Saturday 22 November 2014

Gig Review: [Spunge] at the Garage 21/11/14

Life is full of moments that at the time don’t seem that important but in truth can change your world forever. One moment that really changed my life forever was the first time I heard Tewkesbury ska punks [Spunge]. They’re music really grabbed me, it was like nothing I had ever heard before even though their music (in the nicest possible way) wasn’t reinventing the wheel so to speak I just fell in love. Because of [Spunge] my eyes were opened to a whole world of underground music that I never knew existed before. In a roundabout way I found myself through [Spunge]. They really did change my life for the better forever. Last night I had the pleasure of seeing them live for the fifth time at the Garage in London. Here’s how it went.


Due to Friday night shows starting stupidly early on a Friday night and me not being able to get out of work early I missed the opening act of the night so the first band I saw were the main support act Dead Frequency from the Midlands. Dead Frequency are a band I had never heard of before and I slightly ashamed to say when they were setting up before their set I instantly assumed I wouldn’t like them. Front man Matti has massive bright red and black hair and straight away I dismissed them and thought they were trying too hard. Then they began to play and instantaneously they had me smiling. Yes, the whole band was trying hard but in the best way possible. Dead Frequency were clearly aware that a big job as the support band is to get the crowd warmed up for the headliner and they certainly did that. For a band that has only been together for the best part of a year they were a well oiled machine when it came to performing. The music was fantastic fun as well, the songs were well written and extremely catchy and the musicianship was superb. Dead Frequency are a fun pop punk band with a huge amount of potential, if you get the chance to see them live I suggest you do so.



Next up it was time for [Spunge]. These fine gentlemen are now in their twentieth year together, a brilliant achievement for any band let alone one from the underground scene. Opening up with the song Some Suck Some Rock the garage became a sea of people skanking and singing in delight. Like I said before [Spunge] can never be accused of reinventing the wheel with their music but my god they are fun. After twenty years together the band effortlessly keeps the crowd thoroughly entertained with a mixture of old songs, covers and some brand new songs from their forthcoming album. Brand new songs can always be a bit hit or miss when played to a crowd thats never heard them before but they all went down famously with the Garage crowd. At times I even found myself trying to sing along with them despite not knowing the words, that’s how insanely catchy they were. Of course the older songs were the ones that got the biggest reactions, I forget just how many great songs [Spunge] have in their catalogue until I see them live. I always think that the sign of a great band is the ability to make a song go to a new level of excellence when they play it live, [Spunge] do that with every single song. [Spunge] are all about having good times and good times a plenty were had by everyone at the Garage, this was one of the nicest crowds I had been part of in a while, everyone looked out for everyone else in the pit, high fives and hugs were happening everywhere. I think everyone in the garage that night made a new friend even if it was just for one evening. God I love [Spunge], here is hoping for another twenty years!


Check out [Spunge] here: https://www.facebook.com/spungeuk


Now listening to So It Goes by Slow Science

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