYIs1aVStHTunWcYocZXu878UhcHKd-YHUcXQ8w/s1000/IMG_0197%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4eiw6h0oN1vWngLaZKSvGCej_JkecHRyoXiOZD5HH9GZLby-vvwNoPJxIVUb2gKYpAWJF8gX5RJNfAMflWK1B0aAb_RKpGJrfD2AnJWLk9xaYgQERsKHRbaNqIGsmTOxHkaVHLBVkdF9S0WDk0qdYIs1aVStHTunWcYocZXu878UhcHKd-YHUcXQ8w/s2000/IMG_0197%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />After Saturday’s headliners it was time to head to Rebellion for the annual Grafteoke set, the band Pure Graft providing full band karaoke for MPF attendees – which is always a highlight of the MPF weekend. When we got to Rebellion we found that a sizeable queue had already formed so we did what British folk do best and joined in. It soon became apparent that the venue would be late letting us in (and therefore making the whole after party run later than planned) due to the metal band that had been playing a gig beforehand being really slow to pack up their gear and load out. We did at least get the queue entertainment of watching the band and crew load up their trailer – they had A LOT of stuff. They didn’t seem pleased that we were crowding around and watching them but it sounds as if they weren’t very cooperative with the Rebellion and MPF staff, so screw them. When we eventually made it into Rebellion, it was still a little while until Grafteoke got going as, understandably, they had to wait for everyone to get inside. I must admit that all this waiting around really ruined by mood and I wasn’t exactly pumped when Grafteoke did get going. However, I did very much enjoy our pal Chloe getting up on stage to sing Boss Of Me by They Might Be Giants aka. the Malcolm in the Middle theme song. I don’t specifically recall what other songs people did – maybe Colin can elaborate further in his review – but everyone seemed to be having a great time.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpp05uzvmvTK9A3ocFaKIKfZUR2Ygy_hIpH9XpxXjhWNPTECR1C3DtJfBR4c3_O_GaAkkxyohoQ0PVjJ_0Q-sKFQfg-dzNvPBoTs8RRmqfgAiMTcg4LBd7Xy33Pb0iHUK67fmcP5nkjXzQcbTI77luk7lFVwvbB3cis2b4se2gn76r_bulkb9C4O9Mmw/s1000/IMG_0207%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpp05uzvmvTK9A3ocFaKIKfZUR2Ygy_hIpH9XpxXjhWNPTECR1C3DtJfBR4c3_O_GaAkkxyohoQ0PVjJ_0Q-sKFQfg-dzNvPBoTs8RRmqfgAiMTcg4LBd7Xy33Pb0iHUK67fmcP5nkjXzQcbTI77luk7lFVwvbB3cis2b4se2gn76r_bulkb9C4O9Mmw/s2000/IMG_0207%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />The after party was completed with cover sets – AFI by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/InEvilHour" target="_blank">In Evil Hour</a> and Reel Big Fish by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a>. Regardless of whether I was especially into either band’s songs, there’s no denying that both bands put on great performances. CMM in particularly played the Reel Big Fish songs arguably better than the original band. We didn’t end up getting back to the Airbnb until almost 3am and so I was well ready to call it a night by then!<br /><br /><b>SUNDAY</b><br /><br />Trying to sleep in as long as possible, we eventually got up for the final day of MPF. Our plan was to go to Sandbar for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shoutlouderzine" target="_blank">Shout Louder</a> podcast and also to have pizza for lunch while we were there. Colin and Brett decided to go and quickly check out the merch/records at the Union while Robyn and I got a table and ordered drinks and pizza. Sadly Sandbar was all out of ingredients from a busy day beforehand and so there was no pizza but they kindly told us we could bring other food in. So, it worked out alright as Colin and Brett were able to get us cake from Teatime Collective, who were set up at the Union all weekend, that we tucked into during the podcast. Not pizza but not a bad start to the day by any means.<br /><br />Sarah’s podcast guests were Andy and Kaz of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TNSrecords" target="_blank">TNSRecords</a>/MPF and the interview was a lot of fun. As well as tales of organising MPF and highlights of past festivals, the podcast featured an exciting game of band name Pictionary and the, I presume, first ever human pyramid to be formed during a podcast. Kaz was at the top of a pyramid and Andy spit beer into Kaz’s mouth – which is apparently something they do. Yep, I don’t know either. It was funny though. It will be interesting to see how the chaos translate to audio only!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfgUVJ86K1oHV9p2B0I1ogkJapcpj0mhFZsY3P9zrwZrg_0q-dkJQbhsKjxnn1KokA6egD4W50H2zx7PP3wKZ2WhgBmoeXpZ07ZD2pzIOx7QkOkFOc7YPT4JIG1QDzUoeC0E4IgG5RU0FtAPRSAsAmBkCZfcSmHA4gzHzu_n_TuRjzFNX8p441KFa5A/s1000/IMG_0235%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfgUVJ86K1oHV9p2B0I1ogkJapcpj0mhFZsY3P9zrwZrg_0q-dkJQbhsKjxnn1KokA6egD4W50H2zx7PP3wKZ2WhgBmoeXpZ07ZD2pzIOx7QkOkFOc7YPT4JIG1QDzUoeC0E4IgG5RU0FtAPRSAsAmBkCZfcSmHA4gzHzu_n_TuRjzFNX8p441KFa5A/s2000/IMG_0235%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />It was a tricky pick for me as to which band I should start my day with – Alldeepends or Cheerbleederz. But ultimately I decided that I should go with the band I hadn’t seen before – which was weirdly the London-based one and not the one from Scotland. This meant Robyn and I were off to the Union to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cheerbleederz" target="_blank">Cheerbleederz</a>. The room was already busy and full of folks bopping and singing along when we made our way into the crowd. The band looked to be having just as much, if not more, fun on stage than the audience was. What a joyous way to start the day. After Robyn bought some merch from Catbite (telling them she was the person who did their interview in the MPF programme) and Cheerbleederz, we were off to Yes. Up next there was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JessSilkMusic" target="_blank">Jess Silk</a> who was one of the artists I’d found on the MPF playlist and knew I had to check out live. Dan #2 was already at Yes and decided to stick around with us, which I believe they considered to be a good decision as they really enjoyed Jess Silk’s political songs. I did too. With just their acoustic guitar and incredible voice, Jess Silk put on a killer performance. Would recommend.<br /><br />Much Sunday was spent dotting about between venues quite a bit more than I’d done the previous two days. But that’s not really as tiring as you’d think, I think it’s better to keep your legs and feet moving throughout the day and going to different venues can help with that. Next on our agenda was Gorilla for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherymofficial" target="_blank">Cherym</a>. I LOVE Cherym. The Irish trio have such a brilliant stage presence and are so fun to watch play live. Obviously they sounded great too! We ducked out a little bit early to allow us time to get back to the Union for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catbiteband" target="_blank">Catbite</a>. As it turned out we had plenty of time and could even position ourselves on the barrier. Having seen Catbite myself at the New Cross Inn the week before I knew to some extent what I was in for but that didn’t stop my enjoyment one bit. This is a band meant for big, big things and it felt so special to see them at MPF. They were clearly having the absolute best time themselves, too – it’s been nice reading all their social media posts during and after the festival. Catbite love MPF and we love Catbite. As you can imagine, there was lots of dancing and smiling…<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAeYD-on3GMFx2sipRqztF5qSWPXrSpOgrBEYMf28jlHHV3mtZatUyv93sP7QOtha8KFB1YM2zgkK7lwY-irnFbtEUiAVIi7fM3VzNpn7WrpmY9lpbJqvXG34RgKDx-XM6gJeDMzr6Iy30pP12M4lEDTY0qveG5--MzB4vzPDJ2Y76iTjKiaYsPBALg/s1000/IMG_0258%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAeYD-on3GMFx2sipRqztF5qSWPXrSpOgrBEYMf28jlHHV3mtZatUyv93sP7QOtha8KFB1YM2zgkK7lwY-irnFbtEUiAVIi7fM3VzNpn7WrpmY9lpbJqvXG34RgKDx-XM6gJeDMzr6Iy30pP12M4lEDTY0qveG5--MzB4vzPDJ2Y76iTjKiaYsPBALg/s2000/IMG_0258%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />…And then it was time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeBlueMondayTheGreatDepression" target="_blank">Goodbye Blue Monday</a>, everyone’s favourite certified misery punks. It was time to bring the mood down but, also, I love them so I was okay with that. It might have started a little oddly if you didn’t know Goodbye Blue Monday as they came on stage to bagpipes playing (much like the start to their new album) but they soon won over the crowd with their fast paced gruff pop punk. I know speaking to Graham and Sean earlier in the weekend that they felt it was a mistake to have them on the biggest stage but there’s no denying that they absolutely smashed their set. They’d also mentioned beforehand that they would be playing (or attempting to play) Hara-Kiri which is a 16 minute long song about suicide. Damn, they pulled it off. It was incredible. It made me appreciate the song and the album as a whole even more than I already did. If you missed this then you’re a silly idiot. Also, well done me for not bursting into tears – it was close.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTBnHlQTM4xXLvXG7uF2G9Oe2LmJB0hP_5_rLwAJkzRSFFJvrh-tM_BuCmmYKK2-zICzg1msLR4Drcd8YRpRo_j2qwlb-tjKci77dGVGOEZzfZ91J1bxFiCd1diDxl4lW8Cr4hcpJvmyezBN80QCT3ooZDkrZqX85-oOjzVRVFIOUAnoSyjfnqTRxnA/s1000/IMG_0273%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTBnHlQTM4xXLvXG7uF2G9Oe2LmJB0hP_5_rLwAJkzRSFFJvrh-tM_BuCmmYKK2-zICzg1msLR4Drcd8YRpRo_j2qwlb-tjKci77dGVGOEZzfZ91J1bxFiCd1diDxl4lW8Cr4hcpJvmyezBN80QCT3ooZDkrZqX85-oOjzVRVFIOUAnoSyjfnqTRxnA/s2000/IMG_0273%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Heading back to Gorilla for almost all of the rest of the night, it was time for some indie punk in the form of Me Rex and Shit Present. Both bands were excellent – I could probably say that about any band playing MPF at this point, but hey. I’m forever in awe of how talented a bunch of musicians <a href="https://www.facebook.com/merexband" target="_blank">Me Rex</a> are, with all three members of the band singing while also playing multiple instruments. I like Me Rex on recording but I love seeing them live. They’re definitely one of those bands that has to be seen in the flesh to be fully appreciated. Dan #2 may have a shed a tear or two whilst singing along to every word. <a href="https://shitpresent.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Shit Present</a> kept the singalongs coming, playing tracks from their previous two EPs alongside new singles off of their forthcoming debut album. Shit Present are one of few bands that have played MPF two years running. Last year I was hyped for new music from them but this year even more so, as it’s almost within reach. In fact, it literally was within reach as Iona said that people could buy the album, ahead of its release next month, exclusively at MPF. Unfortunately I had already pre-ordered the album but Robyn made sure to buy a copy. This year is going to be big for Shit Present and I can’t wait to see them again.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE14dyO4SZgMAMBrsdjLmDPV94X2ybhXOBGR1pnEHudhp10Elw5X7aFCPPmW-pGfii3yMuFIoRADHX1QqEYVvTr493FpI8XSQnfPO4ocRTvebvBE39Oj7oS6EFd8VM4uRcHghYsOhUFPjSHspgZGttKoHAworH-1iT5iuMLyiO1cxxtqifNa1y01Q3A/s1000/IMG_0286%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxE14dyO4SZgMAMBrsdjLmDPV94X2ybhXOBGR1pnEHudhp10Elw5X7aFCPPmW-pGfii3yMuFIoRADHX1QqEYVvTr493FpI8XSQnfPO4ocRTvebvBE39Oj7oS6EFd8VM4uRcHghYsOhUFPjSHspgZGttKoHAworH-1iT5iuMLyiO1cxxtqifNa1y01Q3A/s2000/IMG_0286%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />I admit that I didn’t know much about the Sunday night headliner that we’d opted to see, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/badnerves" target="_blank">Bad Nerves</a>. But I was there based on enjoying at least one of the songs on the MPF playlist and not being fussed about seeing the other headliners. They didn’t quite seem like a typical MPF band but had a lot of energy and put on a good show nonetheless. There were certainly some folk down the front loving every second of it anyway. I’m pretty sure that Bad Nerves weren’t from Manchester but the singer definitely had Manchester vibes with their sunglasses on for the first part of the set! I feel like this could be the next big ‘popular’ punk band like Idles or Fontaines DC.<br /><br />Then it was time for the ultimate end to the festival – if you’re me and your favourite band of all time is The Gaslight Anthem. However, to avoid being stuck outside Rebellion in a queue for ages like the previous night, we hung around Gorilla for a bit longer with Colin talking ska and the Scottish music scene with Kev (Paper Rifles) – I piped in occasionally but it was just nice to sit back and listen to two people who are so passionate about music talk. That’s truly one of the biggest highlights of MPF – just being around like-minded people and having a catch up.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChloeHawesMusic" target="_blank">Chloe Hawes</a> and their band playing as The Gaslight Anthem was everything that I’d hoped for, times ten. They honestly did a better job than the real Gaslight Anthem has in recent years and it seemed like it went really well with everyone in Rebellion. They played all the hits along with my favourite song, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, which may or may not have been as a result of me suggesting it on Twitter months ago. I had the most wonderful of times at the front singing along to every word and couldn’t have asked for a better end to my MPF 2023. After doing the rounds and saying goodbye, I finished my weekend on a huge high. Leaving then meant we missed out on seeing Speed Dinosaurs play Sublime covers (I don’t know any of their songs) and Hell’s Ditch play New Found Glory covers (I don’t think I like any of their songs) but I was more than happy with my MPF ending with TGA.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcEDXtH27SUYv5pwiazyBoznKhQwnWX-wv9asJTS-vPQJ0O6gP0jk4bXHk4bwHxlt4Jgk2J_85EoLTRTTyDjYQycBiMS-Dsh3iC4I6-Li8iX-5aEb3KupNQb8rbm3UJIYlSHFptvK-hV0TsWcLKzpzwJLUJanaG-V8Ao7fQtzNhU1N8Wyvisi3V38PQ/s1000/IMG_0308%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcEDXtH27SUYv5pwiazyBoznKhQwnWX-wv9asJTS-vPQJ0O6gP0jk4bXHk4bwHxlt4Jgk2J_85EoLTRTTyDjYQycBiMS-Dsh3iC4I6-Li8iX-5aEb3KupNQb8rbm3UJIYlSHFptvK-hV0TsWcLKzpzwJLUJanaG-V8Ao7fQtzNhU1N8Wyvisi3V38PQ/s2000/IMG_0308%20copy.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Over the following days there was much talk amongst the punk community and within my friendship groups that this was somehow the best MPF ever and I most certainly agree. For one thing, personally, I didn’t feel nearly as tired throughout the weekend (even though I technically did not get much sleep at all) and my feet held out pretty well too – no blisters! I took a spare pair of shoes and alternated between the days which was clearly a genius idea. I also drank a lot of water throughout the weekend – I basically asked for one tap water with whatever drink I was buying. More importantly: Every band I saw was really, really good. The venues and staff were all top notch. The organisation was flawless. And most of all, every person I met was lovely and just generally having the best time themselves.<br /><br />I’m still in awe of how amazing Manchester Punk Festival is and cannot thank the festival organisers and volunteers enough for delivering the best weekend of the year, year after year. I’m already counting down the days until the next one!<div><br /></div><div>Get your <a href="https://www.manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/tickets/" target="_blank">tickets</a> for MPF 2024 now!</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="https://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.com/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Emma Prewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11693247118724159904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-75137200014248832023-04-09T10:55:00.001+01:002023-04-09T10:55:48.877+01:00Interview: ALLDEEPENDS Interview For Manchester Punk Festival 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_kfl6ZahMFQ/XhIBAw3E3DI/AAAAAAAAVlY/hvUPAyn4CG4ATgmRGsy8A2k5Qv7ueUytgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_columns.jpg" width="450" /></div><div><br /></div>
<p><b>Who are ALLDEEPENDS?</b></p><p>Hooligan: Alldeepends is a collective of artists that are based in Dundee. The name is quite well suited because it’s a pun on all dependent but also going really deep into things, giving extra layers. So sometimes we might be putting on plays, or doing shadow theatre, putting fanzines out, playing music, putting records out, painting together, vandalising the streets. </p><p>John: Hooligan was quite adamant that we’re an art collective, we were looking at Crass and how they describe themselves as an art collective, not just a band and that inspired us to have a broader approach. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>How would you describe ALLDEEPENDS’ sound?</b></p><p>John: It’s very difficult to have the frame of reference to the points that the band references. I’m personally inspired a lot by the Minutemen. One of the early hardcore punk bands from LA, who played with Black Flag and Dead Kennedys. They were one of the bands that focussed on funky basslines, had a bit of a post-punk outlook. One of the things that their lead singer D-Boon said was ‘punk is what we make it’ – it’s not a sound, it’s not a style, it’s a way of doing things. They would bring in other elements to the punk scene like dub, reggae, to a certain extent ska, funk. I was inspired by that. </p><p>Nikki: Something I always like to point out is that all of us have a deep appreciation for music but also a very wide appreciation. Obviously the banjo as an American folk instrument has a really long tradition of these very simple songs that get passed down, these lyrical motifs that appear over time but also the fact that the banjo is all based in triplets. I don’t really use a pick, I never have even when playing the guitar, but the banjo is all based in triplets and they create that almost rolling, galloping sound which I think translates really well to punk and folk music brought into a modern context and brought into modern electric, distorted sounds. </p><p>John: It’s harder isn’t it, it’s harder than playing in a guitar based punk band. I think that’s something that lends credence to the name ALLDEEPENDS as well because our shows can vary wildly and it’s up to chance how things go on the night and whether everything works okay, there’s a lot more things but we embrace that. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Do you find that you end up on a lot more mixed genre bills because of your style?</b></p><p>Nikki: The UK has quite a defined DIY scene, there’s different venues that you go to pretty consistently, you know what to expect from the bands that you support. But even still, the range of bands that we end up playing with – Cocky Horror and Endless Swarm, very heavy, very technical, almost power violence type stuff all the way to Café folk songs. The ability to push and pull the amount of distortion, even Hooligan stripped down to just a washboard at times, doing street busking – to Grateful Dead bars, to Sunday Oi matinees, to somebody's basement – the flexibility and the ability to evolve and respond to circumstance and environment is really important to us as musicians. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>You spoke about being an art collective. In art there aren't any rules, does that approach follow on into your music?</b></p><p>Hooligan: The outlook that we have towards music comes from art, it is a big umbrella where within you can find art itself in music. </p><p>Nikki: I think that all three of us are coming from a background of creating something of our own style, something with our own voice and being able to incorporate it into a collective and being able to collaborate and make something greater. I think of our sound generally as a musical collage in that everybody has a very specific outlook and voice and nobody’s phoning it in and trying to follow a specific guideline. Everybody’s doing something creative constantly in the way we all have very different styles artistically as well.</p><p>Hooligan: That’s also observable in the artwork for the music that we’ve released in the way that Nikki was mentioning. A musical collage, in this case, is a 2D visual art piece where the three of us come together with our ideas and put it together for it to be the cover of our albums. </p><p>John: It’s like translating us visually into us sonically and vice versa. It’s like three quite idiosyncratic people in an idiosyncratic band then on the flip side you’ve got the visual side of that as well which corresponds quite directly.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How did ALLDEEPENDS form?</b></p><p>John: We all met in the basement, Conroy’s Basement. Hooligan probably tells the story best.</p><p>Hooligan: The first time I met Nikki was when Joe McMahon (Smoke Or Fire) played the Basement. In the middle of his set he pointed out Nikki and said they just moved here a few days ago, someone go and speak to them. That was the first thing I went to do and then I heard about their project named Misery Guts. We started jamming and we knew John from the scene and also from art school.</p><p>John: We just happened to all be from the same school as well. </p><p>Hooligan: It just all came together after we had some practices.</p><p>Nikki: Playing in the band was preceded by a lot of very long conversations about the ethics of punk and about what we want to do in an outlook sort of way and a general understanding of what punk is as a concept. </p><p>John: It’s an ongoing conversation.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>You mentioned Minutemen as an influence, what other bands influence you?</b></p><p>Nikki: Oooh, I’m gonna say Beastie Boys, Nomeansno and Defiance, Ohio. So folk punk, hip-hop vocal delivery and almost theatrical, a lot of rise and fall actions, that’s for me personally.</p><p>Hooligan: Recently I’ve been finding joy in my friends making music. There’s a new band called Wrecking Joy who are a bunch of my friends. The Sewer Cats. To me there’s nothing more inspiring at the moment than being at an event where everyone is part of it. The people onstage are not any more devine or majestic than the people on the other side of the stage. I think that people that are my friends or people that I know, going for it, that is what really inspires me at the moment. </p><p>John: A band for me, both musically and ethically like Fugazi are really important for having a model of what DIY punk can be and how far it can go. Digressing a bit from this question, like Hooligan was saying, being inspired by the ethics of breaking down the divide of the audience and the band, as well as the spaces being safe spaces for everybody and everyone feeling comfortable in those spaces is really important. Also, Fucked Up. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>What are you most looking forward to about MPF?</b></p><p>John: All the bands, it's the pinnacle of DIY punk in the UK isn’t it? Super stoked to be a part of it. </p><p>Nikki: It’s such a fun structure with all the venues being in walking distance and just the really unique sensation of seeing all these people around with T-shirts and patches that you recognise just crisscrossing.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>What bands in particular are you looking forward to seeing?</b></p><p>Hooligan: I’ve been listening to the MPF Spotify playlist with all the bands. I’ve been listening to it and every time there’s been a song I like I tried to make a note of it so that whenever we know the times I can end up going A, B, C to venue to venue, like an abstract map. I found this band called Ithaca that I enjoyed and there’s also this power violence called Krupskaya. Also Cherym and Throwing Stuff. </p><p>John: I’m stoked for Petrol Girl, that’ll be good.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>You’ve played Manchester before, how did it go?</b></p><p>John: It’s a beautiful experience. We really like playing Manchester, it’s quite similar in tone to our Dundee scene. People go for it. The TNS crowd, the Garlic Bread Club nights are just wild. People come out for shows and it’s really supportive. We’ve had a good time there. </p><p>Nikki: It’s quite fortunate that people are really swinging hard for it. We’ve played Fuel. I really enjoyed playing Fuel, I love the straight stage and I love the floor bouncing with people jumping.</p><p>John: We had complaints from downstairs at Fuel because everyone was jumping at the same time and they came up to beg us to get people not to jump at the same time because they thought that the ceiling was going to cave in or something and said ‘could you please get people to jump up and down at odd intervals or something?’</p><p>Nikki: The overhead lights were swinging back and forth.</p><p>John: It’s a cool place, it’s very stripped down. It’s kind of reminiscent of house shows in the USA where a lot of the sound people would just turn things up, turn mics on and away you go. It feels very punk rock, it’s not like these twenty minute sound checks. People are just setting up and going for it. We enjoyed the sound and the people who we were with, the bands we played with. It’s one of the best places to play in the UK.</p><p>Hooligan: I think that The Sewer Cats are a lot to do with the good times that we’ve had there.</p><p>John: Yeah, we’ve got connections there. Josh in The Sewer Cats is my brother, so it’s proper family. We always laugh because me and my brother are in our 30s and we got into punk and the DIY scene and we’ve got no business doing this at this time, being over 30 and doing these punk shows. It’s just a really nice feeling and it’s brought us closer together, it’s all we ever talk about on the phone now, gear, guitar stuff or bands.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Anything else you want to mention?</b></p><p>Hooligan: We have new music coming out, we recorded it a year ago just before our USA tour. Hopefully it will be up on all digital platforms before MPF.</p><p><br /></p><p>You can stream and download that new music, Banjoviolence, Hooligan mentioned on Bandcamp <a href="https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/banjoviolence-ep" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>This interview was for the Manchester Punk Festival 2023 programme which you can read <a href="https://www.manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/mpf2023-programme/?fbclid=IwAR1r8par3HhLuj2oU-AxVh2aEq7-UnXsbr3RPkO5dqDxj2Q8DSeuX2z-xNA" target="_blank">here</a> – there’s loads of great articles and information in there.</p><p>See you at MPF!</p>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-8022404012420599382023-02-14T16:40:00.001+00:002023-02-14T16:40:46.136+00:00Column: Colin's Manchester Punk Festival Preview 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_kfl6ZahMFQ/XhIBAw3E3DI/AAAAAAAAVlY/hvUPAyn4CG4ATgmRGsy8A2k5Qv7ueUytgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_columns.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />Thirty minutes before I started typing this I had no intention of writing a preview for Manchester Punk Festival. I’m not doing writing at the moment, I had no plans to start doing any writing anytime soon. I was happily playing Football Manager 2023 – where I am currently managing CSA in the Brazilian Premier League – minding my own business, then the wonderful Matt Speer posted a list of band that they were looking forward to seeing at MPF on <a href="https://www.earnutrition.co.uk/mpf-2023-an-instant-itinerary/" target="_blank">Ear Nutrition</a>. This lit a fire under me to talk about some of the bands I’m most excited to see this year. At the time I was also listening to the <a href="https://shout-louder.com/2023/02/06/rhubarbtriangle/" target="_blank">Shout Louder Podcast</a> where Sarah had a live interview with Robin of Random Hand and Dani of Faintest Idea, discussing their “rivalry”, and I thought it would be fun to start a faux rivalry with Matt by only writing about bands he didn’t mention. Full disclaimer – I absolutely adore Matt and he is one of my favourite people to spend time with. I particularly enjoy pointing out all of the times he enjoys ska. <br /><br />I’m sure everyone reading this knows what Manchester Punk Festival is all about and I don’t need to write an essay telling you how it’s the best Festival in the United Kingdom. At the time of writing, there are still some tickets available. If you haven’t bought one yet, crack on – ticket link is <a href="https://www.manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/tickets/" target="_blank">here</a> and I’ll see you down the front at Easter weekend. (While I’m here let’s steal Sarah Shout Louder’s catchphrase and start more beefs).<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dRyfwWwhzSbRdG9Sh_PXblTeddHXWCl2OnKvtdVvZPoYo-RLHAMNR8U--ggttt4qQaJntngWd08C1qqPy4dY8h49qHsR7MkMda0oILSmabCdlYgUE4HY3yDW4qjeUW8l1F2tRfQY_OFYjkIHx3tmG0U7psaufvDCUNowYo7vn_stqMkXApKcLo9h9g/s1440/MPF%202023.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dRyfwWwhzSbRdG9Sh_PXblTeddHXWCl2OnKvtdVvZPoYo-RLHAMNR8U--ggttt4qQaJntngWd08C1qqPy4dY8h49qHsR7MkMda0oILSmabCdlYgUE4HY3yDW4qjeUW8l1F2tRfQY_OFYjkIHx3tmG0U7psaufvDCUNowYo7vn_stqMkXApKcLo9h9g/s1440/MPF%202023.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/agreatnotionmusic" target="_blank">A Great Notion</a></b><br /><br />Peterborough’s A Great Notion return to Manchester Punk Festival for the first time since 2017. The four-piece play infectious punk rock with fantastic, introspective lyrics. A Great Notion are a band for the thinkers and the listeners, as well as the folk who love a big chorus. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alldeepends/" target="_blank">ALLDEEPENDS</a></b><br /><br />Dundee’s ALLDEEPENDS are the most exciting new(ish) band in the UK punk scene right now. Playing banjo-driven hardcore punk rock with vocals delivered faster than your favourite rapper, the band are a force who you absolutely need to experience live. If you’re a fan of drums and drumming, you need to see Hooligan work their magic behind the kit. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bangersbangers" target="_blank">Bangers</a></b><br /><br />DIY punk legends Bangers are playing a reunion show! This was not something I was ever really expecting to happen and it blew my mind when it was announced. Bangers were such a huge part of the DIY scene when I was first getting into it and I sadly missed their last show due to illness so I’m so excited to see them again. Loud, growling vocals and plenty of fist-in-the-air choruses are ahead. Could it be a one off? Could there be more shows? Who knows but let’s all enjoy Bangers once again!<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBeltones" target="_blank">The Beltones</a></b><br /><br />When The Beltones were first announced for MPF I had no idea who they were. The organisers had described them as your favourite bands’ favourite band so I knew I had to check them out. I was not disappointed. What a fantastic band. The Beltones play fast and melodic pop punk with raspy vocals. Like I mentioned, they are a new band to me but I’m very excited to have the chance to see them live. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bigdboston" target="_blank">Big D & The Kids Table </a></b><br /><br />MPF23 have gone big on the ska punk genre this year. The big headline name on the ska portion of the line-up is without a doubt Boston’s Big D And The Kids Table. The long running ska punk legends return to the UK for the first time since 2017 and the UK ska punk scene is excited. I’m expecting plenty of songs from their latest album, 2021’s Do Your Art, as well as plenty of classics from the band’s twenty-six year back catalogue. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BoomBoomRacoon" target="_blank">Boom Boom Racoon</a></b><br /><br />Bristol acoustic ska sweethearts return to play MPF officially once again, after last year when they set up a very well received guerrilla gig in the park. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Boom Boom Racoon loads over the years and every single time they seem to get better and better, all while tackling serious socially aware topics, educating you and being a whole lot of fun in the process. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bruise.Control" target="_blank">Bruise Control</a></b><br /><br />Bruise Control feel as if they are about to become Manchester’s next big punk rock band. I stayed up past my bedtime to see them last year and felt like I was witnessing the start of something very special. The band play their own style of garage punk rock with Jimbob’s unique vocals being a particular highlight. Their debut album, Useless For Something, is due out on TNSRecords very soon and I’m excited to hear it. This MPF is going to be a big one. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a></b><br /><br />Call Me Malcolm are easily the band on the MPF line-up that I’ve seen the most amount of times but that doesn’t mean I’m not super excited to see them once again. Their MPF debut at Gorilla in 2019 will forever remain one of my all-time favourite sets. Seeing so many people crammed into the big room singing along to these songs that I hold so dear to my heart was amazing. Call Me Malcolm are also doing a Reel Big Fish cover set for one of the after parties which will be so much fun. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/catbiteband" target="_blank">Catbite</a></b><br /><br />I don’t think there’s a ska band in the world that people are more excited about than Philadelphia’s Catbite. The band will be embarking on their first ever UK tour in the build up to MPF and there seems to be such a buzz for them. I had the pleasure of seeing them play live at The Fest in Florida last year and was absolutely captivated by them. It felt like a real honour and privilege to have the opportunity to see them play a small room – it’s something I don’t think they’ll be doing for much longer in their careers. Believe the hype about Catbite. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherymofficial" target="_blank">Cherym</a></b><br /><br />Derry pop punks Cherym were one of my favourite discoveries of 2022. I had the chance to see them at the Exchange in Bristol and what a treat it was. Fast, fun pop music played with plenty of attitude. I feel like, with some more exposure, Cherym could be a great gateway band for the young folk in their journey into the world of punk music. For us older folk, they give a great feeling of nostalgia and, for me at least, put a big smile on my face. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClayfacePunkRawk" target="_blank">Clayface</a></b><br /><br />Oldham’s Clayface stepped into the MPF line up in 2022 as a last minute replacement and I’m super glad they’re back again in 2023. They play the melodic punk rock sound that I really enjoy but sadly don’t play many shows down south so this is a great opportunity to see them again. Clayface have been working on new music too which is very exciting. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deecracks" target="_blank">DeeCracks</a></b><br /><br />I love me some Euro pop punk and it’s not very often we get to see such bands play the UK so DeeCracks playing MPF made me do a big “hell yeah!” The Austrian three-piece are celebrating twenty years of being a band in 2023 and MPF will be the perfect place to bring their catchy, buzzsaw pop punk to party. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/distralband" target="_blank">Distral</a></b><br /><br />Distral are the only band to feature on both mine and my great nemesis Matt’s list. We’re locked in a heated battle of words, honest. I wasn’t originally going to include Distral but I just had to. Seeing them at Punk Rock Holiday last year was an experience I am not likely to forget any time soon. They were playing at the festival’s Beach Stage in the middle of a heavy storm. The sand in front of the stage turned into a big mucky sludge pit and the stormy back drop seemed to suit their sound perfectly. Playing fast, heavy, melodic hardcore punk, I was absolutely mesmerised. I’m looking forward to seeing them play again – hopefully I won’t get quite so damp this time though. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Faintestidea" target="_blank">Faintest Idea</a></b><br /><br />TNSRecords’ own Faintest Idea are back at Manchester Punk Festival once again. 2023 is going to be a big year for Faintest Idea with the release of their long-awaited new album The Road To Sedition and a tour of the USA planned for the Spring. Faintest Idea are one of my favourite bands to see live and they always draw a great crowd in Manchester. Expect big sing-alongs and plenty of dancing. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/twitchyfidgets" target="_blank">Fidget and the Twtitchers</a></b><br /><br />The West Country’s Fidget and the Twitchers are one of the newer bands in the UK ska punk scene but they are quickly picking up steam. Our friends in Baldhead and the Dreads are big fans of Fidget and The Twitchers which makes me very keen to check them out. I did get to see Fidget play a solo set at Level Up Festival last year and that got me itching to see them full band. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/flinchmusicissad" target="_blank">Flinch</a></b><br /><br />Flinch started as a solo project for Slowlight’s Beth Black. Beth wrote and performed the majority of their superb debut album, Enough Is Enough, during lockdown, before taking the bold move to release the vinyl LP themselves. Flinch has since morphed into a full band project that is set to do some very cool things. Flinch are a band I’m very excited about. I’m keen to take the opportunity to see a new band on the scene that I won’t often get to see around the south of England. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/foriamband" target="_blank">For I Am</a></b><br /><br />I’ve known For I Am guitarist Bjorn for a few years now but I’ve never managed to see his band. I’m stoked to finally have the opportunity. I did get to see lead singer Hanne join a couple of bands to sing at PRH last year and what a stunning voice they have! If you’re unaware of the Belgian band they play superb skate/pop punk music and only write bangers. Since that disaster the UK committed with Brexit it’s become rarer and rarer for us to get the opportunity to see EU bands – make the most of this! <br /><b><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeBlueMondayTheGreatDepression" target="_blank">Goodbye Blue Monday</a></b><br /><br />I bloody love Goodbye Blue Monday – not just as a band, but as people as well – and they are one of the absolutely can’t-miss bands on my list for MPF. The misery punks have been picking up more and more fans all over the place and the joyous ruckus that comes from their live shows is the stuff of legend. Let’s go Goodbye Blue Monday! <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellsditchmusic" target="_blank">Hell’s Ditch</a></b><br /><br />I felt like I was following Hell’s Ditch around last summer – or were they following me? Hell’s Ditch are a bit of a DIY punk rock supergroup who came together a few years ago. Since then they’ve been working hard playing shows and putting out smash hit after smash hit. You can’t help but want to sing-along with the band, they write some very nice ear-wormy punk tracks. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearejoeyterrifying" target="_blank">Joey Terrifying</a></b><br /><br />I was at Gatwick Airport queuing for something when it was announced that Joey Terrifying would be playing a reunion show at Manchester Punk Festival. I believe I let out quite a loud “holy shit” as I read the announcement on my phone. If you don’t know who they are, Joey Terrifying are Scottish DIY punk legends featuring the wonderful Derrick Johnston of of Uniforms, Tragical History Tour and, of course, Make-That-A-Take Records. Playing a distinctive brand of skacore, I expect Joey Terrifying to bring quite the ruckus to MPF. Joey Terrifying might be the band I’m most excited to see at the festival, I never got to see them when they were active and I never really expected to get the chance. I’m so pleased I do now. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaddishband" target="_blank">Kaddish</a></b><br /><br />Another band from Scotland I’m really excited to see are Ecossemo kings Kaddish. I’ve had the unique pleasure of seeing them play Book Yer Ane Fest in Dundee a couple of times and was moved emotionally on each occasionally. Kaddish play emo music at its most raw, powerful, technical and, of course, emotional. They don’t play a whole lot of shows south of the border so this will be a special occasion and one you probably shouldn’t be missing. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KillLincolnDC" target="_blank">Kill Lincoln</a></b><br /><br />There’s been a massive ska punk boom in the United States over the last few years and Kill Lincoln have played a huge part in that. This will be their first time in the UK and it seems long overdue. Kill Lincoln play fast and upbeat ska punk that isn’t too far from the sound of the 90s heyday of the genre. From videos I’ve seen of their live shows, they play with an energy that will no doubt spill over to the audience and create a wall-to-wall skanking pit. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeadShotHazard" target="_blank">Lead Shot Hazard</a></b><br /><br />Continuing with the ska punk, long-running UK band Lead Shot Hazard make their long-awaited MPF debut. I’ve been watching this band for years and they still seem to get better every time I see them. Featuring dual vocalists and one of the best brass sections in the UK scene, Lead Shot Hazard always bring it live. I’m so pleased to see Lead Shot Hazard getting to play MPF. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lightyearofficial" target="_blank">Lightyear</a></b><br /><br />One last ska punk band and it’s the legendary Lightyear! What’s left to say about Lightyear? They are one of the best bands to ever step foot on a stage. Whenever they play it’s joyous chaos and nobody knows what antics are going to happen – usually not even most members of the band – but it’s always so much fun. It’s not all about the stage show with Lightyear though. Listen to their songs, they are filled with deep and meaningful lyrics – Chas is one of the greatest lyricists of his generation. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/PkewX3" target="_blank">Pkew Pkew Pkew</a></b><br /><br />Pkew Pkew Pkew are guaranteed to start one hell of a party at MPF. The Canadian rockers have fast become a firm favourite of everyone in the punk scene far and wide. It doesn’t seem that long ago that they released and then re-released their debut self titled album but they’re now out to support their third album, Open Bar, and already have the fourth ready to go as well. There’s no slowing these boys down. <br /><b><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheslowdeathMPLS" target="_blank">The Slow Death</a></b><br /><br />The Slow Death are a punk rock supergroup fronted by Jesse Thorson and feature a rotating cast of collaborators from bands such as The Ergs!, Dillinger Four, Tiltwheel and The Raging Nathans. Do I need to say more? That’s some cast! The band play melodic punk rock music that got big in the 2010s. Given that the band seems to have a rotating cast of members I assume they don’t get to tour often, so to get the opportunity to see them in the UK feels like one you just have to take. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sniffbanduk" target="_blank">Sniff</a></b><br /><br />It seemed like everyone was talking very excitedly about Sniff last year – and rightly so! The newest project from Bobby Funk’s Alex Smith, Sniff is a garage/pop punk act with a twist. I don’t want to give too much away about their live show but I can guarantee that it will be like nothing else you’ll see over the weekend. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/StojSnak" target="_blank">Stöj Snak</a></b><br /><br />Whilst I was getting over excited about Joey Terrifying in Gatwick Airport, Emma was getting overly excited that Stöj Snak was back at MPF. The Danish act are long-time friends of TNSrecords and have collaborated numerous times. Whenever they make it over to MPF it always feels like a bit of a hometown show – it’s very special. Frontman Niels has this amazing voice that is one moment heartbreaking and the next ferocious. This will be a lot of people’s can’t-miss set of the weekend. Make sure you catch it too. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TearjerkerNE" target="_blank">Tearjerker</a></b><br /><br />Tearjerker are one of the newest bands on the MPF line-up. So far the band have only released two singles but the fact that they are on Little Rocket Records really speaks highly of the quality of the band. Listening to the songs, I’m really reminded of Hot Water Music (a band I’d love to see at MPF in the future) and I’m hooked. It’s always nice to see MPF bring in those shiny big name punk bands from all over the world but it’s also really exciting when you get to see a brand new band get a chance to show a big crowd what they can do. <br /><br />This is just a selection of the bands I’m excited about at MPF. You’re not going to get a much stronger collection of bands playing a festival anywhere in the world this year – the quality is bonkers. I’m going to end this now, Emma has asked me not to make this too long as she has to edit it afterwards and we’re all out of practice with this blogging thing. Hopefully I’ve encouraged you to check out some bands you might not have heard of.<div><br /></div><div>Cheers for reading. How do you end blog posts again?<br /></div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-16194280392471070822022-09-28T12:09:00.001+01:002022-09-28T12:09:23.739+01:00Gig Review: Tripsun "Chemstrains Release Show" at Sebright Arms, London 24/9/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />Saturday the 24th of September marked the beginning of a brand new era for London DIY punks Tripsun. Last month the band released their first new music in three years in the form of the single Chemstrains and announced that they would now be going under the name Tripsun and not Triple Sundae. To celebrate the release, the band organised a stunning five band bill at the Sebright Arms in East London. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0N0ptRRQ5u6YJkASvbwuaXSgdJaAJcGarM0FmMcJXS6TTtRoo86IUwdfKECAI_1HaiXWqwtKYQXXB9VUxnV7REfOulVRAKzxupYz3reC0gKSf_g0eRlhpwS2Zpj9qx6Aw3MO2IC1sgBlM8vcsTgqfYtiHVDNbgVilpdMaRD2oEcVsEX4WJ11OwTvdyw/s1082/tripsun.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1076" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0N0ptRRQ5u6YJkASvbwuaXSgdJaAJcGarM0FmMcJXS6TTtRoo86IUwdfKECAI_1HaiXWqwtKYQXXB9VUxnV7REfOulVRAKzxupYz3reC0gKSf_g0eRlhpwS2Zpj9qx6Aw3MO2IC1sgBlM8vcsTgqfYtiHVDNbgVilpdMaRD2oEcVsEX4WJ11OwTvdyw/s1082/tripsun.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This was our first time at the Sebright Arms. I always get a bit anxious about going to a new place but it was nice to walk into the pub and immediately see friends. The actual venue part of the Sebright Arms in down in its basement. What I really liked about the venue was that there was a lower floor down the front for the pit but at the back of the room and around the sides there were raised areas which made it easier for people to see if they didn’t fancy getting bumped into down the front. More venues should have this feature. <br /><br />The band asked to open the show was London’s <a href="https://languishldn.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">Languish</a>. I knew nothing about the band before they began their set. I soon found out that they were a genre mixing four-piece that blend hardcore, dreamy emo and indie punk in a way that I don’t hear too often. I have to admit I wasn’t too sure about them when they started the set, the first song seemed very effect peddle heavy and I’m not usually a big fan of that, but as the set progressed I got into it more and more. Languish are a band I expect to see on more and more London gig line-ups in the near future.<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7oSQmkd_khsvi-_WrU_3FdobRdgX-9zUxsOIiFLJOd6lz1V2_Wd3pdhyRKp13vCrEzZ64ohbYpzGnNBSY8KU8Nw5xBVISN3ybJ9-jJfnD9lP4VDpb4S9ZxFJJDJrprKff8iQ3NFV-AIWv55SkX9lG7WXGv_BcrmPfnoGzgvl7zuRxX-Ch6mxnRzZyg/s1440/5DB0A5F0-DF29-48D4-A130-0922043B07E4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7oSQmkd_khsvi-_WrU_3FdobRdgX-9zUxsOIiFLJOd6lz1V2_Wd3pdhyRKp13vCrEzZ64ohbYpzGnNBSY8KU8Nw5xBVISN3ybJ9-jJfnD9lP4VDpb4S9ZxFJJDJrprKff8iQ3NFV-AIWv55SkX9lG7WXGv_BcrmPfnoGzgvl7zuRxX-Ch6mxnRzZyg/s1440/5DB0A5F0-DF29-48D4-A130-0922043B07E4.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br />Next were pop punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/budsfullstop" target="_blank">Buds</a>. I first got to see Buds back in March at Fishstock, in Bristol, and absolutely loved them. I believe that this was the first time Tripsun saw them as well and I know they were very impressed so it was cool to see Tripsun ask Buds to join this line-up. If you’re new to Buds then they play energetic pop punk music with plenty of sad themes. They are without a doubt one of the best new live bands I’ve seen this year, incredibly tight and really captivating on the stage. The whole set was a real treat from start to finish with Grit, Building Blocks and Bigger Fish being particular highlights for me. Something I really like about seeing Buds play is that they don’t just get on the stage and play the songs, they put everything they have into the performance and put on a real show. The band seem to be constantly playing shows everywhere at the moment, make sure to catch them when they come through your town. Buds are back in London on October the 18th at the New Cross Inn.</div><div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJW_kvuiWfqpsTLkVrd5jsg1K5ACrYehOIARpktqwjrOfQQ1Db9xSYElUwe5k-N1UUJfcsD02s3cjQ8Is-kbLYmS_SUjibMrg4ohkcc3_j3MgWBPL8dHdRxYBbx3-js2HYrEULgl2qx1evF-Dmw8BBfQ0YzLj2Xu0SDEghjJRuMuOdQl5WQZWjZAg/s1440/D61CF0C2-142B-4F25-953B-347C2857B025.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJW_kvuS3iWfqpsTLkVrd5jsg1K5ACrYehOIARpktqwjrOfQQ1Db9xSYElUwe5k-N1UUJfcsD02s3cjQ8Is-kbLYmS_SUjibMrg4ohkcc3_j3MgWBPL8dHdRxYBbx3-js2HYrEULgl2qx1evF-Dmw8BBfQ0YzLj2Xu0SDEghjJRuMuOdQl5WQZWjZAg/s1440/D61CF0C2-142B-4F25-953B-347C2857B025.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/skivilicious" target="_blank">Skiv</a> were on next. Tripsun and Skiv have been good friends for the longest time so it felt very appropriate that they were playing the show. This was my first time seeing them since they had their album release show earlier in the year and I was looking forward to seeing the boys again. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the addition of Leo Harvey on bass guitar was a masterstroke by the band. I’m not sure that there’s a better bass player in the DIY scene at the moment and he seriously stole the show with his rocking out during the set. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Skiv stuck with songs from their debut album No Context Bangers during the set and it was great to hear the newer songs live again. Skivilicious has been a staple of the band’s set for a few years now and the band were joined by Tripsun’s Hassan for the song, which was a nice touch. As well as being an incredibly talented guitarist and punk singer, Hassan is also a very good rapper and you should all check out his hip hop project, <a href="https://lounar.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Lounar</a>. Skiv’s set seemed to fly by and was a lot of fun. 2022 does seem to be the year that the band have taken things to the next level and it’s great to see. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha63_ehSYn1KqIqx4v-Gir9h4tiHZA945rteYKScxjWAsT6NcwDqKGF_tRdEQ6LFJPQJnk7ZdHpi6lW6mYEqL-r4xSJMjPHsjotOTrzWKkQPSogPoJ7cNnGAAnbickMlunlsUELOeGl6MZKl6fTARzrOYXMx1NYjiI4ofLDLVk3CKGO-h8SI4IwSjyEg/s1440/92AADDF8-19E6-4D0A-82D6-1F7DAFD083BC.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha63_ehSYn1KqIqx4v-Gir9h4tiHZA945rteYKScxjWAsT6NcwDqKGF_tRdEQ6LFJPQJnk7ZdHpi6lW6mYEqL-r4xSJMjPHsjotOTrzWKkQPSogPoJ7cNnGAAnbickMlunlsUELOeGl6MZKl6fTARzrOYXMx1NYjiI4ofLDLVk3CKGO-h8SI4IwSjyEg/s1440/92AADDF8-19E6-4D0A-82D6-1F7DAFD083BC.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br />The main support slot went to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Greymarketldn" target="_blank">Grey Market</a>. Grey Market are a four-piece post-punk/hardcore/screamo act fronted by NXI regular Theo. I hadn’t listened to the band prior to seeing the set as I really wanted to go in blind on my first time seeing them. Theo always struck me as a born front person and lives for that interaction between a crowd and a band. I was expecting something big from the band but they blew away all expectations almost immediately. Whether performing spoken word, reading from a book or screaming with a ferocious intensity, you couldn’t keep your eyes off of the stage. I’m not going to lie and say that Grey Market are going to be on regular rotation on my stereo, it’s a lot heavier than anything I usually listen to, but my word they are a very good band. If you’re into the heavier side of punk rock music then I definitely recommend checking Grey Matter out as they’re a great band. Side note: As mentioned Theo read from a few books during the set, I’m interested to know whether he reads the same part each gig or if he’s working his way through the book(s) with each gig that they play? <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PlEnDlQdbvRvrb8FsYbljIKqitPRXIrdeCwL-BRW5OUcArk644QlYjF-UClc2273tpI14mHxLF1H7tDVFMInEGtyZDglGb3ikO_TgnaIpMVHn-T632xFXTdILuAO7kCNXG43xG5JS49sAGUFTujEx3Tf71nsHS6Vt_MBW9-1dXWSa6DyA6qvOwb7dQ/s1440/058BD8A1-7C07-40E2-B6AD-AE551A7266BF.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PlEnDlQdbvRvrb8FsYbljIKqitPRXIrdeCwL-BRW5OUcArk644QlYjF-UClc2273tpI14mHxLF1H7tDVFMInEGtyZDglGb3ikO_TgnaIpMVHn-T632xFXTdILuAO7kCNXG43xG5JS49sAGUFTujEx3Tf71nsHS6Vt_MBW9-1dXWSa6DyA6qvOwb7dQ/s1440/058BD8A1-7C07-40E2-B6AD-AE551A7266BF.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br />Now it was time for the reason we were all there that evening, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/triplesundae" target="_blank">Tripsun</a>. I’ve seen Hassan, Mike, Zandro and Andy a lot over the years but have somehow never managed to see them play a headline set. Setting up in front of a sold out crowd full of friends they had made over the years, starting with Everything’s Cool was a master stroke – with the big sing-along at the start of the song really encouraging the crowd to get involved. Not that we needed much encouraging as there were big sing-alongs, fists-in-the-air and plenty of dancing throughout the set. Tripsun are one of those special bands that can connect with a crowd so organically, this really shows just what a good band they are. The band played new single Chemstrains early and it was amazing to see so many people singing the words right back at the band. Hassan and Zandro’s vocals on the song are next level and I love it. As well as playing favourites from Peace Of Mind and Glow, the band also played a brand new song from their upcoming (eventually) debut full length and some really old school songs as well. Something I always enjoy when I see Tripsun play live is how many people Hassan shouts out during the set, you can tell that they always really appreciate the support they’ve been given over the years. Towards the end of the set the band went rogue and played Chemstrains again! What maniacs! This encouraged an even bigger sing-along for the song. Have you <a href="https://linktr.ee/tripsunband" target="_blank">checked it out</a>? It really is a banger – you’ll love it. The set was then finished with Indecisive before an encore of Unseen where Theo, as always, joined them on stage to sing. Tripsun absolutely smashed this set, it was definitely up there with one of my favourite times I’ve seen them play – and they’ve set a very high standard over the years!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPEQa83wN9s_wlZCrMLuVrjA_LwE3DopD4SMBk0-CPrVv4mvS4aojPO0Eec0Dt_putyyNhONd7cTEGqUpf_EJqyKZBd2FnrS1dGDtPzW_3vhUJylZQtLpdNanyDjQ1xHckb7Uuu-kt8f72MaPCesPy-D1aXW8Ws5Ao14jXd5TinmaNfEZuNSnh7-knw/s1440/20B7D671-D3BB-40C6-9AA7-7D8F0B658C3C.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPEQa83wN9s_wlZCrMLuVrjA_LwE3DopD4SMBk0-CPrVv4mvS4aojPO0Eec0Dt_putyyNhONd7cTEGqUpf_EJqyKZBd2FnrS1dGDtPzW_3vhUJylZQtLpdNanyDjQ1xHckb7Uuu-kt8f72MaPCesPy-D1aXW8Ws5Ao14jXd5TinmaNfEZuNSnh7-knw/s1440/20B7D671-D3BB-40C6-9AA7-7D8F0B658C3C.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><br />I’ll finish the review in the exact same way that Zandro finished the set – “Triple Sundae is dead, Tripsun forever!” <br /><br /><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-7313583295702925402022-09-21T21:24:00.003+01:002022-09-21T21:49:51.711+01:00Gig Review: Punk Rock Holiday 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYtPKu_NIpTJVzW0_e1IARndWKqlXNuuZHhcTNKidB9TB9f7lS0nLp4J2ZCSm7KkcVWPLEFZVKHd8zf0vHrXyOi4K78_loo35Dg2Pbexe0izu5k7_gHrNQI64rMN5EK3-op242A5-y4rNk7czxktSJirZXgUOYaSOPfewbH2eupzrn7fOUgd8JTba_g/s1600/2022banner_PRH.jpg" width="450" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Back in August of 2019, a whole bunch of our pals travelled to Slovenia for a festival named Punk Rock Holiday. Emma and I were super jealous about this. Not just because of the stacked line-up but because of the beauty of the place. If you’re unaware, Punk Rock Holiday is a five day outdoor festival that takes place in the woods beside the river Soča in Tolmin. The clear river alongside the beautiful mountain views looked incredible. Then news came through that the Slovenian government had plans to build a road through the festival site, potentially putting the festival at risk. This settled it for Emma and I, we had to experience this festival at least once! <br /><br />Fast forward slightly to January 2020 and Emma and I had purchased our tickets from our friends in Eat Defeat. Punk Rock Holiday do this thing that I don’t really agree with where they get the bands who are playing the smaller Beach Stage to sell tickets. I’m not really sure what the point of this is but I believe the more they sell the more money the bands make which does seem off to me. Either way, we had tickets – as did lots of our friends – and we were excited to experience Punk Rock Holiday. <br /><br />Unfortunately there was a deadly virus on the way and we all know what happened during the rest of 2020 and the majority of 2021. Punk Rock Holiday 2020, alongside everything else in the world, was cancelled. <br /><br />Jump forward to 2022 and the world finally seems to be getting back to what we knew before. Punk Rock Holiday could happen and the time came for us to get organised for an event we brought tickets for over two and a half years earlier. When I say get organised, I sensibly left all organisation to Emma and our good pal Paul who, if promoting gigs and booking tours ever falls through for him, could get a job as a travel agent. Man knows what he’s doing. Transport and accommodation was booked and the time finally came around for Punk Rock Holiday. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMutLaqXTMu83vnt9EbvcmDsPjV4pe2MKP5J418Yx57G9fgN2REPpg_Ti2Z0iA4iQWRmGU-wBrEeuXHgpI-fu9YMJoFrZxqTy6FZkyVgIS-ZZ6_ysndql2MK4hHZ3-Y9zL0wMNXwYSpB5oHd0spTTjMpmdlKoFHnhdfpxX53BSlb5weAzfTmQGU2AaQ/s1600/PRH.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMutLaqXTMu83vnt9EbvcmDsPjV4pe2MKP5J418Yx57G9fgN2REPpg_Ti2Z0iA4iQWRmGU-wBrEeuXHgpI-fu9YMJoFrZxqTy6FZkyVgIS-ZZ6_ysndql2MK4hHZ3-Y9zL0wMNXwYSpB5oHd0spTTjMpmdlKoFHnhdfpxX53BSlb5weAzfTmQGU2AaQ/s1600/PRH.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>We had a flight booked from Gatwick to Venice before we got on a coach to travel the rest of the way to Tolmin for the festival. Emma and I left Bedford at 6am in the morning in order to get to Gatwick in time for our lunchtime flight. At Gatwick, we met the majority of our group whom we were travelling with. Our flight had a hour delay which actually worked out quite well for us as it meant less time waiting outside in the sun in Venice for our coach. Flying into Venice we were treated to some beautiful views of the city. The coach ride as well, which was full of good spirited (but slightly sleepy) punk rockers, was full of breathtaking views as we traversed the Slovenian hills and got our first looks at the river. When we eventually arrived at our destination it was only a short walk to our accommodation. Emma, Paul and I dropped off our bags, freshened up and headed straight out to the festival site. <br /><br />Paul also doubled up as somewhat of a tour guide for us, having been to PRH before, as he directed us to collect our festival wristbands and explained how the money card worked. Basically PRH gives you a card that you have to top-up whenever you want to buy food or drink. I guess the idea of it is to keep queues moving quickly at the various vendors on the site. With wristbands and money cards sorted we made our way through the campsite to get meet up with friends and grab some dinner. Walking through the various different camp sites was the first time it really hit me just how many people were at this festival. It was like a small town had been erected in the woods full of punk rockers from all over the world. We traversed through the site and soon found our friends Mark, Claire and Mikayla sitting on a bench in the main court area known as Slovenian Village. They had arrived earlier in the day and had already made friends with someone who can only be described as an inspiration to all of us, Johnny. In turned out that Johnny knew Paul already and friendships were formed. Being quite hungry, Emma and I hit up the vegan stall named Veni Vegi Vici. One tofu burger purchased, I sat back down and proceeded to get told a story about two girls they had met earlier. One of the two girls had only decided to go to the festival because her friend wanted to and had no interested in punk rock herself. We worried that she was going to have an awful week at Punk Rock Holiday. As the evening progressed more friends appeared, laughs were had and it really felt like we were on a proper family holiday. It was lovely. We didn’t stay out too late as we were tired from travelling and had an adventure to go on tomorrow before the business of punk rock began. <br /><br />Now before we continue, I must warn the dear reader that this review is going to be a little different to our other gig and festival reviews. Punk Rock Holiday was five days of punk rock and I saw fifty three different acts. There’s no way on earth I can sit here and review them all in as much detail as I normally would. Also, Punk Rock Holiday is about far more than just the bands. The setting is beautiful, you meet all manner of punk rockers from around the world, the atmosphere (the vibe if you’re a younger person) is completely different to any other festival. I’m going to talk about that as well as my musical highlights from the week. <br /><br />I’m going to start off with the setting as, for me, it was the real highlight of the entire week. The Monday of Punk Rock Holiday is classed as the warm-up day. This meant there were only a few bands playing on the main stage in the evening and we had the day to do whatever we chose to. A group of us decided to walk along to Tolmin Gorge. This was one of the prettiest places I’ve ever seen. Everything was just full of beauty. You could walk along to the stream and have a dip or climb up higher (there were steps and walkways, no actual climbing was involved) and get some incredible views. It was an amazing way to start the week. This was the part of the week that made the festival really feel like a holiday. It was also really nice to do this in our little group. Most of the people in the group I only really spend time with watching bands and it was nice to spend some time with them in a different setting. It was a nice bonding experience and it’s certainly something that I recommend anyone going to the festival in future experiences too. I also learnt that Charlie from Codename Colin, one of our travel companions, is essentially a dog and will jump into water at any time given the chance. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoZphulA8VYjE3qDtJFDRUUVRClPy85yjMB_LUbfFcbaNkjjkeDc_v-NH0aqCzIVhKfunp7rTRa_s9o9-JbJmCTmc9TIHv1OOqh4d1R7PxU6-mv_UpfYcx7nbWGaPaqwpvQqOnK8dJqGObxR56-LG6pUtwMe55E4WJEXceYTmgeHrP71rapZUTbHFcQ/s4032/IMG_7376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoZphulA8VYjE3qDtJFDRUUVRClPy85yjMB_LUbfFcbaNkjjkeDc_v-NH0aqCzIVhKfunp7rTRa_s9o9-JbJmCTmc9TIHv1OOqh4d1R7PxU6-mv_UpfYcx7nbWGaPaqwpvQqOnK8dJqGObxR56-LG6pUtwMe55E4WJEXceYTmgeHrP71rapZUTbHFcQ/s1600/IMG_7376.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After our walk to the gorge, we popped back to our apartment to freshen up. From there, Emma and I made our way to the festival site and found the camping beach. As we walked through the site we bumped into friends from all over who were camping and had some quick catch ups. The thing I love about festivals is the opportunity to catch up with friends I don’t get to see that often. It was like a reunion party at a festival many miles from home. We soon found our way to the beach, dodging and admiring many, many inflatables along the way. Apparently a big thing people enjoy doing at Punk Rock Holiday is to float along the river on inflatables. I feel like I saw more in that week than I have in a lifetime of going to beaches in the UK. They came in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. There were massive ones that could fit more people than most cars, that took a whole team of people to carry down to the beach. It seemed like a lot of effort but I’m sure they all had lots of fun. Not being one for water, this camping beach didn’t do much for me but it was nice to see folk enjoying themselves and it was nice to have a quiet chat with folk before the bands started. <br /><br />After the beach, we explored the festival site some more. The map on the official PRH app wasn’t especially clear and is perhaps something that could be worked on for next year. We took the opportunity to walk around the site to get our bearings and work out where the best places to get food, drink, free water and toilets was, as well as finding where the main, beach and acoustic stages and the merchandise booth were situated. The way the main site was set out was actually pretty simple as you could really only go two ways across the site, back and forth. Something I found really good about this was that it made it easier to bump into folk as you traversed the site. And when I say bump into folk I mean run into folk you know. When I say run into folk I mean find and meet up and chat with folk. I hope I made that clear. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUcin48AGTl0KBzx14Q-hMNONiP0EuCnjhrH20cu8bg-SAUvomhDeJ6AemNfjclGZd7sGplR1dx_lbrqr9lJqylBOnpQO5oMJan4dHiw9v18JqdkWqdqjRTQW6XJj5JCy9VEU1cxhUzcjv7RE9-6VyF2oP1ONdYQpwYUFPfwBS3GL-tSpHL9zbnzSJQ/s4032/IMG_7632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUcin48AGTl0KBzx14Q-hMNONiP0EuCnjhrH20cu8bg-SAUvomhDeJ6AemNfjclGZd7sGplR1dx_lbrqr9lJqylBOnpQO5oMJan4dHiw9v18JqdkWqdqjRTQW6XJj5JCy9VEU1cxhUzcjv7RE9-6VyF2oP1ONdYQpwYUFPfwBS3GL-tSpHL9zbnzSJQ/s1600/IMG_7632.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It was really cool to wander around the site. Every now and then some ridiculously beautiful view would catch your eye and you’d remember that you were spending the week in punk rock paradise. The amount of times I’d be walking somewhere and just stop because a view caught my eye was just silly. Even when bands were playing I’d look around and it would occur to me once again where I was. It really was a phenomenal place to have a festival. One day I’d also like to go back when there isn’t a festival on and experience the woods without another 5000 people being there. <br /><br />I have to admit that the first time I saw the main stage of Punk Rock Holiday I was a little disappointed. I expected everything to feel bigger than it was. This was probably based on the fact that I had only seen the stage on YouTube videos before, with packed out crowds crammed down the front, trying to get as close as possible to their favourite bands. For my first actual experience looking at the stage it was a little underwhelming. There were only about 100 people hanging around, not actually hanging, and it didn’t live up to the image I had in my head. However when the headline bands took to the stage, the area filled up, the sun went down and the lights came on, the stage lived up to all the expectations that I had built up in my head. The really cool thing about the main stage is the platform just in front of the stage that allows people to climb up and stage dive without disturbing the band. Most of the time this creates an amazing image but every now and then you’d get someone who overstayed their welcome on the platform or would insist on getting onto the stage with the band. Most folk were good natured but at times it got a bit silly. For example, the guy who kept getting on stage and putting stickers on members of No Trigger. The joke wore thin quickly. The thing that probably impressed me the most from the main stage was the sound. So many times I’ve been to an outdoor festival and been seriously disappointed by the sound. This was not the case at Punk Rock Holiday, the sound was crystal clear for every band. In some cases, it was clearer than in some venues I’ve seen bands. I don’t know how they managed it but massive kudos to the sound engineers that made everything sound so good at the stage. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tYgHXfj8DQQ5rGmM6lblFNcim_TUeglSRklcYtg9sgltSGb7kPxT3EFYnofhlWijmbGj7aA-M6iqCJto04QLu7Y_JuEZyBITYd9l4OBxmbBW4ayL7q_PmEtpmiYorftot8_f-2hRhCFp5qYuAYoVcoQzQz5nEAztoi6yLDy6KqL4LCUp9LtDfWAmxw/s4032/IMG_7386.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1tYgHXfj8DQQ5rGmM6lblFNcim_TUeglSRklcYtg9sgltSGb7kPxT3EFYnofhlWijmbGj7aA-M6iqCJto04QLu7Y_JuEZyBITYd9l4OBxmbBW4ayL7q_PmEtpmiYorftot8_f-2hRhCFp5qYuAYoVcoQzQz5nEAztoi6yLDy6KqL4LCUp9LtDfWAmxw/s1600/IMG_7386.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Something really unique to Punk Rock Holiday is its Beach Stage. There’s a little trail that’s lit up by loads of fairy lights that leads down to the beach where there’s another smaller stage. This is really cool as you can hang out by the beach, have a swim in the river and, if a band comes on that you like the sound of, you can just walk over to the stage and check them out. Unsurprisingly, this stage was my favourite of the two. Like most people I know in DIY punk, I prefer watching bands in a smaller setting. I also prefer watching newer bands do their thing rather than watching bands who’ve been going for twenty plus years play the same songs again and again. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy watching the bands on the bigger stage but I get much more excited when I can go see a band for the first time and be blown away by them. This being an international festival, I also got see newer bands from all over the world that I don’t get to see at home and I loved this. These are the bands that I travel overseas to see. I can see most of the bands on the main stage in the UK. The beach stage had that small stage atmosphere and I loved that. A couple of negatives on the Beach Stage were the lack of food (especially vegan) options at the beach. I wonder if the lack of food options was to try and keep the rubbish to a minimum, though I have to say I didn’t witness there being much rubbish around the festival, especially not compared to a festival like Slam Dunk which I guess is the UK equivalent to Punk Rock Holiday. Also, because of how hot and dry it had been (until the final day of the festival) the pit became quite dusty. Whenever a circle pit started the amount of dust that got kicked up wasn’t pleasant, I’m quite convinced that I’ve lost a couple of days use of my lungs due to this dust. Obviously, this isn’t really the festival’s fault but it’s something I feel like people should know about if they’ve not been before. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsjtN87mDs-Vmx40Owu94XNm9yv8Fv4vKTppNCpTM4bgo4oK0H1R-s4kLoUVq7aTHYLgpwQRhmVyvhki-puBp8vzOKUiF4f6GAW3n5We8pig9t925D9zF3HH2orQvuY-NCkgDJATNGNlrDIlKZZ_kOadZpNRfLDv1jmwQ8sULu5-gUZOoSnKzKEt7Lw/s3830/IMG_7527.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsjtN87mDs-Vmx40Owu94XNm9yv8Fv4vKTppNCpTM4bgo4oK0H1R-s4kLoUVq7aTHYLgpwQRhmVyvhki-puBp8vzOKUiF4f6GAW3n5We8pig9t925D9zF3HH2orQvuY-NCkgDJATNGNlrDIlKZZ_kOadZpNRfLDv1jmwQ8sULu5-gUZOoSnKzKEt7Lw/s1600/IMG_7527.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I guess the logical thing now is to move on to the atmosphere and the people of Punk Rock Holiday. We were fortunate enough to be in a group of friends of about twenty or so people at the festival. I think this really added to my whole experience. Being with a group of friends, everyone having the time of their lives, just meant there was a really positive feeling amongst us all. It was mostly (I will get on to why it was ‘mostly’ in a bit) all smiles all around. It seemed like this feeling was a common theme throughout for everyone at the festival. For the most part (there’s always some people who are dicks) everyone was absolutely lovely. The punks were really friendly, helpful, happy for a dance and a sing, or joining in with a tiny circle pit, helping with the constant stream of crowd surfers. There are a lot of crowd surfers at PRH, even if you’re stood towards the back of the crowd it’s something to be aware of. Sometimes it can be a bit annoying when it’s as constant as it is, but it’s nice to help people enjoy themselves. Not the people who try and crowd surf from the back of the crowd to the front though – those people are dickheads. It was really cool to see the amount of people helping the kids crowd surf. Each and every time a kid got carried across the crowd they looked so happy. I like to think of when they went back to school after their holiday and explained to their teacher what they did with their holiday. The kids are obviously the future so it’s great to see parents exposing their children to this scene early, so it won’t die out. I got to meet a couple of PRH legends (who aren’t on the cup). I loved seeing how they embraced the PRH spirit, had such love and positivity and how they were just so happy doing their own thing. Love to Ian the squirt-gun wielding, cartwheeling, Sponge Bob fan and Anti the incredible spinning man. <br /><br />Like I said, there were some bad eggs in the crowd. Sadly there were pickpockets in the crowd. We met a lovely guy named Joel from the Australian ska punk band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/operationibis" target="_blank">Operation Ibis</a> who was telling us how one of his travelling companions had had their phone stolen. Also a member of our group had their phone stolen as well, even though it was tied around their wrist. It sucks that this was going on and, because of this, there had to be a police presence at the festival. I hope that those scumbags get caught and banned from the festival in future. <br /><br />Now on to the bands, the thing you probably came to read and the thing I purposely left until the end for viewer retention. Unless you scrolled to this point, in which case, fair play. <br /><br />I managed to see fifty three different acts at Punk Rock Holiday across the Main and Beach stages as well as the American Socks acoustic stage. I have to say that I enjoyed a good 97% of what I saw. From watching the established acts, personal favourites and bands I’ve never seen before, there was a good mixture of stuff. <br /><br />The first group of bands we saw were on the Main Stage for the warm-up show. The whole thing was opened up by Dutch pop punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecooltrickband" target="_blank">The Cool Trick</a>, followed by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BikeAgeBand" target="_blank">Bike Age</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/punkrockchump" target="_blank">Chump</a>. The Cool Trick and Chump have both written songs about Punk Rock Holiday and it was cool to see them get to play on such a big stage. From there we went more hardcore with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/spiderofficial" target="_blank">Spider</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063685353108" target="_blank">Lim Smrad In Žila</a>, both bands added some positive aggression to the crowd and there were plenty of people having a crowd surf early on. It was then time for the heavyweights of the night. First up were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/therealmckenzies" target="_blank">The Real McKenzies</a>. We missed the beginning of their set getting some pizza. Sadly, this was the most disappointing part of my whole week. Don’t get me wrong the pizza was very nice, but the service was absolutely atrocious and it annoyed me. It wasn’t a one off either, my friend tried to get pizza from the same place later in the week and she got the same terrible service. When we eventually got our pizza, we went to watch The Real McKenzies. They played a fun set with plenty of dancing but some of the attempts at humour fell quite flat in our group. One friend did not appreciate being called an “English cunt” and was threatening to knock out anyone she saw in a kilt the rest of the week. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/igniteband" target="_blank">Ignite</a> were up next. We watched a bit of their set and were really impressed with how their new singer controlled the crowd and the energy shown throughout. We decided to take a moment during their set to take a sit down so we had more energy for the Descendents but we made it back to Ignite to see the first stage invasion of the week. Then it was time for one of my favourite bands of all time, the mighty <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thedescendents" target="_blank">Descendents</a>. I bloody love the Descendents and it’s always wonderful to see them. They smash it every time and it was quite something to witness them with the Punk Rock Holiday crowd. It was special and I was happy to be there for it. I also took great amusement in seeing my pal Paul really enjoying the Descendents despite him famously claiming not to be a fan for as long as I’ve known him. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja10mk1PqNHwnnPkVs4YbosvfHIPOGdvjjjOAfvnHVaYdJDkLQjZEUcUmRXDdCqzmsN7R67dPb0jRcYrO5xhkkVEAnnDFYpap0nEpweXC-ZzlMdYc7rYYyronlrLhHGzHGw8bAZphRluz2YuP9Fov-ISTBo4MQEg-9hPkY8lt9KOfztOyAyLckbedA0A/s4032/IMG_7414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja10mk1PqNHwnnPkVs4YbosvfHIPOGdvjjjOAfvnHVaYdJDkLQjZEUcUmRXDdCqzmsN7R67dPb0jRcYrO5xhkkVEAnnDFYpap0nEpweXC-ZzlMdYc7rYYyronlrLhHGzHGw8bAZphRluz2YuP9Fov-ISTBo4MQEg-9hPkY8lt9KOfztOyAyLckbedA0A/s1600/IMG_7414.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Tuesday was the start of Punk Rock Holiday proper and the opening of the Beach Stage. Originally the Sewer Rats were supposed to open the stage but unfortunately they pulled out last minute. Highlights of the stage on the Tuesday included Pay To Breathe, Skin Of Tears, Dowzer, Deadends and Spaced. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/paytobreathe" target="_blank">Pay To Breathe</a> were a Norwegian pop punk act with lots of energy and felt like a great way to start the day. I’d previously seen <a href="https://www.facebook.com/skinoftears" target="_blank">Skin Of Tears</a> at Manchester Punk Festival a few years back and I was pleased to see them again. I also really enjoyed that lots of my friends came up from the beach to see them because they liked their sound. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Dowzerpunkrock" target="_blank">Dowzer</a> were another pop punk band who I’d seen play at the New Cross Inn a few years ago. The crowd were very much into them and they got some great crowd surfers. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/deadendspunk" target="_blank">Deadends</a> were late additions to the festival, replacing Primetime Failure. I didn’t know much about them before the set but became a big fan of their melodic punk rock style. New York Hardcore act <a href="https://spaced.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Spaced</a> were perhaps my biggest surprise of the day. They had this powerful energy about them that made them impossible to ignore – I look forward to seeing more from them. Petrol Girls were headlining the Beach Stage but we decided to take the opportunity to see a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JasonDeVoreProject" target="_blank">Jason DeVore</a> acoustic set instead. I have since heard that Petrol Girls delivered an impressive set, but I was glad I took the opportunity to see Jason as he has one of my favourite voices in punk rock and this was my first chance to hear him play acoustic. It was a beautiful moment. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpPhXwEZfMyDrTrJ6BNFUt9QozXGlW5i26QNac9dIBjEw-RZ8ILkja8FWq9aiJYmqEehKHh-O7A0qsW6UuARtehJgW6yMiu8KAeBUR0M-nwglvQFyBTM6BRtpM0WOhFeyJMDGjZVFSXtEXBbodET0w2RGFoEtpEteQM8iP3NlSDGTcQcD6Dy9bBKRFQ/s4032/IMG_7448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpPhXwEZfMyDrTrJ6BNFUt9QozXGlW5i26QNac9dIBjEw-RZ8ILkja8FWq9aiJYmqEehKHh-O7A0qsW6UuARtehJgW6yMiu8KAeBUR0M-nwglvQFyBTM6BRtpM0WOhFeyJMDGjZVFSXtEXBbodET0w2RGFoEtpEteQM8iP3NlSDGTcQcD6Dy9bBKRFQ/s1600/IMG_7448.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Boston’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notrigger" target="_blank">No Trigger</a> opened the main stage. Previously having only seen them one time before in the tiny Borderline club in central London, this felt like a whole different world seeing them on a massive stage in a Slovenia nature reserve. A big crowd gathered early to see them slay their set – I look forward to seeing them again at Fest at the end of October! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/getdeadband" target="_blank">Get Dead</a> were a band that I’ve heard a lot of people talk about but hadn’t really listened to before. I definitely should have checked them out sooner – what a good band they are. I definitely understand why there’s so much hype surrounding them. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorityZero" target="_blank">Authority Zero</a> were probably my highlight of the day. I think they’re the most underrated band in punk rock. They always release great albums full of bangers and live they are one of the best bands in the world, they always deliver a stunning set. It was no different at PRH. There was a constant stream of stage dives and crowd surfers. During the set, Jason got into the crowd and a huge circle pit opened up around him – it looked awesome. Canadian hardcore heroes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Comeback.Kid" target="_blank">Comeback Kid</a> were also a big highlight. Most of our group aren’t huge fans of hardcore but we were all amazed by what we were witnessing on the stage. Of course, it was carnage down the front of the stage and it felt like we were witnessing a bit of PRH history during the set. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMrDPnvAQIud1d5qSTqYcnyDYDEWLub5lzOvnDNqxS5q9vouIPVKaeqUpmSdRr2NMDfa6xz7vMlReq-uNV3YURV10uDo-DftF-q4tp0sxct_jjkij3F-0z-OTJJ0YAqwnGOKzZWlFHlDrgVn5j6waGbIL1FVV4R18wtoeXjOK_1UR33yqB_2kCXb_6A/s4032/IMG_7483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMrDPnvAQIud1d5qSTqYcnyDYDEWLub5lzOvnDNqxS5q9vouIPVKaeqUpmSdRr2NMDfa6xz7vMlReq-uNV3YURV10uDo-DftF-q4tp0sxct_jjkij3F-0z-OTJJ0YAqwnGOKzZWlFHlDrgVn5j6waGbIL1FVV4R18wtoeXjOK_1UR33yqB_2kCXb_6A/s1600/IMG_7483.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The first two bands of the day on Wednesday were the two bands I was most looking forward to all weekend, Eat Defeat and Captain Asshole. I’d previously seen <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EatDefeat" target="_blank">Eat Defeat</a> play in London at the New Cross Inn on the Friday before we left for Slovenia, that was my first time seeing them since they became a five-piece and they were brilliant. The same can be said about their set on the Beach Stage. Despite having a really stressful morning, they played a storming set to a great sized crowd for the opening band of the day. It’s always so cool to see a band you’ve seen play countless times play really cool shows. Well done to Eat Defeat. Next was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CaptainAssholePunkrock">Captain Asshole</a> who I’d recently seen play in Hamburg at Booze Cruise Festival. Our group at Punk Rock Holiday had put together a big Whatsapp group chat before the festival and I had spent a considerable amount of time really talking Captain Asshole up. I was very pleased that the majority seemed to listen to me and stuck around to check them out, though I do also suspect that a few did it just to see me get overexcited about them. I loved their set and had a great time singing along. Unlike at Booze Cruise, they had sound coming from their lead guitar which was a nice bonus. It was also really cool when they dedicated Where The Fuck Is Kyoto? to me. Other highlights on the Beach Stage were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OdpisaniHC">Odpisani</a> (who were the 900th band I’ve ever seen), <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nofnog">NOFNOG</a> – who played an absolutely ferocious set and I’m desperate to see again – and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/directhitband" target="_blank">Direct Hit!</a> We’d also seen Direct Hit play at New Cross on the Friday before PRH and we were pleased to see them play again. I think this set was even better than the one they played in South London. Loads of energy, the crowd was really enthusiastic and it was just a big party all around. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdfDAEHp6n0wAB9pBqlABgBBEElNt9MGPwW-h4SNJg0Ztc-mES138OYkQiMzW6VLnR6pksz1IXDO9wh-Qh5CJXTb1_OLx34taGb7nktX2Zpe-617qyBdYaDAyI1WTlVmJW9M6MMXnNRL_A6NE2E_hHY8YJWb0CCKMEQfpREDiM4rLbwH3UY5Ej5Adbg/s4032/IMG_7545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdfDAEHp6n0wAB9pBqlABgBBEElNt9MGPwW-h4SNJg0Ztc-mES138OYkQiMzW6VLnR6pksz1IXDO9wh-Qh5CJXTb1_OLx34taGb7nktX2Zpe-617qyBdYaDAyI1WTlVmJW9M6MMXnNRL_A6NE2E_hHY8YJWb0CCKMEQfpREDiM4rLbwH3UY5Ej5Adbg/s1600/IMG_7545.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After getting some dinner we took our place at the main stage for what was a stacked line-up. First for us was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theflatliners" target="_blank">The Flatliners</a> who I was seeing for the third time this year. The main stage crowd grew quickly for them as they played banger after banger. The Flatliners are one of those bands that I forget just how many brilliant songs they have across their back catalogue and it was once again a pleasure to see them. Next were New Jersey punk legends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bouncingsouls" target="_blank">The Bouncing Souls</a>. This was an incredible set with massive sing-along after massive sing-along, as you would expect from The Bouncing Souls. Singing these songs with a group of your friends is the very best way to experience them. Our friends Paul and Toby joining me in singing Prew Believers at Emma will be a moment that will live long in the memory. When the band played True Believers some folk from the crowd lit some flares – I did question if this was smart given the amount of fires that have started in Slovenia during the summer but luckily there was no harm done. The final two bands of the day were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lagwagon" target="_blank">Lagwagon</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/floggingmolly" target="_blank">Flogging Molly</a>. We spent the majority of Lagwagon by the VIP bar with friends, catching up and having a little dance – where there was more space to do so. This was the first time that I witnessed the man who I think is the spirit of Punk Rock Holiday – Anti (aka Spinny Man). He just spent the entirety of Lagwagon’s set spinning in circles and having a lovely time. I had a go and I also had a lovely time. We then caught a bit of Flogging Molly before deciding to head home and rest up for the following two days. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1CGY4bYykQSaJBT6SL9srDTmrkkNTuo1_PJudtzSD_Z2bmyrP26kmhJNTKrlNYnOd0lhOM9q-30NYYOrmehzOyCr6wXD83-xV23q5zm7ahz2vu-o7L4hvvAC3CJS5VanTlxD4RbPWyePmagdU-ti206qvCdgxeXzJ60cIiv01SMlnn5ttF6j2InZoA/s4032/IMG_7601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1CGY4bYykQSaJBT6SL9srDTmrkkNTuo1_PJudtzSD_Z2bmyrP26kmhJNTKrlNYnOd0lhOM9q-30NYYOrmehzOyCr6wXD83-xV23q5zm7ahz2vu-o7L4hvvAC3CJS5VanTlxD4RbPWyePmagdU-ti206qvCdgxeXzJ60cIiv01SMlnn5ttF6j2InZoA/s1600/IMG_7601.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Thursday had been affectionately nicknamed ‘ska day’ by our group, since it was the day when most of the ska punk bands were taking to the stage. The beach stage opened strong with French ska punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/poboxband" target="_blank">P.O. Box</a>. It had been years since I’d seen these guys and I was quickly reminded just how good they are live. Their set was high energy from start to finish and I loved every second of it. I was a bit confused by the guy who brought a guitar on stage with them to smash during their final song though. What was that about? Next up were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/steelejusticeband3600" target="_blank">Steele Justice</a> from Belgium. Playing a more melodic punk style, Steele Justice were a great find. I got quite excited for their cover of Off With Their Heads Nightlife, I learnt that some Belgian’s call a wall of death ‘doing a braveheart’ and it was nice to see Hanne from For I Am get on stage to sing with the band. Brazilian ska punk heroes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/abrascwb" target="_blank">Abraskadabra</a> perhaps played the best set of the entire Beach Stage. A massive crowd came out for them, including quite a lot of folk from Brazil which, as we know, is very far away. There was so much skanking and excitement for the set that a massive dust cloud came up from the ground which, at times, made it quite hard to see what was happening on the stage. The set finished with a massive stage invasion and it had me thinking good luck to anyone wanting to top that set today – it was amazing. Belgium pop punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hiwearetherocket" target="_blank">The Rocket</a> did a very good job of playing after Abraskadabra. These guys were a lot of fun and kept the crowd in good spirits throughout their set. I can’t help but think they must’ve been very warm in their sweater vests though. Australian skate punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheDeclineMusic" target="_blank">The Decline</a> took to the stage next and it was another fun time. I hadn’t seen the band since Fest 15 in 2016 and it felt so nice to see them again. Super positive, fun skate punk – The Decline are fantastic. I hope it’s not another six years before I see them again. Finally it was time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MakeWarNYC" target="_blank">MakeWar</a>. I felt like the crowd were a little slow in getting going for MakeWar but when they did it was something special with some big, emotional sing-alongs. During the set, the band had to stop playing as someone in the crowd had sadly gotten hurt. Respect to the band for looking out for the crowd and being patient, and for the people who looked after the injured person as well. MakeWar were a great way to finish things on the Beach Stage on the Thursday. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iHHsthmPRSTZTLlVfu4Bhnumt7g7WxduVNtS8ZewMXotLZV3brbvKOSow-4aJdSR-IWuaTZmKS-EWoSKs9ca2tXiK2Thw4k2aTOMbxvzzPBI8Orckjbz4E-Bo98xIefZqU7X_TCwJB-f0RB3sMsBwOiYgeDzbwboXIC6k7EC7euq5pfe3f3RrK2EBw/s4032/IMG_7653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iHHsthmPRSTZTLlVfu4Bhnumt7g7WxduVNtS8ZewMXotLZV3brbvKOSow-4aJdSR-IWuaTZmKS-EWoSKs9ca2tXiK2Thw4k2aTOMbxvzzPBI8Orckjbz4E-Bo98xIefZqU7X_TCwJB-f0RB3sMsBwOiYgeDzbwboXIC6k7EC7euq5pfe3f3RrK2EBw/s1600/IMG_7653.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After getting yet another seitan kebab, we met up with pals to watch Chuck Robertston of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madcaddiesofficial" target="_blank">Mad Caddies</a> play an acoustic set. This was lovely but I did get distracted by Toby pointing out how much the American Socks logo looked like a penis. Cheers Toby, can’t unsee that now. It was fun to see Chuck play some Caddies songs stripped back but the undoubted highlight was when he attempted to play a cover of Sink Florida Sink by Against Me!. <br /><br />When Chuck finished we headed to the main stage were Swedish political punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/misconductswe" target="_blank">Misconduct</a> had already begun their set. Paul had been telling us about his love for this band for years and I was keen to check them out. The lazy description would be a European Anti-Flag. Lots of “heys’ and “whoa-ohs’ throughout the set. They also covered Bro Hymn by Pennywise which is a superb way of getting a Punk Rock Holiday crowd on your side. California’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Zebrahead" target="_blank">Zebrahead</a> were next to take to the stage. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Zebrahead and this was the first time with their new singer Adrian Estrella. Zebrahead aren’t a band I listen to much anymore but they are the perfect festival band. They are kings at getting parties started. The crowd was a non-stop stream of crowd surfers throughout the set. At one point they even had one of their stage techs surf on a gigantic inflatable to the very back of the crowd which was an impressive site. Next were the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madcaddiesofficial" target="_blank">Mad Caddies</a>, except it wasn’t quite the Mad Caddies we all know and love. For reasons I don’t know and don’t wish to speculate on, for this tour the band was Chuck and a group of stand-ins. It was a shame but it was still a great Mad Caddies performance. I’d go as far to say that if you didn’t know that this was a group of stand-ins then you would have just assumed it was the Mad Caddies. I enjoyed the set but was a little disappointed by the lack of faster Mad Caddies songs in the setlist. Finally on ska day it was time for the hottest band in ska at the moment, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearetheinterrupters" target="_blank">The Interrupters</a>. It was absolutely packed in the crowd now so we decided to hang out at the back by the bars for a dance rather than being squashed in the pit. Honestly, I’d really recommend doing this, especially if you’ve seen the band before as it’s easier to enjoy the band, have a sing and a dance and not be crushed by other folk. Of course The Interrupters smashed their set, it’s what they do. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLZPl5mL0-wrMo-TmtxQwHCBNb2ajg4swh7ug2J3FUyIvxACC9YwuLen3bUqZXZhP3B4_UQUkbmBdbL_WXWfA_boFDKv3ADkKcwIUm26hu6kCNgSDLPPTb8A5oYki_Qb7TVA5vM-BVeFMI--TaN7NQwMrQ6wIeW0qgUnW2IAm7K2WscLv4blt_-UbnQ/s4032/IMG_7690.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLZPl5mL0-wrMo-TmtxQwHCBNb2ajg4swh7ug2J3FUyIvxACC9YwuLen3bUqZXZhP3B4_UQUkbmBdbL_WXWfA_boFDKv3ADkKcwIUm26hu6kCNgSDLPPTb8A5oYki_Qb7TVA5vM-BVeFMI--TaN7NQwMrQ6wIeW0qgUnW2IAm7K2WscLv4blt_-UbnQ/s16000/IMG_7690.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The final day of Punk Rock Holiday started very differently to every other day of the festival. There was a massive storm which turned the formerly super dusty floor of the Beach Stage to a sludgy pit. The rain got so bad that I began to wonder if they would just cancel the Beach Stage but I’m pleased they didn’t. Finnish hardcore punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/distralband" target="_blank">Distral</a> opened the stage for the hardy few that braved the conditions. While most of the folk who had made their way down to the stage took cover by the bar, there were a few who stood out in the mud to have their faces melted. Honestly, I think this might have been the best way to watch Distral as the atmosphere suited their moody, aggressive songs and I loved it. Next were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StagediveSuicide" target="_blank">Stagedive Suicide</a> who had been on a massive marketing campaign for the entire festival letting people know they were there. Wherever you looked you saw one of their stickers. These guys are celebrities at this festival and at many others all over Europe. Whilst they played a style of punk that I’m not the biggest fan of, I did enjoy watching their set and seeing their singer especially clearly having the greatest thirty minutes of their life on the stage. Despite the awful weather, it was a very heart warming moment. As the rain began to ease off Stuttgart’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellandbackpunkrock" target="_blank">Hell & Back</a> took to the stage. Unfortunately for them, the ground in front of the stage had become a swamp so there was a big gap between the band and the crowd. That just seemed to make Hell & Back work even harder to get the crowd on their side and I think everyone appreciated that. I’ve been wanting to see the band for years now, I’ve only ever seen them play a covers set before and I was pleased to finally get to see them play – I’m looking forward to the next time. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fluffymachine" target="_blank">Fluffy Machine</a> were perhaps the highlight of the day on the Beach Stage. Coming on to the to the Pingu theme and then quickly jumping to some hyper EDM before launching into their set of high energy rock ’n’ roll bangers, this was a super fun set with the sun finally beginning to come out. I think the best way of describing Fluffy Machine is by saying it’s like if The Bennies played rock music. The beach stage was completed technical skate punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thousandoaksband" target="_blank">Thousand Oaks</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063638796443" target="_blank">Downway</a>. Both played good sets but weren’t really my thing. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNueLd0hXzbKGmGjKMkOuP7B_F_5RTSToo4m4x8O8j3tpsKYgDlNl1kxDGojG44xQYLgWmwJ9JADAvO2oeB7pnHa5ICpQ4Q4LAN2TO6x4G5AUpaingisX1JApeKYLps6eMkJFxhjhJn76Wai3UcryijK8y6G2xm1geqZ-2frJ8CNuDImoSxqElbVPtMA/s4032/IMG_7743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNueLd0hXzbKGmGjKMkOuP7B_F_5RTSToo4m4x8O8j3tpsKYgDlNl1kxDGojG44xQYLgWmwJ9JADAvO2oeB7pnHa5ICpQ4Q4LAN2TO6x4G5AUpaingisX1JApeKYLps6eMkJFxhjhJn76Wai3UcryijK8y6G2xm1geqZ-2frJ8CNuDImoSxqElbVPtMA/s1600/IMG_7743.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The final night of the main stage was opened by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chaserband" target="_blank">Chaser</a>. This set gave me a big lift. It was energetic, fun and full of positivity that I really needed. We were cold after being in the rain all afternoon. This lead to Emma and I going to buy matching hoodies from the merch area. This was perhaps the downside of staying in a flat rather than camping on site, it wasn’t so easy to just go and change when we wanted to. PRH sell some top quality hoodies though, so that’s good. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/belvedereband" target="_blank">Belvedere</a> were just starting when we returned to the stage. I’d seen them earlier in the year at New Cross and looked forward to seeing them again now that I’m a bit more familiar with them. I had a nice time seeing them but it was even better watching my friend Mark really get into them – he loves them. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anti.flag.official" target="_blank">Anti-Flag</a> were the big attraction for us on the Friday main stage. The band played a massive set, full of banger after banger as you would expect from Anti-Flag. The set went far quicker than I would have liked and I had a great time singing along to so many favourite songs. Despite being full of the band’s strong political messages, this really felt like the Anti-Flag party set and, boy, did the folk of PRH party. Once again there was a constant stream of crowd surfers. I was aware that there was a small boy on his father’s shoulders stood behind me so asked the folk around me to make sure we direct the surfers in a different direction so he didn’t have to get down or risk getting hurt. This was such a nice, friendly community that it was no bother for anyone. We love to see it. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/circlejerksband" target="_blank">Circle Jerks</a> played next and that just wasn’t for me. Then it was time for the final act of the week. Originally, Bad Religion had been booked to headline but unfortunately they had to pull out late because of a family emergency. This left a lot of speculation as to how the festival would replace them. I think the festival did a great job with this. Rather than getting another “big headliner” they started the after party early with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PigsParlament" target="_blank">Pigs Parliament</a> coming on stage to play their karaoke set with a whole host of singers from bands who played and some who were just attending the festival. I’m writing this review a month after the festival and can’t remember exactly who sang what so I won’t try and list them but it was an eclectic set of punk classics that the crowd lapped up. Honestly, I think this would be a great way to end the festival every year. A big highlight of Punk Rock Holiday was seeing what a community experience the whole festival was so it felt right that everyone was together singing along to the songs that brought us all together in the first place. It was a lovely time. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG6o_md4gGVb3zttfUPawNefLen6MK7TeRtU8V_uRupbYJwKKAKCwgQDT8wn7S8fSwbRI7ooHNln0Tw8HICqTiI7XWp5c61HkqS45hy14m28Lf_hADSVvIRlquHO_FP5u_0o69BorK1yEUpuBYM7KVGTQcjal-L8i8sqVD4-uq1_ar5107R0GfN-58Q/s4032/IMG_7794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG6o_md4gGVb3zttfUPawNefLen6MK7TeRtU8V_uRupbYJwKKAKCwgQDT8wn7S8fSwbRI7ooHNln0Tw8HICqTiI7XWp5c61HkqS45hy14m28Lf_hADSVvIRlquHO_FP5u_0o69BorK1yEUpuBYM7KVGTQcjal-L8i8sqVD4-uq1_ar5107R0GfN-58Q/s1600/IMG_7794.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you’ve got this far into the post – well done, it’s nearly finished. Now’s the time when I would sum the whole week up but if you’ve been reading intently you’ll know that I had a great time. The festival exceeded all expectations. Originally we were planning on PRH being a once in lifetime experience for us but after the week we had that might not be the case. Punk Rock Holdiay is like no festival I’ve ever experienced and I fully recommend going if you ever get the chance. And if you’re lucky enough to be able to go with a big group of friends, I really recommend doing that. PRH is best experience with many pals. And while you’re there, look out for Spinny Man and join in for a spin. <br /><br /><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-42750532404823326072022-08-27T09:48:00.001+01:002022-08-27T09:48:30.610+01:00Gig Review: Level Up Festival 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
We love ska punk at CPRW. We also love nothing more than going to our favourite venue, the New Cross Inn in South London, for an evening of ska punk. What could be better? An all-dayer obviously. But what could be better than that? A three day festival full of the best ska punk bands in the UK, as well as a couple from further afield. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me. You can improve it some more? Loads of friends will also be there? Well that sounds like the dream to me!<br /><br />That dream is actually a reality thanks to the wonderful people from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeSharpPromotions" target="_blank">Be Sharp Promotions</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fishlockpromotions" target="_blank">Fishlock Promotions</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eltopobookings" target="_blank">El Topo Bookings</a>. July 2022 saw the long-awaited return of Level Up Festival. A festival that contains all those things mentioned in the opening paragraph. This is going to be quite a long review so I’m keeping intros to a minimum. On with the festival!<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWAdTqS9G6mvrSuUyVjee8-0aincWpYYBfytfyghLgvKPiWXoBG0GWqM1W_Rh_ljPoTL_XPf4_zcwuKpTngiqIPulYS91awiuRaeqIqjQ1ml-OiRc4i5fYECOnHvbcw7-9KxvPHLo7e7lbR0Qti1KjBjXJMuDk-6H_Yz5XnwujCXuDUTxWrm0ynaFEQ/s1080/Level%20Up.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWAdTqS9G6mvrSuUyVjee8-0aincWpYYBfytfyghLgvKPiWXoBG0GWqM1W_Rh_ljPoTL_XPf4_zcwuKpTngiqIPulYS91awiuRaeqIqjQ1ml-OiRc4i5fYECOnHvbcw7-9KxvPHLo7e7lbR0Qti1KjBjXJMuDk-6H_Yz5XnwujCXuDUTxWrm0ynaFEQ/s1080/Level%20Up.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><b>Friday</b><br /><br />After the line-up and day splits were announced it was pretty clear that the promoters were going big on Level Up 2022. After three long years they seemed intent on welcoming the UK ska punk community – the proper ska punk community, the ones who go and see ska punk bands that weren’t formed in America thirty years ago – back to Level Up Festival with a bang. The four bands lined up for the opening night was just nuts. Unfortunately, on the day of the festival that bloody Covid struck again and the four bands became three. Sadly newcomers <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tillimbones" target="_blank">Till I’m Bones</a> had to pull out due to their drummer getting sick. This was a shame as I, and a lot of other people, were very excited to see them. They were also due to announce the release of their second single Snakes at the festival – that’s now out and you can listen at all the musical places. Being true supporters of the DIY ska punk scene, some of the healthy members of the band still came along and they would get the opportunity to play a part in the night’s fun.<br /><br />So, the band tasked with opening the entire festival were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/filthymilitia" target="_blank">Filthy Militia</a>. I told their lead singer Frosty I was going to write horrible things about the band as he made us exercise during the set and broke us for the entire weekend. I can’t do that though as, for one thing, that’s not the kind of site CPRW is but more importantly it wouldn’t be true. Filthy Militia played an incredible set. I last saw them back in February at the launch of their brilliant second EP, Coping Mechanism. That was the best I’ve ever seen them but I think they topped that set at Level Up. It was such a fun (and exhausting) way to begin the weekend. The addition of Lead Shot Hazard’s Tom on guitar allowed Frosty more freedom to dance around and be a frontman and just gives the band an even bigger sound and presence. Highlights of the set were Differences (which is one of the best ska punk songs released this year) and Land Of The Dead, where Jak and Charlotte from Till I’m Bones joined the band to sing and play saxophone respectively. During Land Of The Dead, Frosty joined the crowd to lead what was basically a ska punk exercise class where he had us all doing squats. It was knackering for my old man knees but a great way to warm up for the rest of the night.</div><div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f1M3WVW03wOHj5yLTokwabAoR6WvY_kX7wK8yqEH-m-diImLQjPRewrl5LZ43jckhM1JnEjL18RxOENRZQ5xkJP_YfQp8NNhshtnO21hEqoLipgKIP5FEwVJM9qdo8boa32EsGUGHOnxWJSD4Nx3LHcVsF-PhTaDL5aNS1t4IXKkWhJK7gmQeIOtsA/s4032/01%20LU%20Filthy%20Militia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f1M3WVW03wOHj5yLTokwabAoR6WvY_kX7wK8yqEH-m-diImLQjPRewrl5LZ43jckhM1JnEjL18RxOENRZQ5xkJP_YfQp8NNhshtnO21hEqoLipgKIP5FEwVJM9qdo8boa32EsGUGHOnxWJSD4Nx3LHcVsF-PhTaDL5aNS1t4IXKkWhJK7gmQeIOtsA/s1800/01%20LU%20Filthy%20Militia.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Next up, we had the co-headline sets of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CallMeMalcolmBand" target="_blank">Call Me Malcolm</a> and The JB Conspiracy. The two bands had been on a tour around the UK and had been wowing crowds everywhere. Call Me Malcolm were first to take to the stage and were treating us to their three pronged horn section with Mark (saxophone), Lewis (trombone) and Lloyd (trumpet) all at NXI for the show. It had been eight long months since Malcolm played at NXI which, pandemics aside, is almost unheard of. This was a homecoming for the band and anticipation was high. Of course, they smashed their set – as, to be honest, every single band that played the weekend did. I’ve seen Call Me Malcolm play so many stunning sets at NXI over the years that I’m running out of ways to talk about them. The band and the venue combine to make ska punk magic every single bloody time. Playing favourites from their last two albums as well as a couple of deep cuts from their debut, there was something for everyone. Always liking to bring out a special treat for NXI, they delivered big. Before they started summer banger Restore Factory Settings, the horn section took their mics into the crowd where they were joined by The JB Conspiracy horns as well as Charlotte Till I’m Bones and Eve Filthy Militia/Lead Shot Hazard. The sound of those opening brass notes were incredible. They gave me goosebumps – it was such a big moment! I had short people problems and couldn’t really see what was going on in the crowd but it was still such a special moment that will be talked about for years to come. Naturally, the band finished on All My Nameless Friends and got one of the biggest reactions of the night. What a way to welcome Call Me Malcolm back home!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6535nt2QDHnAKsKnKrafdJeMz7uSabstsVebwQkHbY3eh9K_AoiueQDN4b-bZyrydkRn9weAZ3BmsEUqArNVL2anOOIYyMkZVHL877-ahAO3yjGDEr3Mbv5DofZX_uP0FP_SQJxRm5FPKz93hKJNhQ0K67s7aIre1k8zU2-hNWoY5xAXQ8PtpW4jeQ/s3448/02%20LU%20Malcolm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="3448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6535nt2QDHnAKsKnKrafdJeMz7uSabstsVebwQkHbY3eh9K_AoiueQDN4b-bZyrydkRn9weAZ3BmsEUqArNVL2anOOIYyMkZVHL877-ahAO3yjGDEr3Mbv5DofZX_uP0FP_SQJxRm5FPKz93hKJNhQ0K67s7aIre1k8zU2-hNWoY5xAXQ8PtpW4jeQ/s1800/02%20LU%20Malcolm.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Then it was time for ska punk royalty <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thejbconspiracy" target="_blank">The JB Conspiracy</a>. Since the band released the epic Beginnings album last year, they’ve been popping up playing shows everywhere. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them a few times since its release and each and every time they’ve been nothing short of spectacular. I’m not sure there’s a current ska punk band in the UK that can match JBC for pure musicianship. They write such technical sounding songs with multiple and complex layers and whenever I’ve seen them live they don’t seem to miss a single note. It’s so gosh darn impressive. The hour long set was comprised of many songs from Beginnings but the band didn’t forget their early favourites from This Machine and The Storm. A big highlight for me was what I think was a rare outing for Say Goodbye – it feels like a long time since I’ve seen them play that song. The band continued the theme of getting folk from other bands to join them on stage, as Eve once again took to the stage to help out with saxophone on one song and Luke from Call Me Malcolm joined them to play my favourite song from Beginnings – The Long Road To Zurich – on guitar. The JB Conspiracy have this amazing way of connecting with the crowd. Throughout their set the crowd was moving around in absolute pandemonium. The Inn was extremely warm at this point and there were a lot of sweaty ska punk fans around. I’m sure each and every one of them couldn’t have been happier dancing and singing along with the band. That’s exactly how I felt. What a way to finish the first night of Level Up Festival 2022. What a glorious return and the weekend was really only just getting started!<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkGsMv0Op8Nt-Lc3j9Ybys0IDjdFwB9-7SVZbw7PdR-vEhDmwSRzZ8Px_gYAlSyKQN72m19XFuSNwIWYOAtzF8N2fWFgY63CYTVGbK_ngI3VK1Ku8BOeDuTJR6FsP_w8g7cFqDz7eTpjI_gwaGfr-P332KfO1fo1O6RTFJWEBhlPrk53LlwL9niD0nw/s3345/03%20LU%20JB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkGsMv0Op8Nt-Lc3j9Ybys0IDjdFwB9-7SVZbw7PdR-vEhDmwSRzZ8Px_gYAlSyKQN72m19XFuSNwIWYOAtzF8N2fWFgY63CYTVGbK_ngI3VK1Ku8BOeDuTJR6FsP_w8g7cFqDz7eTpjI_gwaGfr-P332KfO1fo1O6RTFJWEBhlPrk53LlwL9niD0nw/s1800/03%20LU%20JB.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Saturday</b><br /><br />The next day we arrived back at New Cross about thirty minutes before the opening act of the day was due on stage. There were a few people milling around outside the venue early which was fantastic to see. One of those people was Paul from Be Sharp Promotions. We had a quick catch up about the night before and spoke about the day ahead of us. He listed off a bunch of things that he thought could go wrong but he couldn't have predicted one thing that might have meant cancelling the entire day…<br /><br />The first act of the day was Fidget of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/twitchyfidgets" target="_blank">Fidget And The Twitchers</a> playing an acoustic set. Interestingly they decided to perform the entire set on the floor rather than the stage. This was a great decision as it immediately made the crowd engage more than they perhaps would have if they'd have been on the stage. What also really helped endear Fidget to the crowd was covering Reel Big Fish's classic Beer. This got the New Cross Inn singing early. Fidget also played some stripped back acoustic versions of the Twitchers songs and performed them with such gusto, I can only imagine what they're like full band. Hopefully it won't be too long before I get the chance to see them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUvDujGoKN1SuShUT5PHWEmCnHPVvxZTX7leGO9uw_XRjfmmwL2fwmICfT1VRCdFVNcmT1exU_Hc-DRwu6iWyMttfVKOIQCq-ri3AKhFGfY0vcIJj6sSK-Aia659gPxpAA0US7yc-zEeycaAy1acPtcX_3-6dBKoZNvGq3Gu9VotpmxLMpHdbzO_Kaw/s3709/04%20LU%20Fidget.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="3709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUvDujGoKN1SuShUT5PHWEmCnHPVvxZTX7leGO9uw_XRjfmmwL2fwmICfT1VRCdFVNcmT1exU_Hc-DRwu6iWyMttfVKOIQCq-ri3AKhFGfY0vcIJj6sSK-Aia659gPxpAA0US7yc-zEeycaAy1acPtcX_3-6dBKoZNvGq3Gu9VotpmxLMpHdbzO_Kaw/s1800/04%20LU%20Fidget.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Now for the dramatic part of the day. During Fidget's set armed police turned up and taped off the area between NXI and Chick Chicken (the takeaway next to the NX hostel). Nobody had any idea what was happening at the time but I know this wasn't on Paul's list of things that could go wrong during the day…<br /><br />Whilst everyone stood outside the venue trying to get a peek of what was going on, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BaldHeadAndTheDreads" target="_blank">Baldhead and the Dreads</a> were getting ready to play. The band have become big favourites at the venue over the past few years and we couldn't wait for what nonsense they had in store for us. At the last Level Up Festival in 2019, the band dressed up as Paul Smith. This time they stuck a photo of Paul on the New Cross Inn logo behind the drum kit. During the set, the band made jokes thanking everyone for coming inside to watch them rather than what was happening outside and they wanted to get through the set quickly so they could go and be nosey as well. The band can be very self-deprecating about themselves at times and they really shouldn't be. They write a great combination of fun, smart and silly lyrics that always make me smile. They rolled out all the favourites from both their EPs. They teased playing the "hit" Smoke Weed, Pet Dogs a couple of times during the set before finally playing it as their penultimate song. During the song, drummer Tommy wore a dog mask which drew a laugh from the crowd as well as the band. He'd also organised a sign with the lyrics for the chorus – like anyone in the room needed them! They finished the set with an old favourite, New Cross Inn, where the band all swapped instruments to perform the song. It was pretty chaotic but I wouldn't expect anything less from Baldhead and the Dreads.<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP2sT28nANSE11Hzoh7ilUwFTCBQFsP_9NY607O8I96mN7PenGa8ZKUi811ubgihygILprcOChnZVWDS7DgHC8Wr8825YmcSdmU1FyDxGEsgqnrygvLAH0P60B4-f4rcc7mH-JRnRC-D8prZF8TW9xRFsZhIuYSTVGbh4ti-YcB-vg1slfvoMVWFBAA/s3830/05%20LU%20Baldhead.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP2sT28nANSE11Hzoh7ilUwFTCBQFsP_9NY607O8I96mN7PenGa8ZKUi811ubgihygILprcOChnZVWDS7DgHC8Wr8825YmcSdmU1FyDxGEsgqnrygvLAH0P60B4-f4rcc7mH-JRnRC-D8prZF8TW9xRFsZhIuYSTVGbh4ti-YcB-vg1slfvoMVWFBAA/s1800/05%20LU%20Baldhead.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Next, things got a bit serious when the force known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/redeemon" target="_blank">Redeemon</a> took to the stage. Redeemon are a band that really push the genre of ska to its limits with their own brand of “metaliska” and they are always such a treat to witness live. As they were getting ready to play, I thought to myself how the Saturday of Level Up was a day showcasing many of the different, varied sounds of ska punk. I don’t know if the organisers had planned it that way or that’s how it worked out but either way it was pretty cool. This was my third time seeing Redeemon in a year and each and every time I’m completely floored by them. The level of musicianship that’s on display here is something quite special, the guitars and brass sections shred equally and frontman Pook’s vocal switches from guttural screams to kind of singing is a thing of beauty. The whole set was intense but in the best possible way. Whenever I’ve seen Redeemon play I’ve always been completely mesmerised by what’s going on. They’re one of those unique bands that when they play it’s more than just a live set of music, it’s an experience. Redeemon released their debut earlier this year through Pookout Records and I strongly suggest you give it a spin.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVtVsqV6xt-srpSNkX8B3YKNZCNXYhLyI5Lo_KeVni7pNfOWSiyD_TTvA-Sd30LBs2ZKH3uXO9jmKNJ0cIxoy9x4gIG9S5eGgrAMOkZkL6bLrUVcN_04cRyAeB4Hecz6Yx1RbSa0dEI6v42k40y8_opnI-i_atlFTvehg66fbA1eUwJJ7J1EQtXKAiA/s4032/06%20LU%20Redeemon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVtVsqV6xt-srpSNkX8B3YKNZCNXYhLyI5Lo_KeVni7pNfOWSiyD_TTvA-Sd30LBs2ZKH3uXO9jmKNJ0cIxoy9x4gIG9S5eGgrAMOkZkL6bLrUVcN_04cRyAeB4Hecz6Yx1RbSa0dEI6v42k40y8_opnI-i_atlFTvehg66fbA1eUwJJ7J1EQtXKAiA/s1800/06%20LU%20Redeemon.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Representing El Topo Booking and Belgium this year were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/prizedinkcamp" target="_blank">Prize Dink Camp</a>. Fronted by our old friend Folkert who has played every Level Up in a different band, I was keen to witness his latest project live. Prize Dink Camp are a three-piece who, instead of having a bass player, focus very heavily on keys and synths to create their own unique sound. Being from Belgium and being one of the newest bands on the line-up, not many people really knew a whole lot about them before the set began – but everyone was talking about them afterwards. I spoke with Folkert earlier in the weekend and he mentioned being a bit nervous that people wouldn’t watch as it was dinner time and nobody really knew them. This proved to be false as the band drew a sizeable crowd. With the Belgian contingent down the front of the stage, their enthusiasm for the band spread around the room and it wasn’t long before a lot of people were dancing. I believe that the band had only played a handful of shows at this point but you really wouldn’t have known with an accomplished and enthusiastic performance. Playing songs from their debut EP, Memez, Dreamz and Limousinez, as well as from their brand new full length, Unity Sausage, this set was one of the most fun and biggest surprises of the weekend. It also earned the first and only human pyramid of the weekend. And this wasn’t the last of the Belgians that we would see today…</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi716ikr76sBLfE2AZHCMiULVExMZriqyHpI3BsgwIOjaFUSwxmjUThipCQ-VDuZ5W7kGLw3wwe75KPnZZwPOtun61eY-8MXoZzEVaen52VFqeyLnHovrbw0i-Lzye20eL-HGi6mdiTTTuyiT9p8BgZmsFkKJt5X0otmWTdasOVmHV1o8nlHtz57QKSxA/s4032/07%20LU%20Prize%20Dink%20Camp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi716ikr76sBLfE2AZHCMiULVExMZriqyHpI3BsgwIOjaFUSwxmjUThipCQ-VDuZ5W7kGLw3wwe75KPnZZwPOtun61eY-8MXoZzEVaen52VFqeyLnHovrbw0i-Lzye20eL-HGi6mdiTTTuyiT9p8BgZmsFkKJt5X0otmWTdasOVmHV1o8nlHtz57QKSxA/s1800/07%20LU%20Prize%20Dink%20Camp.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />After quickly getting something to eat, we returned to the Inn as Manchester ska legends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/harijanuk" target="_blank">Harijan</a> were just beginning their set. This was a very rare trip down to London for Harijan, so it was important to take the opportunity to see them. Lead singer Mike has such a distinctive voice that almost works as an extra instrument as well as a vocal. It’s a lot more gravelly than what you might usually find in ska punk and it really sets Harijan apart. I was interested to see how the South London crowd would take to Harijan and I was very pleased to see that it was enthusiastic. The crowd began to skank almost immediately and didn’t stop throughout the entire time the band were on stage. Mike looked so overjoyed by the whole experience and that was also great to see. He danced around the stage with a huge smile on his face as his band performed one of the tightest sets of the weekend. The level of musicianship was first class. If any folk at Level Up weren’t really aware of Harijan before the weekend, I'm sure they’re now big fans. Harijan will be making the journey back down south soon when they play <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/313904616815179/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22search%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D" target="_blank">Wotsit Called Fest</a> in Hastings in September.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyxDlEhW2eKP6wdJKpra1KYIiPNZPloyTczIccnitp2cTVayLDMf3LQ5Xvofmxy3AtaZWk_cIedHAncJXnrgi_NUXEjbrR37v3lCMeTgl-jmv4CDcsMbEbRjCGLQavSimp64AVWPQXgKpfA27DCHlX96Ivhhd9BS0lWP768twX8zdwg4nxGKCp6o3yA/s3344/08%20LU%20Harijan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyxDlEhW2eKP6wdJKpra1KYIiPNZPloyTczIccnitp2cTVayLDMf3LQ5Xvofmxy3AtaZWk_cIedHAncJXnrgi_NUXEjbrR37v3lCMeTgl-jmv4CDcsMbEbRjCGLQavSimp64AVWPQXgKpfA27DCHlX96Ivhhd9BS0lWP768twX8zdwg4nxGKCp6o3yA/s1800/08%20LU%20Harijan.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Returning after the last Level Up in 2019 were Brazilian ska punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/abrascwb" target="_blank">Abraskadabra</a>. The band were just starting a month long UK and European tour where they would be playing a whole host of gigs and festivals. Since their last appearance in the UK, the band have released an excellent new album named Make Yourself At Home on Bad Time Records (distributed in the UK by Pookout Records) and have certainly gained some new fans in the UK since then. Because of this, it felt like there was a high level of anticipation in the crowd as they began to sound check. And as soon as they started the set it became very apparent that there was so much love in the room for Abraskadabra. From the opening notes we all began to dance and sing. You couldn’t help it. You just got swept away with what the band were doing. This felt like one of those Level Up sets that people will talk about for some time. I can’t really even put on a finger on one particular thing that they did that made it feel so special, they’re just a really good band – fantastic songwriters, musicians and performers. When you combine all of those things you know you’re on to a winner. Something crazy, and a little bit of a spoiler for a festival review that’s to come later, this wasn’t even the best Abraskadabra set I saw this summer yet this was a big, big highlight.</div><div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UElqEAB4MvRp2n7eyMw9HffPosIF2aTFKjJDPnb7_RKzX9picCiu_2vmjKl2wqZFyIwJxJZeMN77KQKEf9m-2bx18FI1EWvK9L-QgYOCJ_cc8SwUN95YMpT5ANd2D2ta-U3TW_8ksR3CwUwPOiplLJVoYn8mnLhDdxhV79oRvDeFDamCKvCvIPp_Fw/s3709/09%20LU%20Abraskadabra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="3709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UElqEAB4MvRp2n7eyMw9HffPosIF2aTFKjJDPnb7_RKzX9picCiu_2vmjKl2wqZFyIwJxJZeMN77KQKEf9m-2bx18FI1EWvK9L-QgYOCJ_cc8SwUN95YMpT5ANd2D2ta-U3TW_8ksR3CwUwPOiplLJVoYn8mnLhDdxhV79oRvDeFDamCKvCvIPp_Fw/s1800/09%20LU%20Abraskadabra.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>
<div><br />The penultimate band of Level Up Saturday were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andybandtheworld" target="_blank">Andy B And The World</a>. Playing what I believe was just their third or fourth performance as a band and their second at the New Cross Inn, I was super excited to see them again. If you’re unaware, Andy B And The World is the project of former Fandangle bassist Andy Baker. He set out to write and record an album featuring different musicians and singers from all over the world. He achieved this goal and produced one of the best albums of 2021. There was never any plan to perform shows as Andy B And The World but after some encouragement he put together a band for the occasional gig. Much like Abraskadabra before them, there was a big feeling of anticipation before the set. This would have been the first time that a lot of people at the festival got to witness the amazing spectacle that is Andy B. It was nice to see the room start moving as soon as they started playing and it was great to hear songs from The First One played live. It wouldn’t be an Andy B And The World set without some special guests taking to the stage. Andy’s former Fandangle bandmate Tommy made an appearance, as did Aaron from Make It Better Later, but the biggest surprise was when Al from [Spunge] took to the stage to sing Changes, as well as a special version of [Spunge] classic Kicking Pigeons which the crowd went off for. That was one of the top Level Up moments. Andy is also hard at work on two new albums and he took the opportunity to record some crowd vocals. Everyone in the room shouted “yeah” and will be on one of the new tracks. This was the most fun way to warm up for the evening's headliners.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOh-DUBr9xjtxpgAiuFtx7sFrdD2Pkwhzj64htyZIFVBJNz_zkweLIsErmXdWNrDDD6hLPLyxlFe8Tce1Ypncv9k3Dz3XWYFFPmXeuu7gzZlJCiLiXfxXt-cXG8Nq21kMy74IbwnZfTva5uEm3AM4rQ8LRxkWSZUVFAlYsZSv-t3S9vjW7l8nkKPD9FQ/s4032/10%20LU%20Andy%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOh-DUBr9xjtxpgAiuFtx7sFrdD2Pkwhzj64htyZIFVBJNz_zkweLIsErmXdWNrDDD6hLPLyxlFe8Tce1Ypncv9k3Dz3XWYFFPmXeuu7gzZlJCiLiXfxXt-cXG8Nq21kMy74IbwnZfTva5uEm3AM4rQ8LRxkWSZUVFAlYsZSv-t3S9vjW7l8nkKPD9FQ/s1800/10%20LU%20Andy%20B.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />London’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PopesOfChillitown" target="_blank">Popes Of Chillitown</a> were the band chosen to headline the Saturday night. Over the years they have become stalwarts of the New Cross ska punk scene and it’s always a special moment when they take to the stage. Before the set we were outside as it was quite warm and we needed some air. We re-entered the venue and it was packed so we settled for a spot at the back of the room. I actually enjoyed this a bit more as there was a little room to dance and whenever someone opened the door I got a dose of fresh air. As I stood watching the band doing their thing I thought about all the times I’ve seen them over the years and I realised I’ve never ever seen them play a bad set – never even an average set. It’s always the best set I’ve ever seen them play. They are amazing each and every time. The band are so good at just working a room and building a crowd up. They played what’s arguably their most well known song, Wisdom Teeth, third in the setlist which blew my mind. This really got what was already an excitable crowd moving. From then on there was skanking, mosh pits, stage dives and crowdsurfing a plenty. From my view at the back of the room I could see everything that was happening and it was such a cool sight to see. The Popes are seriously at the top of their game right now and I can’t wait to see where they go next. With new material in the works, the band are set for an exciting year. Get out to see them whenever you can.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCEJRNmURBwxL83O0wxxTATrRGEnZdMzABeS84L-8mJMyS73XfmZQYUJG47kcruksVe7pMdkiTybeWeQYSZ1Kfr9ChIrSa7_osgL3OO79xUXSPDtyx3-Zz2WGK7n8HmvRXyuphXJxIxtEWLK8ekatbEJpWuWStZFT9XTqYwlDOBF_88e8vZSkpiJmSg/s3629/11%20LU%20Popes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="3629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCEJRNmURBwxL83O0wxxTATrRGEnZdMzABeS84L-8mJMyS73XfmZQYUJG47kcruksVe7pMdkiTybeWeQYSZ1Kfr9ChIrSa7_osgL3OO79xUXSPDtyx3-Zz2WGK7n8HmvRXyuphXJxIxtEWLK8ekatbEJpWuWStZFT9XTqYwlDOBF_88e8vZSkpiJmSg/s1800/11%20LU%20Popes.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />It was now time for the after party. Returning from 2019 were the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElTopoAllStarBandruinsyourclassics" target="_blank">El Topo Allstar Band</a>. These guys went down an absolute storm in 2019 and we were all excited to see them back. I won’t write too much about them as I was too busy dancing and singing to really remember too much but what a time it was. They played Rancid’s Timebomb four or five times as well as covers of Eminem, Britney Spears, Smashmouth, an attempt at Africa by Toto, Backstreet Boys, Haddaway and Bloodhound Gang. The set was a mess but in the best possible way. It was full of fun throughout and I can’t wait for them to return in 2023.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSGCvQua9KcbfCcMgxKrMuWDl5CDSAFshgpshHv2Z0GaGHdIxVdoJQizmr7FL4J7rI3Q_Dw1jWqXvYpM8tKpM2WvLwomHrUatEbB0pTFWCDnd_rbyw9wuuWtEKb1M5VXmqxEmv46dM8OBCpPlVGz_s3l2Nw48QsA7BJyPaOtNylWonKz1aIwtSeaw_g/s3830/12%20LU%20Allstars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSGCvQua9KcbfCcMgxKrMuWDl5CDSAFshgpshHv2Z0GaGHdIxVdoJQizmr7FL4J7rI3Q_Dw1jWqXvYpM8tKpM2WvLwomHrUatEbB0pTFWCDnd_rbyw9wuuWtEKb1M5VXmqxEmv46dM8OBCpPlVGz_s3l2Nw48QsA7BJyPaOtNylWonKz1aIwtSeaw_g/s1800/12%20LU%20Allstars.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>Sunday</b><br /><br />The Sunday of Level Up started in a leisurely fashion for us. It started with me purchasing some football stickers and then going to the New Cross House pub across the road from NXI for a Sunday roast. It seemed like a few people had had the same idea as us as we noticed some more attendees of the festival in the pub. It was an excellent way to start the day and fuelled us for a final day of ska punk fun. <br /><br />We arrived at NXI with plenty of time to catch up with friends before the day’s opening band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BoomBoomRacoon" target="_blank">Boom Boom Racoon</a> started their set. The Bristol based band are a band I’ve seen a few times since life began again and it’s always a pleasure. Despite being from Bristol, they very much feel like a NXI band due to the friendships they have made with many of the regulars over the years. The set mainly featured songs from their most recent album, Songs From The Before Times…& Some More, which got great receptions. Every time I see the Racoons I seem to say that that was the best time I’ve ever seen them and this is another of those times. They played a blinding set which got the party started early for the day. Finishing with a spirited rendition of their Vengaboys parody, Boom Boom Racoon really blew out any cobwebs the early risers for the day might still have had.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamjx1-IfSNesgOhOLtHHIMkSNAG_nV8rPm6T1dft3d3DlklKCEDY-bawxmN8cKQNf6hmIPaLqSP0qRaEOedWjsS9Ta8ACbj3QOL6fT2SLQPejtNmee61VRQmrgMiUh5EKB7VkZHKjarLGIWChlWI9smH7Zq_ArlCDKpPLOBm4weymZ7gOwYWxytiRLQ/s3520/13%20LU%20Racoon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2640" data-original-width="3520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamjx1-IfSNesgOhOLtHHIMkSNAG_nV8rPm6T1dft3d3DlklKCEDY-bawxmN8cKQNf6hmIPaLqSP0qRaEOedWjsS9Ta8ACbj3QOL6fT2SLQPejtNmee61VRQmrgMiUh5EKB7VkZHKjarLGIWChlWI9smH7Zq_ArlCDKpPLOBm4weymZ7gOwYWxytiRLQ/s1800/13%20LU%20Racoon.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Next to take to the stage were the wonderful <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Plot32Band" target="_blank">Plot 32</a> from Leeds. Seeing them soundcheck earlier in the day, I noticed that they were short of their bass player Gaz so Cat Swan was filling in instead of playing guitar. I’d last seen Plot 32 play one of my favourite sets of MPF in April and I was excited to see them again. It wasn’t long into their set until I found myself having a skank and I was very pleased to see I wasn’t the only one. Frontman Stash has so much charisma on the stage and looks like he’s having the best time of his life throughout the set. I did worry his trousers were going to fall down a couple of times though, which would have made for a memorable Level Up moment. The set was comprised with what I think was every song they’ve written so far (aside from the ode to Colin Furze) with the highlights for me being Go Hard Or Go Home, Issues and Favourite Things. There had been some chatter before the festival (mostly between me and Baldhead’s drummer Tommy) about whether or not Plot 32 would do their Vengaboys cover as Boom Boom Racoon have their parody. I can confirm they did and everyone loved it. The punks do love the Vengaboys. I was so pleased to see Plot 32 back in London, hopefully it’s not too long before they’re back again.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4P3jcDqJ58dCBTkB6sc1seViOXUwDqhM-JNIsR7kwU9jVyKa4F1eNoSsylgjMTW7tGkMVBkCxnCIYdznDeh18NSobv82jwPArmwbg80IgGEThlHdk8B_GZEJE2LtQROWvES0o0ArUiuWYWluQlJolqCQvA4xG26sdKNFqxIwUsWy3qpaifKTrmcGfNw/s4032/14%20LU%20Plot%2032.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4P3jcDqJ58dCBTkB6sc1seViOXUwDqhM-JNIsR7kwU9jVyKa4F1eNoSsylgjMTW7tGkMVBkCxnCIYdznDeh18NSobv82jwPArmwbg80IgGEThlHdk8B_GZEJE2LtQROWvES0o0ArUiuWYWluQlJolqCQvA4xG26sdKNFqxIwUsWy3qpaifKTrmcGfNw/s1800/14%20LU%20Plot%2032.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeadShotHazard" target="_blank">Lead Shot Hazard</a> were next to take to the stage. This was the debut performance for recent addition Snowy on the trumpet, adding some more to what’s already a pretty formidable brass section. This may well have been the best I’ve seen Lead Shot Hazard. This was a seriously strong set from the NXI veterans. I’ve seen them play some really good sets over the years but there was something I can’t explain about this one that really set it apart from previous times. Everything was on point and it was great. Before their set I had noticed that Frosty had many Lead Shot Hazard T-shirts taped to him. During the set the band sent him into the crowd for everyone to claim a free T-shirt. Why on earth Frosty agreed to do this is beyond me but fair play for always being such a good sport. Unfortunately, Lead Shot ended the streak of Vengaboys songs but they did play their cover of My Friends Over You by New Found Glory which always goes down a treat. They finished the set with the awesome Between Hell And Highwater which I always love to see live.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf99T2qY45AseJPdf0iPpK27ouNN3KvpaMyVf6FkyZLPTi5VLd4ncIdfaIPJXi9WYJsdYq4kjIvoWYNZSY99vY13-3TRYxwiLMGvxPUYXk43n3JjDV_TtdDx-lu-18jj4ngCGu2uch3lFRiivvFMONy9g0NvItAXw_6zv0EcQlAb3KfmWzgJnDV5WcBQ/s3277/15%20LU%20Lead%20Shot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2457" data-original-width="3277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf99T2qY45AseJPdf0iPpK27ouNN3KvpaMyVf6FkyZLPTi5VLd4ncIdfaIPJXi9WYJsdYq4kjIvoWYNZSY99vY13-3TRYxwiLMGvxPUYXk43n3JjDV_TtdDx-lu-18jj4ngCGu2uch3lFRiivvFMONy9g0NvItAXw_6zv0EcQlAb3KfmWzgJnDV5WcBQ/s1800/15%20LU%20Lead%20Shot.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />Leicester’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lasteditionuk" target="_blank">Last Edition</a> are notorious at NXI for breaking the venue last time they played Level Up. Luckily this didn’t happen again and the band could get through their set incident free. Last Edition are always such a fun band to see live and normally I would have a lovely skank to the upbeat ska pop punk sound but, after Plot 32 and Lead Shot Hazard, I think my body had hit a bit of a brick wall and I just didn’t have the energy left. Perhaps the roast dinner wasn’t a smart idea as it left me with a bit of a food coma! Something that always astounds me whenever I get the opportunity to see Last Edition live is saxophone player Sam. I don’t understand how they manage to make a one person brass section sound so big but they always manage it. They often do it whilst also playing keyboard as well, which is a whole extra level of mind blowing. If memory serves me correctly the set was mostly filled with newer songs that the band have written and recorded, songs like Half Drunk At Half Time, Good Luck and Shorts Until September are all welcome additions to the band's set list. Last Edition are throwing their own ska punk weekender in October in Leicester, go <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/511642487434314" target="_blank">here</a> to see all the details. Spoiler, the lineup is stacked.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_piPh78d2cf_AlxWa8I2D2Fedc0i6otPoNPco9xZbmegX82BQkKmIo8L2P_SzfDnGm55bEzQQuCN61nxcS34Ba0Laj05geNouj4eVFfokO_rUWtXos6uv9VHXq70xR7-6Bs0lKMkEEOfaaAeT4YRw0ui1_a3-l5lrzwM3z9s9gQRz039zBFd2Z-Esg/s3604/16%20LU%20Last%20Edition.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2703" data-original-width="3604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_piPh78d2cf_AlxWa8I2D2Fedc0i6otPoNPco9xZbmegX82BQkKmIo8L2P_SzfDnGm55bEzQQuCN61nxcS34Ba0Laj05geNouj4eVFfokO_rUWtXos6uv9VHXq70xR7-6Bs0lKMkEEOfaaAeT4YRw0ui1_a3-l5lrzwM3z9s9gQRz039zBFd2Z-Esg/s1800/16%20LU%20Last%20Edition.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/3dBsdown" target="_blank">3dBs Down</a> were one of the bands I was most excited to see over the entire weekend. Their most recent album, Get Your Retaliation In First, is one of my favourites of recent years and I’ve only had one opportunity to see them live since it was released so I was keen to grasp this latest opportunity with both hands. We almost didn’t get this chance as drummer Joe somehow broke their foot the day before but they were determined to play the show anyway. Kudos to Joe for that. 3dBs Down offered something slightly different to the majority of the bands playing at Level Up as they are more of a punk band with ska elements rather than a full on ska punk band. This meant that a few people were slow in really getting into 3dBs but by the end of the set they had the room dancing. It was great to see a band win the crowd over like they did, it really shows just what a good band they are. The thing I really love about 3dBs is their ability to write hooks and sing harmonies. They sound great on record but to pull them off live as good as they do is something quite special. The band have been around a long time now and you can tell just because of just how in sync they are with each other. As well as playing many of my favourite tracks from Get Your Retaliation In First they also debuted their brand, brand, brand new track Unconvinced – it’s a banger, go and check it out. 3dBs don’t play many shows anymore but when they do it’s always a highlight of whatever bill they find themselves on. At the time of writing this, the first wave of MPF 2023 bands have just been announced and, oh boy golly, I’d love to see 3dBs play that festival.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wRN2NCpqAVkkEW6hDwUXeAdjTt-eX0JfPBcUlc5pyBwgVCm8JnrqNKrd9DGKRItTa4tvhig_pJB0hL1KDF3L7wdv4th2MErt9yf2prlGmO_gq8fpwfkGMr0G6zXjhfyt0k7EZEZHVqsSTTR8kwTgRP5WXCp5AHGggz6a6rHeMG0xWMjPDJnmTWMXRQ/s4032/17%20LU%203dbs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wRN2NCpqAVkkEW6hDwUXeAdjTt-eX0JfPBcUlc5pyBwgVCm8JnrqNKrd9DGKRItTa4tvhig_pJB0hL1KDF3L7wdv4th2MErt9yf2prlGmO_gq8fpwfkGMr0G6zXjhfyt0k7EZEZHVqsSTTR8kwTgRP5WXCp5AHGggz6a6rHeMG0xWMjPDJnmTWMXRQ/s1800/17%20LU%203dbs.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />The rise that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CodenameColin" target="_blank">Codename Colin</a> have had over the years of Level Up Festival has been monumental. I remember them opening one of the days of the festival one year and now they’re last support before two genuine UK ska punk legends – it’s quite the rise for the band from Hemel Hempstead. It’s completely deserved though as the band keep on working hard, playing loads of shows and continuing to get better and better. They’re also fantastic people. Frontman Charlie has become an absolute master of working a crowd, leading the New Cross Inn in a series of big sing-alongs. This might have been one of the most rambunctious Codename Colin sets I’ve ever seen with the amount of people in the pit skanking away with nothing but joy in their hearts. At one point during the set Frosty joined the band on stage to do some singing, which was a nice moment. The camaraderie between all of the bands playing the festival, and the others in the UK ska punk scene, is something so special and it’s always so nice to see everyone supporting everyone else. Codename Colin have become one of my favourite live bands in recent times and it was great to see them play to so many people on what was a big night at the New Cross Inn. Love to see it.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXpUk2Ac1RKwHAALJbZgUaVxk-XzrSEdivp93ImBi3Gb9DoXU6XBFmyWJ_3c-oMIB0JPBgbtA0OK-MZgqy8Om2ot8-ZhnELEk9au3o9RcWi6-54sH-7JsAfzss9Z03h5OSpZIdGGETztSQQ9mIVYRycdSxA7MkA5pHoh2DyK0TJvNaj3NJYqoIRVugw/s3344/18%20LU%20Colin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2508" data-original-width="3344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXpUk2Ac1RKwHAALJbZgUaVxk-XzrSEdivp93ImBi3Gb9DoXU6XBFmyWJ_3c-oMIB0JPBgbtA0OK-MZgqy8Om2ot8-ZhnELEk9au3o9RcWi6-54sH-7JsAfzss9Z03h5OSpZIdGGETztSQQ9mIVYRycdSxA7MkA5pHoh2DyK0TJvNaj3NJYqoIRVugw/s1800/18%20LU%20Colin.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />So, there were two bands left for Level Up Festival 2022 and when you think about UK ska punk there aren’t many bands bigger than what we had left. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sonicboomsix" target="_blank">Sonic Boom Six</a> and Random Hand will have inspired many of the acts who played over the entire weekend. The two bands were such an integral part in keeping the UK ska punk scene going over the years and getting the chance to see them share a stage once again in 2022 was a very special moment. First up were Sonic Boom Six who were making their Level Up Festival debut. This wasn’t their first time at NXI however, making their first appearance at the venue in 2021 for Till The Fest. That was a superb set from the band and this was no different. SB6 are party starters, plain and simple. They’re also very good at tailoring their set to the crowd they’re playing too. This was a ska punk crowd so the band made sure to play a set that would be full of crowd pleasers. This meant that the set was full of classic Boom songs such as Monkey See Monkey Do, All In, Bigger Than Punk Rock and Meanwhile Back In The Real World, as well as newer ska tunes like No Man No Right and My Philosophy. The pit turns into a full blown riot as the crowd go crazy for the band. Watching them you realise just how many big tunes the band wrote over the years and they all sound as fresh and current as they did back when they were written. Laila and Barney are the perfect combination of front people, working seamlessly together throughout the set. I guess that’s to be expected after being in a band together for so long now. This felt very much like a headline set from the band but there was still the small matter of Random Hand to come.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuFAtx4IEId3J12MezxLCkanXJg_pc2Alo-fLTX4vYirCbO0nCmuDMRrs8k6boqcdn54N44V9k4iypkrs8NDtrR1HFRb7CatxBHEx4LUdZVFO6DOzaFPlMYIkcYlgR3ZkUXQ4-xfHYWte_kKts3yurc14or-OIc0BmGYDrP8IFffedsSvtWyi4eeTMA/s3604/19%20LU%20Boom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2702" data-original-width="3604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuFAtx4IEId3J12MezxLCkanXJg_pc2Alo-fLTX4vYirCbO0nCmuDMRrs8k6boqcdn54N44V9k4iypkrs8NDtrR1HFRb7CatxBHEx4LUdZVFO6DOzaFPlMYIkcYlgR3ZkUXQ4-xfHYWte_kKts3yurc14or-OIc0BmGYDrP8IFffedsSvtWyi4eeTMA/s1800/19%20LU%20Boom.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />I’m at a loss with what I have left to say about <a href="https://www.facebook.com/randomhand" target="_blank">Random Hand</a>. They are one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and blow me away each and every time I’ve seen them. I’d previously seen them earlier in the year when they played Seething Is Believing in full at Islington Academy and I was now looking forward to what would be a best of set. I was surprised that I, and the rest of the crowd, had any energy left after three days of ska punk but we did. Random Hand brought every last ounce of energy out of us for one final dance. In the sweatbox that NXI had become, we danced, we sang, we sweated (a lot) and we had the absolute time of our lives. Robin remains one of my favourite frontmen in punk rock. The man oozes charisma during the songs and is extremely funny in between them. The band played a career-spanning set, I’m pretty sure they played everyone's favourite Random Hand songs and they also played a brand new one from an upcoming release they’ve been recording. It’s been seven years since we’ve had new music from Random Hand and, on this evidence ,we should be extremely excited for what is to come from the band. It’s always great to see a band play at the top of their game and that’s what we got with Random Hand. Alongside Robin, the rest of the band, Dan (guitar), Joe (bass) and Sean (drums), were as tight as ever as they bounced around the stage, helping work the crowd into a storm. There were great some sing-alongs during the set, particularly for Not A Number, Play Some Ska, Scum Triumphant, Bones and set closer Anger Management. Random Hand are back in New Cross for Till The Fest Two in October and that promises to be another special moment.</div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsspsTw49EkIOX5TSJmu6WjeUZ0hrHt9Iel8jUqK_Wqv6RFonxOHGUxFDuSrNgFQA6ed-7TwzlByFB6O4OPRgIL-H1lFE16V5KrgHw5pdGTlPPN8-B17uGVgdN2biRU2reyXtMqLdOKEyD14Cqs9AgcYa_FqKAUKxukqas0pKubVNHnU0TEacIL70jw/s4032/20%20LU%20Random%20Hand.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsspsTw49EkIOX5TSJmu6WjeUZ0hrHt9Iel8jUqK_Wqv6RFonxOHGUxFDuSrNgFQA6ed-7TwzlByFB6O4OPRgIL-H1lFE16V5KrgHw5pdGTlPPN8-B17uGVgdN2biRU2reyXtMqLdOKEyD14Cqs9AgcYa_FqKAUKxukqas0pKubVNHnU0TEacIL70jw/s1800/20%20LU%20Random%20Hand.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br />That brought an end to another fantastic Level Up Festival. Level Up Festival is such a beloved weekend for the real ska punk fans of the UK and it had been very much missed during the pandemic. It’s a chance for the ska punk family to reconnect, dance and share some amazing moments from our favourite genre that is so often belittled. In recent years, ska has been making moves and is once again growing in popularity. Level Up was where the die hards, the fans who never stepped away because it’s “uncool”, gathered to celebrate this thing that we all love. All the thanks and love has to go to all the bands who have kept the genre alive, as well as Be Sharp, Fishlock and El Topo for all they’ve done for the scene. Level Up 2022 was a fantastic time. It was a festival I hadn’t realised I would miss so much and it filled me with smiles from start to finish. I can’t wait for Level Up 2023 next July. To quote Adam Davis of Omnigone, “Ska now, more than ever.”</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-54180725807237645642022-08-03T12:10:00.001+01:002022-08-03T12:10:46.627+01:00Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 3 26/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
It was now time for the third and final day of Hamburg Booze Cruise. It had been an incredible two days of music so far and we were very much looking forward to one final day. First we had to find breakfast though, which was harder than you might have thought. It turns out places open much later in Hamburg than they do in London so we decided to visit a local(ish) park first. It also turned out that the Hamburg half marathon was happening that morning and a lot of roads were closed. This all became quite a mission and we were sweating before we even got to see our first band of the day. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3-lDiOd58FUWchJq_aTlOBernE3-37vt7PSo0JxxCzx4VdASirKUFBUbbw5QFVfa7QNXEKXnJAN4bNnX73Ji8phYJUIioLcmahl-2HDvA1ennXtzv_mPancLyCEYUaPHJ1gWL19RSgAWZqUKyABK279ROhhsm9sSstKztre7ETXghTOhrnhuKXgd7w/s4032/HBC022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3-lDiOd58FUWchJq_aTlOBernE3-37vt7PSo0JxxCzx4VdASirKUFBUbbw5QFVfa7QNXEKXnJAN4bNnX73Ji8phYJUIioLcmahl-2HDvA1ennXtzv_mPancLyCEYUaPHJ1gWL19RSgAWZqUKyABK279ROhhsm9sSstKztre7ETXghTOhrnhuKXgd7w/s1748/HBC022.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Park visited, half marathon negotiated and breakfast consumed, we headed down to the docks to once again board the MS Tonne. The first band we were seeing today was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wastedyearspunk" target="_blank">Wasted Years</a> from Cologne. The five-piece play melodic pop punk music with some great hooks and big choruses. Given that we weren’t quite feeling our best this morning, this was a refreshing way to start the day of music. It was fun, breezy and punchy and certainly dusted off the cobwebs for us. The set did seem to go on for ten minutes more than we were expecting which meant that the following band had to cut theirs short – or so we thought. It turned out that because Shellycoat had to pull out that Wasted Years had been given extra time and the next band, The Sewer Rats would be splitting their set into two halves. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDem4pXDIVfJcQ8pD1AHCyo_i7yx34iZQIt-iBK3yYdAZI5QzDtQVugvOvbvZDv5-JLPZ5e2xFWB-Gisi4wzJiq5td7b0CE-HQTtTQfftK5Fa7FSUzhHylDDX3xjG2A8AXU9P-mRFYrodUJc5ZyZPrUqDKEwPSq1GCHFEoJGHbOaAXxBCYSCemHCdHcQ/s4032/HBC023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDem4pXDIVfJcQ8pD1AHCyo_i7yx34iZQIt-iBK3yYdAZI5QzDtQVugvOvbvZDv5-JLPZ5e2xFWB-Gisi4wzJiq5td7b0CE-HQTtTQfftK5Fa7FSUzhHylDDX3xjG2A8AXU9P-mRFYrodUJc5ZyZPrUqDKEwPSq1GCHFEoJGHbOaAXxBCYSCemHCdHcQ/s1748/HBC023.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sewerrats" target="_blank">The Sewer Rats</a> were next to play on the MS Tonne and immediately made it feel like a basement gig on a boat. Lead singer Chris prowled around the front of the stage, offering the microphone to folk in the crowd to sing along and getting everyone on the boat involved. As I mentioned earlier, we only got to see the first half of the set (we didn’t know there would be a second half) as we got off the boat when it docked to go and check out some other bands. We did get to see Rejuvenate, I’m Quittng My Job, Pch 101 and what I am told was a Social Distortion cover though and had a lot of fun. Roll on Punk Rock Holiday where we are seeing The Sewer Rats once again. <br /><br />Back on my dry land we made our way to Molotow Club for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/themuttnicks" target="_blank">The Muttnicks</a>. Arriving at the club with a bit of time to spare, we immediately got drinks before joining the small crowd of people to watch the Hamburg band. Playing 90s inspired punk rock, The Muttnicks played through their set with a lot of passion and energy. I first became aware of the band in 2019, seeing them play on the MS Tonne. I’m really pleased I got to see them again as they played with the same magic that they did three years ago. Since seeing them for the first time, I’d gone away and listened to their music and it was nice be more familiar with their songs this time. I feel like The Muttnicks are one of the most underrated bands in Germany. They write killer songs and are fantastic live. <br /><br />Next we headed down to Nochwache for a bit of emo courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fineandgreat" target="_blank">Fine And Great</a>. Featuring Manu of Captain Asshole and Tooney from Call It A Comeback, Fine And Great were one of the bands I was most looking forward to on the Sunday of Booze Cruise. Heading to Nochwache I remembered the sound issues from the previous day and worried that they might affect Fine And Great as well. Thankfully the problems that happened on the Saturday seemed to be fixed and this pleased me greatly. In a set that I’m pretty sure contained their entire discography, Fine And Great wowed and astounded the crowd that had gathered at Nochwache. Both Manu and Tooney had a great presence on the stage and complimented each other perfectly. Both of their vocals were on top form, despite this being the third set Manu had performed in two days. I think the band are at their best when the pair are singing together or harmonising – it’s one of those things you really have to see live to really appreciate just how good they are. I was expecting to really enjoy Fine And Great and they still surprised me with just how good they were. Easily in my top five performances of the entire festival. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrDBSznR7xStiigErDTlfEbgcyy6umkr-P-xIxlydl9RYfSj13pk7B319EyrpRE4pZKWNvfzEw23SY243ltUyrOJznOsdqioVTHPg9tz0s8dvQ7n3tmciQAgMORiKipjfogXzJdmx0zE_WIOZ__WJItw9bfDF-qR9K3XzrAWuzsoNo8aJ3NvUB_51vg/s2016/FineandGreat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrDBSznR7xStiigErDTlfEbgcyy6umkr-P-xIxlydl9RYfSj13pk7B319EyrpRE4pZKWNvfzEw23SY243ltUyrOJznOsdqioVTHPg9tz0s8dvQ7n3tmciQAgMORiKipjfogXzJdmx0zE_WIOZ__WJItw9bfDF-qR9K3XzrAWuzsoNo8aJ3NvUB_51vg/s1748/FineandGreat.jpeg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Following Fine And Great’s set we made the walk back to Molotow Club for skate punk legends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cigartheband" target="_blank">Cigar</a>. As we were walking up to the venue, we noticed a van pulling up and realised that it was actually the band just pulling up to the venue. This gave me flashbacks to the day before snd the delay with 100 Kilo Herz. Fortunately, Cigar were able to enter the venue and basically plug in and play and I don’t think there was actually any delay in starting the set. I was really impressed with this attitude and, to me, this really embodied what DIY punk should be. I only stuck around for about five songs, as I wanted to get something to eat before the final three bands of the festival, but had a great time watching the band do what they do best, playing really intricate and fast skate punk that has plenty of melody and super vocals. Cigar have been a band for a very long time now and, after seeing them live for the first time, it’s clear why they have had such longevity. <br /><br />After getting a pot of falafel, salad and chips we made our way to a new venue for us named Grünspan. It’s a much bigger venue than any of the other venues Booze Cruise use and allowed for all of the festival’s attendees to gather together to end the festival, which I thought was really cool. As we entered the venue I was taken aback by the beauty of the space. Most venues of this size are soulless rooms owned by corporations, Grünspan felt like a special building to be in. <br /><br />New Yorkers <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tiredradiomusic" target="_blank">Tired Radio</a> opened the show. The band had been on a European tour with Überyou on the build up to the festival and we were looking forward to finally seeing the band. The four-piece were out on the road supporting their excellent 2020 release Patterns. That album is full of raspy vocals, big soulful tunes that I’ve always thought would be great to see live in a tiny basement. It turns out that they also work seriously well in big rooms as well. I was personally surprised by the energy that the crowd still had after a long, warm weekend of punk rock but that enthusiasm that started the festival remained and was potentially even bigger than before. During the set, the band’s lead singer Anthony Truzzolino spoke about how they had stepped away from punk rock for a while before finding their way back into it and forming Tired Radio – and now they were in Hamburg playing Booze Cruise and that was really cool. The story was so heartwarming and a great advertisement for continuing to do the things you love and going after your dreams. Tired Radio played a fantastic set, warming the crowd up for the chaos that was about to come. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KPexOeCogyiG6GglKIznOZSYKLEi1GepCUYJ404alSWEsQ-Zvfe15Pk0I-cEzWxJ_LAFKS78V3vNjsi_xxGbD1dUJ3ep5wSb2Q5ANx1jk-clPnqFUM_WmdwQNGeyqnx_HimVJEU_d300kCNA2_3OPlCgIeh8UxDL88Bra6-diJ3WOyagrVROpUryIQ/s4032/HBC025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KPexOeCogyiG6GglKIznOZSYKLEi1GepCUYJ404alSWEsQ-Zvfe15Pk0I-cEzWxJ_LAFKS78V3vNjsi_xxGbD1dUJ3ep5wSb2Q5ANx1jk-clPnqFUM_WmdwQNGeyqnx_HimVJEU_d300kCNA2_3OPlCgIeh8UxDL88Bra6-diJ3WOyagrVROpUryIQ/s1748/HBC025.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The penultimate band for all of Booze Cruise 2022 was Swiss DIY punk legends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/weareuberyou" target="_blank">Überyou</a>. The previous two times I’d seen the band I was in absolute awe of their live show and I was so excited to finally see them again. The band took to the stage and there was this sense of atmosphere in the crowd until all hell broke loose. I’ve said many times in this blog, on our podcast, or just to people I’ve been talking to in person that Überyou connect with a live crowd in a way that I’ve never seen any other band do. Front person Ian spends a big portion of the opening couple of songs with the crowd, getting everyone hyped up – not that they needed much encouragement. Throughout the entire set there were massive singalongs and a constant stream of fists high in the air. Something I always enjoy with Überyou is how the band has three main singers, I think this gives them such a dynamic. As Ian doesn’t play an instrument in the band, it allows them to work as a hype man between the moments where he’s not needed to sing and it adds so much to the band’s live performance. I use the phrase passion and energy a lot when describing bands but it definitely applies more so to Überyou than any other band I’ve ever seen. There’s also such an urgency to the way they play that I love. Songs such as Survivors, Make It Last and Overdrive obviously go down really well with the crowd, as does their cover of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing where they are joined on stage with their friends in Tired Radio. I came away with the opinion that Überyou are the best live band in the world firmly cemented in my mind. What a moment this was. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn9hDblVP_gEFB6e6wONRpR3PkiaTApPFqCcY5HJ-c8AkZZwshf_JLj_oTAzsi5o8y5pSow39hOyCqUYnQT9GBfAwzZeLiLRQO8MvkW8aNwhnPR-AjdJr7YO6KRQ418Wa93DUukC0pDv3M4Qbf1jQ_lfOkFSdZ7gBuddjlosEG4ck9h0PUft4m2AEKA/s4032/HBC026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikn9hDblVP_gEFB6e6wONRpR3PkiaTApPFqCcY5HJ-c8AkZZwshf_JLj_oTAzsi5o8y5pSow39hOyCqUYnQT9GBfAwzZeLiLRQO8MvkW8aNwhnPR-AjdJr7YO6KRQ418Wa93DUukC0pDv3M4Qbf1jQ_lfOkFSdZ7gBuddjlosEG4ck9h0PUft4m2AEKA/s1748/HBC026.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Last and by no means least were emo legends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheGetUpKids" target="_blank">The Get Up Kids</a>. A lot of pals back in the UK were getting excited for their shows supporting Jimmy Eat World later that month. The packed crowd in Grünspan also seemed very excited to see the Kansan band. Now, I have to be honest and admit that I wasn’t especially excited to see the band. Not because I particularly dislike them, I just didn’t grow up with them like a lot of people did. They passed me by. In fact, I only really know one of their songs, Holiday, and that is because our friends Burnt Tapes covered it. All of this however didn’t stop me enjoying everyone else in the crowd really enjoying The Get Up Kids’ set. The band first formed in 1995 so are obviously a very polished live band. Each member of the band were so in sync with each other. Something I did like with the band is how they have two lead singers, something I was not aware of before the set. This really helped keep the set fresher for me, especially as the pair have different vocal styles. Speaking to friends after the set, they all said that they really loved the set and the band played every song that they wanted to hear. If you were a fan of the band, it was a real festival highlight and the best way to finish Booze Cruise Festival 2022. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKrumlPIGuYEFQ4l970Oza4QAzab_CoQxvNhZl-5i01YGNCdR0V_4raNnyypzvvRCtq2rt3avo9R5MhKkFBYwt6n_AjzXu7PtxKJQ3Chj72oU7RSDiGr-5dqRFvQcTqW5qeKeMNzyNhgJg2YE2FOdH7y8uajEn_yyw0gZtaDZ4BmSlgduaFnlLV1fyQ/s4032/HBC027.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKrumlPIGuYEFQ4l970Oza4QAzab_CoQxvNhZl-5i01YGNCdR0V_4raNnyypzvvRCtq2rt3avo9R5MhKkFBYwt6n_AjzXu7PtxKJQ3Chj72oU7RSDiGr-5dqRFvQcTqW5qeKeMNzyNhgJg2YE2FOdH7y8uajEn_yyw0gZtaDZ4BmSlgduaFnlLV1fyQ/s1748/HBC027.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Booze Cruise Festival 2019 was one of the best festival experiences I’d ever had and I was excited and had high expectations for 2022. The festival did not disappoint in the slightest. The bands delivered in a big way and the whole thing was very well organised but, much like in 2019, the true highlight was the atmosphere around the festival. Everyone was in such good spirits and just wanted to have a great time with friends, old and new, watching amazing punk rock bands. The punk community in Germany, and, I guess, in particular in Hamburg, is a special thing. It’s very welcoming to people from further afield and, despite being in a different country and only knowing about ten people at the festival, I felt just as at home as I do at the New Cross Inn (my regular punk venue) and that’s the best feeling. Most of us get in to the punk community because of the feeling of belonging that it brings and it’s special that this feeling spreads to different scenes all over the world. Booze Cruise remains one of the best festivals in the world and I can’t wait for 2023. If you’re reading this and have thought about attending the festival in the past but are on the fence then I couldn’t encourage you more to take the plunge. <br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-73151782021908933862022-08-02T17:16:00.001+01:002022-08-02T17:16:40.296+01:00Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 2 25/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
Day one of Hamburg Booze Cruise had been a brilliant day. Day two was now ahead of us and was scheduled to be our busiest day of the weekend and we were excited to get started. <br /><br />After some delicious pizza at Überquell, we made our way down to the docks to board the MS Tonne. Something quite unique about Booze Cruise is that they takeover a boat and have bands playing as they do a lap of the docks. As we approached the boat, there was already a big crowd gathered and I became a little worried about getting on before capacity was hit. Thankfully it seemed as if everyone got on and were ready to see some great bands. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOhDobsyI0CfhnDa14741KAXEEJ7DsevHDm2CfG90V7cIYJLtt5L_Af1BZjilcibUPlu2nlOzQqpBFlPMGWkTygbdZ6K3QrHX0P_1fACkJHQEUI380e1gvH5PRqYh54p5vXuPc1PVHT7x5ywoGeydR4VHy_1qZ3oL60c08NBzFGIh09mKXFJJpuG8Dw/s4032/HBC010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOhDobsyI0CfhnDa14741KAXEEJ7DsevHDm2CfG90V7cIYJLtt5L_Af1BZjilcibUPlu2nlOzQqpBFlPMGWkTygbdZ6K3QrHX0P_1fACkJHQEUI380e1gvH5PRqYh54p5vXuPc1PVHT7x5ywoGeydR4VHy_1qZ3oL60c08NBzFGIh09mKXFJJpuG8Dw/s1748/HBC010.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The first band of the day aboard the MS Tonne was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/secondyouthpunk" target="_blank">Second Youth</a>. If you have read our day one review (if you haven’t, go do so and then come back to this page), you will know that we also had the pleasure of watching them the night before at Hafenklang. On the boat, Second Youth only had a twenty minute set and the band wasted little time as they tore through their set. The good thing about seeing a band multiple times in quick succession is that you quickly become more aware of their songs. This meant I enjoyed the set even more than the evening before and even had myself a little sing-along. In a moment that really tickled me, once again the guitarist went to introduce a song and it turned out that again he skipped the song Morons. This was a great way to start the day. <br /><br />Following very quickly on from Second Youth were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Snareset" target="_blank">Snareset</a>. I was really impressed with how prompt the changeover times managed to be on the boat, given that it’s not your traditional gig setting and they were on a tight schedule. This was my first time seeing Snareset and, if I’m being completely honest, I hadn’t listened to them a whole lot before either. I should have however, as they were great. Playing a melodic and emotional form of gruff punk rock, the band had me hooked from the very start of their set. The lead singer’s vocal was phenomenal and I really loved watching their drummer as it seemed like he was having the time of his life. At one point, something went wrong with the drums and the band impressively managed to continue on with the song and pick things back up as soon as it got sorted. Sadly the boat sets were only twenty minutes long today and I would’ve loved to see more of Snareset. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LFs6mYGR7LYGdGJ1YJCHxwvsXNdGU-7LupPjg2Jyh-9XPvMkoiQcGfJve-6JU2I0Qe_EluZH7o_AgO6hlFZBvVX8fFe-ZafeCTBaMWDoWjYRFUs6WHM9XPMssvTtGeH3QaH29mcdJ4ZVYhR5Sr7Upm5zVq7lBfjk2sj1PrsW340DMXaqL9_wrVAHRA/s3177/HBC012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2383" data-original-width="3177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LFs6mYGR7LYGdGJ1YJCHxwvsXNdGU-7LupPjg2Jyh-9XPvMkoiQcGfJve-6JU2I0Qe_EluZH7o_AgO6hlFZBvVX8fFe-ZafeCTBaMWDoWjYRFUs6WHM9XPMssvTtGeH3QaH29mcdJ4ZVYhR5Sr7Upm5zVq7lBfjk2sj1PrsW340DMXaqL9_wrVAHRA/s1748/HBC012.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After the boat returned to the dock, we raced up to Überquell to see our favourites <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CaptainAssholePunkrock" target="_blank">Captain Asshole</a> play an acoustic set. We arrived back at the venue as Manu and Basti were just getting started with their set. I’d seen Manu play an acoustic set online during the lockdown and I was really excited to see it live. The duo played through some songs from both of Captain Asshole’s albums. Between the songs, they joked about being unpractised with the set but I don’t think anyone would have noticed if they hadn’t said anything. This was a really fun and unique experience for us and it was fun to have a quieter sing-along with the band in preparation for their full band set later in the day. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2pQNHmQxx56xuYaLwwOwxCy3iBA33ojiR8Q4PRitCDUXbfDGoUZJfdNl6Aunl8miTuiNnKzrKFKJDVZYfmbOfK2F3HlMmv0K1wUjXFFJLNkXLsr1P1tt4VnwbA_Tl-oK974RJqz_FxvFUisNqb37o6hXIKAPn_qMExIeZLZvj1xFhMbnNYkc1vmFow/s4032/HBC013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2pQNHmQxx56xuYaLwwOwxCy3iBA33ojiR8Q4PRitCDUXbfDGoUZJfdNl6Aunl8miTuiNnKzrKFKJDVZYfmbOfK2F3HlMmv0K1wUjXFFJLNkXLsr1P1tt4VnwbA_Tl-oK974RJqz_FxvFUisNqb37o6hXIKAPn_qMExIeZLZvj1xFhMbnNYkc1vmFow/s1748/HBC013.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Captain Asshole finished we headed back to Molotow Club for an afternoon celebrating fifteen years of Gunner Records. By the time we reached the venue it was already in full swing with Jeff Rowe, Kirsty & Cory Call and The Carolyn already having played earlier. Learning from the heat in the venue from the day before, we made sure to get drinks quickly and we ended up getting two Fritz Colas (the best cola) and a pint of water between each band just to keep us going. We were full of sugar, refreshed and set for an evening of great punk rock. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chartreuxpunx" target="_blank">Chartreux</a> were the first band we saw during the Gunner Records party. I first became aware of Chartreux thanks to my friend Chris (vinyl.systems on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vinyl.systems/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>). He recommended them to me and I quickly became a fan. There’s a bit of the Hot Water Music’s about them with their two main vocalists, though their bass player also joined in with the gang vocals as well. I was really impressed with their stage presence. They felt like a band you couldn’t take your eyes off for a second and sounded every bit as good as they do on record. Chartruex are one of many bands who played Booze Cruise that more people need to be aware of! <br /><br />After catching up with some friends in the Molotow backyard and picking myself up a Chartreux LP, it was time to head back inside for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/littleteeth" target="_blank">Little Teeth</a>. I first saw Little Teeth back at the 2019 edition of Booze Cruise. This wasn’t the plan, they had been kind enough to fill in for another band. I enjoyed them and went on to enjoy their album Redefining Home as well. Since then, Little Teeth has gone through some line-up changes and are now a three-piece. For this gig they had the bass player of Dankeschatz filling in for them. Little Teeth were perhaps one of my biggest surprises of the festival. I really loved their set. Lead singer Cory Call has such a great vocal. If you haven’t ever heard him sing I seriously suggest you go out and do so – it’s just magic. I believe the band only played songs from Redefining Home during the set and as I was so familiar with them, from my review of the album, it really added to my enjoyment of the set. Little Teeth were superb. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcgFkofeJagecMLN411wPimg-yG3JibpigG6b1KIFQ-SfhgybsiwI-zKe0T5FTo8UuXfwMmw024HlfDIt_r3ptJGx1zBxieUm1wJPwQ2TMHe9j1LPLWdW-P0-u-3yBDGvNCfZm7gffrcdwES1WgqyqBAsCJcGX_Z3_ZSoArTg_bYQ-Rc2xGZXeAUsnw/s4032/HBC015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcgFkofeJagecMLN411wPimg-yG3JibpigG6b1KIFQ-SfhgybsiwI-zKe0T5FTo8UuXfwMmw024HlfDIt_r3ptJGx1zBxieUm1wJPwQ2TMHe9j1LPLWdW-P0-u-3yBDGvNCfZm7gffrcdwES1WgqyqBAsCJcGX_Z3_ZSoArTg_bYQ-Rc2xGZXeAUsnw/s1748/HBC015.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Our first band in the Molotow backyard were Zurich’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheHighTimesCool" target="_blank">The High Times</a>. The High Times are Zurich punk heroes Überyou’s sister band. They formed just before the lockdown and this was our first opportunity to see them live. I can remember Überyou filming a live set during lockdown for Booze Cruise and during that set The High Times performed some songs and they were fantastic. They then released a superb debut named Heat. I was pumped to see them. We made sure we got ourselves a good spot down the front of the stage to watch their set. As they began their first song, the thing that struck me was how much less polished they were than on record. I don’t mean that in a bad way either, Dom’s vocals have a bit more of a raw style to them live and I really enjoyed that. The highlights came when Dom and Marc shared vocal duties and created this huge sound. The band have this great chemistry on stage and this pours out into the audience. I think there were a lot of people saying “wow” at the end of their performance. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYwldjggVunIk6v7s9YYT8aPgHOu3Y86ihLE3QMmEsDDR3SiMzEg0Thotx7DDww71FvonsyIs2ZDOlxcv2rLTQAQSDJRa8p3ywe8kNdX7GBvimF6c09SW8r4ZWS7yeOMHL52vLVvT07Z8uvX915Jq3XECuQPkRc4H0P8-3VDPPuz4pggWkwAglAEGEg/s4032/HBC016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYwldjggVunIk6v7s9YYT8aPgHOu3Y86ihLE3QMmEsDDR3SiMzEg0Thotx7DDww71FvonsyIs2ZDOlxcv2rLTQAQSDJRa8p3ywe8kNdX7GBvimF6c09SW8r4ZWS7yeOMHL52vLVvT07Z8uvX915Jq3XECuQPkRc4H0P8-3VDPPuz4pggWkwAglAEGEg/s1748/HBC016.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Back inside Molotow for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Arterialspunk" target="_blank">Arterials</a> was next on the agenda. Arterials were my find of Booze Cruise 2019 – I was blown away by their intense take on 90s melodic punk rock. Lead singer Flo has an incredible stage presence making them a hugely watchable band, as well as excellent songwriters. Since then the Hamburg four-piece have released the excellent The Spaces In Between and I was so excited to see some songs from it live for the first time ever. It was nice to enter Molotow and see that a big crowd had gathered to see the band. They started with a bang and were every bit as amazing as I remembered. Much like in 2019, I was captivated by what I was watching on stage. Even in the Molotow Club heat the band were giving it everything, playing a mixture of songs from Spaces In Between and previous album Constructive Summer. There was little banter between songs as the band continued to tear through their set, this only added to the band’s intensity and it was absolutely great. The set sadly flew by far too quickly for my liking – I would have happily stared open mouthed at the stage for much longer – but unfortunately all things must come to an end. The set ended in quite confusing way (especially for a non-German speaker) as partway through the final song (The Spaces In Between, I think) the guitarist chucked their guitar at their amp and that was that. Despite this abrupt end, Arterials played one of my favourite sets of the entire festival. <br /><br />We then ventured outside to the backyard to watch a bit of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lagwagon" target="_blank">Lagwagon</a> before moving on to our next venue. I can’t admit to being the biggest Lagwagon fan but I do always enjoy them when I see them live. I was also very intrigued to see what it would be like to see Lagwagon in a venue setting such as Molotow’s backyard. It was a packed crowd to see the Californians play their set. We only hung around for three songs (After You My Friends, Falling Apart, Violins) before heading off and letting some of the folk waiting outside the venue in. It was so packed that a one in one out system was happening. <br /><br />Next we headed to Nochwache to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellsditchmusic" target="_blank">Hell’s Ditch</a>. The band had been one of my highlights from Bristol Booze Cruise a week earlier and I was keen to see them again. I was especially keen after speaking to bass player Christian earlier in the day and learning of Nick and Jonny’s travel woes. Their flight had been cancelled and the pair had chosen to drive 600 miles to get to the festival instead. That’s some dedication to playing their first show on the mainland! If you read the first part of our Hamburg review you will know about my dislike of the Nochwache long thin stage with the drummer in the corner. It’s weird. It looked even stranger when a band has six members like Hell’s Ditch do. Unfortunately there were some sound issues in the venue that plagued not just Hell’s Ditch but Captain Asshole after them as well. This didn’t prevent Hell’s Ditch playing a stunning set however, having seen them the week before and at MPF in April there weren’t any new surprises in the set for me – except when Nick got on someone in the crowd’s shoulders to sing during the set, that was new. It was a super fun set with bangers such as Vacant Hearts, Hope Is Hope and The Likes Of Us sounding great despite the sound issues. Hell’s Ditch are playing gigs here, there and everywhere and I seriously suggest that you go see them, they are the real deal. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi679kQ_dsy-bAzNxVszhYCkLyYPQTDHYs65dk95Fgzi-xfEHZo0l-3u2B4u7h-P1KUZNM87snVYtxb4EBCxJ5jClKEFlfPMN4Jy8Hnre8FFKXKpFlE9JIZs8QKtfHoKTzLBEBQdIsDSdJqVkWO0dODZqzjRLS0ixNQhJ3BDAT6v53H928OvNJnhP5G4A/s4032/HBC018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi679kQ_dsy-bAzNxVszhYCkLyYPQTDHYs65dk95Fgzi-xfEHZo0l-3u2B4u7h-P1KUZNM87snVYtxb4EBCxJ5jClKEFlfPMN4Jy8Hnre8FFKXKpFlE9JIZs8QKtfHoKTzLBEBQdIsDSdJqVkWO0dODZqzjRLS0ixNQhJ3BDAT6v53H928OvNJnhP5G4A/s1748/HBC018.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next were the band I was most excited for over the entire weekend/month/year of music, Munich’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CaptainAssholePunkrock" target="_blank">Captain Asshole</a>. Gosh, I love this band. I had already christened the day Captain Asshole day as soon as I’d woken up that day and everything was leading up to this next thirty minutes. I positioned myself at the front of the stage, right in front of singers Manu and Max and I was giddy. This is what I expect that people who care about Christmas feel the morning of the big event. Sadly there were some issues getting the sound right, especially with the lead guitar, but that didn’t stop the band playing an excellent set and me having the time of my life. As soon as they began set opener Dave Lizewski, I sang as loudly as I could and my fist was constantly found punching the air above me. This was my first opportunity to see the band since they released their brand new album of the year contender, Successfully Not Giving Up, and all the songs they played from it fit the set list perfectly. Even with the lack of lead guitar, they sounded great. It was during this set that the ska kid in me came out and I sang the guitar solos like I would a horn line in a ska song. This might be too much of being a fanboy nerd but I was having the best time so didn’t really care. Of course, they also played plenty of bangers from What An Awful Life, the album that started my love for the band as well as being a big influence into my exploration into the brilliance of European punk rock. Captain Asshole played a set that lived up to all my build up, even with the guitar problems, and I’m so excited to see them again this year at Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia and The Fest in Gainesville. I look forward to the next Captain Asshole day!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLwohDYsJhXpl2ymJtf697FMfTAvhTZTjz8JSrfUZC_YagfnwP8cPylCtCmG7HH3LRfzEMP6An7GfXOruSNypywbC6oq2KFtYiW_EL3TiPxJf8IDojU893FgRk21qDupOTxwSVPInanqZDN6zX1unlJxiT5VhDnfu02f4GWlbizvyIz0MOkUeuxg7OQ/s4032/HBC019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLwohDYsJhXpl2ymJtf697FMfTAvhTZTjz8JSrfUZC_YagfnwP8cPylCtCmG7HH3LRfzEMP6An7GfXOruSNypywbC6oq2KFtYiW_EL3TiPxJf8IDojU893FgRk21qDupOTxwSVPInanqZDN6zX1unlJxiT5VhDnfu02f4GWlbizvyIz0MOkUeuxg7OQ/s1748/HBC019.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Captain Asshole’s set we made the trek to Hafenklang/Goldener Salon for Career Suicide and 100 Kilo Herz. When we arrived, Career Suicide were well under way playing to a super packed room in Goldener Salon so we went and found somewhere to sit and wait for 100 Kilo Herz. Enjoying a delicious Fritz Cola, I noticed that all of the band’s flight cases were still on the floor and it was about fifteen minutes before they were due on. They eventually got the cases cleared and began to soundcheck just before they were due to start playing. Then there seemed to be some difficultly with the monitors and it was getting well into their scheduled set time. By the time they seemed to be ready it was time for us to leave to go to Überquell for The Sewer Rats and The Jukebox Romantics. I was quite disappointed with what happened with 100 Kilo Herz but these things happen so I just hope I’ll get the chance to see them again. <br /><br />We arrived at Überquell for the final two bands of our day and it was safe to say we were quite exhausted. I can’t think of two better bands to give you that last dose of energy to get you through the night than <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sewerrats" target="_blank">The Sewer Rats</a> and The Jukebox Romantics. The Sewer Rats were the first to take to the stage. The band had become a firm favourite of mine since the last Booze Cruise and I was pleased for the opportunity to see them once again. Since I last got to see them, they have released the excellent Magic Summer album. If memory serves correctly, they opened the set with the album’s lead single Rejuvenate which was the perfect choice. It’s a song about recapturing your youth and forgetting about your day-to-day struggles. That’s what Booze Cruise and all festivals are really, a chance of escapism that everyone needs from time to time. The Sewer Rats are one of the most fun bands to watch. They write catchy songs with great sing-alongs and are played in such a fun loving spirit that makes it hard not to smile when seeing the band. I enjoyed The Sewer Rats set so much that I made plans to catch them again on the MS Tonne the next day. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_UeXF82y_52c0MaME6UH_-HszrIRWrgn1gDcwX6mVZABT-Gw3Zmivdr6IQe_o-COJFYKN4ve8j37JQxBTGR2zh5Ch_31r_uw5E2Amiu2Y_MXqa1LsAFovEUjsCEeiYZNvT7_PRDg9aSLuni9SX9IRHQKuUxjtP92KGxBXPe7X4dw9u9Cx8cLq2unwg/s4032/HBC020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT_UeXF82y_52c0MaME6UH_-HszrIRWrgn1gDcwX6mVZABT-Gw3Zmivdr6IQe_o-COJFYKN4ve8j37JQxBTGR2zh5Ch_31r_uw5E2Amiu2Y_MXqa1LsAFovEUjsCEeiYZNvT7_PRDg9aSLuni9SX9IRHQKuUxjtP92KGxBXPe7X4dw9u9Cx8cLq2unwg/s1748/HBC020.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Our final band of the day was New York’s Jukebox Romantics. It seems I only ever see the band in Hamburg and I’m fine with that because they are absolutely loved and pull such a good crowd. Starting the set with Buried With Children, which included frontman Mike Terry running through the crowd during the extended intro to get the crowd pumped up (not that they really needed it), from then on it was one big party. The band’s passionate style of punk rock is made to shout along with and that’s exactly what the crowd at Überquell did. It was great to hear older songs such as the aforementioned Buried With Children and Breaking Rad alongside newer songs like Hey Nora. The Jukebox Romantics also love to throw in a cover or two during their set as well, on this occasion it was True Believers by The Boucning Souls and Blink-182’s Go, they smashed both songs. JBR are one of those bands that seem to unite a room which, I guess, is a big reason why they get so much love. They come across as genuine fans of the festival and are so pleased to be able to travel and play Booze Cruise. It seems like Hamburg is just as much a home for them as New York is and it’s a wonderful thing to witness. This was a party and the best way to end the Saturday. <br /><br />Captain Asshole day was a wonderful day!<br /><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-91049672235548222492022-08-01T12:12:00.000+01:002022-08-01T12:12:10.081+01:00Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 1 24/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
In 2019, Emma and I attended Hamburg Booze Cruise and agreed it was one of the best festival experiences of our lives. We got tickets for the 2020 edition as soon as possible and got excited as the line-up was announced. Unfortunately, for reasons we’re all painfully aware of, we had to wait patiently until 2022 before we could go back again. But the time finally arrived and no pandemics, train strikes or awful airports were going to stop us! <br /><br />Hamburg Booze Cruise takes place in five different venues, as well as on a boat, around the St Pauli area and hosts a selection of top quality international bands as well as a whole host of amazing bands from Germany. For me, I was especially excited to see the European bands as there is a whole host of brilliant bands in mainland Europe and now, because of Brexit, it’s going to be extremely difficult for them to come to the UK to tour which is really disappointing. When the schedule was announced we made our plans and, as with all festivals that have seriously stacked line-ups, we had to make some decisions over clashes but when the plan was finished we knew we were in for a fun-filled weekend. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N2lOwv8z2qh3CC_IKAClouzrK7obA1HyeHcj1UKifOjvD_VelMQJ5VpiVEdZcX2Lxl3AW8WsnsC3tHCB28r86Md_ninDz24xZfdAy9kFwAnoFEHxkr4-6vzKCK9gX_ExngpMIz8WSNLOlxdkH_BxbeOoE926IMhCmBEmizb7S_fBXtrQwK76qSAyhA/s1748/boozecruisehamburg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1748" data-original-width="1240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3N2lOwv8z2qh3CC_IKAClouzrK7obA1HyeHcj1UKifOjvD_VelMQJ5VpiVEdZcX2Lxl3AW8WsnsC3tHCB28r86Md_ninDz24xZfdAy9kFwAnoFEHxkr4-6vzKCK9gX_ExngpMIz8WSNLOlxdkH_BxbeOoE926IMhCmBEmizb7S_fBXtrQwK76qSAyhA/s1748/boozecruisehamburg.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After getting our festival wristbands from the lovely Cruise Records, our first band of the day was at Molotow Club. Originally we were hoping to see Bikini Beach open the festival for us but unfortunately they had to pull out and were replaced by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbramowiczBand" target="_blank">Abramowicz</a>. The five piece are from Hamburg, which I guess explains how they were able to jump on to the bill at the last minute. I was quite pleased about this as I’d been aware of the band for a while and this was my first opportunity to check them out. If you haven’t heard before Ambramowicz before, they play a soulful style of melodic punk rock, with the band’s lead singer having a deep a husky vocal. I really enjoyed Ambramowicz and they were a great start to the festival for us. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj0Ivyu75cUSmmAPRttA1HNvgTTX4xFM3qPvn6gZU7v55NDfcHiHulKK0CQHkSvBrqfS5VoAwG7ebcBlU3cxMzycNSM8ZcXTwV17D_hJyEQRybIupqbvfuf_jARdjY3wd3ww9jsWMkZqFEJByXALw3l_nJvhiXMRQ3gVoPTQANqKKU943Kh-NZTS5sQ/s4032/HBC001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggj0Ivyu75cUSmmAPRttA1HNvgTTX4xFM3qPvn6gZU7v55NDfcHiHulKK0CQHkSvBrqfS5VoAwG7ebcBlU3cxMzycNSM8ZcXTwV17D_hJyEQRybIupqbvfuf_jARdjY3wd3ww9jsWMkZqFEJByXALw3l_nJvhiXMRQ3gVoPTQANqKKU943Kh-NZTS5sQ/s1748/HBC001.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next we made the fifteen minute trek to Hafenklang and Goldener Salon for the next group of bands. Due to the distance between venues, you do kind of have to make a bit of a commitment to venues for a sustained amount of time so you don’t tire yourself out jumping from venue to venue throughout the weekend. We arrived at Hafenklang not long after Saarbrücken’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SidewalkSurfersMusic" target="_blank">Sidewalk Surfers</a> had begun their set. The four piece play what I think is best described as street punk music. I had listened to Sidewalk Surfers a little bit in preparation for the festival and enjoyed it but seeing them live really took my enjoyment to the next level. I think a big part of this was due to the fact they were clearly enjoying themselves on the stage and I love when I see that. The band’s bass player in particular looked so stoked to be playing Booze Cruise. With plenty of songs about friendship, growing up and partying, Sidewalk Surfers were a perfect choice for the festival. I enjoyed the set so much I made sure to grab a record before leaving the venue. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_GlY5fqp-Qw8YFn_QnHKb43Tbk9X0oEDDJSGqbzg4zmk5kZQUsGK5ABptJCjtoej3KdoV1-hKrDW-f0IJmDr545VRkEW81IEoekBQmfhLbXX274V7c576NkZBkQK6ZMz3vdjcMa6PqXs9HLeRiREGUwwghGz_mkQdeWwvjZAuH8qIuJbE5RM8p6zCw/s4032/HBC002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_GlY5fqp-Qw8YFn_QnHKb43Tbk9X0oEDDJSGqbzg4zmk5kZQUsGK5ABptJCjtoej3KdoV1-hKrDW-f0IJmDr545VRkEW81IEoekBQmfhLbXX274V7c576NkZBkQK6ZMz3vdjcMa6PqXs9HLeRiREGUwwghGz_mkQdeWwvjZAuH8qIuJbE5RM8p6zCw/s1748/HBC002.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Upstairs in Hafenklang there is a venue named Goldener Salon. I actually only ended up seeing one band there the entire festival and that was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FriendsWithBoatsOfficial" target="_blank">Friends With Boats</a>. Friends With Boats are a new band in the German punk scene who have thus far only released one song. This was enough to make me want to see them live however as it’s a superb song. After seeing them live I can confirm that they have a few more superb songs. On the <a href="https://anchor.fm/colin-clark9/episodes/CPRW-Podcast-Episode-38-Hamburg-Booze-Cruise-2022-Review-e1kugju" target="_blank">CPRW Podcast</a>, I spoke about how Friends With Boats are a collection of older gentleman who all looked as if they were having the time of their lives on stage. I guess playing in the band acts as a bit of escapism for them. They played a hugely enjoyable set and I look forward to them releasing more music soon. <br /><br />Back in Hafenklang it was time for Italy’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/secondyouthpunk" target="_blank">Second Youth</a>. The band had been on a tour of Germany on the lead up to the festival and had had all kinds of van trouble on their adventures. They were probably quite relieved to have made it to Hamburg to play the festival. I wasn’t overly familiar with the band before the festival, aside from the small amount of research I did, and I was really keen to check them out. Playing music that’s a bit oi!, a bit melodic punk, a bit gruff and a lot of energy, Second Youth capture a sound that I don’t hear a lot of and I loved it. Down the front they seemed to have a bit of a fan club who knew every word, which is always great to see. I recognised Friday Night, On And On and 1992 from my brief listening before the festival and had a great time hearing them live. There was a funny moment where the band’s guitarist introduced Friday night when in fact they were supposed to be playing a song named Morons. This was a brilliant first time seeing Second Youth and I was now looking forward to seeing them again the next day aboard the MS Tonne. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIUPABs3mPL40RHyJTJitTn_DX1jdN3CEPJyvdCTC-_cXvxBhh2x9RXgr4awLvSnYt4JpDnh8yLixx6-xFxMTZjCEbJ24DqPAf2MwNJBZ9e3gqv99ixcUEcfaDWZ6Kro1i6kEI3U2TspCLsmKPt_Yhea3DbZhyy3IOT2EavkLYhqSPdNPPaWNNsb1XQ/s4032/HBC004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIUPABs3mPL40RHyJTJitTn_DX1jdN3CEPJyvdCTC-_cXvxBhh2x9RXgr4awLvSnYt4JpDnh8yLixx6-xFxMTZjCEbJ24DqPAf2MwNJBZ9e3gqv99ixcUEcfaDWZ6Kro1i6kEI3U2TspCLsmKPt_Yhea3DbZhyy3IOT2EavkLYhqSPdNPPaWNNsb1XQ/s1748/HBC004.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Second Youth we made the walk back up to Molotow Club for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecarolynmusic" target="_blank">The Carolyn</a>. The trio had travelled all the way from Atlanta, Georgia, to play the festival and I was pleased to see that a very nice sized crowd had gathered to see them. The thing that struck me hard when we went back in to the venue was just how hot it was. We were not expecting this and had no recollection of the venues being so warm back in 2019. It had been a very warm day in Hamburg and it definitely affected the venues. (Why don’t they have air con?) Trying to ignore the stream of sweat that had begun falling down my back, I settled in to watch The Carolyn. Something I really enjoyed and didn’t notice when I had listened to them previously is how the band had two lead singers. This always adds such a cool dimension to bands and does a great job in keeping them sounding fresh. I assume that the setlist was majorly made up of songs from their recent Gunner Records release, Rhythm Of My Own Decay, and they got a great reception. I hope I get the opportunity to see The Carolyn again soon, at a time where I’m not so distracted by being so overly warm and uncomfortable. <br /><br />Next we made our way into the Molotow Club’s backyard where a stage had been constructed since the last time we were in here. The first band we saw play the stage were Australia’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pressclubmusic" target="_blank">Press Club</a> who were on a huge European tour. I know a lot of people talk extremely highly of Press Club’s live show and I was very keen to experience it for the first time. What an incredible band Press Club are! Natalie is one of the best front people I’ve seen in some time, doing an incredible job in controlling the crowd. They played to one of the most rambunctious crowds I saw at the whole festival with Natalie at times jumping into the crowd to join in the fun. The energy that the whole band displayed during the set was something else, I guess being from Australia they are better equipped to cope with the heat than we were as we had to take a little break during their set to grab something to eat before going back to enjoy the rest of the set. Songs such as Headwreck and Suburbia were the big stand outs for me but what a set it was. The band are back in the UK in November and I think we’ll do our best to get tickets to one of their shows. Press Club are a band that everyone should be talking about. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6n3qh9jEUZgj7iK44Hu6zsSAkGFdCOgnCjWZYZ_qVoe9BBHsEW1IWULvobl8OYBvywbLWtJsLYMAwFBE_u_CRtSctjusHsn4ED0JwR6CksRLOFRQFBXRMT2ndkUrDftru6hp370R4a7_T_-77HfQlFOaOCNVkjoGG35zcyNZNcQV7c2hVyyKV1fx0w/s4032/HBC006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6n3qh9jEUZgj7iK44Hu6zsSAkGFdCOgnCjWZYZ_qVoe9BBHsEW1IWULvobl8OYBvywbLWtJsLYMAwFBE_u_CRtSctjusHsn4ED0JwR6CksRLOFRQFBXRMT2ndkUrDftru6hp370R4a7_T_-77HfQlFOaOCNVkjoGG35zcyNZNcQV7c2hVyyKV1fx0w/s1748/HBC006.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Press Club’s stunning set we ventured back into the Molotow sweat box for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/betweenbodiesrock" target="_blank">Between Bodies</a>. The four piece were only playing their eighth show ever which made their set even more impressive. The Internet tells me they released their debut EP just before the pandemic hit which sadly put a stop to any shows that they had planned to promote it. With no shows to play, the band focussed their energy into writing and recording their upcoming debut full length. But now they <i>can</i> play shows and it seemed that it wasn’t just us who were super excited to catch them. Playing a punchy emo style with elements of early Alkaline Trio and Spanish Love Songs, listening to the songs and getting the opportunity to see them live has me convinced that Between Bodies are on the track to some very big and exciting things. With three lead singers it means that they have so many options with the way that they approach their music and this works so well for their live dynamic. I was well and truly captivated by their set. Following a band as good as Press Club must have surely been quite daunting for a new band but Between Bodies absolutely delivered during their set. There was a tightness which given that they had to borrow Snareset’s drummer as a stand in was all the more impressive. I’m so excited about Between Bodies and I can’t wait to be that guy that says ‘I saw them play their eighth show’ when they’re taking over the music world. Get on board the Between Bodies train now!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHkzPo8FKSC1Q3KwKhW92gPb6TzMUUjl54VCnwfWZzEQw7T-DLyEhNGmCshOm65eog61KRWdvhF-VZIt71HlqLj0Hzmw2a1v8BL6JKbcNd3Cx79A7SEB7VHSdz1FTWcPw8WlrjMEI1HScIiENAaW2YcbGl6LIFDWJqAw65n4b3ZYlnXFRY4A5m8YeJg/s4032/HBC007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHkzPo8FKSC1Q3KwKhW92gPb6TzMUUjl54VCnwfWZzEQw7T-DLyEhNGmCshOm65eog61KRWdvhF-VZIt71HlqLj0Hzmw2a1v8BL6JKbcNd3Cx79A7SEB7VHSdz1FTWcPw8WlrjMEI1HScIiENAaW2YcbGl6LIFDWJqAw65n4b3ZYlnXFRY4A5m8YeJg/s1748/HBC007.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Following the Between Bodies set, we hurried to a new venue for us – Nochtwache. After only one wrong turn we eventually found our way to the venue. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by Nochtwache as a venue. It looked a cool spot from the pictures I saw online before the festival but upon arriving I realised that the stage was quite a long, thin one. This meant that the drummer, rather than being behind the band, was in a long line with them. This took a little getting used to and I think this did affect my enjoyment of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/custodypunk" target="_blank">Custody</a>. I also messed up with my timings as the band were well into their set by the time we arrived. They started earlier than I thought they did and we sadly ended up missing quite a chunk of their set. I was really impressed by how tight they were however, as well as how good lead singer Sami’s vocals were live. I just struggled with the layout of the stage, it was weird to see a band play in that formation and took some getting used to. I look forward to seeing Custody again at some point. <br /><br />The final band of our night was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Shellycoat" target="_blank">Shellycoat</a> performing a No Use For A Name cover set at Überquell. In 2019 we’d seen Shellycoat do a Get Up Kids cover set but didn’t managed to see their own live set. This ended up being the case again as we managed to see the NUFAN cover set but sadly one of the members of the band got sick which meant Shellycoat had to drop out of their own set. I’m not the most hardcore of NUFAN fans but always enjoyed them whenever I listened and I was looking forward to seeing what Shellycoat would do with their songs. I expected an emotional set full of big sing-alongs and that’s exactly what I got. Karen Eumes’ vocals suited the songs so well and really gave the songs this extra emotion that I’m sure most of the room got caught up in. Running through timeless NUFAN classics such as Dumb Reminders, Soul Mate, Justified Black Eye, Not Your Saviour and, of course, International You Day. This was a special Booze Cruise moment and one I’m so pleased I got to experience. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkCDeaowF3XwX5jD8zojmKtGtR6xenBgUnLIs-7dhRAbqbdsqkE92W4c_eDcfeKlVm-IPaDDC31MPpirs7q0V17vtSVHYVR5Yr1ypxySnnI-yb2dDGMPoqN0TtWFb5tJCF39W9q85cD2ImmWrZ4Ro91TMkcNqq4uMNJGolpuDfMfH1XQ-UNaExrwp8w/s4032/HBC009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkCDeaowF3XwX5jD8zojmKtGtR6xenBgUnLIs-7dhRAbqbdsqkE92W4c_eDcfeKlVm-IPaDDC31MPpirs7q0V17vtSVHYVR5Yr1ypxySnnI-yb2dDGMPoqN0TtWFb5tJCF39W9q85cD2ImmWrZ4Ro91TMkcNqq4uMNJGolpuDfMfH1XQ-UNaExrwp8w/s1748/HBC009.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>That concluded the first day of Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 and what a way to start the festival it was! We still had two busy days of music ahead of us and were so pumped for what was to come. <br /><br /><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-26088625832410895192022-07-22T12:43:00.001+01:002022-07-22T12:43:27.240+01:00Album Review: Astroturf by Hot Mass (by Lara Roberts)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKtPVSdqKZc/XhH-IPb2hZI/AAAAAAAAVlA/zCEG_G75anUsed-IIaAfhas4zGTrHjhbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_albumreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />It’s 2022 and the world is slowly adjusting to a new normal, post-pandemic way of life. While we take tentative steps together exploring this new world, there are still a lot of home comforts, things that are the same but just a little different – little changes that you didn’t realise you would enjoy or need unless The Great Fuck Up happened back in 2020 (more self-service and cashless payments, praise be). <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSeLN529c5AJGcPj8VPesaj4i69002px2TDuBVdgOcaRKH0BgXfdyZ5xhftRJj-eddlRzAXbcQXtFEkHmg6B1lF9ZI-bvhIgXK-Bd748IuHy7wdYFc575SMLP1cbVarm8a7AYksj6iQE3vZFg96ocqWtARK_dYQKyoT5JttXslkT1VRZKHAl5rubJhQ/s1256/Screenshot%202022-07-21%20at%2020.04.36.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1254" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSeLN529c5AJGcPj8VPesaj4i69002px2TDuBVdgOcaRKH0BgXfdyZ5xhftRJj-eddlRzAXbcQXtFEkHmg6B1lF9ZI-bvhIgXK-Bd748IuHy7wdYFc575SMLP1cbVarm8a7AYksj6iQE3vZFg96ocqWtARK_dYQKyoT5JttXslkT1VRZKHAl5rubJhQ/s320/Screenshot%202022-07-21%20at%2020.04.36.png" width="319" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Six years after their first album was released, Swansea punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HOTMASSBAND" target="_blank">Hot Mass</a> are back in the studio working on their sophomore album, <i>Happy, Smiling, and Living the Dream</i>. The first single from their upcoming album is a journey of self-discovery and self-assurance while trying to navigate your way to self-acceptance in the very modern face of not quite fitting in with everyone around you. It’s something we’ve all felt at some point, some more than others (hello!), so you’ll find that both the <i>Astroturf</i> melody and lyrics are easy to connect to from the first play. With lyrics like <i>“these crossword clues don’t get any easier, and fuck the words they spell out – just stay what you are and light up the room day after day” – </i>it’s almost as if the song is cheering you on to stay true to yourself, a long-lost friend that’s got your back, to stop you questioning who you are. <br /><br /><i>“The song embodies the punk-derived sonic textures that we love, but I wanted to pay homage to the early college/indie rock era and the free-floating guitar parts that are a staple of those genres”</i> explains vocalist and guitarist Rhys Jenkins. Hot Mass have successfully and authentically produced a sound that is reminiscent of 90s college and indie rock, while staying true to their original, more punk rock roots. Bands like Weezer (<i>Blue Album</i>-era), The Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. are thrown at you from the get go, albeit with tighter guitar playing than a noise-fuelled free-for-all. This works exceptionally well, keeping a more ‘punk’ edge to the track. <br /><br />Full of catchy and comforting melancholic melodies and poignant positivity, <i>Astroturf</i> is a fantastic introduction to what promises to be new sound for the band. <i>Nervous Tension</i> was a solid first album for Hot Mass, and <i>Happy, Smiling, and Living the Dream</i> builds on that with the introduction of a few little changes, creating a more mature, self-assured sound.<br /><br /><i>Astroturf</i> is available to stream <a href="https://hypeddit.com/hotmass/astroturf" target="_blank">everywhere</a> from 22nd July 2022. Make sure you check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P7YFYtYwNc&ab_channel=HOTMASSBAND" target="_blank">video</a> too.<br /><br /><i>Happy, Smiling and Living the Dream</i> is out August 2022 on <i>Brassneck Records</i> (UK), <i>This Charming Man Records</i> (EU), and <i>Black Numbers</i> (US).<br /><br />This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/lara.html" target="_blank">Lara Roberts</a>.ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-54897800091698379232022-07-12T13:19:00.001+01:002022-07-12T13:19:52.652+01:00Gig Review: Bristol Booze Cruise 2022 at Exchange, Bristol 19/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
It was time for the second day of Bristol Booze Cruise and, although the line-up didn’t look as much to my tastes as the first one did, I was still looking forward to a fun day watching bands and hanging out with friends. <br /><br />Our first activity of the day was to visit Specialist Subject Records. It was fun going in and knowing everybody in there who had had the same idea as us. Record shops should be a communal experience shared with friends and this was nice. £60 later we left and made our way to Oowee Vegan for some lunch, then dropped our records off and returned to the Exchange for the day.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuywPn5FtOpLH0TIOUHz1FzSqbRP-wLOCUgcAr3IRVu2wiaImoN2lfvPq0RTABEWHqGKJT8B7Lg5RdvmLafzf6InaUmIHkRAB0VguRsDgie2DAMRMZmmbgF_5SJUtwc5RpJQIP_cWSsvuLX1N_EuSfKUqFy3eenCkOMPfr1Xq0oDJ2uPH4ijaRRPu3A/s1203/Booze%20Cruise%20Bristol.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuywPn5FtOpLH0TIOUHz1FzSqbRP-wLOCUgcAr3IRVu2wiaImoN2lfvPq0RTABEWHqGKJT8B7Lg5RdvmLafzf6InaUmIHkRAB0VguRsDgie2DAMRMZmmbgF_5SJUtwc5RpJQIP_cWSsvuLX1N_EuSfKUqFy3eenCkOMPfr1Xq0oDJ2uPH4ijaRRPu3A/s1203/Booze%20Cruise%20Bristol.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The first act of the day was once again down in the basement. This time it was Lauren from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lamoxieuk" target="_blank">La Moxie</a> with an acoustic set. Lauren stated that she wasn’t used to playing a set so early in the day or so sober and was a bit nervous. This didn’t stop her storming through the set and showcasing her impressive vocal range. Not knowing much about La Moxie, I didn’t know any of the songs but I did really enjoy the cover of Thrash Unreal by Against Me!. This was a nice way to ease everyone who got back to the Exchange early into the second day of Bristol Booze Cruise. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zvq-FBxuJilJ0lJcG8Ve53wsB06dQryH4LU57JhsL2Bk2e-pQfmyqM9cii8GfoTS2bujRmYkrDcFZN_OSSJxXIwwqh-n9x82GAubFZIKWv9t61fx3ks1DBrdYd5MOg1rQbE1Sn1b0wVrjA-d8rIlAF4zp7Ld1HlwDLdqjtwQUtboqv1emkeW-CojEg/s1440/BBC%2010%20La%20Moxie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zvq-FBxuJilJ0lJcG8Ve53wsB06dQryH4LU57JhsL2Bk2e-pQfmyqM9cii8GfoTS2bujRmYkrDcFZN_OSSJxXIwwqh-n9x82GAubFZIKWv9t61fx3ks1DBrdYd5MOg1rQbE1Sn1b0wVrjA-d8rIlAF4zp7Ld1HlwDLdqjtwQUtboqv1emkeW-CojEg/s1440/BBC%2010%20La%20Moxie.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The band who were picked to open the stage in the main room were Brighton skate punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MakingFriendsBand" target="_blank">Making Friends</a>. We’d previously seen the four-piece for the first time back in November at the New Cross Inn and I was looking forward to seeing them again. If you’ve not listened to the band yet, they’re a fast, fun, energetic band who not only write killer songs but are also extremely entertaining to watch live. Lead singer Ryan is a ball of energy, jumping around the stage. Throughout the set he managed to break a few things which resulted in some humorous banter between the band and added some extra chaos to the performance. This set was quite a pick me up to get me amped for the rest of the day. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX1yeAk9CNMBYDVl1NDq22eNLDXXVBJkOq_FVxGYdKoRhqI5ELJE1a1vq3zJUXgYW9sqPcalUSgTY1NtfQWWvpcwojwQq4dY7Q3_fZW8m5epiZlbfQR__WpNHYJUsaqYRb5b_iXZjYQ1MSp_UvHrs1nXr5ujri0KBBcHxJdBuAhM08NEzPPzRobRR9Q/s1440/BBC%2011%20Making%20Friends.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwX1yeAk9CNMBYDVl1NDq22eNLDXXVBJkOq_FVxGYdKoRhqI5ELJE1a1vq3zJUXgYW9sqPcalUSgTY1NtfQWWvpcwojwQq4dY7Q3_fZW8m5epiZlbfQR__WpNHYJUsaqYRb5b_iXZjYQ1MSp_UvHrs1nXr5ujri0KBBcHxJdBuAhM08NEzPPzRobRR9Q/s1440/BBC%2011%20Making%20Friends.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Breakfastwithbears" target="_blank">Breakfast With Bears</a> were next on in the basement. I had no knowledge of what to expect when I made my way back downstairs to see the band. As I arrived, the band had just got started but then had to stop due to a broken guitar string. When they got going again, they proved themselves to be an incredible band taking influence from alternative rock, emo, math rock and punk rock to create an impressive sound. As tight as they were though, I did have a difficult time connecting with the band. I think this was in big part due to the band’s lead singer spending most of their time with their back to the crowd whilst singing. I don’t know if it was a stylistic choice or a bad habit but I have to say that it did take something away from the performance. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherymofficial" target="_blank">Cherym</a> were one of the bands we were most looking forward to on the Sunday of Bristol Booze Cruise. The three piece from Derry had already begun their set when I got back upstairs. Playing their fun, breezy indie punk sound, you just couldn’t help but smile and have a little bop along to their songs. Cherym have been a band on our radar for sometime and we were very pleased to finally have the chance to see them live. I particularly enjoyed their enthusiasm to be playing their set and this really rubbed off into the crowd. Between the songs, they made jokes about praying for them to make their ferry home even though they’re not religious. This became a running theme throughout the set. They also took the time to tell the crowd their different pronouns which I for one appreciated. I don’t know how often Cherym make it to England but I’ll be sure to catch them again next time they play nearby. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNwnQSqiIVWGGVyOh-Sz8FUnqaOnpT4G3poA9nAA3fTxNewsBkxcjkxxmiMdmSCqy7vfWh73dZ9OG-vNN5XaIYpZ34fYu0Ngs7Z9felNd4XTsVCSKk6fV07x905XL-W1HbR2jczewBC0DnKxrBWZ2PhkmF3U0M4qFc4GlIOaijq2V_OJKDK2L8mQ-vA/s1440/BBC%2012%20Cherym.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440"" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNwnQSqiIVWGGVyOh-Sz8FUnqaOnpT4G3poA9nAA3fTxNewsBkxcjkxxmiMdmSCqy7vfWh73dZ9OG-vNN5XaIYpZ34fYu0Ngs7Z9felNd4XTsVCSKk6fV07x905XL-W1HbR2jczewBC0DnKxrBWZ2PhkmF3U0M4qFc4GlIOaijq2V_OJKDK2L8mQ-vA/s1440/BBC%2012%20Cherym.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Back in the basement it was time for probably the band I was most excited for of the day – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/regalcheer" target="_blank">Regal Cheer</a>. The Brighton based duo had been on a short weekend tour and managed to squeeze Bristol Booze Cruise in as an added date which I was very pleased about. Playing noisey indie punk, I was impressed with how big they managed to sound with just a guitar and drums. Having two singers also helped with that. As I watched, slightly in awe, they had me thinking of an old favourites of ours – Bangers. This may have been because we had earlier been in Specialist Subject Records but the power that came from the guitarist’s vocals really got me. The rawness of the set was something I also really enjoyed, especially in retrospect of the rest of the day which was packed with more clean and polished sounding bands. Regal Cheer were my Sunday highlight by some way. Check them out. <br /><br />Following Regal Cheer was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/weatherstate" target="_blank">Weatherstate</a>. Weathertstate were a band I’d seen on plenty of posters over the last few years but had never really checked out. As we arrived back in the main room the band had just got started. After checking them out before the festival, I was keen to see what they would be like live. Listening to them on Spotify I enjoyed their raspy vocalled, high energy pop punk style. For some reason, which could have very much been the fact that I was starting to get tired, I didn’t feel like it translated very well to their live performance. It all felt a bit static to me. There were plenty of people in the room that did really seem to be enjoying them but, after about four songs, I decided that I needed to have a bit of a break and took the opportunity to do so. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SayItAnywayUK" target="_blank">Say It Anyway</a> were next on in the basement, playing their second ever show. The band feature former members of The Run Up, who I was a big fan of, and the former singer of Save Your Breath. As much as I loved The Run Up, the songs that Say It Anyway had been trickling out since their formation hadn’t been doing much for me so I was a bit anxious about what they would be like live. I’m pleased to report that I was super impressed with them after seeing them live. It wasn't surprising, given how long the band had played together in The Run Up, that they were really tight and you could tell that the singer also had some serious frontman chops as he owned the crowd. As I was watching, I realised that I shouldn’t compare Say It Anyway to their previous bands as they are different and shouldn’t be judged on their previous work. It’s new and it’s different and, you know what, seeing them live is a lot of fun! I’m pleased for the boys and look forward to seeing where this band takes them. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY1h6nf4w6Pt1kWA-UmZqdb4QR5JEGIay_csZNP86IYe5HrZxtr4Ug6vbYXvgIXc4WxAuIG3FMwi1D-aTXTAn1jhHjj4ayufDWHHCehkZqR5ysJFneBNvp_Q-frJHUX0jhGF998bZnSzhZoR47NwQZy9WPix8mU7ekkc60bZ3se4G0eNmFslzoNrzGw/s1440/BBC%2013%20Say%20It%20Anyway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY1h6nf4w6Pt1kWA-UmZqdb4QR5JEGIay_csZNP86IYe5HrZxtr4Ug6vbYXvgIXc4WxAuIG3FMwi1D-aTXTAn1jhHjj4ayufDWHHCehkZqR5ysJFneBNvp_Q-frJHUX0jhGF998bZnSzhZoR47NwQZy9WPix8mU7ekkc60bZ3se4G0eNmFslzoNrzGw/s1440/BBC%2013%20Say%20It%20Anyway.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ifeelfineuk" target="_blank">I Feel Fine</a> had already started their set when we made it back to the main room. Once again, I only caught a few songs of their set as I was starting to lag a bit and needed to take more rests. Gosh I was impressed with I Feel Fine though. Playing fiddly emo/indie punk with big choruses and harmonies, I Feel Fine are a really good band. I’m a big fan of multiple vocalists that give a song that extra bit of power and I Feel Fine’s songs seem to be full of them. Like I said, I only hung around for a bit as I needed the break but what a good band I Feel Fine are – hopefully I’ll be able to catch them again before the year finishes. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/arguerband" target="_blank">Arguer</a> were a band I knew absolutely nothing about and they were on next in the basement. Sadly they didn’t really do much for me and, once again, I only hung about for a couple of songs before leaving again. There did seem to be quite a few people in the room who were into it though and that was nice to see.<div><br /></div><div>The problem with having a two day festival with the bands being on straight after each other is that there is little time to rest and I think this really hit me hard as I got to a point of not wanting to stand in dark rooms watching bands I didn’t know and had to take myself out of the situation. <br /><br />New Jersey’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hitlikeagirlband" target="_blank">Hit Like A Girl</a> had just started a UK tour with I Feel Fine when they took to the main stage in Bristol. It was really cool to see another band from outside of the UK had been able to make it over for Bristol Booze Cruise. The four piece play indie/emo punk rock. They weren’t a band I knew much about before the festival but despite my tiredness I was determined to stick around the stage for longer than I had the previous few bands. The thing that really stood out to me during the set was how they didn’t sound anything like I expected them to. They were a lot quieter and, dare I say, moodier than the sound I had in my head which was a lot more shouty. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy them though, they created this mesmerising atmosphere which I found hard to ignore. There was something in the room that I really struggle to explain but it was very pleasant. Unfortunately somewhere at this show or the one afterward, the band’s drummer caught the dreaded covid so the band had to soldier on as a three-piece for the rest of their tour. All credit to them for completing the tour though. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXNtHJjO76oIQk6guOqqxiyFasdHJFUNiCkod-YH_uDBJRsx2fbcbu2gBvyhW5AcPgFSMCAPCUFivchjqve3--8wg2Q7jmBVqdNE-biV7kcZZnyXtHqjczGiUXXqQEMXhj_tRJHt_PO7acatKZ689Dj6RVu6kp8grxumZZceDZkIVLvJ3PMaLTQXiDA/s1440/BBC%2014%20Hit%20Like%20A%20Girl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXNtHJjO76oIQk6guOqqxiyFasdHJFUNiCkod-YH_uDBJRsx2fbcbu2gBvyhW5AcPgFSMCAPCUFivchjqve3--8wg2Q7jmBVqdNE-biV7kcZZnyXtHqjczGiUXXqQEMXhj_tRJHt_PO7acatKZ689Dj6RVu6kp8grxumZZceDZkIVLvJ3PMaLTQXiDA/s1440/BBC%2014%20Hit%20Like%20A%20Girl.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Back downstairs and it was time for London’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dangersoflovedeptford" target="_blank">Dangers Of Love</a>’s last ever show. Somehow, despite London being where I go to most of my gigs, this would also be my first ever time seeing the band. The three-piece wasted little time in getting set up and quickly launched into their set. Playing a mixture of garage and indie punk rock, the band stormed through their set with very little time spent bantering between songs. This set was the shot in the arm I really needed during the day, it was a sound that was completely more my kind of thing. The folk who had gathered in the room seemed to really enjoy it as well, as there were plenty down the front with smiles on their faces. My only complaint about the set was that it was over far too quickly. They did seem to cut their set a little shorter than what their allotted time was. I’m putting this down to the fact that they ran through all of the songs that their current singer sings on, rather than those of previous member Giles. It was a fun way for the band to bow out and I’m glad that I got to see them at least one time. <br /><br />I think that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/futureteens" target="_blank">Future Teens</a> were far and away Emma’s favourite band of the day. The Boston quartet were mostly unknown to us before the festival but we both came away really impressed. Fronted by guitarists and vocalists Amy and Daniel, the band do the dual vocal thing perfectly. They give the band such a great dynamic and create this fantastic sound. Playing the indie punk style that seems to be the theme of the day, Future Teens offer a different approach to it that I found really refreshing. Something else that set Future Teens apart from a lot of the other bands playing the stage was just how much fun they were to watch as well. The band were really playful and seemed to have a few in-jokes with some of the things they did on stage and I really enjoyed that. At one point during the set Daniel broke a guitar string, this left Amy to perform a song solo which became one of the most emotional moments of the day. I nipped out early to get a drink but meeting up with Emma afterwards she approached with wide eyes and said “they are my new favourite band!” This was a nice moment. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSO7-RcuR2OP0QeeYCIKzvvmKWzBgd4v7Unw8Dvf5X9T8lKj7tY1aO9tH_swm7Wojfx2_GAS2Oz2Dh5_KeO-b1wGR-WK48y7wg10c_VkwU-sLgf7uuVw6S4MwgglxwFhsZZGZqNDxjMXMxbcuyTS5rKG3GvaiGu781LEM0-3LbYRB3yND0tSG3UOH_8Q/s1440/BBC%2015%20Future%20Teens.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSO7-RcuR2OP0QeeYCIKzvvmKWzBgd4v7Unw8Dvf5X9T8lKj7tY1aO9tH_swm7Wojfx2_GAS2Oz2Dh5_KeO-b1wGR-WK48y7wg10c_VkwU-sLgf7uuVw6S4MwgglxwFhsZZGZqNDxjMXMxbcuyTS5rKG3GvaiGu781LEM0-3LbYRB3yND0tSG3UOH_8Q/s1440/BBC%2015%20Future%20Teens.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The band given the task of closing the basement stage for the festival were the UK punk scenes hot new thing, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/outoflovepunk" target="_blank">Out Of Love</a>. We were fortunate enough to see them play their first ever live show at the Craufurd Arms in Milton Keynes in 2021. I remember being absolutely blown away by them and was very excited to have the chance to see them again. The band tore through their set, I think they might have near enough played every song they’ve released so far and it was a pleasure to hear them. At times I did feel like the sound wasn’t as good as it could’ve been which is weird for the Exchange. That could also have been because I was stood right next to one of the speakers though and it distorted the whole sound. Out Of Love put in a powerful and energetic set, clearly a band that leave everything on the stage whenever they play and that is something I really appreciate. The five-piece seem to be getting bigger and bigger support slots and on this evidence it’s so well deserved. <br /><br />The final act of Bristol Booze Cruise was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tigersjaw" target="_blank">Tigers Jaw</a>. I have to admit that I’m not a Tigers Jaw fan. They’re fine but also not a band that really get me excited. However, when we made our way back to the main room for the final time, it was clear that I was in the minority. The room was absolutely packed from the front to the back. So much so that Emma and I had to hang out by the little bench bit in the corridor that links the main room to the bar. Emma, being a short person, took the opportunity to stand on the bench to get a good view. I, however, took the opportunity to have a seat as I was really tired. I tried to then really zone in to what the band were doing without getting distracted by everything that was going on around me like I often do when in a crowd. The band are clearly a seriously gifted group of musicians and can write some catchy indie-emo punk music. The dual vocalists give them a more developed sound and the keys are a great addition to their sound. Throughout the entirety of their hour plus long set they seemed to have the crowd gripped, as not many people seemed to leave the room for a drink when they were playing. When they played the one Tigers Jaw song I do know, June, the crowd did seem to become more animated – I assume that’s the banger. Tigers Jaw did a big UK and European tour and wowed crowds all over and it was a very fitting way to finish off the festival. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtql-MwBzRQ3LyFmXo89aKtjdYrGF2-EIwGtQdI2W47n0mSDRFj4rIyGr6YW3k4wVzKNKZc_UlLuadCDFuHgvcVoJ-5VAbBEGrs689SuqHHkCJEhV1Qf0ZyN_OVBOUnHsfdF1z6QvG0vJyYX6upqYYosULq57HYG3qs3gW_XUhWXXeiKbopbdr1BfTrA/s1440/BBC%2016%20Tigers%20Jaw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtql-MwBzRQ3LyFmXo89aKtjdYrGF2-EIwGtQdI2W47n0mSDRFj4rIyGr6YW3k4wVzKNKZc_UlLuadCDFuHgvcVoJ-5VAbBEGrs689SuqHHkCJEhV1Qf0ZyN_OVBOUnHsfdF1z6QvG0vJyYX6upqYYosULq57HYG3qs3gW_XUhWXXeiKbopbdr1BfTrA/s1440/BBC%2016%20Tigers%20Jaw.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>In the build up to Bristol Booze Cruise, there was a strange feeling of trepidation towards the festival. With all the bands dropping out and the last minute replacements coming in, I couldn’t help but worry that the atmosphere might feel a bit flat and not what I’ve come to expect from a music festival. As soon as I arrived at the festival however, any fears quickly vanished as I was reminded that, despite bands dropping out, the line-up was still stacked and more importantly there were loads of friends from the punk community surrounding me. Ultimately, that’s what really makes a good festival great. Being surrounded by likeminded people all ready to have a great time. You can’t beat that feeling and for me Bristol Booze Cruise had that feeling in abundance. I had a great time with friends, watching lots of bands – some that I’ve seen loads, some that I wouldn’t normally go and see at their own gig.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>All in all, Bristol Booze Cruise was a lovely time. Big thanks to Daniel and the rest of the Booze Cruise team for persevering with it when, at times, I’m sure it would have felt easier to just cancel it. Then it was on to Hamburg for the next part of our Booze Cruise double weekender!<br /></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-65205795633093791272022-07-11T12:12:00.001+01:002022-07-11T12:12:14.983+01:00Gig Review: Bristol Booze Cruise 2022 at Exchange, Bristol 18/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
When Bristol Booze Cruise first happened in 2019, we were gutted that we had other plans and had to miss out. It looked like such a fun line-up that included many of our UK favourites as well as plenty of bands from overseas, many of whom were coming to the UK for the first time ever. After then attending the Hamburg Booze Cruise a few weeks later, Emma and I promised ourselves that the following year we would attend the Bristol version. We bought tickets, a superb line-up was announced and then 2020 happened and the world stopped. Fast forward two eventful, for all the wrong reasons, years and we were finally back in Bristol and looking forward attending the boatless Booze Cruise at the Exchange. Unfortunately due to all of the events that happened in the past two years, the line-up was looking very different to the one that was originally planned. It was a great shame but completely understandable given the circumstances. We were determined to have the best possible time nevertheless and were looking forward to seeing loads of bands, as well as getting to hang with friends from all over the UK all weekend. <br /><br />After grabbing food at OM Burger with Matt Ear Nutrition and his wonderful partner, Charlotte, we made our way to the Exchange and instantly found loads of friends who had gathered at the venue early. This was one of my favourite things about the whole weekend. The opportunity to catch up, hug and hang out was one that was cherished just as much as getting to see so many awesome acts and it was a real highlight of the entire weekend. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuywPn5FtOpLH0TIOUHz1FzSqbRP-wLOCUgcAr3IRVu2wiaImoN2lfvPq0RTABEWHqGKJT8B7Lg5RdvmLafzf6InaUmIHkRAB0VguRsDgie2DAMRMZmmbgF_5SJUtwc5RpJQIP_cWSsvuLX1N_EuSfKUqFy3eenCkOMPfr1Xq0oDJ2uPH4ijaRRPu3A/s1203/Booze%20Cruise%20Bristol.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuywPn5FtOpLH0TIOUHz1FzSqbRP-wLOCUgcAr3IRVu2wiaImoN2lfvPq0RTABEWHqGKJT8B7Lg5RdvmLafzf6InaUmIHkRAB0VguRsDgie2DAMRMZmmbgF_5SJUtwc5RpJQIP_cWSsvuLX1N_EuSfKUqFy3eenCkOMPfr1Xq0oDJ2uPH4ijaRRPu3A/s1203/Booze%20Cruise%20Bristol.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The man tasked with opening the whole festival was our pal Hassan of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/triplesundae" target="_blank">Triple Sundae</a>. Triple Sundae were in Bristol to play another gig and Hassan was asked to come down to open the show. I’m glad he agreed to as I’m a big fan. Hassan played a selection of Triple Sundae songs – including a couple of new ones from their soon to be recorded debut album – as well as a track from his hip hop project <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lounar26" target="_blank">Lounar</a>. Armed with just an electric guitar in the basement, it was a cool opportunity to hear these re-workings of songs I’ve heard so many times previously. This was a great way to ease us into the weekend as well. And if you’re yet to check out Lounar then I highly suggest that you do. Lounar writes songs about Hassan’s experiences growing up as a Palestinian in the UK and speaks out about the ongoing injustices that are happening in his homeland. You can support the Palestinian people <a href="https://www.map.org.uk/" target="_blank">here</a>. Please do so if you can. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEHpwns_QvzWd1gmJtAMNQBVbR982-SRfCEBWU9vNnLlttLwbhswu22d0LooJz-TyOkTiTn9Dzfrj9iE3_0anlJmRL3PkZL-NyyQjjFWjUQhCrv2k6ngcmJcK4Q3-8_L3fPbaivXPuS0b5z3EM62C6DH87Cda_QHKJte5SYcAWbsK-SAmhxZEurHNcw/s1440/BBC%2001%20Hassan.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEHpwns_QvzWd1gmJtAMNQBVbR982-SRfCEBWU9vNnLlttLwbhswu22d0LooJz-TyOkTiTn9Dzfrj9iE3_0anlJmRL3PkZL-NyyQjjFWjUQhCrv2k6ngcmJcK4Q3-8_L3fPbaivXPuS0b5z3EM62C6DH87Cda_QHKJte5SYcAWbsK-SAmhxZEurHNcw/s1440/BBC%2001%20Hassan.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Opening up the main stage was Croatia’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trophyjump" target="_blank">Trophy Jump</a>. I was excited to finally see the four piece live after being keen to for years. Their recently released album, Feels, has been one of my favourites of 2022 and I was particularly excited to hear some of those songs performed live. The band did not disappoint with their own brand of sing-along indie punk. I don’t know how many people in the crowd were overly aware of the band before the day but there was a small group of folk down the front singing along with the band including members of Burnt Tapes, Early Flights and Dan from Tape It Shut/CPRW. It’s always great seeing a band look so pleased to be on a stage performing and they were as tight as I expected. Highlights of the set for me were Neon Lights – it was great to see Phil Burnt Tapes join the band on stage to sing his part and then get crowd surfed by the rest of Burnt Tapes – and hearing my two favourite Trophy Jump songs, Leather Couch and Hugs On Drugs, live was fantastic. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvqP6yiA3vVfFO4dIJIaz0OZxY8QcYG6UXHZepp8jxiJjAzP6PEmGFpidUdAwLQXysoPDMocx9E7tym5OFqoHKoJe6K2TrygsurNwZmYDhuuRYaxEjywwX_mtx5k_kqhv7sKfvLw7fwemQL26PGErlWekesysClLT7xm5uwr0wn3aEkIxFWTG8ApPQg/s1440/BBC%2002%20Trophy%20Jump.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmvqP6yiA3vVfFO4dIJIaz0OZxY8QcYG6UXHZepp8jxiJjAzP6PEmGFpidUdAwLQXysoPDMocx9E7tym5OFqoHKoJe6K2TrygsurNwZmYDhuuRYaxEjywwX_mtx5k_kqhv7sKfvLw7fwemQL26PGErlWekesysClLT7xm5uwr0wn3aEkIxFWTG8ApPQg/s1440/BBC%2002%20Trophy%20Jump.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next downstairs in the basement was Scotland’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/flinchmusicissad" target="_blank">Flinch</a>. Flinch was a late addition to the line-up due to some drop outs. Flinch is the newest project of Slowlight’s Beth which started as a solo thing but has since become a full band. Beth was already driving for Goodbye Blue Monday on their tour so it made complete sense for them to jump on the show. I was really excited when it was announced that Flinch would be playing as I’m a big fan of their album Enough Is Enough. After Trophy Jump, I hurried downstairs to get a prime position for their set. By the time they began it was nice to see a reasonable crowd gather for the set. I really enjoyed how respectful the crowd were as well. Flinch’s music is quite quiet and, in the small basement, if people started having a chat it could overpower the music, which obviously would have sucked. Thankfully that didn’t happen though and we got to enjoy the set. It was absolutely captivating, being in a silent room added to the emotion of the songs and there was a bit of an atmosphere that suggested that we’d been a part of something. This is what live music should be about, connecting with your crowd, getting them to experience and feel something and Flinch did just that. I’m now super keen to see them perform with their full band. <br /><br />Lincoln’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gutspunx" target="_blank">GUTS</a>. were the second band on the main stage. They were another new addition to the line-up and I knew absolutely nothing about them before the set. A cool thing about the late additions to the festival was that it meant, for a lot of bands, I was going in very blind and sometimes that’s the way to discover a new favourite band. The three piece played fuzzy pop punk music and had plenty of enthusiasm. It was a big contrast to Flinch’s set previously and I think I might have had a difficult time adjusting to the different sound however. The band played with lots of energy and the crowd, that was growing with every band, seemed to really enjoy it. I did leave a little early to make sure I got a good spot for the next band in the basement, Moonraker! <br /><br />Way back in 2020 when <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moonrakerpunx" target="_blank">Moonraker</a> got announced for Bristol Booze Cruise I was over the moon. They’re a band I’ve loved for a long time. I forget how I discovered them but have been hooked ever since. 2018’s Lanterns was one of my favourites of that year and their 2022 release The Forest will no doubt find its way on to my end of year list. As international bands began to drop off of the festival, I was extremely worried that Moonraker would do the same, especially as they hadn’t booked any other gigs in the UK but I was so excited to see online when they had boarded a plane to the UK and had landed. I made a point of telling the Burnt Tapes to make sure they catch them as I thought they would love them. As I entered the basement they were already down there, positioned at the front of the crowd. I made my way to join them and we were also joined by fellow Moonraker UK fan club member Matt Ear Nutrition. The Californian three piece played a set that made them so perfect for this festival – fast punk rock music with raspy vocals and big choruses. Nick and David’s vocals were superb together as they echoed around the basement. I have to admit that when I saw they were playing the basement I was a little disappointed as I felt like they deserved to play to a bigger crowd, especially as they had travelled so far, but it was cool to see them playing in the tiny room. It was hot, it was sweaty and it was a lot of fun. I got to talk to David and Nick later in the day who were two super friendly human beings who I can’t wait to see again at Fest. I’m sure guitar player Matt is also a bit of a legend but I didn’t get to have a chat with him. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmtzIDR32d7LnaoOVvaa6RRcoHKbHS5W6EY6xahbE_a4I0sbX6xxMM1EYeWpWM68FJbNuKAbTjgz-D5aDJpAdDt1htKu5TRez0Kh4-LjNQjSiHJ8KAfLjTZZ--0jLsEkh7NyiuwvFnH1yAbWmKI00hskp5M8eovznWy6rmLV0X1YlB8FeMjsPMloGGg/s1440/BBC%2003%20Moonraker.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmtzIDR32d7LnaoOVvaa6RRcoHKbHS5W6EY6xahbE_a4I0sbX6xxMM1EYeWpWM68FJbNuKAbTjgz-D5aDJpAdDt1htKu5TRez0Kh4-LjNQjSiHJ8KAfLjTZZ--0jLsEkh7NyiuwvFnH1yAbWmKI00hskp5M8eovznWy6rmLV0X1YlB8FeMjsPMloGGg/s1440/BBC%2003%20Moonraker.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Brighton pop punks <a href="https://www.facebook.com/allbetterband" target="_blank">All Better</a> had already started their set by the time I made it back upstairs. The band are currently out and about supporting their new album, How To Be Alone. I previously saw All Better in Brighton a few years ago when they opened for Spanish Love Songs, Pkew Pkew Pkew and Goodbye Blue Monday and was intrigued to see how they’ve progressed since then. The band know how to write a slick pop punk tune that’s for sure. The band seemed to be effortlessly cool on stage and looked as if they were having a lot of fun, which is what this music is all about. Their between song banter was also pretty entertaining as well. I didn’t spend much time watching their set as I wanted to make sure to get a good spot for Goodbye Blue Monday who were next on in the basement. This was perhaps the slight issue with the basement being so much smaller than the main room. You had to miss bits of the main room bands to make sure that you could get in to the basement if you wanted to see whoever was playing next in there. I have no solution on anything that could be done to fix this, it’s just part and parcel of a multi-stage festival. <br /><br />If you’re a long time reader of the blog then you know what a big fan of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoodbyeBlueMondayTheGreatDepression" target="_blank">Goodbye Blue Monday</a> I am. I bloody love those boys, not just as a band but for also being awesome people. I’m clearly not the only one as when we made it down to the basement, about ten minutes before their set was due to start, the room was already pretty full. I made my way as close to the front as possible and was still about five rows back. It felt like there was a feeling of anticipation in the room as we waited for the band to start. And as soon as they did it was sing-alongs galore. My head is a little sketchy on the songs they played (cut me some slack, I saw every band at Bristol Booze Cruise and forgot to make a single note) but every song was so well received. Favourites from their previous two EPs as well as some new ones, from the debut album that they’re currently in the middle of recording, got plenty of love. They also played a snippet of a 16 minute epic that they’ve written for the album that I’m really keen to finally hear the finished version of. Goodbye Blue Monday are a band that connect so well with their audience and it’s a big part of why they get so much love from everyone who meets them. I think if you were in the room and didn’t know much about the band, you most definitely left as a fan. I think the set finished with Love Is A Noose For Two, Misery-Punk Ruined My Life and Take Your Pills to some final massive shout-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-alongs. I still love Goodbye Blue Monday very much and hope it’s not too long before I get to see them again. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD79IQgkBbygn9vfzmldXkoxUijLMaFyF8NuHEPnxYs-lxA6e6vVtPE1Gt9JY53tNlMbSqCZ5OQoH9T9zphycHS4wuu9Kb451wh6anCgFzMBxJzy38HTdh89qpcrbg8klX8dIqsYK32MwguYeaxyyhJD4MNFwPUB2oSiWaEslFZrcl8EgSS05wJNV94A/s1440/BBC%2004%20GBM.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD79IQgkBbygn9vfzmldXkoxUijLMaFyF8NuHEPnxYs-lxA6e6vVtPE1Gt9JY53tNlMbSqCZ5OQoH9T9zphycHS4wuu9Kb451wh6anCgFzMBxJzy38HTdh89qpcrbg8klX8dIqsYK32MwguYeaxyyhJD4MNFwPUB2oSiWaEslFZrcl8EgSS05wJNV94A/s1440/BBC%2004%20GBM.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Goodbye Blue Monday’s storming set it was back upstairs for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sootspritemusic" target="_blank">Soot Sprite</a>. The Exeter based band are going on a UK tour with Okay, Bye later in the year so this was a great opportunity to see them before then. I wasn’t overly familiar with the band before the festival but I knew they were getting a lot of buzz in the indie punk scene and have been working with Specialist Subject Records. I was particularly impressed with Elise Cook’s voice throughout the set. I always think it must be hard to sing as well as you do on record when you perform the songs live but Elise smashed it. The room was extremely receptive to the set but I again had a hard to adjusting to the softer sound after the rowdiness of Goodbye Blue Monday’s set. It’s always great for a festival to have bands that sound different from one another and it’s important to check out new bands but I had a hard time really getting into it on this occasion. Soot Sprite were clearly a good band and deserve all of the attention they’ve been receiving and I will make sure to catch them again at a later date. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2hsrlFhQ83MP9IG0mMqy0cL81wOXSWRWqVCzrTMqPoY3y-8Wf7lKtIyQbKeOjBuTlYj2BeomMU9NWZ7dIKIEBGqm8lAzIPs0ivXVod0v2MnbC4DtA5HYJ9ivt-NIjrVZAkelCPC_ALicp8dPY0ik9XiD2l8hTndw-LiOgReXhdmBpN-s001jfTLM1w/s1440/BBC%2005%20Soot%20Sprite.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2hsrlFhQ83MP9IG0mMqy0cL81wOXSWRWqVCzrTMqPoY3y-8Wf7lKtIyQbKeOjBuTlYj2BeomMU9NWZ7dIKIEBGqm8lAzIPs0ivXVod0v2MnbC4DtA5HYJ9ivt-NIjrVZAkelCPC_ALicp8dPY0ik9XiD2l8hTndw-LiOgReXhdmBpN-s001jfTLM1w/s1440/BBC%2005%20Soot%20Sprite.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hellsditchmusic" target="_blank">Hell’s Ditch</a> were one of my highlights of Manchester Punk Festival and were a band I was looking forward to seeing again. The melodic pop punk band are a six piece and had a difficult time squeezing everyone on to the basement stage. Lead singer Nicholas Davis had to stand in front of the stage and it became basically a floor show. This only added to the fun though as it got the crowd more involved. The members of Hell’s Ditch are all seasoned punk rock pros at this point and know how to put on a show. Nicholas has a great voice and has the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. Songs such as The Likes Of Us, Hope Is Hope and Vacant Hearts all sound superb in the basement and a few people even sing along. Partway through the set the band repeated their cover of The Clash’s Train In Vain that they performed at MPF. On this occasion Nicholas brought out a tambourine and gave it to a member of the crowd to play during the song. They did a superb job. At some point this tambourine ended up in my possession, I did not do such a good job but I did have a nice time being the seventh member of Hell’s Ditch for a short while. There was a nice moment during the beginning of the set where an elderly gentlemen who was at the festival all weekend appeared at the front and between Nicholas and Tone of the Burnt Tapes a chair was quickly found for him so he could rock out it comfort. It was nice moment to see the community helping each other out. It’s what it’s all about. <br /><br />Durham’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/valleyfortitude" target="_blank">Fortitude Valley</a> were up next. Featuring members of Martha and ONSIND, this was another band of punk veterans. I really like both of those bands mentioned so very much expected to enjoy Fortitude Valley as well. I guess, to nobody’s surprise, I did. I do feel like it’s a bit unfair to just assume that Fortitude Valley are another Martha/ONSIND side project though as this is really the project of Laura Kovic. They have more of an indie/powerpop sound that was perfect for a Saturday evening. The band played tracks from their recent self titled album and sounded great. I only managed to catch a bit of their set as I was getting hungry so quickly popped out for some food. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M_hwktgsWFlHvOrck7VGNHhVmoeYsUUFBTMEQrsEcRT-Tb61G_NytuytCUU59QdY1rBpKXglVZs2Jf1l08O_9VEUHGSsE5rXQDdEC9TbLCFBeA8Fip0p833I8vhxjSzfch6FeFAiJ6GFDrBlG-7EWk2RSVIdRg04NDJehxJnXpOl7if4E3Wdbv4cDg/s1440/BBC%2006%20Fortitude%20Valley.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M_hwktgsWFlHvOrck7VGNHhVmoeYsUUFBTMEQrsEcRT-Tb61G_NytuytCUU59QdY1rBpKXglVZs2Jf1l08O_9VEUHGSsE5rXQDdEC9TbLCFBeA8Fip0p833I8vhxjSzfch6FeFAiJ6GFDrBlG-7EWk2RSVIdRg04NDJehxJnXpOl7if4E3Wdbv4cDg/s1440/BBC%2006%20Fortitude%20Valley.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>At this point, I got a bit distracted and missed most of the next band – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sleepoutsidecc" target="_blank">Sleep Outside</a>. I didn’t know anything about them at all so went in blind, which is sometimes fun to do. As I arrived in the basement it was quite full for the band and I struggled to spot Emma. Sleep Outside are a three piece alt/emo band from Wales who had a sound that filled the basement nicely. Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to see them properly soon and I’ll try not to get too distracted talking to folk. <br /><br />I did make sure I was in the main room in time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fightmilkisaband" target="_blank">Fightmilk</a>. I first became aware of Fightmilk thanks to my buddy John from One Million Motors recommending them to me. I enjoyed them when I gave them a listen but after seeing them live I’m disappointed that I’ve only just got on the bandwagon. What a good, good band! Playing fuzzy indie punk rock, the London based band were one of my biggest highlights of the entire festival. Definitely the biggest surprise. Lead singer and guitarist Lily had this amazing presence on the stage and their voice commanded the entire room. The songs had that perfect mix of feeling powerful but also being a lot of fun. Not being as familiar with their songs as I perhaps should have been, I did feel a pang of jealousy for everyone down the front for being able to sing-along with the band. I did recognise songs such as Overbite and I’m Starting To Think You Don’t Even Want To Go To Space however and they sounded as good live as they do on record. Fightmilk are such a fun bad to watch live and I can’t wait to see them again. I was extremely sad to hear after the festival that Fightmilk encountered some misogyny towards them during their set. This is awful behaviour to say the least and I hope those involved will never be allowed into the Exchange again. There is no place for that kind of behaviour in our scene and in society in general. It’s 2022 for Gandalf’s sake. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-iYopRPvd4obAB_6p9XmqmRgatNEmcYEJlbn--qxGsdFcbCBRR_Ob61SB3wv1ftnZEtbceAF3pYVM3yZgFCK8kPPhyucdpNSjkXVuhCgWOqfOjm5xMIwOP56Iu6ssUUMsQoFCulJZMd9l1SPTdGAUfmJ3gMTQjkESdfuvLtMGQ1bWKJ_hnHPjVdlIw/s1440/BBC%2007%20Fightmilk.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-iYopRPvd4obAB_6p9XmqmRgatNEmcYEJlbn--qxGsdFcbCBRR_Ob61SB3wv1ftnZEtbceAF3pYVM3yZgFCK8kPPhyucdpNSjkXVuhCgWOqfOjm5xMIwOP56Iu6ssUUMsQoFCulJZMd9l1SPTdGAUfmJ3gMTQjkESdfuvLtMGQ1bWKJ_hnHPjVdlIw/s1440/BBC%2007%20Fightmilk.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>German punk heroes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/irishhandcuffs" target="_blank">Irish Handcuffs</a> were the penultimate band on in the basement. To my knowledge, they are the only band to have played every edition of Booze Cruise so it was great that they were able to keep that streak going and were able to get over to the UK for the weekend. The three piece had previously played in Brighton the night before with our friends in Till I’m Bones and the band had impressed them, which added to my excitement to see them play once again. Irish Handcuffs were also supporting their brand new album, Transitions, which is their first in eight years. I’ve not had a chance to listen to it properly yet but judging by the songs they played during the set it’s one I’m going to absolutely lovely. If you’re unaware of what Irish Handcuffs sound like then I think they best way of describing them is melodic pop punk with soulful vocals, kind of like Dave Hause’s former band The Loved Ones. I’m certain the band picked up some brand new fans during their set. Whilst they were playing I noticed that they had Alkaline Trio written on their set list. When they got to that part of their set they told the crowd that they would be playing a cover set at Hamburg Booze Cruise where they would be playing songs by bands that are trios. They wanted to do a test run of Mercy Me by Alkaline Trio. They smashed it and earned a big sing-along from the crowd. At one point Dan #2 came and grabbed me and we sang the chorus as loudly as we could. It was a nice moment. I wasn’t planning on seeing Irish Handcuffs in Hamburg due to clashes and the fact that I would be seeing them in Bristol. I might have to change that plan though as they were so good. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwmkx2LDpowhlv0bbCaFpT1VCDtAAql5BrJaWei9Zooe6cEptdLL4smI6yfPty1DHkX7DmKyFARdLPbwFmoNemcERMzT6y1DD0a4cKs2LgOAVuvzOqfAFFbibriKPFezsLaIumi5FK3jWz3K1F8iIWvbG5p1WWcf3nm-cEpSex4uCxZZ1piKSyCZDfA/s1440/BBC%2008%20Irish%20Handcuffs.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwmkx2LDpowhlv0bbCaFpT1VCDtAAql5BrJaWei9Zooe6cEptdLL4smI6yfPty1DHkX7DmKyFARdLPbwFmoNemcERMzT6y1DD0a4cKs2LgOAVuvzOqfAFFbibriKPFezsLaIumi5FK3jWz3K1F8iIWvbG5p1WWcf3nm-cEpSex4uCxZZ1piKSyCZDfA/s1440/BBC%2008%20Irish%20Handcuffs.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The penultimate act on the main stage was Watford’s Nervus. I only ended up seeing a bit of their set due to wanting to make sure I got a good spot for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/burnt.tapes" target="_blank">Burnt Tapes</a> who were on in the basement next. This was a wise move as we entered the room with a few minutes to go before the set started and it was already getting busy. CPRW Podcast star Lara and her husband Nicky were excited to see the Tapes for the first time ever, as were our friends the Vegan Punks Dan and Jess. I later found out there were a few other people seeing the band for the first time ever. I guess it’s something I take for granted, as being based near London I get to see them all the time. And every single time they steal the show for me. I managed to squeeze my way right to the front to have a great sing-along with the band. This was my third time seeing the band this year and I was as excited as ever for a massive sing-along. For the next 30 minutes, it was almost like a massive karaoke gang vocal party as the crowd sang every word right back at the band. The band thrive in moments like this and the crowd get even more excitable. At one point Dan#2 had a little crowd surf and considering the low height of the ceiling and how tall they are it was quite the spectacle. I was very pleased that my favourite Tapes song Dirt Roads seems to have found a permanent home on the set list, I think belting out that brilliant chorus was the moment I felt my throat starting to get sore. The set originally finished with that perfect combo of Things Get Weird and Yuzi before, after being encouraged by the crowd, the band squeezed in a cover of I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore by The Menzingers. They did overrun their slot slightly but it was a great time had by all. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5gScsZ-KljANLr8gIm215u8GsJg4_AS7hlLj84SeMVn-stNBGh2rZVG2tJiGd39PDd6s6_-41jI5qOxM9Al0dBaqRuRTqkfpNSR5vE6iw0RTbbQ1r0tJjsD8ZthL1GT-lxzw2XsOe7DR05zHkshHlPu3kbN4zAvviz3LrCzXxu3tFu-p7880_wAx-A/s1440/BBC%2009%20Tapes.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5gScsZ-KljANLr8gIm215u8GsJg4_AS7hlLj84SeMVn-stNBGh2rZVG2tJiGd39PDd6s6_-41jI5qOxM9Al0dBaqRuRTqkfpNSR5vE6iw0RTbbQ1r0tJjsD8ZthL1GT-lxzw2XsOe7DR05zHkshHlPu3kbN4zAvviz3LrCzXxu3tFu-p7880_wAx-A/s1440/BBC%2009%20Tapes.JPG" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bristol hometown heroes <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheMenstrualCramps" target="_blank">The Menstrual Cramps</a> were given the task of closing what had been a fantastic first day of Bristol Booze Cruise. We had seen The Menstrual Cramps for the first time earlier this year when they also headlined Fishstock at the Exchange. Since then I’d also seen them at Manchester Punk Festival. Both times I had really enjoyed it and I had no reason to suspect that it wouldn’t be three for three. I think it’s fair to say that the crowd on this night hadn’t been as busy as it had been at the previous two times I’d seen them but there were still plenty of enthusiastic people ready to have a great time with the band. The band launched into their opening couple of songs and then disaster struck! Their guitarist broke a string. Thankfully the DIY punk scene is a helpful bunch and the Tapes were on hand to let The Menstrual Cramps borrow one of their guitars. From then on, the band tore through their set playing songs such as Hashtag Sad Penis, Tinder Girl, Mutual Masturbation and Neo Nazi among many others. As this was my third time seeing them in the space of about three months it allowed me to sit back and think about what the band’s message is rather than just being blown away by the energy that singer Emilia and the rest of the band have on stage. The Menstrual Cramps are one of the most important bands in the UK at the moment and not just in the punk scene. This is a band that the more mainstream alternative media should be paying attention to. With messages about consent, abortion, racism and misogyny among others, there are a lot of things that can be learnt from the band. They’re an empowering band and one that is seriously needed at the moment. They’re the sort of band that encapsulates what punk should be in 2022. <br /><br />The first day of Bristol Booze Cruise had been a lot of fun. It was great to be surrounded by friends from all over and every single band killed it. We hung out in the Exchange bar for a little while after the bands finished but fatigue began to set in, so we said our goodbyes and made our way back to the hotel to get some rest ready for another day of bands and buds the next day.<br /><br /><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-36303202242432596712022-06-16T12:19:00.003+01:002022-06-16T12:25:26.465+01:00Gig Review: Slam Dunk Festival 2022 at Hatfield House 4/6/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
Slam Dunk Festival 2022 has come and gone and it was another great day of friends, fun, food and fantastic music. After a train journey where I accidentally got on the wrong train and brought some strangers with us, Emma and I arrived an hour before the opening band was due to start and met up with our group. Once everyone had gathered, we made our way into the festival. After getting through the ticket barrier, we were held in some kind of holding area before we were allowed in to the main festival arena. We later found out there was a problem with the card reader machines at the bars so the organisers made the decision to get people to wait outside for longer before they let us in.<div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8VgV0XBd7MVdW3-gY8dScJC-F_Sa0mk6LecuELLT5VnXo2Ki7a3KsNAW_LUiH6PnfquGEXD4pQpfwAYmryTfnEy8T0WTDnPLDDH5KM8KbQF-2APwamkULMCaxSa5hxmfrBflI9Q2-tf8k7nmHvQzo_CsAajIehBbUjtPvs6rOomVlyeIEngCYvlP1A/s1350/Slam%20Dunk.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8VgV0XBd7MVdW3-gY8dScJC-F_Sa0mk6LecuELLT5VnXo2Ki7a3KsNAW_LUiH6PnfquGEXD4pQpfwAYmryTfnEy8T0WTDnPLDDH5KM8KbQF-2APwamkULMCaxSa5hxmfrBflI9Q2-tf8k7nmHvQzo_CsAajIehBbUjtPvs6rOomVlyeIEngCYvlP1A/s1350/Slam%20Dunk.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Once inside we made our way to the Dickies stage, where we would spend the majority of our day, to see opening act <a href="https://www.facebook.com/suicidemachinesdetroit" target="_blank">The Suicide Machines</a>. Their set started at 11.40am which was pretty silly but showed just what a stacked line up the stage had in store for the day. This was the band’s first time back in the UK in almost twenty years and it was good to see a nice sized crowd gathered early to see them. When the band appeared and began their set you could certainly tell from the crowd’s stillness that it was still oh so early for a punk show. So, after playing one song, the band’s lead singer Jay Navarro climbed into the crowd and decided to spend the rest of the set there. This was a masterclass on how to control a crowd, as from then on the set got rowdier and rowdier. Jay was passing the microphone around the crowd giving plenty of people the chance to have a sing and it was a lot of fun. I was really impressed with how smoothly things ran despite the chaos that was happening. They played a mixture of old favourites such as Break The Glass, High Anxiety and of course New Girl, alongside some songs from their most recent album, Revolution Spring. This was the perfect way to start the day and I was pumped to see them do a full set the next night at the New Cross Inn. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7cVqK0zwqo1JOB1xG7DZJ4TS5oljHb1ErFcO1QagUgNZZCNS86Q8xBaRtx7Bfpe_nG7kjOysN1vRFiO9jI3ulgSUb9vSDx3HKVZb0cnl69nlV-1XuIWX2kVEyZhALJFLNXsQL0Cdz7H1c-YPG26hA4DTrKyhY1WCloEVcstdnTk3UCQi43g_tdi5gQ/s4032/SD001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7cVqK0zwqo1JOB1xG7DZJ4TS5oljHb1ErFcO1QagUgNZZCNS86Q8xBaRtx7Bfpe_nG7kjOysN1vRFiO9jI3ulgSUb9vSDx3HKVZb0cnl69nlV-1XuIWX2kVEyZhALJFLNXsQL0Cdz7H1c-YPG26hA4DTrKyhY1WCloEVcstdnTk3UCQi43g_tdi5gQ/s1350/SD001.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Suicide Machines we made our way to the Rock Scene stage for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MMATAband" target="_blank">Meet Me @ The Altar</a>. Meet Me @ The Altar are one of the most exciting new bands in the scene and I was keen to check them out – it was great to see that I wasn’t the only one as the tent was very busy. Playing a mixture of pop punk and easycore, MMATA were the perfect Slam Dunk Festival band, displaying plenty of energy on the stage as the band jumped around the stage. This energy poured over into the crowd who responded in kind. One of the highlights of the set was when they played Hit Like A Girl and dedicated it to all the women in the crowd. This lead to a couple of ladies in the crowd getting on their friend’s shoulders. Then a chap also decided to do this, I get that he was having fun and enjoying the band but perhaps read the room, mate. The band also did a fun and slightly cheesy cover song medley where they played Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World, My Friends Over You by New Found Glory, My Own Worst Enemy by Lit and Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit. This was a fun moment that was a nice nod to the band’s musical roots and something very fun for the crowd. This was the band’s first time in the UK but I expect that we’ll be seeing them many more times in the future. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3mvjBxU0UBD5rWmUz11emqK3qXjC5QTSb546vnQ7b6D6jb2QYKiU4VVpfvXzyXlqMG4q7r3LpKsXp9dE9OBwK9l7FOwxPo8GqzwtCGZH5hBMjflDgg3_WVvBG_Xtnn5fzElHUTOrdR1mSf9C_T6pMXH5fphgIE5b2YKi-fWsO7POtAUPZEGNQOfORw/s4032/SD002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3mvjBxU0UBD5rWmUz11emqK3qXjC5QTSb546vnQ7b6D6jb2QYKiU4VVpfvXzyXlqMG4q7r3LpKsXp9dE9OBwK9l7FOwxPo8GqzwtCGZH5hBMjflDgg3_WVvBG_Xtnn5fzElHUTOrdR1mSf9C_T6pMXH5fphgIE5b2YKi-fWsO7POtAUPZEGNQOfORw/s1350/SD002.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next on the agenda was seeing a bit of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hotwatermusic" target="_blank">Hot Water Music</a>. We had a while to kill before then though so decided to grab some food. I enjoyed a delicious vegan hot dog before heading back to the Dickies stage. We had only planned to see a bit of Hot Water Music as they clashed with another band but we did manage to get four songs, including my personal favourite HWM song Wayfarer. The band had had some issues with their airline misplacing their gear but thankfully they were able to borrow stuff from the other bands and the show was able to go on. The band sounded in top form and it was difficult to pull myself away to go see and the next band. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pinkshiftmd" target="_blank">Pinkshift</a> were one of the bands I was most excited to check out. We headed over to the Key Club tent, a tent with two stages dedicated to the newer bands on the scene, as the band were just about to start. Pinkshift were another band who were making their first appearances in the UK and I was very pleased to see the size of the crowd that had gathered. It was also a super enthusiastic crowd which is always great to see. Pinkshift play a fun mix of 90s grunge and 2000s pop punk that works wonderfully well. I was under the impression that the band was a three piece but for the tour they have become a five piece which gave them a massive sound. Their front person Ashrita Kumar was extremely powerful onstage, I struggled to keep my eyes off them. With a big voice and an endless supply of energy, they put everything they had into the performance and it’s so pleasing to see. The same can be said of their bandmates who bounced around the stage throughout. Pinkshift are the future of pop punk. They’ve just signed to Hopeless Records so expect to hear some exciting new songs soon! <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBmRsmHY81dWtvraw9nYl67QUdodBgd7D_AxZ4wENa56nWigz9OF4Oylq_YSU7xyLOJnoeJ4EjXRiFwq8DzTvrJDlL-j8IV_8ePyHlYziU3MZ9JaANKf80FEo_JImTUm2kpvGROuaumJM4iHWuOuIsX11uRsiIcfnJjJxVKi4ZMQZFs_ymrljA4LRWg/s4032/SD003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBmRsmHY81dWtvraw9nYl67QUdodBgd7D_AxZ4wENa56nWigz9OF4Oylq_YSU7xyLOJnoeJ4EjXRiFwq8DzTvrJDlL-j8IV_8ePyHlYziU3MZ9JaANKf80FEo_JImTUm2kpvGROuaumJM4iHWuOuIsX11uRsiIcfnJjJxVKi4ZMQZFs_ymrljA4LRWg/s1350/SD003.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Pinkshift, we headed back to the Dickies stage for the band I was probably most excited for – actual punk rock legends in the form of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheVandals" target="_blank">The Vandals</a>. I’ve been wanting to see The Vandals for the best part of twenty years and have never managed it. They were the last of the bands I loved when I was getting into punk rock that I was desperate to see live but never have. I had kind of resigned myself to the fact that I was probably never going to get the chance. I was very happy to be proven wrong. When they took to the stage I left our group of friends who were hanging out by the sound tent and near enough ran down towards the front to get the best possible position. Now, I said in our preview podcast that I was fully expecting to be disappointed by the set, as I had hyped it up to myself so much and I wondered how well their humour would translate in 2022, but I was very pleased to see my concerns were unwarranted. The Vandals were everything I hoped they would be. They played a set full of my favourite songs, played really well and cracked me up. Any band that has Brooks Wackerman playing drums for them is going to be super tight and I was so impressed by Warren Fitzgerald’s incredible guitar playing whilst also being the silliest person at the festival. The Vandals are all about having as much fun as possible and the crowd responded really well to them. I assume there were a lot of other people in the crowd who had waited years to see the band and everyone lapped it up. Highlights of the set included People That Are Going To Hell, It’s A Fact, Oi To The World, I’ve Got An Ape Drape, My Girlfriend’s Dead and cover Don’t Stop Me Now where Warren took over lead vocals and hid behind a banner having off the side of the stage. It was wonderful and I hope it’s not so long before The Vandals return, hopefully for their own tour. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYk4yARarmDfiKrOJwRiucN9awiB6-0ewB1oMiIUWQ1-aSyzhDfEoyjT0UMgIjeXbhExOK-pGufSKx6lVs2qZwQWXMHZkvQNbZ5lcNrmeC02pjYak9RF8FB3WUdJhCSE04GLG1JdCthXuTJw--CpdRhYyBBXAvfPWQ4VDS5P2sLIXOoTPfH1_cNiAdA/s4032/SD004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYk4yARarmDfiKrOJwRiucN9awiB6-0ewB1oMiIUWQ1-aSyzhDfEoyjT0UMgIjeXbhExOK-pGufSKx6lVs2qZwQWXMHZkvQNbZ5lcNrmeC02pjYak9RF8FB3WUdJhCSE04GLG1JdCthXuTJw--CpdRhYyBBXAvfPWQ4VDS5P2sLIXOoTPfH1_cNiAdA/s1350/SD004.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SManifesto" target="_blank">Streetlight Manifesto</a> were next to take to the Dickies stage and there was an excitement in the air. Streetlight are another band that rarely play anywhere and haven’t been to the UK for a long, long time. We’d gone for a quick lap of the festival site to stretch our legs between the Vandals and Streetlight Manifesto sets but made it back as the band were soundchecking. It seemed as if they had been having some trouble with the sound which I think delayed the start of their set. However, as soon as the band started the set with A Moment Of Violence, all of the waiting was forgotten and the crowd went off. It felt like everyone around me was not only singing along to every word but every horn line as well. I stood in awe witnessing the technical proficiency that the band play with. I’ve been fortunate enough to watch some very skilled bands over the years but not many come close to touching Streetlight. If it’s possible, they’re potentially too good. Streetlight aren’t a band that talk much between songs (which was a big contrast to The Vandals), instead they focus on blasting through their set. If I’m being completely honest, this took something away from the set for me as it felt too well rehearsed but, as the songs are so long, I guess it meant they could squeeze more in to the set. And let’s be honest, we see Streetlight for the music not the banter. Dan #2 and I spoke on the CPRW Podcast about how next time we see Streetlight we hope it will be at their own show rather than a festival so we can get more deep cuts in the set, hopefully that’s a thing that will happen again one day. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P83JhI8snNCWhyNdwqEV1oiylT-Bb8M8X3H0huPUy2Rtut6LXLkZy9XywqtR9o8kBwi6TAqRKPOHHLDzmPqD_1Sw716gmI3pbqltfvMoBPegtlND63bCTNuKbwnP-PCypwfh8T4k0_j832GWSUHojQYTd6H2dI7UgCGWL-MOopSPGxcZUhLz0Imydw/s4032/SD005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4P83JhI8snNCWhyNdwqEV1oiylT-Bb8M8X3H0huPUy2Rtut6LXLkZy9XywqtR9o8kBwi6TAqRKPOHHLDzmPqD_1Sw716gmI3pbqltfvMoBPegtlND63bCTNuKbwnP-PCypwfh8T4k0_j832GWSUHojQYTd6H2dI7UgCGWL-MOopSPGxcZUhLz0Imydw/s1350/SD005.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/momjeans420" target="_blank">Mom Jeans</a> were next on our itinerary. The four piece were playing on the Key Club stage and we made our way over as soon as Streetlight Manifesto finished their set. Earlier in the week Emma and I had been in North London for The Flatliners gig at Tufnell Park. Before the gig we stopped in Camden for some pizza and passed the Underworld where Mom Jeans had been headlining. They had a huge queue waiting to get in at around 6pm and from everything I’ve heard from friends who went it was a very special night. I had listened to them a bit in preparation for Slam Dunk and enjoyed their take on jangly emo/pop punk so decided I would go and check them out. This was a fantastic decision (well done me) as they put on a fantastic show. Despite not knowing the songs they played well at all, I felt super included in the set just from the fantastic atmosphere that the crowd had created. We were all there to see a top band do their thing and have a great time. Festivals are always a great opportunity to go and see bands that you perhaps wouldn’t normally and I’m very pleased I caught Mom Jeans. Also the best dancer of the weekend award has to go to the band’s bass player, supplying some sick and dope moves. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4diEB4u1jJQVF6ylTZt3SSX5P_xQrunLTaXleaWySaPnPakQQhjLbe2KQMyDEPMY0_DgMKl8YZ3i8rj0p5QXh8CQNs03D0CUsj668jz474dW5nmTpe4bfCfh_mUCUUFWiw0FBs9_PtjvHATFKVIm60uZvaJ2TNfgjrTPF1bBN8OGlQzZWB7HlJoxyA/s4032/SD006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4diEB4u1jJQVF6ylTZt3SSX5P_xQrunLTaXleaWySaPnPakQQhjLbe2KQMyDEPMY0_DgMKl8YZ3i8rj0p5QXh8CQNs03D0CUsj668jz474dW5nmTpe4bfCfh_mUCUUFWiw0FBs9_PtjvHATFKVIm60uZvaJ2TNfgjrTPF1bBN8OGlQzZWB7HlJoxyA/s1350/SD006.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After a brief comfort break, we headed back to the Dickies stage to see the end of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pennywise" target="_blank">Pennywise</a>’s set. We caught Society, their cover of Stand By Me, Fuck Authority and Bro Hymn and that was enough to keep me happy. Pennywise are such a good festival band, they have such a big following and they always play the big hits that’ll keep their fans happy. Even if you don’t know much of Pennywise’s back catalogue, there’s no doubt you know Fuck Authority and Bro Hymn and will have sung your lungs out with the band to the choruses of both songs. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Pennywise and I’m glad they never change. <br /><br />I think one of the bands our group was most excited to see was <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearetheinterrupters" target="_blank">The Interrupters</a>. The Californians have played a huge role in making ska punk cool again and are one of the best live bands in the world at the moment. They’re also an absolutely perfect festival band with their songs about family, friendship, unity and empowerment. Being surrounded by so many friends and likeminded people seeing The Interrupters is a special feeling, especially with the content of their songs. After the last couple of years, these messages hit home harder than ever. With only forty-five minutes for their set The Interrupters powered through, seemingly trying to squeeze as many songs in as possible and I personally really appreciated it. We got to hear so many favourites, a couple of brand new songs and I nice covers medley. I’ve seen them play a similar covers medley before where they teased playing songs from bands from San Francisco. They’ve now changed this up a bit where they teased playing songs from Epitaph Records releases instead. They played intros to Keep Em Separated by The Offspring, Linoleum by NOFX and Ruby Soho by Rancid, before settling on playing a full cover of Sorrow by Bad Religion. I’d love to hear a recorded version of the cover. This was my fourth time seeing The Interrupters live and something that’s always seriously impressed me was how tight and slick the band are, there aren’t many better at the moment. They’re back in the UK for a full tour in a couple of months and they’ll have UK ska favourites The Skints and Bar Stool Preachers as support. Those will be special nights. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAFy66QVXXmsnTekcgFgBj_bm_5KzvHX2gydnqalj4lRczXpVQQ-c5UGAKDxeknjy212TEFptT5MAP3InpvV0rJSyXMcU_c_fP6bMnpaNZ5zYoqfv2Cmav5rwK4xbq9GVzWmt-cEqpu2yAULkzYmRH09MnfFjUPuqnV7ee39KJn9rrOb0pkMhtOnJMA/s4032/SD007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAFy66QVXXmsnTekcgFgBj_bm_5KzvHX2gydnqalj4lRczXpVQQ-c5UGAKDxeknjy212TEFptT5MAP3InpvV0rJSyXMcU_c_fP6bMnpaNZ5zYoqfv2Cmav5rwK4xbq9GVzWmt-cEqpu2yAULkzYmRH09MnfFjUPuqnV7ee39KJn9rrOb0pkMhtOnJMA/s1350/SD007.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>We headed back to the Dickies stage next to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theflatliners" target="_blank">The Flatliners</a>. It was kind of weird to see the band play this tent as it seemed to be more of a new band stage and The Flatliners are anything but new. After seeing them play a full headline set a couple of days earlier we knew they were in top form and were looking forward to seeing the band playing more of a ‘best of’ set. And that’s exactly what we got. Songs such as Resuscitation Of The Year, Carry The Banner, Count Your Bruises, Monumental and set closer Eulogy sounded as good as ever. Chris Cresswell has one of the most consistently brilliant voices in punk rock. In the space of a few days I’d heard him sing in a venue, outside with Hot Water Music and then inside a tent with the Flatliners. All three times he sounded brilliant. The Flatliners provided half an hour of pure sing-along joy before we headed back to the Dickies stage. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3CaGg608zcP2z6qLN-kcaJ-yHfV8rYtJQLmPZ5y9JonKvN1Bwx65b1id5-9svNKFtQoxq0eQcPZCtW0i8Y182Ncfw8a1ZUmUIl-PrMeBH230bOKBQ0jOEdMegF10YtiT0EwS1UHf26rTgIWFR8wdRmeEgdgjG7jdYTsvBBvIq_UAxgDnGij4NOQ_zQ/s4032/SD008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3CaGg608zcP2z6qLN-kcaJ-yHfV8rYtJQLmPZ5y9JonKvN1Bwx65b1id5-9svNKFtQoxq0eQcPZCtW0i8Y182Ncfw8a1ZUmUIl-PrMeBH230bOKBQ0jOEdMegF10YtiT0EwS1UHf26rTgIWFR8wdRmeEgdgjG7jdYTsvBBvIq_UAxgDnGij4NOQ_zQ/s1350/SD008.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>When we arrived at back to the Dickies stage Boston’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DropkickMurphys" target="_blank">Dropkick Murphys</a> were already in full swing. We met back up with our group and all quickly realised something was not right at all with the sound. We were stood very central with the stage and all we could really hear was the bass. Admittedly, from looking at the set list from the day before, we knew that we wouldn’t know many of the songs they were playing (the majority of our group were a bunch of old school DKM fans who hadn’t listened to a lot of the band’s newer material) so that didn’t help but even songs like Worker’s Song and Barroom Hero sounded off because of the loud bass. I had theorised that the setlist was as it was because lead singer Al Barr hadn’t been able to make the tour due to important family commitments so you’ve got to commend the rest of the band for soldiering on without him. Unfortunately, I did find this set quite disappointing and I don’t think I was the only one. Maybe I should have taken the time to really listen to the band’s latest album Turn Up That Dial before going to see them. <br /><br />While most of our group stayed at The Dickies stage for headliners Sum 41, we decided to head back to the Key Club one last time to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NovaTwinsMusic" target="_blank">Nova Twins</a> before catching the end of the Canadian pop punk legends. Nova Twins are a band from London who have been making waves in the UK alternative scene. I didn’t know much about them other than the bit of research I had done for my preview but I was looking forward to witnessing them live. As they confidently strode onto the stage it felt like something big was about to happen. Despite Sum 41 playing just two minutes away, I was impressed by the size of the crowd that gathered. I also enjoyed how diverse the crowd looked. There were folk from all walks of life ready to party with the band. Mixing punk, hip hop and rave music, the set offered something for everyone. It was a powerful set which I have no doubt moved a lot of people in the crowd. Whether you were a long time fan of Nova Twins or you popped in because you didn’t fancy watching Sum 41, I am certain you were transfixed on what was happening on the stage. The band’s singer had this great swagger about them whilst the bassist gleefully hopped around the stage with boundless energy. Coming away from the set I was of the opinion that, of all the bands in the UK at the moment, Nova Twins should be band that the mainstream press should be really getting behind. Not only are they an excellent band but they feel important and something the alternative music scene really needs right now. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ilGQ33OrUMBvmIUtENThvQwXIQrsh1-lb1L1dEfxxAin6SaJRKVscvUUZ19zkqx9kUgsGUN0jIxFqBE33lmFigsUIbMc-a5Ki7vSMMUzXEEHry-m-DywsBTMmfPhvlEKH7uBmmXJ_1eprgR1OrTyB3cummW8aT0tEF7yYyX2iztlM-Jes9XT1WC7vA/s4032/SD009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ilGQ33OrUMBvmIUtENThvQwXIQrsh1-lb1L1dEfxxAin6SaJRKVscvUUZ19zkqx9kUgsGUN0jIxFqBE33lmFigsUIbMc-a5Ki7vSMMUzXEEHry-m-DywsBTMmfPhvlEKH7uBmmXJ_1eprgR1OrTyB3cummW8aT0tEF7yYyX2iztlM-Jes9XT1WC7vA/s1350/SD009.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Nova Twins, we made our journey back to the Dickies stage one last time for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sum41" target="_blank">Sum 41</a>. Sum 41 are a band I grew up on as a teenager but had never seen live. We arrived back at the stage as the band were halfway through their set. We attempted to get back to the spot we had been in all day with our friends but it was so crowded there was no way of getting back in. Unfortunately, we were really far back and struggled to get any kind of decent view. We could see that the band had a massive inflatable devil on stage with them as well as fire and a full light show. It looked to be a very impressive sight and it was nice to have something interesting to look at, as I could barely see the members of the band. I think this was part of the problem of having no real clashes for the headliner. There were sooooo many people there. From what I’ve heard from friends after the festival, Sum 41 put on a superb show and showed why they have achieved all they have in their career. The songs I did get to hear the band play included In Too Deep, Queen’s We Will Rock You, Fat Lip and Still Waiting. Some top tier Sum 41 and a classic cover. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYYWXy5elxi-FJe_COOTM2_fUx6BWi0aGAEmEpEqKpd_3Oakmk4BSyUKNl2f4W0rvC1Qp6EF4kO-DayIj2RMaPdKh9DMy9dztNd9vdOZiVofdahbXJ17TdGqLHPhdSBI0NGB7Tc7JylbdC1dHERRR-7omZXWsqVOACFUTU_9hcQIF4m0JEbzhnmtAug/s4032/SD010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYYWXy5elxi-FJe_COOTM2_fUx6BWi0aGAEmEpEqKpd_3Oakmk4BSyUKNl2f4W0rvC1Qp6EF4kO-DayIj2RMaPdKh9DMy9dztNd9vdOZiVofdahbXJ17TdGqLHPhdSBI0NGB7Tc7JylbdC1dHERRR-7omZXWsqVOACFUTU_9hcQIF4m0JEbzhnmtAug/s1350/SD010.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>After Sum 41’s set, everyone in the festival made the slow walk back to the buses and trains in an attempt to get back home. This sadly proved harder than we had hoped due to disruptions on the train line but we eventually made it home after what was a fun filled day. For whatever reason, Slam Dunk does seem to get a lot of stick from people. I’m sure a lot of the time it’s warranted but I always see Slam Dunk as a great day out with my friends watching bands we perhaps wouldn’t normally go and see. No doubt you’ll see me back at Hatfield House in 2023. <div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-76476129954320124292022-06-08T11:39:00.001+01:002022-06-08T11:39:44.679+01:00Album Review: Successfully Not Giving Up by Captain Asshole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKtPVSdqKZc/XhH-IPb2hZI/AAAAAAAAVlA/zCEG_G75anUsed-IIaAfhas4zGTrHjhbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_albumreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
If I’ve spoken to you about any one band over the past three years, there’s a very high chance that it’s Germany’s Captain Asshole. I first discovered them after they sent me their debut album, What An Awful Life, for me to check out. I instantly fell in love with the band and have been championing them to anyone who will listen ever since. Earlier this year the band released their second album, Successfully Not Giving Up, with the support of SBÄM Records and Say-10 Records. <br /><br />Now whenever a band release a follow up to an album I absolutely adore, there’s always the worry of disappointment. Will they capture the same magic of what came before? Will they rest on their laurels and phone an album in? Will it click with me in the same way? These are all thoughts that ran through my head when I heard about this release. Happily, Captain Asshole seem to write songs that are completely tailored to my own personal pop punk tastes. Gruff vocals, big choruses, loads of energy and gang vocals galore. As soon as I heard the first single, Dave Lizewski, I knew I didn’t need to worry – this was going to be another special release. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtczIUMXrNbyCu-JyhGq8VRG6KYQSC-T2sEGfOqUSAm_4m83ImPLirTa8ytXOhXa8vhJRCKC88yy7bikEuDPoJJNYxqPYayjKE6npdw81kTq66184Osazl3yELIQDjVTsIGdujuZNKgrJNeyBf3WALUDH2C7BFUfyvoW4Non0zh9bZUQ7-XkF4fhDkw/s1200/CaptainA.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRtczIUMXrNbyCu-JyhGq8VRG6KYQSC-T2sEGfOqUSAm_4m83ImPLirTa8ytXOhXa8vhJRCKC88yy7bikEuDPoJJNYxqPYayjKE6npdw81kTq66184Osazl3yELIQDjVTsIGdujuZNKgrJNeyBf3WALUDH2C7BFUfyvoW4Non0zh9bZUQ7-XkF4fhDkw/s320/CaptainA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Successfully Not Giving Up begins with the first single, Dave Lizewski. In true Captain Asshole style the song and the album kicks off with a big gang vocal opening. I speak about gang vocals a lot on the various CPRW platforms and how much I love them, but have I ever mentioned why? It’s the way that they make a song feel more inclusive for everyone. Kicking the song/album off with them instantly made me feel involved and I love that very much. After the opening chorus, the tempo jumps up and Manu’s vocals come in on the opening verse. As ever, he’s not alone as Max adds his own vocals giving the song a huge sound. There’s a huge feeling of positivity throughout the song, as the band sing about it being okay to feel different and to keep on pushing forward towards your dreams. Max starts the second song, The Sleepwalking Dead. This song has more of an extended introduction before Max jumps in and is quickly followed by Manu. I already love how the pair are sharing vocals so much. The energy is special and it gives me the goosebumps. The song is about plodding away through your life and feeling stuck in a rut. The song finishes with another classic Captain Asshole trope, the slow building finale with the big gang vocals and harmonies. Can’t wait to sing along with this bit next time I get to see them. The third track is titled Boy, I’m Homesick. On this song the band talk about remembering times past and realising how things haven’t changed for the better. This was one of the songs that was picked as a single before Successfully Not Giving Up was released. It’s clear why this was, as the song showcases all of what the band are about. If you’re a first time listener of the band it welcomes you in perfectly and is probably really relatable. <br /><br />Ghost In A Nutshell (possibly the best title on the album) is a song all about bettering yourself. On the track Manu talks about looking at his life, particularly at the times where he’s been at his lowest, and attempting to bring himself back from the edge. This is a more serious feeling song than I’m used to hearing from the band and it’s great to see them expanding their songwriting topics like this. The band seem to resist adding all the gang vocals to the song which gives it a much more personal feeling. When the rest of the band do join Manu on vocals the song gets a cathartic feeling which adds a fantastic new layer to the track. The fifth song, Crushing High Lifes, brings the tempo way back up. The band talk about how quickly you can be brought back down to earth after experiencing a massive high, something we all go through from time to time. This is another song that is pure energy. I loved the opening guitar part, it’s a bit more riffy than previous Captain Asshole songs and it’s a great, if not a bit too subtle, addition to the song. It proves that the band are a lot more than experts and choruses, there’s excellent musicianship in here as well. Bringing the first half of the album to a close is You’ve Smashed The Window With Your Head Fred. The opening of the song has this big building segment that eases you into the song before Manu’s vocals eventually come in. This is one of the slower songs on the album but it still packs plenty of punch. This song looks at the need to keep going to gigs as you’re getting older and questioning why you’re still doing it. It’s the great moments you experience and the wanting to do it all over again and again. For anyone in their mid 30s and older, this is a song you will probably relate with a lot. <br /><br />The second half of the album starts with Better Broken. Here Captain Asshole sing about trying to make your way through life despite all the hardships that may befall you. It’s about learning to exist and be your best even when things feel like they are at their worst. I really enjoy the switch in intensity that happens between the verse and the chorus. There’s a contrast but they also manage to bleed effortlessly into each other. I really love the chorus “it’s hard to walk with broken legs, It’s hard to think with fucked up brains, hard to forget and hard to love, it’s hard to live with a broken heart.” What a great chorus! Apocalypse Whenever was another single released in the build up to Successfully Not Giving Up’s release. The band put out an outstanding video for it that I seriously suggest you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wE2glvRgcQ&ab_channel=SB%C3%84MRECORDSOfficial" target="_blank">check out</a>. Once again, this is an archetypal Captain Asshole song and another perfect choice for a single. Big chorus: check. Endless energy: check. Gang vocals: check. Harmonies: check! The production on the track makes it sound huge and it’s a song that’s begging to be played as loudly as possible. The song is about the planet coming to an impending doom and people’s ignorance to it. Despite the doom that is approaching, the band leave the song with a positive message about still believing and fighting the good fight until the very end. I agree with this statement. The ninth song is titled The One With Unagi. This track has an intense beginning, with no intro we are just greeted by Manu’s vocals shouting “drink down the weight of another year, it’s been a while for you and me”. This song is about meeting up with old acquaintances and trying to force a friendship that isn’t there anymore. As people grow older, they change and turn into different people than who they were when they were younger. I really like this as a song topic, I don’t feel like it’s one that’s really covered much despite everyone going through it at some point. Max and Manu take turns on the verses and combine for the choruses. It feels as if each of them is playing the role of old friends at the bar and we’re hearing their inner monologue throughout the song. This is such good songwriting. <br /><br />Home Alone II is up next. Home Alone was one of my favourites off of debut album, What An Awful Life, so when I saw the song title my interest really peaked. I’ve heard plenty of songs about the lockdowns that happened in 2020 and 2021 and this is among the better ones. Max and Manu sing about their experiences during this time and talk about the feelings of isolation that they felt and how they coped during these difficult times. There’s an all around darker tone to the song, it makes me think about a metaphoric cloud that seemed to follow everyone around in this understandably difficult time in our lives. Max and Manu do such a good job (arguably too good a job if you want to forget all about it) of painting a picture of what it was like at the time. The penultimate song on Successfully Not Giving Up is Good News, Everyone. This song is all about growing up and taking a different path to your friends. The majority of people reading this will have seen their friends take different paths to you and you will probably have doubted your own life choices. Don’t do that. Everyone lives their lives differently and that’s completely fine. Live your dream. That’s the message I get from the song and I found it uplifting. The final track on the album is Post Malört. I think it’s now law for Captain Asshole to have a song on each album that mentions their beloved The Fest in Gainesville. On What An Awful Life they had Holiday Inn now they have Post Malört. It’s about finding a place in the world where you find comfort and feel like you belong. On this occasion it’s at The Fest but I’m sure we’ve all got our special festivals and venues where the whole world feels right and you’re completely at ease. This is an ode to those amazing spaces that give us so much. <br /><br />Successfully Not Giving Up is another amazing album from Captain Asshole. In my eyes, theses folk can do no wrong. They’ve managed to keep hold of everything I loved from their previous album and have still found a way of evolving and progressing their sound. This album feels more contained and succinct than What An Awful Life, with every song heading in the same direction. It gives the album a more intimate feel but also explodes with sound throughout. A true album of the year contender. I cannot wait to see these songs, as well as all my other favourites, at least two times this year. I am hoping for more though. Do not sleep on Captain Asshole. They’re the real deal. <div><br /></div><div>Stream and download Successfully Not Giving Up on <a href="https://captainassholepoppunk.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like Captain Asshole on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CaptainAssholePunkrock" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-4229688747275933622022-06-02T14:28:00.000+01:002022-06-02T14:28:12.674+01:00Column: Slam Dunk Festival 2022 Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_kfl6ZahMFQ/XhIBAw3E3DI/AAAAAAAAVlY/hvUPAyn4CG4ATgmRGsy8A2k5Qv7ueUytgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_columns.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
Slam Dunk Festival 2022 has really come around quickly, hasn’t it? This probably is because 2021’s edition of the festival only took place in September due to easing of Covid-19 restrictions. It was a great day out and I have many fond memories and now I’m looking forward to spending another day in Hatfield (hopefully in the sunshine) with lots of my friends and watching lots of fantastic bands. Slam Dunk always put on an absolutely stacked line up with heavy hitters from most points of the alternative music umbrella.<div><br /></div><div>Obviously, we’re most excited for the punk and ska stuff that’s happening at The Dickies stage. With no Punk In Drublic stage this year and Rancid and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones both pulling out early doors, the Slam Dunk organisers have really put together a mega line up. However, one complaint that Slam Dunk and many other festivals quite rightly get is the lack of diversity on the line ups. So, instead of doing my standard picks for the festival, I’m going to focus in on the acts that have members who don’t identify as men or have people of colour in them. It’s great to see these bands being included on the line up and it’s really a great step in the right direction of having a more inclusive line up at the festival. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8VgV0XBd7MVdW3-gY8dScJC-F_Sa0mk6LecuELLT5VnXo2Ki7a3KsNAW_LUiH6PnfquGEXD4pQpfwAYmryTfnEy8T0WTDnPLDDH5KM8KbQF-2APwamkULMCaxSa5hxmfrBflI9Q2-tf8k7nmHvQzo_CsAajIehBbUjtPvs6rOomVlyeIEngCYvlP1A/s1350/Slam%20Dunk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8VgV0XBd7MVdW3-gY8dScJC-F_Sa0mk6LecuELLT5VnXo2Ki7a3KsNAW_LUiH6PnfquGEXD4pQpfwAYmryTfnEy8T0WTDnPLDDH5KM8KbQF-2APwamkULMCaxSa5hxmfrBflI9Q2-tf8k7nmHvQzo_CsAajIehBbUjtPvs6rOomVlyeIEngCYvlP1A/s1350/Slam%20Dunk.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/asdecemberfalls" target="_blank">As December Falls</a></b><br /> Nottingham’s As December Falls are an alternative rock four piece. The band released their first EP in 2016 and have since released two further full lengths. If you’re unaware of their sound (like I was) then the easiest comparison is probably Paramore. Their songs are packed with plenty of hooks and lead singer Bethany Curtis has a really impressive vocal. I imagine this young band are already turning a lot of heads in their scene and look to get bigger and bigger with a set at 2000 Trees also scheduled for 2022. As December Falls play on the Key Club Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/youlikehotmilk" target="_blank">Hot Milk</a></b><br /> Hot Milk are a dual fronted emo power-pop band from Manchester. Starting with just a bottle of wine and an acoustic guitar, Hot Milk have developed a huge sound and are seemingly unafraid to explore different sounds in their music. The two different vocalists complement each other well and the breakdowns in their songs look set to start some mega pits. Catch Hot Milk on the Rock Scene Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wearetheinterrupters" target="_blank">The Interrupters</a></b><br /> California’s The Interrupters have played a big part in bringing ska punk back to the forefront of the punk scene in recent years. Following the release of their album Fight The Good Fight, the band really blew up and deservedly so. After Rancid decided to drop off Slam Dunk this year, I don’t think the organisers could’ve got a more like for like replacement. Singing songs of friendship, family and unity, The Interrupters are one of the can’t miss bands of the entire weekend. The Interrupters are playing the Dickies Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KennyHoopla" target="_blank">KennyHoopla</a></b><br /> Ohio’s KennyHoopla combines indie punk with elements of hip hop, pop punk and new wave. Despite their young age, Kenny has been making big waves in the scene and has already earned big tour support slots with the likes of Yungblud and Machine Gun Kelly. It seems like Kenny is on the way to some very big things and it won’t be many more years until they are placed much higher up the bill. Jump on the KennyHoopla train at the Rock Scene Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MagnoliaParkFL" target="_blank">Magnolia Park</a></b><br /> Magnolia Park only formed in 2019 so the fact that they have found their way onto the Slam Dunk line up already is a testament to how highly thought of the Orlando, Florida, based band are. The pop punk band have a massive sound and write songs fit for big arenas. I particularly like their message of inclusivity and their desire to have a pop punk genre where people of all backgrounds are represented on and off the stage. Magnolia Park could become a very important band in the pop punk scene in the years to come. Magnolia Park are on the Key Club Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MMATAband" target="_blank">Meet Me @ The Altar</a></b><br /> Meet Me @ The Altar are one of the most exciting new bands in pop punk. Taking elements of 2000s pop punk and giving it a fresh sound, MMATA are going to earn thousands of new fans at Slam Dunk Festival. They’ve been hotly tipped for a couple of years now and have recently signed to Fueled By Ramen, the home of bands such as Fall Out Boy, Panic At The Disco, Paramore and All Time Low – that’s some really impressive company. The three piece look set to be the next massive success story for the label. I’m looking forward to seeing Meet Me @ The Altar at Rock Scene Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NovaTwinsMusic" target="_blank">Nova Twins</a></b><br /> It’s amazing to see two black women headlining the Key Club Stage at Slam Dunk. And it’s very much deserved. Amy Love and Georgia South bring together heavy basslines, dashes of electronics and a grimey punk attitude to create their own self described sound of Urban Punk. A very unique band in the alternative scene that will command your attention. Catch them headlining the Key Club Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pinkshiftmd" target="_blank">Pinkshift</a></b><br /> I was so pleased when I saw Pinkshift announced for Slam Dunk 2022. The three piece have been one of my favourite discoveries of the past couple of years and I’m pleased to see everyone else becoming a fan of the band as well. Combining the heaviness of 90s grunge along with the irrepressible hooks of 2000s pop punk, Pinkshift have enough crossover appeal for fans of the crunchier and softer sides of pop punk. Do not miss Pinkshift! They play the Key Club Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thesummerset" target="_blank">The Summer Set</a></b><br /> The Summer Set are a long running pop rock band from Arizona, USA. Their original run was between 2007 and 2017 but in 2021 the four piece announced they would be reforming. I assume that means that Slam Dunk Festival is their first time back in the UK since they reformed so that’s got to be so exciting for fans of the band. The Summer Set are playing the Rock Sound Stage. <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/yourstrulypoppunk" target="_blank">Yours Truly</a></b><br /> Yours Truly are flying over all the way from Australia for Slam Dunk Festival. The pop punk act have been making big waves in their homeland with their debut album, Self Care, peaking at number 19 in the album charts. An incredible achievement. Now the four piece are gearing up for their next release and have already released a couple of new singles this year from their forthcoming EP. Yours Truly play the Rock Sound Stage. <br /><br /> <div>This column was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-30981865214963760172022-06-01T12:10:00.002+01:002022-06-01T12:10:23.872+01:00Gig Review: SKIV and The Overjoyed at New Cross Inn, London 15/7/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
I don’t think there are many better ways to spend a Sunday than at the New Cross Inn for an all dayer. It’s especially nice when you get a line-up that’s just an absolute mates fest. This was the case on Sunday the 15th of May when SKIV threw a party to celebrate the launch of their debut full length, No Context Bangers. They put together a stacked six band line up which also featured The Overjoyed (who they were on a UK tour with), Triple Sundae, Shackleford, Girls Like Us and Not The Face. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQfhgUqhEJGkAYmyziuJm1Lid9Jl9y77hGMDorOe_e0yM3BLkrMHZmpqjHYSnmmubBaKuJd7GQQk4IJipbIa5etNxqFqWYfgsAMDiy4rc8g7NhVSqihwuhq8WTAKsnMDRKyvTVdUE5rO0_tn1pqVeEOYbQQtqOCxB6-tIBEsT83rCB9ZL1y1UBomNPQ/s1414/overskived.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQfhgUqhEJGkAYmyziuJm1Lid9Jl9y77hGMDorOe_e0yM3BLkrMHZmpqjHYSnmmubBaKuJd7GQQk4IJipbIa5etNxqFqWYfgsAMDiy4rc8g7NhVSqihwuhq8WTAKsnMDRKyvTVdUE5rO0_tn1pqVeEOYbQQtqOCxB6-tIBEsT83rCB9ZL1y1UBomNPQ/s1414/overskived.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Opening the show were Brighton punx <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notthefaceband" target="_blank">Not The Face</a>. Not The Face are a new band on the scene but I recognised their lead singer Cat from their time in Demon Smiles. It’s great to see Cat in a new band as they have a fantastic vocal. It was great to see Not The Face on stage. They didn’t take things too seriously and were just having a great time together. This sense of fun was a great way to start what was, in essence, a celebration and Not The Face were a great pick to start things off. The band themselves play a straight forward punk rock sound reminiscent of 90s Fat Wreck but also threw in some ska upstrokes for good measure. I expect Not The Face will be a band I see many more times over the next few years. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QiBlMEcImGc8ZGzTR7azGvSAkqD6bFW4SRw2HBJZMph5Vt0h6OoYBBQZeQMkq7QUdJo7Vl5uAsIQAO-KVKkX_yw0kJWksjCI5KmEsyn3zhT2kHi_h2Wm2oOmwmQkEuo_a3_vezaB4KS89Uonx9VBVqIMIp5uN6s3TB2DYK5tHH3zWEypj8WF576K7w/s3830/Skiv%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QiBlMEcImGc8ZGzTR7azGvSAkqD6bFW4SRw2HBJZMph5Vt0h6OoYBBQZeQMkq7QUdJo7Vl5uAsIQAO-KVKkX_yw0kJWksjCI5KmEsyn3zhT2kHi_h2Wm2oOmwmQkEuo_a3_vezaB4KS89Uonx9VBVqIMIp5uN6s3TB2DYK5tHH3zWEypj8WF576K7w/s1414/Skiv%201.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next to the stage were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/girlslikeusofficial" target="_blank">Girls Like Us</a>. Unfortunately, due to some technical problems, the band ended up starting their set half an hour later than planned. That coupled with the half hour allotted for set changeovers meant there was an hour long wait between Not The Face and Girls Like Us. This did unfortunately take away some of the momentum of the gig and, even when the band did eventually get going, the sound didn’t seem quite as good as it usually does at NXI. Something I didn’t expect to see was SKIV’s Conor on guitar for the band. I’m not sure if they are a member of the band or they were filling in for someone but it’s always nice to see Conor on stage. Girls Like Us play 90s style grunge inspired riot grrrl punk and, despite the technical difficulties they had, you’ve got to admire the energy and passion they put into their set. Much like Not The Face before them, it was great to see the band having a lot of fun on stage and I’m definitely keen to check them out again – hopefully with better sound next time!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VH7nIHq7IHlRpJOu2N11bbEl-BC6JjHebI5NhUYIfOh07_jOHW_1EUnLN9lXcEVuP6U86u-1pcJPMt1e6bKp2oz13xMhgtjp7JlVwt-1xR-bir0M5g7onlhoN1aYyteN71hUCyRUeeW3QBqbkOk5zqWij6eyitGRs5OlhSAqmVHlclFgLLyP-6WWMw/s3830/Skiv%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VH7nIHq7IHlRpJOu2N11bbEl-BC6JjHebI5NhUYIfOh07_jOHW_1EUnLN9lXcEVuP6U86u-1pcJPMt1e6bKp2oz13xMhgtjp7JlVwt-1xR-bir0M5g7onlhoN1aYyteN71hUCyRUeeW3QBqbkOk5zqWij6eyitGRs5OlhSAqmVHlclFgLLyP-6WWMw/s1414/Skiv%202.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/helloshackleford" target="_blank">Shackleford</a> are a band I’ve wanted to see live for absolutely ages and the wait was finally over as they were next to take to the stage. The Nuneaton based four piece play perfect melodic pop punk with stunning vocals and hooks for days. They’re one of those bands that I’ve always thought that if they were based in somewhere like London or Manchester they would be a much bigger band in the UK’s DIY scene. The lead vocals from Dave and Ross sounded spot on and any sound problems that hampered Girls Like Us seemed to have been sorted out. Playing a set full of songs from 2021’s excellent Shackleford: III album, I was hooked on the band and when they finished I felt extremely frustrated that this was my very first time seeing them. It felt like some seriously wasted time. Shackleford shot through their set in an attempt to try and make up some of the lost time and it felt like it was over far too soon for my liking. I hope to see them come back down to London again soon. If you’ve not listened to Shackleford yet, then I suggest you crack on with that. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRu-9jjSIfREyAT11ASh7sXbKgP6ksxO0JTWMIqbOt68aIFVWr54gaM70nqG9fKPBGKaFqlJJs2ia3nwVFj1hBEH616LLTY2MFmjE7kuF9kg_hx3pNVQH2p9_tRwsxSWz3YxHvm_sJQ5LpXZ5dIg0gxCo7jVzgRuRYu_CaKPoNNLYk_q8qTQLWzHH-A/s3629/Skiv%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="3629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRu-9jjSIfREyAT11ASh7sXbKgP6ksxO0JTWMIqbOt68aIFVWr54gaM70nqG9fKPBGKaFqlJJs2ia3nwVFj1hBEH616LLTY2MFmjE7kuF9kg_hx3pNVQH2p9_tRwsxSWz3YxHvm_sJQ5LpXZ5dIg0gxCo7jVzgRuRYu_CaKPoNNLYk_q8qTQLWzHH-A/s1414/Skiv%203.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next on the day were CPRW favourites <a href="https://www.facebook.com/triplesundae" target="_blank">Triple Sundae</a>. This would be their first appearance together on the NXI stage since January 2020 and there were a lot of people excited to see it. To give a very brief history lesson, Triple Sundae did a tour in Greece and the UK with The Overjoyed way back in 2015 and the bands have remained good friends ever since. It was great to see members of The Overjoyed go right down to the front of the stage to watch Triple Sundae. We’ve seen every Triple Sundae set since gigs started again and they’ve killed it every single time. This was obviously no different. Playing through all the favourites from Glow and Peace Of Mind and getting some special sing-alongs, they also treated us to one of their new songs. The big highlights were that they went old school and played Avoiding Everything Is Not Your Only Option and Unseen. For Unseen they were joined on stage by Conor to play guitar. As soon as the song started, lead singer Hassan jumped down into the crowd to start the pit up as well as singing. Of course, as is tradition, Grey Market’s Theo took the microphone to sing on the song as well. Seeing six people on stage performing this was quite the moment. Triple Sundae are still really, really good and I never get bored of seeing them perform. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCsL-7FZimNEQF9q4yqHi8CnMJPYWu8Q-1NCFTfZNIxAvb6o1aqawYmHOikSt0tUy1LVKueRP2-1pPpWwCI0pcCrzcerYoI_oPPSJy043T6Nh9RiZ1IZ9dljhykZRhBu6sT5tGxUV5C2K8CfzpFrNZUUHb2bQuMxbOoLZDJZY_YDRvZ5k2Jc41_HT7w/s4032/Skiv%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCsL-7FZimNEQF9q4yqHi8CnMJPYWu8Q-1NCFTfZNIxAvb6o1aqawYmHOikSt0tUy1LVKueRP2-1pPpWwCI0pcCrzcerYoI_oPPSJy043T6Nh9RiZ1IZ9dljhykZRhBu6sT5tGxUV5C2K8CfzpFrNZUUHb2bQuMxbOoLZDJZY_YDRvZ5k2Jc41_HT7w/s1414/Skiv%204.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The penultimate act of the night were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theoverjoyed" target="_blank">The Overjoyed</a> who had travelled all the way from Athens to tour the UK. You may know this story but the first time Emma and I really got introduced to the New Cross Inn punk scene was when The Overjoyed headlined a show back in 2017. Since then, the venue and people there have become big parts in our lives and I always link The Overjoyed to that moment. Since that gig, The Overjoyed have released the excellent Aced Out album which has been on regular rotation at CPRW towers ever since. It was amazing to finally hear so many of those songs live. The passion and energy which the band played with was mesmerising and they managed to take the mood of the crowd, which was already pretty high, to a whole other level. I said in my review of the Tree House Fire gig from the couple of nights before how THF always feel like a NXI band despite being from far away (Wales). The same can definitely be said about The Overjoyed. This felt like a homecoming for the band as a lot of people were so excited to see them back. Tone from The Burnt Tapes was down at the front of the crowd and I’d never seen him so excited. He was running around like a child who’d just had a whole load of sugar and that enthusiasm was infectious. The Overjoyed played an incredible set that I think the whole room were sad to see finish. Hopefully they’ll be back soon. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaB_piyy4fzV3lmeADuhLL75Ms9g5ZothD98ZeWAQ3hyV9Jt48m6DeuHGbxYkLXiEsfbFYdQF153xqaLViWu9Qil7SoWSX4gb31mxSdcuGXu2x-Ir4-TcdNSur7GIDtQN1GJuzjrDFrpB8N8nJR_3bLX00ogLYFxn8tInWrqoTmxNgbeU6qJ9cFBt3A/s3639/Skiv%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2729" data-original-width="3639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaB_piyy4fzV3lmeADuhLL75Ms9g5ZothD98ZeWAQ3hyV9Jt48m6DeuHGbxYkLXiEsfbFYdQF153xqaLViWu9Qil7SoWSX4gb31mxSdcuGXu2x-Ir4-TcdNSur7GIDtQN1GJuzjrDFrpB8N8nJR_3bLX00ogLYFxn8tInWrqoTmxNgbeU6qJ9cFBt3A/s1414/Skiv%205.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Finally, it was time for SKIV to officially launch their debut album, No Context Bangers, into the world. I’ve seen SKIV a lot of times over the last few years and have always said what a talented group of musicians the band are, but on the album, and with this performance, they’ve really taken things to a whole new level. Since Conor moved to guitar and Leo Harvey (formerly of Just Say Nay) took over bass duties something has seriously clicked and I can see this version of SKIV doing some exciting things. There was so much love and enthusiasm in the room for the band and it didn’t take long for a succession of stage dives and crowd surfs to begin when they started the set. The set, which I guess is what the band had hoped for, was one big party full of fantastic vibes. I was lucky enough to get the album a few weeks early so was reasonably familiar with the new songs – hearing them live gave them a whole new dimension. Something that really impressed me with the album (reviewing coming soon-ish) was the variation in sound, this really helps in the band’s live show. The different styles prevent any staleness in the set and keeps you on your toes. Jordan’s voice (which is one of my favourites in the scene) was on top form and the fact that Conor is taking lead vocals on more songs pleases me greatly. If you don’t know Conor’s other band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cerealboxheroesband" target="_blank">Cereal Box Heroes</a>, then I seriously suggest you check them out. This was the best set I’ve ever seen SKIV play and, like I said, they seem to have taken things to a whole new level. There was a new maturity about them, they were slicker, they sounded amazing and it capped off a great day. If you’ve not checked out No Context Bangers yet then make sure you head to the <a href="https://iniitrecords.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">INiiT Records</a> Bandcamp page now. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOnV4jD_I29D3t0LwWyPjgrGKWfRdzzgV0OzpCOiET1EDjjm1AJaUEqyVRWJ0JewMKa6YT7liz10Fk2hNmlRdd_mx5C4Cq2UWgWJO3eKufyFuu_Cu4_7HZoUxuKHbbmCb9zuJcGoih9wGo-I9ICbS1G7x6TNAmiZ6NJ0n60odCvxHqDwMZiYpqXv5iQ/s3448/Skiv%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="3448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOnV4jD_I29D3t0LwWyPjgrGKWfRdzzgV0OzpCOiET1EDjjm1AJaUEqyVRWJ0JewMKa6YT7liz10Fk2hNmlRdd_mx5C4Cq2UWgWJO3eKufyFuu_Cu4_7HZoUxuKHbbmCb9zuJcGoih9wGo-I9ICbS1G7x6TNAmiZ6NJ0n60odCvxHqDwMZiYpqXv5iQ/s1414/Skiv%206.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-8004655350715570652022-05-30T12:23:00.001+01:002022-05-30T12:23:40.541+01:00Gig Review: Tree House Fire at New Cross Inn, 13/5/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
You know that when Be Sharp Promotions put on a ska and reggae show at the New Cross Inn that it’s going to be an evening full of great music, great times and great peoples. On Friday the 13th of May Tree House Fire were back in South London to play their Rocket album in full to celebrate its ten year anniversary. Along the with Tree House Fire, we had a stacked line-up to enjoy thanks to Zen Baseballbat, Till I’m Bones and Lo(u)ser. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EZTz54ov-niqLU5Db-emvIaIkwtWISfoDgp-eoqnSfJIxFLonyf8wZZrYsvH7IO7pTCej3N-a4sc7gTvwdgKqAcggBeV4h2MyouzTXQoGHQepsahYRp0p2qOwbFOsSN_pakYbip_RSnZvZIyQUaZJ_edgNAdWE0RVuoVmbri5XLIxOL_nHXjqvp08A/s1414/THF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EZTz54ov-niqLU5Db-emvIaIkwtWISfoDgp-eoqnSfJIxFLonyf8wZZrYsvH7IO7pTCej3N-a4sc7gTvwdgKqAcggBeV4h2MyouzTXQoGHQepsahYRp0p2qOwbFOsSN_pakYbip_RSnZvZIyQUaZJ_edgNAdWE0RVuoVmbri5XLIxOL_nHXjqvp08A/s1414/THF.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>We arrived at NXI quite early and used the time to catch up with our friends. It was nice to see a lot of people had arrived early to catch LA native <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChrisGraueTheLouser" target="_blank">Lo(u)ser</a> open the show. Armed with just his electric guitar and a Nintendo-themed video projected behind him, I got the impression that not many people in the room knew what to expect from this performance. What we got was a fun, upbeat ska pop half an hour. This was one of the freshest and most creative sets I’ve seen at NXI in quite some time. Lo(u)ser (real named Chris Graue) quickly got the crowd on side and there was a lot of folk saying super positive things about the set when it was completed. There was a moment midway through the set where Chris left the stage and with an advert playing on the projector screen, before returning wearing just a pair of TMNT shorts and socks. I’m not sure why but he joked that he’s just a man with a guitar and that he needed to do something else as he’s just a man with a guitar. This was a very special treat to open the show and I’m glad I got to witness it. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wSFDS7WvUnkDQLknrlH7FSuhw8EB4E00WkcAAPKs8QO63PBMEAtCYAUut_4pUYrSzG16rwJxq0Q9bdsXPRbr3iv-47wKPnkLuphqYBMbfSom0TE-bG3xNYy9X75VDGj2bsiHYqJ8ZSI9b8h5BvdS8oOTA6EA--1PoCVL0ZcY2r5BSnHCGf_nLfcIvw/s3830/THF%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wSFDS7WvUnkDQLknrlH7FSuhw8EB4E00WkcAAPKs8QO63PBMEAtCYAUut_4pUYrSzG16rwJxq0Q9bdsXPRbr3iv-47wKPnkLuphqYBMbfSom0TE-bG3xNYy9X75VDGj2bsiHYqJ8ZSI9b8h5BvdS8oOTA6EA--1PoCVL0ZcY2r5BSnHCGf_nLfcIvw/s1414/THF%201.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Next up was the debut performance from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tillimbones" target="_blank">Till I’m Bones</a>. The band formed earlier this year and features Jak Coleman and Charlotte Corry, formerly of NXI favourites Just Say Nay. It would be super easy and extremely lazy to just say that Till I’m Bones are a continuation of Jak and Charlotte’s former band, which I understand to an extent as Jak has such a recognisable vocal and distinctive songwriting style there will be comparisons, but after getting to see them live it’s clear that this new project is a whole new beast – and I loved it. There’s a whole new intensity to the sound which I would assume is partly the influence of the bands other members, Beth (bass), Gary (guitar) and Aaron (drums). As mentioned, this was their first ever show as Till I’m Bones and my goodness they’ve set the standard very high for their future performances. What an absolute pleasure to witness what will be a big player in the UK ska punk scene in the very near future take their first steps into the world. Till I’m Bones have a handful of gigs all over the UK lined up already and I seriously suggest you get to one near you – what a band!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSDLe5Ik2wfNvm-dQB40DOvK6s0LvLDQlZL91pgG4F6_WirZnJranb3D6wXnTezaltNW7AY1FKN2PvgfWeFOGi2X5GD6tVb2KNktlilY64SqCtHIVK9H_ddivHWWRlRndpptV4GnkE35bALWtwuN76gliIzdAuima325T8iL2Bfw_aPc5H-YdbrhM-Q/s4032/THF%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSDLe5Ik2wfNvm-dQB40DOvK6s0LvLDQlZL91pgG4F6_WirZnJranb3D6wXnTezaltNW7AY1FKN2PvgfWeFOGi2X5GD6tVb2KNktlilY64SqCtHIVK9H_ddivHWWRlRndpptV4GnkE35bALWtwuN76gliIzdAuima325T8iL2Bfw_aPc5H-YdbrhM-Q/s1414/THF%202.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The penultimate support act of the evening were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ZenBaseballbat" target="_blank">Zen Baseballbat</a>. Despite being around forever now, this was astonishingly the band’s first ever time at New Cross Inn. Coming down from Manchester, it was nice to see a sizable crowd gathered to check them out, I would imagine it was the first time for a lot of people in attendance. For the next half hour or so we got to witness some great ska/new wave from an extremely watchable band. I’ve long said that ska bands have some of the best musicians in the DIY scene, this allows the band to play their songs perfectly whilst also having a dance around the stage. There was a real charm to the set which added to my enjoyment. Playing a set full of tracks from the newest album, Better Ways To Love & Offend, Zen Baseballbat showed there’s plenty of life in the long running band and look set to earn a whole new generation of fans. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPOa6a5sEjk2h6d1D-9RlNrDV_K1PuvuTbqoVvwEsSem2p91MfQ-s-49fBgAPBR7sr59zjtszxe0sZ-PTnhxRqAizJJg334ImZ-xqADaQLuHE9AWCVH6dlD5QFpu091D5uxi3HyMXhjPcNIHN1Pc0PoOHnSt6k7YoVPMWzkQtiTUcZ8fDou0ok2iHOw/s4032/THF%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPOa6a5sEjk2h6d1D-9RlNrDV_K1PuvuTbqoVvwEsSem2p91MfQ-s-49fBgAPBR7sr59zjtszxe0sZ-PTnhxRqAizJJg334ImZ-xqADaQLuHE9AWCVH6dlD5QFpu091D5uxi3HyMXhjPcNIHN1Pc0PoOHnSt6k7YoVPMWzkQtiTUcZ8fDou0ok2iHOw/s1414/THF%203.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Now it was time for the evening’s final act, Tree House Fire. Despite being all the way from Wales, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/treehousefire" target="_blank">Tree House Fire</a> feel like a NXI band. They are absolutely loved in South London and return again and again. When it was announced that the five-piece would be playing their debut album Rocket in full, there was much excitement among the regulars at the venue who have been going to see them for years. The band first came to my attention long after Rocket was released so I didn’t have the same excitement that a lot of people had but was still looking forward to seeing one of the best live acts in the UK ska scene. As soon as they began playing the whole room began to sway, I looked at so many friends with big smiles on their faces as they sang and danced along with the band and I loved seeing it. Something that always impresses me whenever I see Tree House Fire is just how tight they are musically, they are some seriously talented musicians. Lead singer Sam oozes charisma on stage and commands the room throughout the set, they seriously have the crowd in the palm of their hand. With each song they play they get an even bigger reaction and it’s just an absolute pleasure to be in the room. This was another great set from Tree House Fire and I’m sure it won’t be long until the next one. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSCcHNHl1yE5NmpJF5_unNZKaTpeZBqlNpoX8yY_54Bo9LjcV8szc1l3QZ50X3EXIBwOyQA8XrsCrQWjmpCGFd6DOK9d9kYAyaQuM1OTLVxL6my_hraey7bqgtpWhyGh0nAw7b2Wdq0_v_NBIwIE_SENR9Mg-1t98XwwvT9deUnKLc1nqDSw4za85Jg/s4032/THF%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSCcHNHl1yE5NmpJF5_unNZKaTpeZBqlNpoX8yY_54Bo9LjcV8szc1l3QZ50X3EXIBwOyQA8XrsCrQWjmpCGFd6DOK9d9kYAyaQuM1OTLVxL6my_hraey7bqgtpWhyGh0nAw7b2Wdq0_v_NBIwIE_SENR9Mg-1t98XwwvT9deUnKLc1nqDSw4za85Jg/s1414/THF%204.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-74380955847121299832022-05-26T12:17:00.000+01:002022-05-26T12:17:02.246+01:00Album Review: Lose Your Delusion by A Wilhelm Scream (by Omar Ramlugon)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKtPVSdqKZc/XhH-IPb2hZI/AAAAAAAAVlA/zCEG_G75anUsed-IIaAfhas4zGTrHjhbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_albumreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />There’s always been something very special about A Wilhelm Scream’s records. The sheer amount of explosive riffing, shred-tastic solos and sharp, pointedly emotional but often surprisingly funny lyrics they manage to pack into each album is something quite inspiring. Arguably, this reached its high point on 2013’s <i>Partycrasher</i>, which incorporated even more technical metal soloing and musicianship, as well as some of their most nakedly confessional lyrics. But it’s been a long nine years since then, during which time they lost lead guitar player Mike Supina and found his replacement in the form of Senses Fail’s Jason Milbank.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrDcX1_pxfkAetPBTIPVursUInPwv_ocIbzaDi-IGhL54iH8IT04wJZ1M_qKhxEp3Z8sasma-djABKNFKU8sYWp2fDb6Kpn8hAauzQiMzwJ2RGCOQ4ETVguQ7Jg9jW5vfGyAt6SYxESt9rmPxgCoXrSXrEY48zZzj6wajuJB5njTukFpNVUByv8Adxw/s1200/WilhelmScream.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrDcX1_pxfkAetPBTIPVursUInPwv_ocIbzaDi-IGhL54iH8IT04wJZ1M_qKhxEp3Z8sasma-djABKNFKU8sYWp2fDb6Kpn8hAauzQiMzwJ2RGCOQ4ETVguQ7Jg9jW5vfGyAt6SYxESt9rmPxgCoXrSXrEY48zZzj6wajuJB5njTukFpNVUByv8Adxw/s320/WilhelmScream.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>With the band members now past forty, it could be understandable if <i>Lose Your Delusion</i> was a more sombre, reflective, slower record, especially given just how long it's taken to come together. But I’m happy to say that this isn’t what’s happened at all. The New Bedford quintet have come back out of the gate swinging with just as much fury and melody as ever before, finding a satisfying middle ground between <i>Ruiner</i>’s slightly poppier approach and <i>Partycrasher</i>’s near-metal bombast, with ‘The Enigma’ and ‘GIMMETHESHAKES’ exemplifying this splitting of the difference between those two periods of the band’s lifespan, with a ripping bass guitar solo on the latter. Lyrically, there seems to be a slightly more socio-political bite, with lines like ‘[...] And at the risk of getting sued: "Hey, ain't that America!"/ You can get shot or lick the boot. You choose’ catching you by surprise, or ‘Apocalypse Porn’s pretty unabashed screed against the United States’ continual failing of its people.<br /><br />Elsewhere, ‘Yo Canada’ reminds of Strung Out’s skate punk melodic charge, while ‘Figure Eights In My Head’ is almost into ballad territory, a paean to old beloved friends. It seems like guitarist and vocalist Trevor Reilly has been given even more time to shine than before across <i>Lose Your Delusion</i>, his sweeter, more nasal delivery a fine counterpart to lead singer Nuno Pereira’s gut-level roar, while new string-slinger Milbank fits nicely into the group, taking a more understated approach compared to Supina’s fret pyrotechnics but still capable of some dazzlingly fast runs that will make your heart race.<br /><br />‘Be One To No One’ is the album’s beating heart, a frank and candid commentary on wrestling with depression and stress set to furiously energetic melodic punk, but it also touches on the life affirming quality of your loved ones helping you through those difficult times, with lines like ‘But I don't feel like a waste / I'm no longer a drain [...] You couldn't matter more to me / And that ain't no lie’ as bracing as they are uplifting.<br /><br /><i>Lose Your Delusion</i> is a welcome return from one the most talented and most sincere bands in punk rock. While not everything works as well as <i>Partycrasher</i>, the fact that the band are still willing to upend their apple cart this far into their career speaks volumes as to their artistry, as demonstrated by ‘Downtown Start II’ where Pereira drops his hardcore snarl for the verses, revealing a rich and smooth baritone singing voice almost reminiscent of Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, and in the process adding yet another layer to one of the best songs on the album.<div><br /></div><div>It’s a really good album, and if you’re already a Wilhelm fan then you will have undoubtedly already bought/streamed this by now. But for anyone with a nose for fast, melodic punk with finger-burning guitar solos and lyrics that range from snarky and biting to nakedly confessional, this is for you.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Stream and download Lose Your Delusion on <a href="https://awilhelmscream.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like A Wilhelm Scream on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/awilhelmscream" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/omar.html" target="_blank">Omar Ramlugon</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-28193663266728121152022-05-25T11:52:00.000+01:002022-05-25T11:52:31.781+01:00Gig Review: Days N Daze at New Cross Inn, London 10/5/22 (by Emma Prew)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br /><div><div>‘Folk’ punk is to me what ‘ska’ punk is to Colin – which, if you’ve read this blog before, you’ll know is a big deal. It was my entry into the expansive genre of punk rock as a whole and I still love the folkier side of punk music now. That being said, I’d never seen Houston, Texas, folk punk legends Days N Daze before and so, especially given how much I loved their 2020 album, Show Me The Blueprints, I was very excited when the opportunity arose to see them live – and at our favourite venue, as well!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a bit touch and go about whether we were actually going to be able to go to either of the two Days N Daze shows at the New Cross Inn, after the first night sold out before we got around to purchasing tickets and the second night followed suit soon after. Thankfully, due to Colin being more organised than me, we managed to get a couple of tickets for the original date via the Dice waiting list within a week or so of the event. A Tuesday night gig is not usually my favourite but I was excited for this one and, boy, it did not disappoint!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzrCfdznI77tgAPWAwOHtYfs1wttiyjnZ1eBrNF5DOcPs5eMclR0h_H7Rhk--XFeRh0w5vTn7_gjfeHk8U1c5ykY2_GdTew1EibCO5LSepZCwD37jzMuC3lbCZ5oEgiTMXBErG4MoKaeNirG5HP8FRkdQNl38TAd-d-yBa4rhwOe7H7ojZCPuDy2Aog/s1080/DnD.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzrCfdznI77tgAPWAwOHtYfs1wttiyjnZ1eBrNF5DOcPs5eMclR0h_H7Rhk--XFeRh0w5vTn7_gjfeHk8U1c5ykY2_GdTew1EibCO5LSepZCwD37jzMuC3lbCZ5oEgiTMXBErG4MoKaeNirG5HP8FRkdQNl38TAd-d-yBa4rhwOe7H7ojZCPuDy2Aog/s1080/DnD.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Opening the show and fresh off of the previous couple of Days N Daze gigs were Bristol’s favourite scrappy acoustic ska-folk punk band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BoomBoomRacoon" target="_blank">Boom Boom Racoon</a>. I’ve always really enjoyed seeing this trio live as their songs are a lot of fun and they always connect with the crowd so well – everyone feels part of the Boom Boom Racoon family. However, I must say that since the pandemic they really seem to have upped their game. We had a the pleasure of seeing them perform at Fishstock earlier this year and thought it was the best we’ve ever seen them. Well, at NXI on a Tuesday they managed to excel again. Classic tunes such as NHS (National Health Simpsons) and their cover of Boom Boom Boom go down a treat as always but it’s their newer songs like Fuck You Ashley that really shine. It was nice to see so many folks down early for the opening band and the Racoons certainly did a great job of getting everyone smiling and bopping away.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oS7NM0Xr_yx1QaOAwnJAOUW0Np6qEI0Hfd-ulD16ndR_ckzme5-rq2t0X75IlzcJS6yLHBn1HPmYh1YMYBFJE7UQZnW5WJPz4yNX_gFoSZoJpgj_X-jtLbngTsR6ARp4wUNMn9Ir1-z0jbB5xeqfzav_PgBMucgi2QeE_pGhmNalfZ4-bwRobT9KNA/s3226/DND%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oS7NM0Xr_yx1QaOAwnJAOUW0Np6qEI0Hfd-ulD16ndR_ckzme5-rq2t0X75IlzcJS6yLHBn1HPmYh1YMYBFJE7UQZnW5WJPz4yNX_gFoSZoJpgj_X-jtLbngTsR6ARp4wUNMn9Ir1-z0jbB5xeqfzav_PgBMucgi2QeE_pGhmNalfZ4-bwRobT9KNA/s1080/DND%201.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Next up was a band that I didn’t know much about but Colin had recently caught at MPF – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theinfested2004" target="_blank">The Infested</a>. I know they had some guitar-based technical difficulties at the festival so he was looking forward to hearing how they’re supposed to sound. As it turns out, they sound very good! I don’t know why but I definitely thought that The Infested were more of a ska band – a ska band without horns, but still a ska band. There were hints of ska in there but it turned out they actually played more of a straight-up raw and heavier punk rock style. Obviously I don’t dislike ska, but it was a pleasant surprise to have imagined one thing and end up with something a little different. Not being familiar with the band, I can’t tell you what songs they played but it was all great. The Infested are sadly calling it a day soon (their last show was supposed to be a few days after this one but sadly the dreaded covid hit), which is a shame as they put on a great performance and I’d certainly go see them again.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGfRcrNeJ8AtkKFq79P69OF_a7DuW9xURKTGIbdTClGbD6VoZlhCg7pM4Yu4lZPhmGQeFDhyzo8-AA101wfENdwPSKsknd75cthaFcksJqt4j8oZSk9-2qbL1i4wgkbcowSA3nfvW0b4CJ1AT_zh5eUJ4jXWZNSDzcuupwaubtX1_ggQIE7_Y5Sui-w/s3629/DND%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="3629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGfRcrNeJ8AtkKFq79P69OF_a7DuW9xURKTGIbdTClGbD6VoZlhCg7pM4Yu4lZPhmGQeFDhyzo8-AA101wfENdwPSKsknd75cthaFcksJqt4j8oZSk9-2qbL1i4wgkbcowSA3nfvW0b4CJ1AT_zh5eUJ4jXWZNSDzcuupwaubtX1_ggQIE7_Y5Sui-w/s1080/DND%202.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And just like that it was time for the main event. Spirits – both the alcoholic and mood kind – were high and I for one was eagerly waiting for the band to finish sound-checking and commence with the show proper. As soon as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/daysndaze" target="_blank">Days N Daze</a> burst into their set (with Fuck It!, I think… maybe), you could see just how happy they were to be there and that happiness carried into the crowd with people dancing, singing and, in the case of a select few, crowdsurfing almost immediately. Whitney wasted no time in voicing those feelings, stating how long they’d been waiting to be able to tour again and just how over the moon they were to finally be back in the UK, and London in particular, as well. It never goes unappreciated seeing how stoked a band are to be playing shows, particularly one from over seas – it definitely makes for a friendly and more down-to-earth, community vibe. Some might describe Days N Daze as scrappy or raw-sounding but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a hugely talented bunch of musicians and songwriters. I actually felt a bit ashamed that I hadn’t really brushed up on my lyrical knowledge before the show as everyone around me was singing their hearts out to every single word and I only managed the choruses of most. It did not hamper my enjoyment however – honestly, it was just super lovely to see everyone else connecting with the band so much. Whether it was older tracks such as Post Party Depression, Misanthropic Drunken Loser – complete with fun covers of Creep and Linoleum sandwiched into the middle – or songs from Show Me The Blueprints – Saboteurs being a particular highlight for me, it all went down a storm. The absolute highlight however had to be the final song, Self-Destructive Anthem. Now, if you’ve seen Days N Daze live before – or have watched them on YouTube – then you would have known what was going to happen with this last song but, alas, I did not know. For those unaware, the song has a bridge – ‘Why do I do this? Why?! Why do I do this to myself?’ – that is repeated many times throughout and when played live, various friends of the band and/or audience members make their way to the stage, or just in front of it, to sing that line with the band. DIY punk rock shows always have such a wonderful community feel and I can’t think of a more perfect way to represent this than with how Days N Daze ended their set. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZpZVw3Jv3LbPTBANrtMUO7OsTB3RQlCMUmwYaesdKOotl3fyxnv-fuXpcVfwMhjA3miE5F_EGJWfKw4QL_-nH476Su_KwBoo0bj7k51T9NIExcYgtSJ8g9Svvg7IgrKPpnoTnIT75UjTC8p0jjA_zDRvd5aecgUYwiaHGRKtMJKlOyx5V_LVzKXtvw/s3830/DND%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="3830" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZpZVw3Jv3LbPTBANrtMUO7OsTB3RQlCMUmwYaesdKOotl3fyxnv-fuXpcVfwMhjA3miE5F_EGJWfKw4QL_-nH476Su_KwBoo0bj7k51T9NIExcYgtSJ8g9Svvg7IgrKPpnoTnIT75UjTC8p0jjA_zDRvd5aecgUYwiaHGRKtMJKlOyx5V_LVzKXtvw/s1080/DND%203.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We left the New Cross Inn with big smiles on our faces and I didn’t even care about the late night / work early in the morning combo – this is one of those special gigs that was without a doubt worth it. Wholesome is probably not what comes to mind when you picture a ‘crust’ punk band but that is the vibe I got from my first DND show – and I loved it.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>ps. Paul, please get them back soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>. Photos also by Emma.</div>Emma Prewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11693247118724159904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-80545095996721456322022-05-23T12:29:00.001+01:002023-06-11T18:54:56.497+01:00Album Review: feels by Trophy Jump<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKtPVSdqKZc/XhH-IPb2hZI/AAAAAAAAVlA/zCEG_G75anUsed-IIaAfhas4zGTrHjhbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_albumreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div>
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Trophy Jump are a band we’ve been keeping a keen eye on since discovering their album Depression Club in 2018. Since then, we’ve really enjoyed the band’s progression with each subsequent release. In February the band released their second album, feels, on JeboTon (Croatia), Horn & Hoof Records (UK), We’re Trying Records (US) and Nasty Cut Records (EU). I listened to it immediately but then life got in the way and that’s delayed my review/love letter to the band until now! Let’s get on with it. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9lcoWT0uFtwHIks6HayhcxEZbd76A4AEvhRSj6mmIJYmdsC-uh-Goxw0twt_xhHf9ssaJ8ZH7DWdpBOtvRkmgsrc2AWSOcdBgz3TU6btt0qCKe4-ZhzCCGWckujpUWHiN1X53zMxqNIgpuFPqCqYJE5tqW_h2qBAdMLHIqDJNNjdeU5y5oHRH-KUDw/s1200/Trophy%20Jump.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9lcoWT0uFtwHIks6HayhcxEZbd76A4AEvhRSj6mmIJYmdsC-uh-Goxw0twt_xhHf9ssaJ8ZH7DWdpBOtvRkmgsrc2AWSOcdBgz3TU6btt0qCKe4-ZhzCCGWckujpUWHiN1X53zMxqNIgpuFPqCqYJE5tqW_h2qBAdMLHIqDJNNjdeU5y5oHRH-KUDw/s320/Trophy%20Jump.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Feels begins with It’s Not A Race!!! This track serves as an introduction for the album. Beginning with some phone feedback before we get some electronic music along with Antun Aleksa’s recognisable vocals. During the forty-eight seconds, Antun sings about taking your time with whatever you’re doing in life. This then leads into the first proper song on feels – Business Trip. Starting with some building guitars and a simple drum beat, Antun’s vocals soar during this opening section. The song is about quitting your job that you hate and going out and experiencing life. Something I’m sure that most of us wish we had the courage to do. Maybe this song will give you the encouragement to do so. When I first listened to the third song, Neon Light, there was a very familiar voice coming through my speakers. The track features the brilliant Phil of our friends Burnt Tapes on guest vocals. Starting out in a sombre fashion, the song has an element of Alkaline Trio to it in sound as well as the way they tell a story. It’s one of those times where you can get a sense of what the music video would look like just from the lyrics. The track is about the come down you often get after a good night out and that horrible feeling of depression that can come from that. Phil’s vocals add some real emotion to the song. I hope that when they play Bristol Booze together in May Phil joins the band on stage to provide vocals. <br /><br />Leather Couch is a song that Trophy Jump originally released as a single back in 2019. I’m very glad that they decided to put it on the album as, at the time, I stated that I think it’s the best song they had written to date. I’ve listened to the song so much, whenever that opening guitar riff comes in I get excited. It’s a familiar feeling when I hear the opening of Gainesville Rock City by Less Than Jake. I get pumped. I’m a big fan of gang vocals and harmonies and Leather Couch is chock full of them. This works especially well as the song is about friendship, those beautiful times of doing nothing and having the best time in the process. This feels like a show closer. Next is I Don’t Wanna Live In A Fitness Ad. After a short audio clip featuring a phone call between two chaps talking about going for a run, the song kicks in. There’s a paunchiness to things that changes things up a bit. The song is a fun one about not wanting to exercise and enjoying the things that are bad for you. Probably not something I would recommend but, also, life is too short so sometimes you have to go nuts. The highlight for me is the chorus and the gang vocals which I imagine getting a great reaction. The sixth song is titled Brkn Values. Trophy Jump really bring the pace down here with an introduction that will get your head banging. This is Trophy Jump at perhaps their moodiest and I feel like they have perhaps taken inspiration from UK legends Apologies, I Have None with the atmospheric sound they have going on. Brkn Values takes digs at musicians who sell out, lose the passion for their music and keep recycling the same old stuff to cash in on their fans. I’m sure everyone reading this will have experienced frustration at how the mainstream ignores a band we love and feel like should be huge for a safe and risk-free choice who sold their souls many moons ago. <br /><br />Interdimensional Cable 420 acts as a short interlude that leads into the eighth song FOMO. FOMO brings the mood back up with a fast and upbeat song about not knowing how to be by yourself and always wanting to be out doing things with friends. Fear Of Missing Out is a real thing that people can experience and I’m glad to see Trophy Jump write a song about it. Once again there are plenty of moments to sing-along with the band, this gives the track a cathartic feeling, especially to anyone who does suffer with FOMO. Hugs And Drugs was the first single released in the build up to the album’s release and it was the very best choice. I think this is the best Trophy Jump song to date. The chorus is absolutely huge here as the band belt out “well I guess that it kinda sucks, that the only love we ever had, was hugs on drugs.” The track is about using drugs, or I guess alcohol, as a way to get over your shyness and how friendships can feel empty because of this. This is not something I can really relate to as I’ve always been sober but I’m sure I know plenty of people who will. I look forward to the day I can be surrounded by friends, arms locked and shouting this back at the band. It seems like that will be special. The penultimate track is Beer Pressure. Once again, this is a hard one for me to relate to as I don’t drink but it’s about the pressure to continue consuming alcohol to keep up with your friends even if you’re not sure that you want to. I really enjoyed the switches in melody and how the band effortlessly switches between pop and skate punk throughout the track. Finally we have Sharing Is Scary. This is an epic acoustic track to close things off. I enjoyed the stripped back approach to the song, it makes it feel more intimate and there is an element of campfire punk rock about it, particularly in the final moments. The track is about exactly what the title suggests, sharing your feelings with anyone and the fear that that brings. Something every human struggles with at some point but it’s important and healthy to talk about your feelings and I’d encourage everyone to take the brave steps to do it. <br /><br />Trophy Jump always take things to another level with every release and they’ve continued to do that on feels. If you’re a fan of melodic pop punk with raspy and gruff vocals and great lyricism then definitely do not sleep on Trophy Jump! They will be in the UK in the middle of June. Get out to a show and support them. <div><br /></div><div>Stream and download feels on <a href="https://trophyjump.bandcamp.com/album/feels" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>. Like Trophy Jump on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/trophyjump" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-49077473250028355282022-05-19T12:16:00.001+01:002022-05-19T12:16:51.625+01:00Gig Review: Drones Final Gig at The Lexington, London 7/5/22<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YY3gzvCYWrU/XhIDznOxsLI/AAAAAAAAVmQ/tk0rC0ab6AkocpUvXDrCRzIV0ZK2HbGQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_gigreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><div><br /></div>
So, Drones have split up after twelve years. During their time together they became one of the most well loved and respected DIY bands in the UK punk scene. Despite some line-up changes throughout the years, the band only ever seemed to go from strength to strength and got to bow out at the absolute top of their game. The band announced that they were splitting up at the beginning of the year and that their final two shows would be at Manchester Punk Festival and one final headliner at The Lexington in North London. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend their Lexington show which featured support from label pals Burnt Tapes and newcomers Cult Revival. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEF-XOb9H_mem6_8aSYcxbowGAzlQbNtijVeV8b7AFDeh43t1OZq0MSFl2pGQJVCRDcACuGCDbZ_w64cedKxGg0LdkXjWDBAgnyjrDtcRFuqO2dhzbK5ipRpQeXYk46j6ME_GUndrl_4fGs9vIjrKz5oeC6o-U66l9ExOWbLv85n8AuW5U5UA2BcDS0g/s843/Drones%20poster.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="843" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEF-XOb9H_mem6_8aSYcxbowGAzlQbNtijVeV8b7AFDeh43t1OZq0MSFl2pGQJVCRDcACuGCDbZ_w64cedKxGg0LdkXjWDBAgnyjrDtcRFuqO2dhzbK5ipRpQeXYk46j6ME_GUndrl_4fGs9vIjrKz5oeC6o-U66l9ExOWbLv85n8AuW5U5UA2BcDS0g/s843/Drones%20poster.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>First up were Kent’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cultrevivaluk" target="_blank">Cult Revival</a>. The five-piece only formed in 2021 and had, so far, only played one gig together. I thought it was really cool for Drones to pick such a new band for their last show. In a way, the crowd could replace some departing heroes with some new ones. Not knowing much about Cult Revival I was intrigued to see what their sound was. Unfortunately, it took a couple of songs to really get a feel for them as the sound was not as good as it could have been. The band played a fresh and interesting sounding emo style with elements of alternative rock thrown in that I’ve not heard a lot of recently. The use of two singers, one with cleaner vocals and one with a big scream, was a nice contrast and the band do seem to have come up with a sound that could see them do some exciting things. There was a nice moment during their set where they did a quick cover of Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) which they dedicated to their friends in Drones – which I thought was a lovely touch. Slam Dunk is on the horizon and Cult Revival have the kind of sound that I think will be very popular for fans of that festival in years to come.<div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5KvPebTYTHDt7DoJ0WvjeMTaH80teIaxKKg1IwhbOp9OlKmFNOQS1wNj-XMsb5oYkF9JLFRUl4iXAVk12vZP7YZ1MB685gvqzrhg1W7EIg3cj5UlkjRAvHgs8ojScVRVXnQS0u8DB5y-P0j21Aqk_C2XKafBgN5Cit28pCQSwQlv59xYQh8jPM_f0Q/s4032/Drones%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5KvPebTYTHDt7DoJ0WvjeMTaH80teIaxKKg1IwhbOp9OlKmFNOQS1wNj-XMsb5oYkF9JLFRUl4iXAVk12vZP7YZ1MB685gvqzrhg1W7EIg3cj5UlkjRAvHgs8ojScVRVXnQS0u8DB5y-P0j21Aqk_C2XKafBgN5Cit28pCQSwQlv59xYQh8jPM_f0Q/s1600/Drones%201.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /></div>Next up were Drones’ long time friends and Lockjaw Records label mates, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/burnt.tapes" target="_blank">Burnt Tapes</a>. You know we’re massive fans of the band at CPRW and any opportunity to see them is always a pleasure. A bit like Cult Revival before them, the sound for the first couple of songs was a bit off but it didn’t stop the crowd from engaging in a big sing-along. The band tore through so many favourites, barely stopping for a chat. Perhaps wanting to squeeze as many songs in as possible during their thirty minutes on stage. Songs such as Drift Champ ’16, Dirt Roads, Robert Cop and Greek Wood all got great reactions, alongside closers Things Get Weird and Yuzi. A new thing that the Tapes have incorporated into their live set since lockdown is bass player Tone getting into the crowd and encouraging them to squat down during the intro of Things Get Weird. It’s a fun bit of crowd participation that Tone in particular gets a real kick out of. As always, Burnt Tapes smashed their set and got me excited to see them again at Bristol Booze Cruise next month. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S2AXO-45VfMtlmcXxE1mImrDxX_q1Y9qw61O85eC-B1jAwbDrPwW-AnA19kisDkI-JvHt1jIL9nmX20eHMHU-nSVMwZ4DSnqhj8MFekh3UbaQ8S8qqx0Oc_FTwiAMtEo4Wvp4U5MTtYk3V9pc5xoilWRt8MwAdDOtgRURdt7JPDtusoxRo4VEC81Cg/s4032/Drones%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2S2AXO-45VfMtlmcXxE1mImrDxX_q1Y9qw61O85eC-B1jAwbDrPwW-AnA19kisDkI-JvHt1jIL9nmX20eHMHU-nSVMwZ4DSnqhj8MFekh3UbaQ8S8qqx0Oc_FTwiAMtEo4Wvp4U5MTtYk3V9pc5xoilWRt8MwAdDOtgRURdt7JPDtusoxRo4VEC81Cg/s1600/Drones%202.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Last up, it was time for the final ever <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dronesuk" target="_blank">Drones</a> set. During the changeover we popped outside for some air. Upon returning the room was packed with a lot of people very keen to give Drones a proper send off. The band took to the stage and the anticipation was high as the band started their set. I was extremely pleased that the sound issues that had troubled Burnt Tapes and Cult Revival at the beginning of their sets didn’t seem to be an issue for Drones. Of the few times I’ve seen Drones in the past I’ve always come away just mesmerised by just how good they are live. Lois is such an incredible front person, charisma oozes out of them and makes them extremely watchable. Their vocals sounds spot on and accompanied by bass player Kerr’s shouts is really when the band come into their own. The opening of the set sees the band getting the crowd more and more amped up and it’s not long before the mosh pit gets going and we get our first crowdsurfers of the evening. As I’ve seen Lois do at most Drones shows I’ve been to, it’s not long before they enter the crowd to sing. The crowd seemed to part for them to make a corridor for them to stalk down whilst belting out Rorschach. I always enjoy seeing a band get down in the crowd, not only does it create a stunning visual but it shows there is a togetherness between the band and their fans that’s just wholesome. I stood towards the side of the crowd and had a great view of both the stage and the crowd and it was amazing to see both parties feed off each other to create a truly special moment. The set sadly flew by and it seemed to get to its conclusion far sooner than anyone (including the band, I suspect) would have liked. They saved a couple of surprises for the end though. The first being the current members of the band being joined by some old members for a song, during which Lois took the opportunity to crowd surf, and then as a final song all Drones members past and present performed together, in what I jokingly referred to as a McBusted moment. It was a pretty special moment to witness. It felt like a great way for the band to go out. This was not quite the end though, as the crowd demanded that Drones returned to the stage for a well deserved encore. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9xsxeWnmAAX3WQ1rFiSgvLUr94il4QdNo4x-21m7nsjOoe8r4S1L0strb27-FPCrqUJwawHdYA_YBshXze3xfYyBnnep9Ztjt-r9estFbAZpERIOap0ROctfI21UiJohHeYab5K1TNi7r2jCF2SIV9o48xD6ekUQsOWnP-2xSfqiNmR-R3o8u3Qleg/s3629/Drones%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2722" data-original-width="3629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9xsxeWnmAAX3WQ1rFiSgvLUr94il4QdNo4x-21m7nsjOoe8r4S1L0strb27-FPCrqUJwawHdYA_YBshXze3xfYyBnnep9Ztjt-r9estFbAZpERIOap0ROctfI21UiJohHeYab5K1TNi7r2jCF2SIV9o48xD6ekUQsOWnP-2xSfqiNmR-R3o8u3Qleg/s1600/Drones%203.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This was such a special way for Drones to go out. The room was full of friends of the band from all over the country for one last party with them. The whole evening was full of positive feelings and love and I felt particularly blessed to have been able to witness it. I’ve no clue what the members of Drones have planned but I suspect that we will see them pop up with other musical projects in the future – there’s too much talent in the band for them not do something else. <br /><br />RIP Drones. Thanks for the music. Thanks for the memories. <div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="https://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.com/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>. Photos by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/emma.html" target="_blank">Emma Prew</a>.</div></div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-90679310367329028222022-05-16T12:08:00.000+01:002022-05-16T12:08:18.473+01:00Album Review: Sham Laws by Slow Science<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zKtPVSdqKZc/XhH-IPb2hZI/AAAAAAAAVlA/zCEG_G75anUsed-IIaAfhas4zGTrHjhbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020banners_albumreviews.jpg" width="450" /></div><br />
When Slow Science were announced for Manchester Punk Festival it came as quite the surprise. The four-piece split up in 2014 and I hadn’t ever heard of any rumblings of a reunion. I was pleased to see them returning, as I only ever got into them after catching them at their final show at Urban Bar in Whitechapel. To go along with their MPF appearance they had another surprise. A brand spanking new two track EP titled Sham Laws! This pleased me greatly and I couldn’t wait to check it out.<br /><br /> I’ve realised as I’ve written this that there might be a few folk who are unaware of Slow Science’s sound. I think the best way of describing them is as anthemic, melodic pop punk with dual vocals and beautiful harmonies. There’s also a healthy dose of gang vocals. All the good stuff.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e7vLMVS-i0oRPtF4Ev8XOjiMtDAW8OrhqrA7-IF_vJKF-FFxOZNU9U__yOhxfiJehHoWI_Ur7As-NFCo3F0VJZFBMthf6bdgxoT4a3NFkAhZ-Ut7mxBqnzWGfJc9FXRCQo1nWzueDAOgk2DPYKn5EwgEXj37Xnjfenjjkz4gB1UR16TA66FWtWn7uA/s1200/Slow%20Science.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0e7vLMVS-i0oRPtF4Ev8XOjiMtDAW8OrhqrA7-IF_vJKF-FFxOZNU9U__yOhxfiJehHoWI_Ur7As-NFCo3F0VJZFBMthf6bdgxoT4a3NFkAhZ-Ut7mxBqnzWGfJc9FXRCQo1nWzueDAOgk2DPYKn5EwgEXj37Xnjfenjjkz4gB1UR16TA66FWtWn7uA/s320/Slow%20Science.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>The first track is named Cold Smoke. Now, whenever I usually see that a song is five and a half minutes long I groan. That’s a long length for a song, especially for someone with my attention span. I absolutely loved this song though. It’s a real lesson in making songs long but also keeping them interesting. There’s loads going on but it doesn’t feel congested. It’s also not super repetitive. Cold Smoke starts out in a punchy fashion with Jon taking the lead before the track switches to a more melodic style and Stacey takes over. I love this. The pair switch multiple times throughout the song and combine on the huge chorus. The gang vocals accompanied by some delicious harmonies during the final moments of the song are an absolute thing of beauty that needs to be heard to be believed. <br /><br />What We Are is the second track on Sham Laws. What a journey this song is! Once again there is a lot going on but once again it all works perfectly. It starts with a dreamy fuzzy guitar riff that all your emo heroes of the past would be jealous of before Jon’s vocals come in as well as some gang harmonies trading lines. A great way to start the song. The chorus has a familiarity to it that sends me back twenty years but doesn’t feel like something they’ve rehashed. What We Are also has plenty of moments where the band can show off their musicianship with some slick solos scattered throughout the song. The ending of the track also shows off a different side of Slow Science as they strip things back and have some huge gang vocals to get things finished, as the band yell “turn to what we are, not what you became” repetitively and the song fades out. <br /><br />This is one of those times where the level of musicianship and songwriting is so high, I really struggle to review and eloquently describe just how brilliant it is. Basically, don’t take my word for it, go check it out for yourself and you will be as awestruck as I am by it. New material suggests that Slow Science’s appearance at MPF wasn’t a one-time thing and I hope they find their way back down to London pronto. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stream and download Sham Laws on Bandcamp <a href="https://slowscience.bandcamp.com/album/sham-laws-ep" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like Slow Science on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/slowscience" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/colin.html" target="_blank">Colin Clark</a>.</div>ColinsPRWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18119659776241794675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5167643010291497897.post-17980967191501580242022-05-12T12:30:00.002+01:002022-05-12T12:30:33.391+01:00Album Review: Now by Rent Strike (by Rich Bailey)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've always enjoyed a bit of ‘folk punk’; especially Drag the River, Wingnut Dishwashers Union, The Taxpayers and Chuck Ragan’s stuff. I first came across Rent Strike when they released ‘IX’ in 2018 and vaguely followed their comings and goings ever since. ‘Now’ is a slight departure from earlier recordings in that it is more on the ‘folk’ side of things rather than ‘punk’; but that said, it doesn’t detract from some great storytelling and personal lyrics that are very emotive.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBF9D7zMDsd6uExoLfDwrEdF4GABx1PDbr_oaL1AFOXMjif5IzpvAlrMZADp9nMw_R-PZt9gqVaXQq-UofL77dQJbtSRtVPufbiqsJZOyD443SbJP1js4L0jOZx4MBNibfPl7EFVzgSQpZ--6En9_yvNzc80mvnbHExRW4zBwqdbU6-2Z6n2As1N7PQ/s1200/RentStrike.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBF9D7zMDsd6uExoLfDwrEdF4GABx1PDbr_oaL1AFOXMjif5IzpvAlrMZADp9nMw_R-PZt9gqVaXQq-UofL77dQJbtSRtVPufbiqsJZOyD443SbJP1js4L0jOZx4MBNibfPl7EFVzgSQpZ--6En9_yvNzc80mvnbHExRW4zBwqdbU6-2Z6n2As1N7PQ/s320/RentStrike.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Album opener Radio Silence starts initially with typical folk guitar and folk singing, then drums, bass and the rest burst in and give the whole song a fuller, padded out vibe: later we return to the guitar/vocals. This is a great opening track about how peripheral noise (radio, TV etc.) is meaningless. Taking My Time reminds me of early Magazine, especially John Warmb’s vocal delivery – albeit in a Michigan accent. There's great, intricate guitar over pounding rhythm section. A song about revisiting the past to take what’s rightfully yours rather than putting up with what hand you’ve been dealt; “Bathed in radiation, born under a sour sign, all that I’m left with is this meaningless existence, being made to work and wait around to die.”<div><br /></div><div>From The Outside is a highly emotional piece about the unfairness of existence which ends with a hopeful sense of trying to make things better; “… but I’m gonna be strong, and I’m gonna see.” Work! (Future Perfect) is a lament about having to work to live and how one person copes (beer and cigarettes) with this immutable fact – a lot of people’s favourite track on the album. There's some excellent use of slide guitar! The Solid Wall of Stuff has great lyrics about wasting life and not really knowing why; brilliantly delivered with female vocal echoes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next Time and Redline (Derive) are long, slow burners with thoughtful, personal lyrics that are emotionally raw and honest with magnificent and sparse guitar work that complements the words beautifully. GBRO is a song about the end of a relationship and who actually called it; “So who’s hand is on the switch anyways?” It's a swing style track with excellent trombone from Michele Fortunato. Time And Decay has an opening verse with an acoustic led impassioned pontification about getting old and being likened to an old, slow computer. The rest of the band then kicks in for a sped up country punk song about how we all turn into our parents (God forbid!).</div><div><br /></div><div>At The Threshold is a slow, mournful broadside about how we are slowly killing out planet and we haven’t got long to do something about it. The longest track and perhaps my favourite Now (… and Forever!) links back to the opening song about sleeping with the television on and is a magnificent opus about God being dead, everybody hating the police and how to cope with how the world is changing – a quality track! The album's closer is A Spectacular Time, a synth laden, intricate song about the end of a relationship (or the end of an album?) with the closing lines – “I’ll never know if the moment was right, But I had a spectacular time.”</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, the album consists of some hopeful undertones to some personal and bleak topics.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stream and download Now on <a href="https://rentstrike.bandcamp.com/album/now" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a> and like Rent Strike on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rentstrikemusic" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This review was written by <a href="http://colinspunkrockworld.blogspot.co.uk/p/rich-b.html" target="_blank">Rich Bailey</a>.</div>Emma Prewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11693247118724159904noreply@blogger.com0