Gig Review: SKIV and The Overjoyed at New Cross Inn, London 15/7/22

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.

Opening the show were Brighton punx Not The Face. 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.

Next to the stage were Girls Like Us. 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!

Shackleford 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.

Next on the day were CPRW favourites Triple Sundae. 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.

The penultimate act of the night were The Overjoyed 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.

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, Cereal Box Heroes, 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 INiiT Records Bandcamp page now.

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

Top Tens: Ten European Bands Colin Hopes Come To The UK In 2020

One of the biggest pleasures I've had over the past few years is discovering the plethora of talent in the European punk rock scene. Whenever I've found out about a brand new brilliant band, I've made sure to tell anyone who would listen about them. Sadly, due to recent government legislation following Brexit, the likelihood of a lot of those bands being able to come over to the UK after this year is extremely slim. This makes me sad. I decided to make a list of my top ten bands I'd like to see come over before 2021 when the new legislations comes into play.

(I haven't included bands that I know are already booked to come over this year.)

Arterials
Hamburg's Arterials were one of my favourite new discoveries from Booze Cruise 2019. I was mesmerised by their live performance and bought their album Constructive Summer immediately after their set. Arterials play a fantastic style of intense pop punk with brilliant gruff vocals. I don't believe the band have been to the UK before but, with a new album released on April 24th, now seems like the time to do it.

Dorkatron
Austrian Ramonescore band Dorkatron are one of the most fun bands I've discovered over the past couple of years. Playing fast pop punk songs about not being cool, there's such a brilliant humour about their music but it's also as catchy as the flu (but in a good way). There isn't a massive Ramonescore scene in the UK sadly but these guys would certainly entertain everyone who would get to see them live.

For I Am
Belgium's For I Am have been to the UK a number of times over the years so it would be nice for them to come back one more time before the Brexit transition period is over. For I Am's Hanne Terweduwe has one of the very best voices in punk rock and I sadly have never been able to catch them live when they have come over. I want to rectify this. One of Europe's finest pop punk bands.

Jet8
Czech skacore act Jet8 were one of my favourite bands at Level Up 2019. Combining intense skate punk with an energetic brass section, they blew everyone in the New Cross Inn away. They are a great example of a European band coming to the UK without much of a fan base and showcasing just how good so many of the bands in Europe are, if people were to make the effort to listen to them. Jet8 recently released a brilliant new album named Chasing The High – look out for a review coming soon.

The Overjoyed
The only time I've ever seen Greece's The Overjoyed was when they played New Cross in 2016. I didn't know who they were and only went along to the show to see the other bands. I came away with a new favourite pop punk band. Their last album, Aced Out, was very close to making it into my top ten albums to 2019. Go and listen to it if you haven't already, you won't regret it. I know the band are hoping to get back to the UK this year, fingers crossed they can make it happen.

Quitters
I had the absolute pleasure of seeing French indie punk rockers Quitters twice when they came to the UK for a tour with The Run Up in 2018. Emma and I travelled from Bedford to Bristol on my birthday just to see them and they did not disappoint. They're great on record but being able to see them play songs such as Why Should We Burn Our Lives? and The Brighter Shades Of Time live was something else. The band are recording a new album in April so hopefully they'll be able to get back to the UK before the year is out.

Stöj Snak
Denmark's Stöj Snak are probably the band on this list who have come to the UK the most due to their affiliation with TNSRecords and Make-That-A-Take Records. The folk punk band are one of the finest bands I've ever seen live. They have this ability to grab an audience's attention with a raw yet magical live show. Whether playing softly or with a ferocity that matches the angriest of hardcore acts, you simply can't take your eyes off Stöj Snak. Another act with a new album due in 2020, here's hoping a UK album release tour is planned.

Tiny Voices
Formerly known as Wank For Peace, this French melodic hardcore band recently reunited as Tiny Voices. They have stated that WFP is dead and Tiny Voices will be playing completely new songs. If they are anywhere near as good as their previous band’s material, it's going to be wonderful. WFP made numerous trips to the UK so let's hope Tiny Voices are able to come over and show us what they're all about in 2020.

Überyou
Überyou were without a doubt the best live band I saw in 2019. I'm fortunate enough to be able to see them again in Hamburg for Booze Cruise this year but they're so good live I just want many more people in the UK to witness the experience that is Überyou. I've never seen a band connect with a crowd like this Swiss five piece did. They have this incredible sound that just empowers anyone listening. For me, they're one of the most vital bands in worldwide punk scene at the moment.

Worst Advice
Worst Advice are a new band to me since discovering them after they were announced for Hamburg Booze Cruise this year. As soon as I listened to them I knew they were a band for me. The Germans are a relatively new band on the scene but look to make a name for themselves quickly with some fantastic pop punk music. It's that wonderful, fists-in-the-air, shout along at the top of your lungs style that's just the best. A new favourite for me and I want to see them as much as possible.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.