Gig Review: Till The Fest Day Three 10/10/21

I think it’s fair to say that after two days of Till The Fest we were beginning to get tired but there was also much excitement running through my body as today was Lightyear day! One of my favourite bands ever, returning to my favourite venue, surrounded by loads of friends from all around the UK. It was going to be a special day.

We started our day by meeting our good friends Matt and Charlotte from Ear Nutrition and Mark from INiiT Records and Our Lives In Cinema at the New Cross House for a Sunday roast. It was lovely to catch up with some wonderful people. With a bit of time to kill before the first band of the day, after we ate we ventured upstairs of the New Cross House to check out the record fair. Up there we hung out with Mark, who was selling CDs from his INiit Records distro, and we got to see John Allen from Disconnect Disconnect Records and picked up a couple of records from him.

Records bought, we headed to Amersham Arms for the first band of the day, BaldHead And The Dreads. I couldn’t think of a better way to start the third day of Till The Fest. The fun loving foursome always put a massive smile on my face whenever I see them play and in all honesty this might have been my favourite time seeing them live. Obviously BHATD are a band that don’t take themselves too seriously, they do this because it’s fun and it really comes across on stage. That’s something I really appreciate whenever I see them. There are plenty of songs about drugs and dogs, the band’s two favourite things, but on their most recent EP they also step into the world of politics on the song First Class War (probably my favourite of their songs). Whatever they’re singing about, the band’s excellent musicianship and knack of a witty lyric always shines through. If we were the sort of website that gives out ratings, we’d give a 10/10 for fun ways to start a day.

Our original plan was to see Bottlekids next but unfortunately they had to pull out of the festival so we decided to hang out at Amersham to check out Norwich five piece Southpaw. Southpaw are a band that I’ve been aware of for years but never managed to check out. I assume they don’t play many shows anymore and when they do they are around the Norfolk area. I didn’t really know what to expect from the band but I think the best way to describe them is as an alternative punk rock band. Their songs ooze melody and the band’s lead singer had some great pipes on him. My highlight was watching their guitarist bounce around the stage, pulling silly faces and generally just messing around. Very entertaining. He reminded me of Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals in many ways.

Next were On A Hiding To Nothing. I used to see these guys quite regularly in London before members began to move around the country. During lockdown the band managed to record and release a brand new album named We’ll Probably Be Fine, which is due to be physically released by Cat’s Claw Records and Bearded Punk Records – keep an eye out for that. Their set was comprised almost entirely of songs from the album. I don’t think I’ve given it nearly enough time and after hearing it live I look forward to giving it plenty more spins. On A Hiding To Nothing play super fast, super melodic skate punk. Whenever I watch them I’m blown away by just how quickly the band play their songs. What’s even more impressive is how bass player Jack manages to bounce around the stage with such force whilst still playing his instrument. I always get a bit worried watching Jack bounce around on stage as I can still remember the time he ruined his knee on stage a few years ago. With every stamp I wince just a little bit. It’s good to see that he seems to have made a full recovery though. This was another exhilarating set from On A Hiding To Nothing.

After On A Hiding To Nothing we made our way to New Cross Inn, where we had planned on spending the rest of our day. We arrived as The Social Club were already way into their set. We bumped into some friends who informed us that the ladies toilets had basically exploded and had given the venue a particularly shitty scent. I, for some reason, couldn’t smell it so that was a bonus for me! Something that was not at all shitty was The Social Club. I only got to see four or five songs but I was very impressed. Fronted by former Captain Everything member Lewis, the band played more of a melody driven, indie rock style that’s a lot of fun. Despite the apparent scent, the venue was still very busy and a lot of people squeezed down to the front for a sing and dance to the band. I was amused by the pledge that the band got the crowd to say, joining ‘The Social Club’, it reminded me of Dave Gorman’s commandments from Are You Dave Gorman? That’s a twenty year old reference. Hopefully you get it.

At the conclusion of The Social Club’s set we popped a couple of doors down to Beirut for some dinner to set us up for the rest of the night. Have you tried their falafel wrap yet? I seriously suggest you do. After another delicious dinner and making use of a non-exploded toilet we returned to NXI for Nervus. Nervus are a band I always enjoy immensely whenever I see them live but never seem to listen to them when I’m at home. That’s something I seriously need to amend because what a fantastic group of songwriters the band are. With each song they get better and better and certainly seem like a well oiled machine. I’m not sure whether or not that this was Nervus’ first show back since lockdown but, if it was, I’m even more impressed by how good they were. Front person Em has one of the best voice in punk rock. They have this wonderful ability to grab the entire room’s attention and have them baying on their every word. Songs such as Sick Sad World and It Follows go down extremely well with the crowd, as does They Don’t, which felt especially poignant given everything that’s come to light about the Met Police in recent weeks. Nervus have built up a reputation as one of the UK’s best bands in recent years and it’s hard to argue that it isn’t true.

Next up were UK punk rock legends Crazy Arm. The Devonshire punks have been a big part of the DIY scene for as long as I can remember now and earlier this year they finally released their long-awaited new album, Dark Hands, Thunderbolts, which they spent the week leading up to Till The Fest touring. I took up a spot on the side of the New Cross stage ready to just stare in awe at one of the best bands in the country. Crazy Arm decided to start their set five minutes earlier than scheduled to allow them to play an extra song – which was fine by us. The set had a perfect blend of tracks from the new album along with so many old favourites. The band got the crowd moving from the very start of their set and I had a great time from my view point watching friends at the front of crowd loose their minds dancing and singing along to the band. For their latest album and recent live shows Crazy Arm have added another vocalist, Tia Kalmaru, to their ensemble who really gave an extra layer to their live show. Not only did they provide some excellent harmonies but did a fantastic job in keeping the crowd’s energy up throughout the set. At one point they even spent some time down in the front of the crowd having a dance which was a great touch. After a blisteringly good thirty five or so minutes the band finished on Tribes and gave the crowd one last big sing-along.

Our penultimate band of the weekend was Apologies, I Have None. Even ignoring the pandemic and lockdown, it felt like forever since I last saw Apologies, I Have None. They are a band that I seemingly used to see every other month and were a big part of my introduction into the DIY scene so it definitely felt fitting for their big comeback to be at Till The Fest. NXI was packed with people expecting an emotional experience and that’s exactly what they received. Over the years, the band have become masters of creating a mesmerising atmosphere wherever they play. The whole room seems completely transfixed on the stage during the entirety of the set and explode into life for some of the biggest sing-alongs of the weekend. The last few times I’ve seen the band, lead singer and guitarist Josh has provided plenty of humorous banter between songs but on this occasion it was all business, with the band seamlessly moving from one song to the next. Each song was shouted passionately back at the band, each time they started a new track it felt like this was the crowd’s collective favourite ever. It’s always great to hear Concrete Feet live, the band showed off their fun side by setting off a confetti cannon during The 26 (I think it was The 26, feel free to correct me) and the sing-along during Sat In Vicky Park was one of those you had to be there to really understand just how special it was moments. This was unsurprisingly very close to being my favourite set of the entire weekend. Welcome back Apologies, I Have None.

It’s no secret for long time readers of CPRW that Lightyear are my favourite band. When they got announced for Till The Fest I could not have been happier. For me, the whole weekend really lead up to this moment – Lightyear taking to the New Cross Inn stage for what could be the last ever time. Unfortunately trumpet player Neil couldn’t make the show but the wonderful Pook would be deputising on trombone. I love watching Pook dance around on stage so this was a lovely bonus. The venue must’ve been at capacity at this point for a band that are one of the most important bands in the history of UK DIY punk. What’s always great about watching Lightyear is that you never know what to expect. I don’t think Lightyear really know themselves what’s going to happen when they take to the stage. It’s a whacky ride that everyone in the building ends up on. As soon as the band began their set you know it’s going to be a chaotic and messy hour and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Frontman Chas Palmer-Williams, the finest lyricist of his generation, is a whirlwind on stage.  There’s a whole load of messing around going on whilst singing some of the most meaningful words ever recorded. At one point Chas comes to the side of stage, picks up a roll of blue paper towels and for no reason whatsoever – other than Lightyear – launches it into the crowd. At another point he unplugs his microphone for the crowd to sing into and then tries singing into the aux cable – because Lightyear. During Blindside the band is joined on the already cramped stage by people dressed as a horse and a jockey. They came on a little too early which added to the chaos that was happening before us. If you’ve witnessed the nonsense that is Lightyear before, you’ll know that very often after the band provide us with their Morris dancing breakdown the ‘horse’ comes on stage. Speaking of Morris dancing, the band seemed to improvise, instead of using proper sticks they had tooth picks which we thought was hilarious. If you hadn’t seen the band before you probably had no idea what was happening, but you will next time. Naturally they finished the set with A Pack Of Dogs, which again turned into chaos with the harmonies on the breakdown getting everyone on stage and in the crowd confused. I think it’s impossible to see Lightyear live and come away with anything other than a massive smile on your face. Even Matt Ear Nutrition had a big smile on his face at the end of the set and he is not a fan of all this trumpety nonsense. Lightyear are the best, I can’t wait for their next last ever show.

Now’s the time where I write a summation of the entire weekend. I think it’s quite a hard thing to really summarise well as it was such a special weekend for so many different reasons. The last eighteen months has been very difficult for all the obvious reasons and, for me, Till The Fest felt like someone had finally hit play again after life was paused for so long. For many people this would have been their first shows back, or their first time back in London, or even their first time being amongst so many friends again. I personally got to spend some quality time with so many brilliant people, people I’ve known for years, people I’ve met recently or even people I met for the first time at the festival and it really lifted me. I probably didn’t see as many bands as I normally would at a festival but I did get to experience being in that special punk festival environment that I had missed so much. As you will know after reading this three part review, every band I did see absolutely killed it and from what I understand all the bands I didn’t get to see did too.

So much love needs to go to Ollie and his team of volunteers for not just organising the weekend but ensuring it ran so smoothly. As I said in part one of this review, I was a little sceptical on Till The Fest actually happening but I am so grateful for Ollie for persisting and getting Till The Fest done. It was a real life affirming weekend for me and I’m sure many more people in attendance. I’m already excited to see what Till The Wheel gets organised for next year’s festival. I’ve already got my ticket, have you got yours? One more time, thank you Ollie for everything!

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Colin and Emma Prew.

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Influences With Explanations

I'm sure we've all by now seen the trend on Facebook of being nominated to share your ten biggest musical influences without saying why. I got nominated and I did this. Problem was though I really enjoy talking about music and the acts that have influenced me. So that's what this top ten is. Me running through my ten biggest influences and explaining them. Talking about music is good.

Lightyear – Call Of The Weasel Clan

On the surface, ska punk legends Lightyear are a fun ska punk band that never take themselves seriously but, when you take the time to listen to the lyrics, they actually touch on a lot of subjects that are super relatable. Call Of The Weasel Clan was released in 2001 and amazingly it still sounds as relevant today as it would have back then. And it's still a lot of fun!

Fletcher – My Revenge

I don't think I really realised how much my musical tastes were influenced by former London punk rockers Fletcher until many years later when I re-found them. My Revenge was originally released in 2003 and is full of melodic and what today would be classed as "gruff punk" bangers. That "gruff punk" sound has become my go to genre when I want to find a new band and the majority of my favourite albums from the past fews years would probably fall under that banner. Fletcher's Lee now lives in Canada and fronts a new band named Lee Resistant & The Lost who are great. Check them out.

The Bouncing Souls – How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I don't think there are many punk bands more universally loved than The Bouncing Souls. They, and How I Spent My Summer Vacation, taught me more than any other album that what punk rock is really about is doing things with your friends, being true to yourself and having a great time whilst doing it.

Great Cynics – Don't Need Much

After initially getting into punk rock through bands such as [Spunge], 4ft Fingers, Lightyear, Uncle Brian and Jesse James, I eventually fell into the trend that many people do and began to exclusively listen to bands from America. Then I somehow heard Don't Need Much by a UK band named Great Cynics and I loved it. Through this album, I went on to discover Apologies, I Have None, Bangers, ONSIND, Muncie Girls and loads more. It sent me down the path of DIY punk rock that I love so much now.

ONSIND – Dissatisfactions

Dissatisfactions is probably the first time I truly took in any political messages from music. I heard bands like Anti-Flag and NOFX sing about politics previously but it never really hit home with me until I heard this album from a duo from Durham named ONSIND. The stripped back acoustic nature of the album really caught my imagination and moved me in a way that no other album had at the time. I learnt a lot from this album.

Wank For Peace – Fail Forward

Wank For Peace were a French melodic hardcore band who recently reformed under the new name Tiny Voices. Wank For Peace were the band that ignited my passion for checking out punk rock from mainland Europe. There's an incredible amount of amazing bands in Europe that not enough people in the UK are checking out when they really should be.

Less Than Jake – Losing Streak/Hello Rockview

Ska is a big love of mine and that mostly stems from Less Than Jake. The first CD of theirs I ever owned was the Losing Streak/Hello Rockview double CD. I played that album to death for years and never ever got bored of it. The band, and very very few other ska bands, have never managed to top these two albums. Less Than Jake are still going strong to this day and it's the songs from these two albums that always get the biggest reactions whenever I see them live.

Against Me! – Reinventing Axl Rose

I was slow to get onboard with Against Me! for ages, they just didn't click with me and then I heard We Laugh At Danger (And Break All The Rules) and I got it. Previously I didn't enjoy the rougher, rawer sound of punk rock at all but Reinventing Axl Rose opened my mind to a whole new world of punk rock. It feels like there's such passion in these songs that I don't feel you get with a slicker, more produced album.

[Spunge] – The Story So Far

[Spunge] were not only my gateway into UK punk rock but my gateway to underground punk rock all over the world. I remember being a bit of an indie kid as a teenage because that's what my best friends enjoyed but never properly connected with it. Then one evening I was listening to Steve Lamaq on Radio One and Roots by [Spunge] came on and that pretty much changed my life forever (hopefully for the better). [Spunge] pretty much played a big part in me being the person who I am today.

Davey Dynamite – Holy Shit

Holy Shit by Davey Dynamite is, in my humble opinion, the greatest album ever made. It's full of such passion and energy. It tackles important subjects in a way that really makes you think. It's full of ear worms and moments where you'll find yourself singing along with all the gusto that you can manage. No other album ever has moved me in the way that Holy Shit has. For me, this album should be the blue print for every punk rock album. More than just being incredible though, it not only shaped a lot of my political beliefs but it made passionate about standing for what I belief in and gave me the confidence to call people out if I believed they are acting in a way that isn't right.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Do It Together Diary: Part Two

Saturday 25th January: Day Two of Do It Together Fest 2020

I felt absolutely horrific when was I woken up by the back garden train. So much so I wondered if I would even be able to get through the day. However, Emma and I gradually dragged ourselves out of bed and got ready for the day. First job was to have a shower. Then we went and found somewhere to have breakfast. Knowing that I wouldn't have much chance to eat properly throughout the day, I had the biggest breakfast possible in the hope that it help keep me going. Massive breakfast devoured, we then made our way to the local Sainsbury’s to stock up on painkillers, blister plasters (Emma had a massive blister on her heel) and some snacks. We then made our way to New Cross to meet with Sarah and Paul.

When we arrived, Sarah was already there and getting the tombola ready. Her parents, who were attending all weekend, were also there and it was lovely to be able to meet them. Very nice people! I'd made myself a promise to try and be more helpful with things today as I had a nagging guilt that I really hadn't done enough the day before and was determined to try and pull my weight. This meant learning how a tombola works. Basically it's a raffle but instead of waiting to see what you've won, you draw a ticket and see if the number matches to any of the prizes. Pretty simple stuff.

The next job was to organise where the eleven acts playing would have their merch and where the record fair would be set up. Part of this involved waiting for Paul to arrive as he knows how to set up the venue better than we do. When he FINALLY arrived it was decided to let the bands sell their merch upstairs and that the record fair would go downstairs. After hastily moving some tables around, we were ready! Day two of Do It Together was about to start and we were happy to see lots of people had arrived in plenty of time for the first band – NXI favourites Our Lives In Cinema.

Our Lives In Cinema haven't been playing that many shows lately whilst they work on their first full length album but, when putting the line-up together, we all agreed they were a must for Do It Together. Lead singer Mark is one of the most enthusiastic and dedicated people we know in the DIY scene, always passionate about helping bands and spreading the punk related news. He's also an absolute sweetheart. OLIC are such a fun band to watch live and continue to go from strength to strength whenever I see them. I have to assume that the folk who hadn't seen them before came away really impressed.

Continuing with my promise to myself to try and help out more today I headed to the tombola stand so Sarah and Freddy could have a break and go and enjoy Fabled Mind. I have to admit I actually enjoyed doing the tombola much more than I thought that I would. I got to talk to people as well as welcome friends and bands as they arrived at NXI. I also got a pretty decent view of the crowd and the band that was playing – Fabled Mind in this case. The Danish quartet are a fairly new band and this was their first time in London. I think we were all pleasantly surprised by the size of the crowd that they got to play to at 3 in the afternoon. I know a lot of people really enjoyed their set and are looking forward to seeing them again soon.

Up next were one of the bands I was most excited to see and one I was even allowed, personally, to book – Bristol's Toodles & The Hectic Pity. We basically decided to book them because Sarah and I both loved their first EP Call In Sick but neither of us had ever seen them live. Our own festival seemed like the perfect opportunity. In a beautiful coincidence, Do It Together coincided with the release of their phenomenal new EP Ghosts, Guilts & Grandparents. They then decided to book a little tour with their friends in Triple Sundae around Do It Together to help promote the EP even further. Before they even started their set, Sarah and I had claimed places at the front of the crowd and there was a great sense of anticipation for the upcoming set. What came next was a highlight of the whole day for me and quite a few people I spoke to afterwards. It's always lovely to see a relatively new band make their first appearance, at a venue that is so important to the scene that it houses, and play a truly magical set. Toodles & The Hectic Pity are going places, be sure to get on the bandwagon immediately.

Following Toodles were another band that I was in charge of booking. The one and only Katie MF. If you've been a regular reader of CPRW then you will know how much Emma and myself have been really championing the three piece and it was only right that they played this show. Talking to Katie earlier in the day, she remarked how this would probably be the biggest crowd they have played to at the New Cross Inn and I think it's really well deserved. They are one of the best bands in London at the moment and deserve to be heard by more people. It had actually been about six months since I last saw Katie MF perform – far too long, –so it was nice to be blown away by how good they are once again. Clearly not a band that rest on their laurels either, as they had three new songs in their set list. They all were superb and I can't wait until they get them recorded and released!

After Katie MF had finished their set I went in search of a job. Paul sent me off to pay Katie, whilst doing so I congratulated them on a smashing set and met bass player Ben for the first time. Lovely guy, great hair, really fast fingers.

Dundee's Uniforms took to the stage next. It's not often Uniforms make the long trip down to London, so any chance to see them is always exciting. Uniforms lead singer Deeker is also a member of the Make-That-A-Take Records collective, one of the most respected groups in the UK's DIY scene, so having them at Do It Together only felt right. Of course, they played a storming set – they always do! Uniforms have this unique quality to really get me amped up. I think this is due to the raw, no thrills approach they take to their music. I don't think there are many better punk bands in the UK than Uniforms and it was an absolute pleasure to see them as always.

After Uniforms, I headed towards the tombola stand again to do another shift there. I decided it was okay to be at the back of the room for Triple Sundae as I'm lucky enough to see them what feels like every other week and I knew that Sarah was super excited to see them herself. I actually really enjoyed being at the back of the room and seeing them playing to such a big and loving crowd. I also took the time to get some food down me as I was beginning to flag slightly. I again enjoyed my stint at the tombola, having the opportunity to talk to folk who were in attendance, meeting plenty of folk and being asked a few times "are you THE Colin?" I always get pretty awkward being recognised for doing CPRW but it's lovely when people come say hi.

At this point, I took the opportunity to go and stand outside as it was getting pretty stuffy inside. Outside I got chatting with the legend that is Chris Fishlock and the guys from Toodles who I'd met earlier in the day. It's always lovely to see Fishlock. We spoke about the day as well as Toodles’ tour and new EP (out today!) and it was an extremely pleasant time. It made me want to visit Bristol more. If all the Bristol punks are a nice as these gentlemen, then it must be a pretty wonderful scene.

Goodbye Blue Monday have become big favourites at NXI over the past couple of years and had driven down from Scotland very early in the morning to get to New Cross in plenty of time for their set. I'm pretty sure that every time I've seen Goodbye Blue Monday play they've managed to get all their gear set up and soundchecked before they are due to start – the ultimate professionals. This lead to five minutes of awkwardly standing around and making jokes between one another before launching into Love Is A Noose For Two. Talking of being ready – pretty much every band managed to start and finish their sets at the right time throughout the day, this meant very little stage managing had to be done by Paul, Sarah or myself. Huge credit has to go to all the bands for this. Goodbye Blue Monday were in full on party mood for their set. Playing favourites such as the aforementioned Love Is A Noose For Two, The Sickness The Shame, Take Your Pills and Misery-Punk Ruined My Life (which included a small stage invasion from Uniforms and Forever Unclean), they also took the time to play a new song from their upcoming full length as well as playing three covers of songs by their favourite Scottish act, The Garry Biscuits Band. It was all a bit lost on me and I imagine a lot of the crowd but it was an awful lot of fun.

Completing a run of sing-along punk rock were the Burnt Tapes. The collective love in the room for these four guys was like nothing else. As soon as their set started, the majority of the room launched into a big sing-along. The best moment for Paul and I was when they went old school and played Go Drunk for us. It's both of our favourite Tapes song and it's probably one of my favourite songs ever. The moment where Tone shouts "IS THIS GROWING UP?!" felt so incredibly apt at this moment. I often question what I'm doing with my life and see so many of my friends settled down with families and proper grown up responsibilities and I wonder should I be doing the same? Then I go to the New Cross Inn, am surrounded by many people I love and respect and decide this is exactly how I want to be living my life at this moment. If this is growing up then I'm having a bloody good time doing it. I sung myself so hoarse during this set I wondered if my voice would make to the end of the day.

By this point of the day, I was absolutely starving so popped a couple of doors down to grab a snack. I surprised myself by not just grabbing a chocolate bar but also a banana. This isn't my usual behaviour, I guess this is growing up? It was a slightly chilled and a really tasty banana and I was pleased I broke my usual dietary habits to buy it.

It was soon time for the first ska band of the day. One of the things I was most proud of about the Do It Together line-up was how we managed to put together a varied mix a lot of our favourite bands from different punk genres and it all seemed to work. It was nice for the punk fans and the ska fans and the pop fans and the folk fans to all have the opportunity to gather together and appreciate each other's different favourites. You can't have a New Cross party without Call Me Malcolm, it's basically the rules. It wasn't long before Malcolm had the crowd down the front in full swing, plenty of dancing, plenty of singing along to many favourites from I Was Broken When You Got Here. As the set progressed the amount of dancing in the crowd began to increase and it wasn't long before most of the room were skanking. During the song Jacob, Lucias asked the crowd to lock arms with the person next to them. Not expecting the next request to be create as many mini circle pits as possible, myself, Emma, Mark from OLIC, Dan #2, Paul and Taj joined together and made one long line. Needless to say, our attempt at a circle pit failed quite miserably but I did find it pretty funny. Obviously they finished with All My Nameless Friends. On this day it didn't feel as if the room was full of nameless friends though, it felt like I knew everyone in it and it was lovely.

Danish indie skatey poppy punks Forever Unclean were on next and I have to admit I was a bit worried for them. It's not easy to follow Call Me Malcolm. Particularly coming towards the end of a long day and when you sound nothing like them. If it did phase the Danish trio however then it didn't show. They started out with some new songs, which I thought was pretty ballsy, before playing the old favourites. This is when the crowd began to get pretty rowdy, but in the best way possible. Possibly encouraged by three members of Goodbye Blue Monday taking the opportunity to jump into the crowd, the rest of the set became an abundance of stage dives and crowd surfs whilst singing along to Forever Unclean. A couple of days after Do It Together, I had a memory of Sean from GBM giving me a kiss after I caught him coming down from a crowd surf. The three guys in Forever Unclean must have been blown away by the reception they got and how they can come so far from Denmark and still feel like they're at home. They finished their set by taking it in turns to crowd surf, despite the fact there was no music playing – it was a fun way to finish their set for sure.

After taking another little break outside, I came in and I was feeling so pumped to see Lightyear. I think I may have excitedly mentioned it to a few people on my way to getting a decent spot at the front of the crowd. I'd taken up many spots at the front throughout the weekend, claiming it was for the purpose of "stage management". This, however ,was full on fanboying because I love Lightyear. This was a pretty special Lightyear set for a couple of reasons. Firstly because we were lucky enough to have a pretty much proper Lightyear band. On the last tour they did in November the band were filled with mostly stand ins along with Chas, Neil and Jim. The only stand in for Lightyear tonight was drummer Bob Barrett. Who also played with JB Conspiracy the night before, so he headlined both nights which is cool. The other thing that made it special was that they announced that this would probably by the last ever Lightyear show. I would assume it probably won't be but, if it was, they made sure they went out in the only way that Lightyear know how. In the silliest way possible. I think it's pretty hard to really put into words and it make any actual sense of what went on during this set but it was exactly what you would expect from Lightyear. All around me there were people singing, dancing and smiling away. Whether you were a long time fan or you'd never seen them before, you went away knowing you had seen quite the spectacle.

The night wasn’t ending there though. For the hardcore souls who remained at NXI, we had another after party to enjoy. This time brought to us by our good pals the Burnt Tapes who would be performing their brilliant Menzingers cover set. I'd joked with guitarist Pan that I assumed that they would be playing The Menzingers’ newest album Hello Exile in full. To my complete surprise, they opened with the song Anna from that album before working their way through a handful of older Menzingers favourites. This was the perfect way to finish the weekend. Being surrounded by lots of friends, old and new singing many modern punk rock classics at the top of our lungs. Massive thanks to the Burntzingers for sticking around so late and entertaining us in this wonderful way.

I spent the rest of the night wandering around the room, hugging and thanking everyone I knew. It was during this time when Burnt Tone said "I just enjoy seeing everyone having a good time." I think this was the quote of the entire weekend and it summed it all up beautifully. That's all we wanted from the weekend, our pals to have a good time. We definitely achieved that.

I felt so unbelievably blessed and lucky to be surrounded by so many of the best people you could ever wish to meet and to be so involved in such a special event is something I'll be proud of for a long time. I can't thank the people who came, the bands, and especially Paul and Sarah for inviting me to be a part of this event, enough. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Monday 27th January

Back to work and going over the weekend again in my head. A lot of lovely things were said about Do It Together and people seem to be hoping for a Do It Togther Fest 2021. Will it happen and will I be involved with it? I have no idea. Originally, the idea was for it to be a one and done thing and I spent the whole weekend telling people that I will be retiring from the promoting game after this because I certainly won't be able to top it. But Do It Together was a bigger success than any of us could have possibly imagined so who knows. I kind of think we won't be able to recreate the magic of the 2020 edition and we should leave it there. That's also my thoughts on The Matrix trilogy, they should have stopped after one and not gotten greedy! That being said, it was nice to be able to do this amazing thing with two of my best friends and try something new. Either way, I think the weekend proved Doing It Together is much better than Doing It Yourself.

DIT or die!

This Do It Together Diary was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.