Gig Review: Bristol Booze Cruise 2022 at Exchange, Bristol 18/6/22

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.

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.

The man tasked with opening the whole festival was our pal Hassan of Triple Sundae. 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 Lounar. 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 here. Please do so if you can.

Opening up the main stage was Croatia’s Trophy Jump. 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.

Next downstairs in the basement was Scotland’s Flinch. 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.

Lincoln’s GUTS. 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!

Way back in 2020 when Moonraker 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.

Brighton pop punks All Better 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.

If you’re a long time reader of the blog then you know what a big fan of Goodbye Blue Monday 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.

After Goodbye Blue Monday’s storming set it was back upstairs for Soot Sprite. 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.

Hell’s Ditch 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.

Durham’s Fortitude Valley 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.

At this point, I got a bit distracted and missed most of the next band – Sleep Outside. 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.

I did make sure I was in the main room in time for Fightmilk. 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.

German punk heroes Irish Handcuffs 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.

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 Burnt Tapes 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.

Bristol hometown heroes The Menstrual Cramps 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.

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.

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

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.

Gig Review: Manchester Punk Festival 2022: Day One (by Colin and Emma)

(Emma’s parts are in italics.)

We started the first proper day of Manchester Punk Festival 2022 by heading down to the main hub of the festival, The Union, nice and early to get our wristbands and programmes – which included a very helpful map for navigating your way around the different venues that MPF uses. Earlier I’d seen a tweet saying to get there early to avoid queues. It seems I took this far more seriously than most folk as we arrived just after 11am, doors were at midday and there was no-one there! Eventually some of our pals turned up too and it was great to hang out with them whilst we waited.

Photo by Colin Clark

After collecting our wristbands at The Union and filling our tummies at Bundobust (amazing vegan and veggie Indian street food), we headed down to Yes. Yes was a new venue for this year’s MPF and my first impressions were that it was a very cool bar and restaurant space – we didn’t manage to eat there over the weekend but I know some folks that did spoke very highly of it. The live music at Yes would be taking place in the basement – I’m not 100% sure of the capacity but it can’t have held more than 100 people. The space was already packed by the time we got down there but there was room for us to squeeze in at the back – clearly people were keen for their first taste of MPF 2022.

Smoking Gives You Big Tits were the band tasked with opening the festival and, boy, did they do a good job. From the semi-acoustic opening track with Helen’s absolutely incredible vocals – which, by the way, ranged from sweet, clean and pop-like to pure snarling and everything in between – to a more full band sound, complete with kazoo, SMGYBT were captivating. It wasn’t all about their slick musicianship though, the performance was also a whole lot of fun and thoroughly amusing in parts. What a perfect start to the weekend.

Photo by Mark Bartlett

The first band on at The Union were Manchester’s favourite sons, Aerial Salad. There were a lot of people who were clearly very excited to check out the three-piece as, when we arrived back at the venue, the room was packed full of people. They kicked off the set with the classic Habits And Problems before bassist Mike screamed “Aerial Salad in the fucking house” down the microphone. They most certainly were in the house. From then on, they played at set of favourites from their latest full length Dirt Mall as well as some newer songs they have been releasing as singles. The first time I saw Salad live was in 2018 and to see how they’ve grown as a band since then is quite staggering. The songwriting, the stage presence, everything seems to have gone up multiple levels and I’m predicting it won’t be long until they’re headlining one of the stages at MPF.

Photo by Craig Darran

Just Panic were one of the bands playing the festival I was most excited to see. I first saw them at the very first MPF back in 2015 and they haven’t played again since. When they were announced, I would tell anyone who would listen that they need to go and see them. They were given the job of opening Gorilla on the Friday. Emma and arrived nice and early for their set. So early in fact that the doors for Gorilla hadn’t been opened yet. We hung around and had chats with Triple Sundae, who were playing after Just Panic, then we were joined in the queue by the fine folks in Don Blake. When Just Panic took to the stage it looked as if a decent sized crowd had gathered. Playing their fantastic brand of raw folky pop punk, as soon as they started I was mesmerised. If my memory serves me correctly they played the majority of their Stand Up Straight In The Line Of Fire EP and they all sounded great. I enjoyed having a sing-along to bangers such as If The Sea Rolls In, Crime and We Apologise For Any Inconvenience before they finished with a cover of Against Me’s Walking Is Still Honest. This was great! Well worth the seven year wait to see them again. After the set, Emma asked me why she hadn’t seen them before. She was also very impressed.

After a great set from Just Panic it was time for one of our favourite London-based bands to take to the Manchester stage, Triple Sundae. Colin and I were joined at the front by all of our friends from the New Cross scene for what I was sure was going to be one big singalong – at least from our section of the room. I don’t remember which song specifically Triple Sundae opened with but I do know that their performance was energetic and passionate from the outset and I had a wonderful time singing along to favourites from EPs Glow and Peace Of Mind. They also treated us to a new track – which I can’t wait to hear again – and an oldie, Unseen, where long-time friend of the band, Theo, jumped up on stage to sing the chorus. This band is special and I hope this set earned them some new fans – they deserve it.

Photo by Lindsey Cormack

Next, we headed over to The Bread Shed where Bristol-based four piece The Menstrual Cramps were on next. Having recently seen them at Fishstock and being thoroughly impressed by their performance, we were keen for more. Once again The Menstrual Cramps put on an energetic and impassioned show for all in attendance. All four members of the band look like they’re having the time of their lives on stage and lead singer Emilia, in particular, looked to be having so much fun as they stormed about and danced around the stage. The band’s political and feminist anthems are vital listening in today’s punk scene. A friend mentioned that they heard someone saying that The Menstrual Cramps ‘should keep politics out of punk’ and something along the lines of not coming to the festival to be preached to. Well, if you don’t like what this band is singing about then you do not belong at Manchester Punk Festival!

After The Menstrual Cramps I hurried back to The Union to catch a bit of the Popes Of Chillitown. The Popes are one of the bands I’ve seen the most so I know they always deliver a great set. When I arrived they were already deep into their set and had the crowd whipped into a frenzy. I took my place in the crowd with the wonderful Makky Hall and preceded to watch one of the most popular bands in the UK ska scene tear the Union apart. I was pleased that I hadn’t missed the big Popes banger Wisdom Teeth – the reception that that track gets whenever it’s played is always massive. As does set closer Vamos a la Luna, which had the crowd losing their stuff one last time before the Popes had to wrap things up.

As is the way with festivals in the Covid-19 era, there are always going to be last minute changes to the line-up. Unfortunately due to a positive test, Faintest Idea were no longer able to play their slot at MPF. It was, of course, disappointing as the band always put on a great show but those lovely chaps in The Bar Stool Preachers stepped up to the challenge to play two sets in one day. Their pre-planned set was due to be at the end of the Bread Shed after party and we were planning to go to the other after party so a bonus opportunity to see BSP did not go unappreciated. The Preachers are not a band I listen to much at home but the times I have seen them live I’m always so impressed with how slick and charismatic their performance is. The crowd always laps it up and there are singalongs a plenty – this was obviously no exception. Gorilla however was rammed and I began to feel very warm and almost claustrophobic so we didn’t end up staying for the whole set but what we did see was top notch. 

Photo by Paul Smith

Apologies, I Have None or Random Hand was one of the biggest clashes of the weekend for me. I absolutely love both bands and picking between them was tough. I eventually decided to pick Apologies because I’d already seen Random Hand in January and they are playing Level Up Festival in July. Emma and I arrived at Bread Shed as the band were beginning to get ready and took our place in the crowd. Unfortunately for us, a particularly loud gentleman also took his place near us and seemed insistent on talking his way through the entire set. To start with I found him quite distracting but he eventually disappeared so we could enjoy the set properly. Apologies are one of those bands that feel special every time I see them. They create such an atmosphere in any room they play in and have crowds singing along with every word. Of course, this was also the case on this night as the band played through plenty of classics from London and Pharmacie. It seemed as if the sing-alongs got bigger and bigger for every song and it was just beautiful. Shouting along at the top of my voice to songs like Sat In Vicky Park, Concrete Feet and The 26 will never get old for me, even though I’ve been shouting them back at the band for about ten years now. What a set. What a band!

Photo by Paul Smith

Emma and Robyn decided that they would call it a night after that rather than head to the after party. Brett and I however wanted to go check out the bands playing at Rebellion. So after dropping them off at the Air BNB, as we annoyingly only had one key between the four of us, we headed to Rebellion, arriving just as Fair Do’s were about to begin their set.

Fair Do’s are one of only a few bands that have played every edition of MPF. I believe the only other one now is Throwing Stuff? The shredders are local heroes and are very popular throughout the UK skate punk scene. Surprisingly, this was only my second time seeing them and it had certainly been a few years since my first time. What impressed me the most was the strength of lead singer Danny’s vocals throughout the set. I’ve always remembered Fair Do’s as being incredibly tight and technical but I hadn’t really given much thought to what a good voice Danny has in the past. This technical skate punk stuff isn’t usually my go-to but I thoroughly enjoyed Fair Do’s and they were a great way to kick off the first after party.

Photo by Brett Coomer

I knew very little about Terrorpins before their set. What I did know was that they were fronted by Tim Loud and I always enjoy seeing him live. Before the set started, Brett and I speculated about what they would sound like. I had decided they would be a mash up of punk, folk, country and ska. I can’t really say whether or not I was completely right with that prediction but, whatever the sound was, I absolutely loved it. The foursome were a late addition to the after party. They were originally down to play at Yes but switched due to the dreaded c-word appearing in the Ducking Punches camp. I had been looking forward to seeing Ducking Punches but Terrorpins were a great surprise and one I wouldn’t have experienced if it wasn’t for the changes. Unfortunately, the band don’t currently have anything online to listen to but I will keep a close eye on their social pages for when they do.

Photo by Brett Coomer

The last band of the day were another bunch of local heroes in Bruise Control. I believe that Bruise Control formed either just before lockdown or during and are a new band to the scene. Playing some fuzzy garage punk, their set was an absolute riot. Lead singer Jimbob was an incredible front person as he paced around the stage, screaming into his microphone – he looked as if he’d been put on the earth to front a band like this. There were also plenty of moments where he threw himself into the pit and was carried around the room by the crowd. I wish I had been more familiar with the band before catching their set so that I could have a sing-along with the crowd as they are a band that most definitely warranted one. Super tight and an absolute riot to watch. Bruise Control strike me as a band a lot of people are going to be talking about in the near future, as one of the most exciting new bands in UK punk rock, and I’m looking forward to catching them on their first UK tour next month.

MPF after parties are always special affairs, some might argue the best part of the entire festival, and this really backed that argument. It was the perfect way to end the day but now it was time to try and get some kip before another busy day tomorrow.

Buy tickets for MPF2023 here: https://manchesterpunkfestival.co.uk/mpf2023-tickets/

This review was written by Colin Clark and Emma Prew.

Gig Review: Fishstock 2022 at The Exchange, Bristol 26/3/22

Fishstock 2021 in September was without a doubt one of my favourite days of last year. The annual event, put on by the wonderful Chris Fishlock to celebrate his birthday, brings in such a wonderfully diverse bunch of bands to play together at The Exchange in Bristol and is a wholesome punk rock time. In 2022, the event would be moving back to its normal spot at the end of March as there were no government restrictions in place. The weekend also happened to coincide with Emma’s birthday weekend and we couldn’t think of a better place to spend the weekend.

We arrived on the Friday so that we could be well rested before a long day of great bands. We did some wandering around in the day, before hitting up Seitans Corner for some delicious vegan food. Highly recommend that restaurant. The next morning we did some more wandering around before meeting up with our friends Matt and Charlotte for a drink and some food. We went to a place called OMM Burger and Emma and I both had the satay ‘chicken’ burgers – we both agreed that it was the best burger we had ever eaten. And that’s enough food talk, we also saw bands on this trip…

When we got to the Exchange it was nice to see some familiar faces already hanging around. It’s a great feeling to arrive at a venue in a different part of the country and see friends, it makes you feel at ease instantly. We hung out, talking and catching up and before we knew it the first band of the day was on – Foxy Acetylene. Foxy Acetylene are a Bristol based four-piece who combine hardcore, thrash and metal music. This was really a great way to get the long day started. It was like an explosion from the very beginning and the band, and their three vocalists, didn’t relent for a second. It reminded me of at the previous Fishstock in September of how Redeemon started the day and this felt similar. A great way to blow out the cobwebs ahead of what was going to be a great day.

 

Next we made our way downstairs to the basement to see Chris Egan. I recognised Chris from seeing their band TIE Fighter Pilot at The Exchange a few years ago. I really enjoyed that set and really enjoyed seeing Chris perform solo. Sat on a stool with an electric guitar, Chris’s solo music was much grungier and moodier than what I had expected but they managed to captivate everyone in the room with a great performance which really showed off their guitar playing skills.

Making our way back up the stairs, I was particularly keen to catch the next act, Buds. I’ve been wanting to catch the Hampshire band for a while now and missed their Luton and London shows on their recent tour with Okay, Bye due to work. I, like everyone else watching in The Exchange, came away from their set with a new favourite pop punk band. As I watched their set I found my eyes transfixed on the stage. I was utterly blown away by just what a watchable band Buds are. The energy in both of the band’s guitarists and their bass player was something to behold. I often find that I spend a lot of time watching one particular member of a band but my eyes were drawn to things going on all over the stage and it was great. It wasn’t just a whole bundle of energy buzzing around though, there was some really tight musicianship and some superb vocals, screams and harmonies going on as well. Buds are great.

Heading back downstairs, next it was time for some acoustic folk from All In Vain. All In Vain was a name Emma recognised from reviewing their 2017 EP, Hits From The Void. Performing as a two piece, Ash singing and playing banjo as well as having some bells attached to one foot and a kick drum on the other was joined by a gentlemen whose name I don’t know playing acoustic guitar. I recall the majority of the songs that I watched were on the slower side but I couldn’t help but be impressed with the skill that the pair played their instruments with. It had been a long time since I’d watched a folk act and I found All In Vain to be a refreshing change.

Returning to the main room, it was time to see an act that the whole UK DIY scene seems to have been talking about. Sniff is the new project from Bobby Funk guitarist Alex Smith. It’s more of a garage pop punk sound than Bobby Funk’s usual hardcore. When I entered the room I was expecting to see a full band setting up but instead Alex was sat on stage with a screen and a projector armed with what was essentially a powerpoint presentation. From there we were treated to a one person show featuring many of the songs that Sniff have already released as Alex sang along to the backing track whilst the projector displayed the lyrics on screen. I fear I’m not doing any justice to just how brilliant this set was. The songs were all great and Alex’s performance was top class. Really engaging and a lot of fun. Without sounding too wanky, this felt like punk rock as a performance art and my goodness it was so enjoyable. There’s good reason why so many people are talking about Sniff.

Following Sniff we made our way back to the basement for Petty Treason. Petty Treason is the new project from Sara Harrington who readers might know from their time playing trumpet for Faintest Idea. Petty Treason is an acoustic pop punk act that I adored. The songs were great and Sara really let their personality shine through with a charming performance. I had no idea that Sara was so skilled in working a crowd, with some engaging and entertaining banter between some wonderfully crafted songs. The set included some rad songs and some sad songs – they were all great songs.

Local favourites Boom Boom Racoon were next on stage in the main room. This was the first band of the day that I’d seen before, having seen the Racoons a number of times at New Cross Inn over the years. I have to say that this was the best I’ve ever seen them. I’m struggling to explain why this was exactly, it might be a hometown thing. Playing a set consisting of mainly songs from their latest album, Songs From The Before Times…, this was my first time hearing a lot of the tracks live. It’s great to see a band progress and Boom Boom Racoon are definitely doing that and then some. This three-piece are a lot of fun to listen to but also have some very important messages in their music that should not be ignored. I’m looking forward to catching them again at Level Up Festival in July.

Specialist Subject supergroup Cosmit were next on down in the basement. When we arrived downstairs the room was already pretty full so it was tricky to get a decent view of the low stage. Cosmit play an energetic garage punk style with great vocals and harmonies. I hadn’t really listened to Cosmit before but, based on this set, I’m definitely inspired to listen to them more. From the view that I did have I could see the band jumping around and having a delightful time. I believe this was only their fourth gig as a band and I look forward to many more.

Back up stairs it was time for rave punks Killdren. Early in their set they mentioned that a big part of the reason that they exist is Chris Fishlock. The story goes that after Chris heard one of their songs he wanted to book them, so they wrote more songs. This was my first proper exposure to Killdren and I was immediately taken aback by their energy. Jumping around to their electronic tracks, this was an engrossing performance by the duo. It was clear to see just why the band are so highly thought of. We only stayed around for a bit of their set as we were getting hungry and wanted a bit of a rest but I’ll definitely be sure to catch them again in the future.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing Animal Byproducts for ages now. My friends Mark and Sarah have been raving about them and I’ve always enjoyed everything I’ve heard from the band. It seemed my eagerness to see the band was shared by a lot more people as the Exchange basement soon filled up with folk keen for a sing and a dance. I think the best way of explaining the band is as a scrappy indie punk band with a trumpet. This was another in a string of super impressive sets at Fishstock from bands I hadn’t seen before. This was just a super fun and endearing set. It’s obvious why they are so well loved. Hopefully they’ll be back down south, hopefully London, sooner rather than later. Definitely not a band to be sleeping on.

Next we journeyed back upstairs for something completely different. Two-piece doom punks Monolithian had already started slaying the stage when we arrived into the room. This is far from my usual taste in music but I did instantly find myself nodding my head along to the music. I found the dark tone of the music and the whole aura around the songs to be slightly hypnotic though. It was oddly relaxing, which I’m not entirely sure is what they were going for, but that’s what I felt at the time. Speaking to a friend afterwards, they said the exact same thing so I’m glad it wasn’t just me!

We made sure we went back down to the basement nice and early for our friends in Triple Sundae’s set. As the band were finishing setting up, there was a nice moment when an older gentleman dragged a stool from the back of the room to the front of the stage so they could sit and get the best possible view. I didn’t see them do this for any other band on the day so I assume that Trip Sun were their favourite of the day. The man has fine taste. Of all the bands I’ve seen since gigs returned last autumn, I have to say that Triple Sundae seem the most reinvigorated after the break. A lot of bands seem to have picked up from where they left off but Trip Sun seem to be taking things to a higher level than they ever have before. There’s a renewed enthusiasm that comes across whenever I see them play live. Squashed into the small basement stage – there wasn’t even enough room for guitarist Mike to do one of his trademark jumps – the band once again put everything into their set. They worked through everyone’s favourites from Peace Of Mind and Glow to great reactions from the crowd and we were treated to a new one which was just amazing. The set finished with the phenomenal Indecisive that is still stuck in my head today, as I’m writing this, and probably is also today when you’re reading this too.

2 Sick Monkeys were the penultimate band in the Exchange main room. They are a band I’m aware of but have never seen before and not really checked out so I wasn’t really sure what to expect from them. As we entered the room the band had already started playing. They were a two-piece with a bass guitar and drums with both members adding vocals. What I found quite interesting was how the previous main room band, Monolithian, also had just a bass and drums but how different each band managed to sound. 2 Sick Monkeys had more of a melodic sound to them and somehow fell between the psychobilly and garage punk venn diagram. We watched around half of their set before heading outside for some air and a drink.

Next we made our way back down to the basement for the final band on that stage – Fifty First State. Unfortunately we made our way down a little too late and the room was absolutely jam packed and we couldn’t get in. Because of this we made our way back upstairs to hang out in the bar before The Menstrual Cramps started the final set of the day.

I’d not listened to The Menstrual Cramps before this gig and didn’t know what to expect. I knew this was their first gig in two years and that were really highly thought of in the Bristol punk community, as well as in the riot grrrl scene however. I also discovered that this would be the band’s new guitar player and bassist’s first gig for the band. As the band got ready, the main room at the Exchange began to fill up and it looked as if there was some folk who showed up especially to see the band. When they did get started there was a feeling of excitement in the air – this band are loved in these parts. The band’s front person Emilia was a bundle of charisma and energy and it was impossible to take my eyes off of them. The subject matter of their songs is usually quite serious and heavy, such as politics, abortion and rape, but they approach and perform them in a fun manner. I think that this is often the best way to get a message across in music, make the music as fun and as catchy as possible. What impressed me most about the set was how tight the band were despite it being the first show for half of them. It makes we wonder just how good they could get after they’ve played more gigs together. The original-line up for Fishstock had a couple of more established acts from the UK punk scene set to finish the night. Sadly they had to pull out and it was left to The Menstrual Cramps to finish the day. After a long day, at this point this was the fourteenth band I’d seen on the day and I was shattered, The Menstrual Cramps managed to revitalise me and it felt like such a big occasion when they played. I definitely left the set as a new fan of The Menstrual Cramps.

Fishstock 2022 was another unbelievable day. You’ve just read how much I enjoyed the bands that had played all day. I loved how diverse the line-up was and there was something for everyone. But the thing that I really took away from the day was just an amazing positive feeling by being surrounded by lovely, likeminded people all day. Regular readers will know that our usual scene is down in South London at the New Cross Inn but to be able to travel to Bristol and experience a different punk community is a very special thing. There was nothing but lovely people gathered at The Exchange, all coming together because they love and believe in the bands that played. Speaking with Chris before we left, he mentioned that next year would be the tenth Fishstock and I’m already very excited to see what they pull off for it. You can bet that we’ll be back.

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

Gig Review: Toodles & The Hectic Pity at Shacklewell Arms, London 23/3/22

When indie punk sweethearts Toodles & The Hectic Pity announced a UK tour with their friends Live, Do Nothing at the beginning of 2022, we quickly snapped up our (free) tickets for the London show. Since stumbling upon them a four or five years ago, Toodles have become big favourites in the CPRW camp so anytime they’ve come to London we’ve made the effort to go and see them. The gig would be taking place at a venue named the Shacklewell Arms which is in East London.

When we arrived at the venue – which we hadn’t been to before – I immediately felt comfortable. It was a really welcoming place that I wish I lived closer to. My thoughts throughout the entire night were what a lovely place Shacklewell Arms is. If you live nearby, make sure you support the venue!

First up was Hassan of Triple Sundae playing a rare acoustic set. Hassan was a late but very welcome addition to the line up as the original act had to drop out. Since gigs started happening again I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Hassan perform more than anyone else whether it’s with the rest of Triple Sundae or performing hip hop as Lounar. I’ve been saying for a long time that Hassan has one of the best voices in punk rock and hearing him perform acoustically really showcases that. Hassan played through many Triple Sundae classics as well as a couple of brand new songs and a Lounar track that was originally written for Triple Sundae. It was lovely to see Hassan perform like this and a great way to kick off the night.

We first saw Live, Do Nothing in September 2021 at Fishstock in Bristol. I believe that was the first time that they played with the newest incarnation of the band – with what seemed like a full orchestra. At the time, I assumed that this was something special they had done for Fishstock but it turns out this is the band now! I really enjoyed the Live, Do Nothing set. It was clear that they’ve been working hard on getting tighter as a band and it really showed. This set was full of pure joy from start to finish. The band seemed so happy to be on the stage together playing their music and that feeling spilled out into the crowd. With so many different instruments on the stage, including a cello, flute and keytar, I was super impressed with how seamless the set went and how there wasn’t any awkwardness between songs as members switched instruments around. If you haven’t ever listened to Live, Do Nothing I really suggest that you do as it’s clear that they’re on the rise and will be one of the most talked about UK bands in the next year or so.

The evening’s last act was, of course, Toodles & The Hectic Pity and we were excited. Like Live, Do Nothing, we had been fortunate enough to see Toodles at Fishstock back in September and they played a killer set. Now they were finishing a UK tour and were on top form. Also, kudos to Toodles and Live, Do Nothing for managing to get through a whole tour without having to cancel anything due to the covid. The Shacklewell arms began to fill up a little bit more in time for the band to start. I don’t know if it was folk who had turned up especially for the band or if it was people in the pub popping in to the venue room to see what was happening but, either way, they were in for a treat. The band played through songs from both of their EPs, Call In Sick and Ghosts, Guilt & Grandparents, as well as a handful of new ones and they all sounded great. Callum on vocals and guitar, Max on bass and Dom on drums and melodica are all superb musicians – and together on stage they’re like an undeniable force. I challenge anyone to go see them live and to not thoroughly enjoy themselves. For a three piece, they have a great stage presence and their music screams out to be sung along with. I’ve seen the band a number of times now and I have to say that I don’t think Callum’s vocals have ever sounded better. It’s always an absolute pleasure to see Toodles & The Hectic Pity and I’m looking forward to seeing them again at the MPF warm-up show in a few weeks time.

This review was written by Colin Clark.