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: Manchester Punk Festival 2022: Warm Up Show (by Colin and Emma)

I’m sure you’re already well aware that Manchester Punk Festival made its triumphant return over the Easter weekend. It’s a festival put together by the fine folk behind Anarchistic Undertones, Moving North and TNSRecords. After taking an enforced break for a couple of years due to the thing that happened that I’m so sick of talking about, the festival returned with its now traditional warm-up show along with its three full days of festival. Between Emma and myself, we saw around forty bands over the four days and so, to stop this four part post being stupidly long, I’m keeping the introduction to a minimum. The review of the festival will be in four parts, today we have our review of the warm-up which took place at Rebellion and featured four brilliant and diverse sounding bands. (Emma’s parts are in italics.)

After arriving in Manchester, meeting up with Robyn and Brett, having some stress getting the keys to the Air BNB and then some confusion finding the apartment itself, we met up with a load of our great friends from the New Cross Inn scene and had a delicious V-Rev dinner before heading to Rebellion. We arrived at the venue just in time for the start of Snatch Game. When they were announced, I knew absolutely nothing about the band but I was later informed by our good buddy Sarah Shout Louder that they were a Ru Paul’s Drag Race punk rock cover band. I’ve never seen an episode of the show and know very little about it but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the set. It was a set of fun, catchy punk rock that had everyone in the room smiling. After the set I described it as watching an MCU film without seeing the twenty or so films before it. Despite not getting all the references, it was still super enjoyable. A great way to kick off the entire weekend.

Photo by Emma Prew

Following Snatch Game wasn’t going to be an easy task but we were super excited to see CPRW favourites and friends of ours Toodles And The Hectic Pity take to the Rebellion stage next. Callum’s lyrics and vocals are captivating and when teamed with the rhythm section of Max and Dom, Toodles always put on a mesmerising performance. There were a few small technical difficulties with the vocals but I hardly noticed when singing along to tracks such as Menthol Cigarettes, Call In Sick and Ducks. A few people I spoke to after their set said just how impressed they were with Toodles and so this appearance certainly earned them some new fans. Maybe, hopefully, they’ll be back to play the official MPF next year?

Photo by Mark Farthing

Of the three bands in the warm-up show line-up that I hadn’t seen live previously, Burning Flag were the one I was most looking forward to seeing. I was a big fan of of their album, Matador, which was released last year and their live performance was every bit as raw and powerful as I’d have hoped. What a front person Holly is! They owned the stage as they screamed, shouted and sang with so much energy that just spread into the crowd. It was an empowering experience and I can’t wait until I have the opportunity to see Burning Flag live again. I might avoid standing in the middle of the crowd next time though, hardcore mosh pits are not for me.

Photo by Emma Prew

The band tasked with headlining the warm-up party were Manchester ska legends Harijan. I’d previously seen Harijan at the last MPF in 2019 when they played one of the after parties and since then they’ve released an excellent debut album. I was very keen to see them play some of those songs live and they did not disappoint. Singer Mike Corrigan lead the band with a swagger that only someone from Manchester can and his distinctive voice filled the room. Harijan write music that you can’t help but want to dance to. And dance I did! The set flew by far quicker than I would have liked, I think I would have happily enjoyed a set twice this long but given we had a very long weekend ahead of us it’s probably best that they stopped when they did. It’s always a pleasure to experience Harijan live, here’s hoping they find their way down south at some point this year.

Photo by Harijan

After the set we made our way back to our Air BNB to try and get a decent night’s kip ahead of what was going to be, if the warm-up was anything to go by, an incredible weekend.

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

This review was written by Colin Clark and Emma Prew.

CPRW Playlist: April 2022

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Chris, Dan#2, Emma, Ilse, Lara, Marcus, Omar, Rich, Richard, Robyn, Theo and myself have been listening to in April.

Album Review: On The Brink by Mark Murphy And The Meds

I want to start this review with an apology. I feel like I promised this review months ago and I’m only just getting round to writing it. Sorry Mark! In November 2021, Liverpool based band Mark Murphy And The Meds released a brand new album titled On The Brink. As soon as I heard it, I adored it and it found its way into my top ten favourite albums of the year. It’s packed with some of the best pop punk I’ve heard in a while. It had me thinking of one of my favourite bands, the Teen Idols, and there’s a lot of other Lookout Records style influences spread throughout the album. We need more of that style of pop punk in our lives so hearing On The Brink was really refreshing.

On The Brink begins with the song Stuck Inside. The track starts with a high tempo and some nice guitar riffs, before Mark’s vocals come in and ask the question “what have you done?”. I must admit that when I first read the title, and given the fact that this album was written during 2020 when the UK was in lockdown, I thought that Stuck Inside might be a song about that. It’s not. The song looks at a relationship where one of the people in said relationship changes and begins to shut the other person out. It’s quite a sad song lyrically but the tempo and melody certainly pep it up somewhat. This is followed by Susie’s Gonna Try. After a “1, 2, 3, 4!”, the song starts with no opening fanfare. It’s the proper pop punk way. Throughout the entire two minutes and twenty-eight seconds of the song we’re treated to nothing but pure energy. I love a song that does this relentlessly but is also jam packed with hooks and melodies. It’s a really catchy ear worm of a track and that you’ll be humming to yourself long after you finish listening to the song.

Therapy Room Ten is one of my stand out track on On The Brink and Mark was kind enough to let us use the song on our recent CPRW Records release Not Here Not Anywhere. The song looks at folk who go to therapy and ultimately why they go, to try and feel a little hope in their lives. I feel like this is a song that plenty of people who listen to it will relate to and hopefully if you’ve been thinking about going to therapy for anything it might give you a little push to do so. Once again the whole song is full of this infectious energy and brings you along for the ride. The fourth track on the album is titled She’s Been To Reno. Unlike the previous three tracks, Mark and The Meds add a bit more rock to their sound. The guitars still buzz along but the rhythm section for the band seems to give more of a solid spine to the song and Mark’s vocals have a more serious tone to them. I think that it is sometimes difficult to add a variety of sounds to this style of pop punk music and the band do a great job of it here.

Another Case Of Lonely has a longer introduction and has an all around softer feeling to it. To me, it seems rare for a pop punk album to show this level of vulnerability but Mark wears his heart on his sleeve throughout. This track is about a relationship ending and the sad feeling of loneliness that comes from the situation. During the track, Mark sings about not expecting things to end and working hard to try and keep things together. This is another sad song that I’m sure plenty of people will relate to, which in itself is a bit sad. Up next is That Day. Continuing the theme of break-ups, on That Day Mark sings about the day of a relationship ending and the feelings that come from that. I really enjoyed the moments of spoken word during the song, it’s something a bit different that I wasn’t expecting it but I thought it worked really well in getting the emotion of the song across. There is also a great moment where the melody and tempo takes a turn, adding a bit more urgency into the track.

The seventh song on On The Brink is titled Alone Again Nor. If you’re a Teen Idols fan then you’re going to absolutely love this, I can imagine it appearing on Pucker Up or Full Leather Jacket. The intro starts quietly but soon builds and begins to pick up speed. I loved the way the guitars worked together on the introduction – great work! Of all the songs on the album I think this might have the best melodies, which is saying a lot because there are loads of great ones sprinkled generously throughout On The Brink. It’s another big ear worm and I love it. It’s also got the fist in the air quality where a crowd will shout the song right back at the band when they play live. Stupendous pop punk right here. Hardcore Four sees Mark Murphy And The Meds turn down a different path as they perform a hardcore song. It’s full throttle throughout the one minute and eighteen seconds duration with the vocals really having a lot more venom to them. After everything else that has been before it on the album, this was a surprise and a bloody nice one at that. It’s an angry song that really hits the listener hard.

The penultimate song, Candle, continues with the energy that came from Hardcore Four but returns back to the pop punk sound we’re more accustomed to. This is another absolutely delightful melody from the band and will also find a long term residence inside your brain. I think the bass playing from Lennie Spruce stands out more on Candle that it does on any other track on the album and it’s superb. We’re even treated to a bass solo in the final part of the track before we reach a final chorus. Pogoing was always a big part of pop punk back in the day and it feels as if this song was written for a giant pogo at a gig. It’s a bouncy number that does make me smile. The final track on On The Brick is Slow Worm. For this final song the band do slow things down slightly. The guitars chug and the bass has some playful riffs that move the song forward. The first couple of verses follow this pattern but when the chorus hits we’re in for a big sing-along moment. I think that this is one of the biggest sing-along sections on the whole album and I kind of wish that they had included some gang vocals to really make this pop. They do include some super sweet harmonies as the song and album comes to its final moments however.

There’s a lot of pop punk bands in the UK but not many who are doing this particular style of pop punk. When I came across the album at the end of last year, I smiled from ear to ear when listening to it. I love this sound and this is a superb version of it. I hope that On The Brink leads to a bit of a renaissance of this sound that the UK scene is severely missing. If you haven’t checked out On The Brink and are a fan of all things Lookout or bands such as Zatopeks, The Murderburgers, The Kimberly Steaks and No Matter etc. then this an album you really need in your life.

Stream and download On The Brink on Bandcamp.

Like Mark Murphy And The Meds on Facebook.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

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.

Interview: Plot 32 Interview For Manchester Punk Festival

Ahead of their performance at Manchester Punk Festival, Colin caught up with Plot 32 for a lovely chat.

How did Plot 32 start?

Gaz: Myself, lead guitarist Adam and Stash were at Rebellion 2016 and we just watched Bar Stool Preachers play an acoustic set and were all feeling very emotional and said “there doesn’t seem to be that much ska punk going on in Leeds at the moment besides the usual suspects, how about we form a band.” Then Stash said “well aye man, that sounds cannae.”

Liz: I remember recruiting Rachel, we were on a Rocky Horror night out, we dressed up, and I was like “you’d be the perfect person to join our brass section and then you agreed so that was nice.”

Rachel: “I somehow ended up accidentally in a ska band when I was at school and I randomly mentioned that to you on a night out.

Liz: I Had to learn drums for this band, Gaz had to learn the bass.

Stash: A few had to start from scratch.

Liz: We started in February and we had our first gig in May which was very soon as I’d never played any drums before.

Stash: That’s pretty punk rock that, innit.

Who are the members of Plot 32?

Liz: I’m Liz and I play the drums, shall we tell you our favourite vegetable as well?

If you want, the answer is broccoli.

Liz: Yeah, my answers broccoli.

Gaz: I’m Gaz, I play bass guitar and my favourite vegetable is a beetroot.

Stash: My name is Stash, I’m 42 years old, my favourite vegetable is mushroom and I’m the singer.

Cat S: I’m Cat, I’m the rhythm guitarist and my favourite vegetable is a carrot.

Rachel: I’m Rachel, I play saxophone and my favourite vegetable is fresh peas.

Liz: We’ve got Adam, he plays guitar and his favourite vegetable is sweetcorn because he’s a sweet person and he’s pretty corny and then there’s Cat Robbins, she plays the trumpet, she love an aubergine apparently.

Who are your influences?

Stash: I think we’ve all got different influences. The bands probably influenced by bands like Operation Ivy, Bosstones, ska punk….

Cat S: I listen to a lot of Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, also I love anything a bit pop punky like New Found Glory as well.

Liz: Cat and Adam tend to write most of our songs but then other people chip in, Gaz and Rachel and Stash have all written some things, I haven’t written anything so I guess my influences wouldn’t come out that strongly but I love things like drum n bass, dance music but all of my favourite gigs growing up were Reel Big Fish. I think me and Cat spent years going to every single Reel Big Fish gig. I used to love King Prawn and saw lots of ska punk in Leeds back in the day.

This is your first time playing MPF, have you been before as attendees?

Stash: I’ve volunteered there before. We’ve been there as punters.

Liz: I’ve been almost every year. Infact I met Cat Robbins at the thing that was before MPF. There was some sort of anniversary show that the same people put on the year before MPF and I met Cat Robbins in the queue so we wouldn’t even have her as a friend or band member if it wasn’t for MPF. This sounds like a proper geeky thing to say but my drum teachers reminded me of it last week. I was talking about playing MPF and the stuff I wanted to work on and they were like “ooh, they said last year that playing MPF was your dream” and I was like “I wouldn’t of said that would I?” but clearly I did.

Gaz: You say it all the time Liz, when you’re drunk.

Cat S: I’ve never been, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s normally difficult for me to get time off work to get to it. But we’re playing some I’m forced to get time of work for it so it’s great. I can’t wait! It’ll be a good opportunity to see loads of bands that I’ve never seen before and get introduced to new stuff  and seeing some old friends as well.

Stash: It’s nice when all you’re mates are there from all different cities coming together. You can spend a lot of time chatting to people with people you’ve not seen for a while.

Liz: It’s one of those few festivals where you know that everyone you know from across the country will be in the same place and you’ll bump into them at some point over the weekend. And they always have an amazing line up too.

Stash: I normally miss a lot of bands just through nattering and smoking.

Who are all you looking forward to seeing?

Liz: I have been doing so much research on this, I’ve got a playlist that I made myself. They do have an MPF playlist but I wanted to extra curate it. Shai Hulud, I know they’re quite famous but I’ve never listened to them before I knew they were playing MPF. Really love them. Really love Belvedere, Elephant March is a great song, just love all that relentless, fast pop punk stuff. And then there’s some really nice ska like Popes, JB Conspiracy, all the people that we love seeing and have maybe played with before. I quite like Riskee, some of that rappy stuff, Karl Phillips, we’ve played with him before haven’t we. Jeff Rosenstock. I’m trying not get my hopes up too much with anybody because you don’t know who’s gonna clash and you don’t know who’s going to have to pull out.

Cat S: We’ve had Brassick at Nice As Pie before so I’m looking forward to seeing them.

Liz: There’s all of our friends bands as well. Smoking Gives You Big Tits, I love them. Great name, great band. Monolithian, that’s Simon from Rash Decision’s band with that lady in Bobby Funk. They’re gonna be great.

What can people expect to see from your live set?

Stash: They’re probably see seven drunkards falling about all over the stage.

Liz: We’re not a polished performance but we’ll be very friendly.

Stash: If we’re anything we’re friendly.

Cat S: We want everyone to have fun and we’ll be having fun and hopefully that’s all that matters.

Liz: There might be some cheesy, bad jokes. You might get some very light political and environmental messaging  but the overriding theme will be fun.

What’s your best experience at a Plot 32 gig?

Stash: Outciders always a good thing.

Liz: Remember when we played that really weird festival and then somebody came up to us and told us and told us that she was Miss Chesire 2018. I don’t know if this was the same person or I’ve got it confused in my head…

Stash: Didn’t she call us weirdos?

Liz: She said you’re the weirdest bunch of weirdos that I’ve seen in the same place at the same time and I thought to myself that I really understand what you mean; we are all quite different to each other, we’ve got quite different opinions and we act quite differently and I just loved that she thought we were so strange.

Cat S: Illusive Festival was dead good as well.

Liz: That was definitely the weirdest festival that I’ve ever been too.

Stash: It was like a drum n bass festival with a random ska stage.

Liz: Everyobdy was off their face to the point where they’ve built little sort of caves under the stage for people to go and hide if they want to have some private time.

Stash: That sounds rude.

Gaz: We played two sets that weekend. We played one of the first sets on the Friday and we were all fresh and energetic and there weren’t that many people watching us. Then on Sunday we were all a bit worse for wear, we were depleted with serotonin and dopamine and I think the majority of us were hung over and we played the other set and people were absolutely loving it.

Stash: I think between us we probably introduced ourselves to everybody at the festival by that point .

Liz: They really had no choice but to come and watch us after we bombarded them with our friendship for the whole weekend.

That’s a solid plan, are you going to do that in Manchester as well?

Liz: We’ve already said that we really hope we play the Sunday so we get so we get to make friends with absolutely everybody at the festival and then relentless pressure them into coming to see us.

Do you know where you’re playing yet?

Liz: It doesn’t really matter. Early is good, late is good, middle is good. They’ve all got there advantages.

Have you got a venue that you particularly want to play?

Liz: I love the Zombie Shack which I guess might be where we play as it’s a bit of a small one. It’ll be lovely to play in a smaller venue that’s packed out.

Stash: I’d rather play a smaller venue with more people in than a bigger venue with the same amount of people.

Cat S: Somewhere with a big enough stage to fit seven of us.

Liz: Yeah, so basically we want a venue where the stage is half as big as the crowd space so we’ve got room but no-one else does.

Stash: Not too high though, as I’m prone to falling off.

Liz: I would like a drum riser so we could have a combination of those things.

Cat S: Are you going to build our ideal stage here Colin?

I will send Tree a message and ask him very nicely.

Stash: It would be good if the drum rose over from the floor, that would be good.

Liz: We played for Tree the other day didn’t we and the drums were on a bit of a riser. It was the first time that I thought people could see me and I loved it.

Stash: I mean coming up from the floor as you’re playing.

Just fly across the room.

Liz: Who is it that does that?

Cat S: Do Slipknot do that?

Stash: A zip wire would be good. A good entrance on a zip wire.

Liz: Nobody had done zip wire drumming have they? Perhaps I could be the first.

That would be a lot of wires that you would have to time very precisely to make sure all the kit is in the same place.

Stash: You’d imagine that the kit would already be on stage and you’d just arrive and land on the chair.

Liz: Oh no, I imagine you’re going to zipwire a platform with the drums set up already.

Gaz: This is just sounding like a death clock out of metalopolis with the ridiculous stage set up.

Stash: When people book us we should start requesting these things and see what we can get.

Liz: We must be halfway between getting nothing on a rider and getting some flying drums. Perhaps if we aim high we might get a crate of beer.

Stash: We’ll take £20 if we can get a zipwire.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Gaz: I guess we could say we’d like people to come along and make friends with us. We’ve been told we either get the party started or we keep the party going or we end the party really well so really your choice is across the board.

Stash: Take care of yourself and each other.

Plot 32 play at Zombie Shack at 22.15 tonight!

Check out Plot 32 on Facebook here and Bandcamp here.

Manchester Punk Festival 2022 Preview: Part Three

Please read Part One and Part Two of our Manchester Punk Festival 2022 Preview if you haven’t already!

We haven’t listed the specific times for each band as we understand that these are potentially subject to change before the weekend. Please check the official Clashfinder to be certain you don’t miss anyone!

Gurnal Gadafi – Saturday, at The Bread Shed (Emma)
Gurnal Gadafi – what a name! – are a band that I literally only discovered when going through the MPF 2022 line-up and listening to all of the bands I hadn’t heard of before. This was basically to decide whether I might want to see them or not but also to consider which bands I’d write about for this here blog. At the time, Gurnal Gadafi only had one track online but I liked what I heard – passionate, angry spoken word meets hardcore – and immediately marked them as a band to keep an eye/ear on. I can imagine this late night MPF set being a wild and messy one.

Grafteoke – Saturday, at Rebellion (Colin)
Grafteoke were one of the highlights of MPF 2019. The MPF after parties have long been pretty legendary but the addition of Grafteoke took them to a whole new level. If you’re unaware of the concept, Grafteoke are a punk rock cover band featuring the members of Pure Graft. They invite members of the crowd on to the stage to sing their favourite songs and basically live out their dreams as punk rock front people. Last time, there was a nice combination of folk from bands as well as the general crowd taking to the stage and a wonderful time was had by all.

Crazy Arm – Sunday, at The Union (Dan)
Crazy Arm play a fusion of country and punk rock. Their songs hit like thunder, powerful in content and production and watching them live is a magical experience, their voices and playing in perfect sync. Their most recent work "Dark Hands, Thunderbolts" is a masterwork and every single song is unskippable. I have been watching them live for the last 11 years and am still excited when ever I get the chance to see them play.

Pendleton – Sunday, at The Bread Shed (Robyn)
Every festival inevitably has a few difficult scheduling decisions and this year my worst clash is between Pendleton and Signals Midwest (but hey, at least it’s not Fresh this time). I’m sad to miss out on what will surely be a very special set, with the Manchester four-piece reuniting to blast through some of the best skate-punk the UK has to offer. I’m sure this will be a major nostalgia trip for a lot of people at the festival and have everyone happily singing and air-punching along.

Signals Midwest – Sunday, at Gorilla (Robyn)
Signals Midwest are an alternative indie band hailing from the American Midwest. I properly delved into their discography in 2020 during the first lockdown and I’ve really come to love them more and more. Their sound is rich and emotive, incorporating introspective storytelling with dynamic melodies. They’ve become a real source of comfort to me over the past couple of years and the first few notes of songs like ‘Alchemy Hour’ or ‘You’re Gonna Be Golden’ will almost certainly have me tearing up; but I’m also looking forward to hearing some of the band’s more recent singles. It’s disappointing that they’re playing at the same time as Pendleton, but I wouldn’t miss them for anything.

On A Hiding To Nothing – Sunday, at The Bread Shed (Brett)
On A Hiding To Nothing is proof that despite being inevitable and sometimes a bummer, line-up changes can work out beautifully. The late changes forced me to check out some new (to me) bands to replace the ones that could no longer make it. Finding a band like On A Hiding To Nothing is a real treat for someone with my tastes because they play fast to really-fast skate punk with great melodies and vocal harmonies. Their latest album, We’ll Probably Be Fine, might be one of the best 2021 albums discovered by me in 2022 and if you like bands like Frenzal Rhomb, Bigwig or F.O.D, On A Hiding To Nothing is definitely a band you should check out.

Shit Present – Sunday, at Gorilla (Emma)
It’s been almost five years since I last saw the wonderful Exeter-based foursome, Shit Present, play live – and about as long since they released any new music. Admittedly, there has been a worldwide pandemic in that time but, even so, I figured even before the pandemic that the band had decided to call it a day. But no! They will be making a come back at MPF 2022 with their emotional brand of indie punk and I sure won’t be missing it. I hear they’ve been in the studio as well, so it seems like this performance isn’t going to be a one-off. I can’t wait!

Public Serpents – Sunday, at The Union (Colin)
Public Serpents are a skacore/crack rocksteady band from New Jersey, USA. Combining upstrokes, pounding drums and raspy, guttural vocals alongside some powerful political messages, Public Serpents bring something a little different to Manchester Punk Festival. This will be my first opportunity to see them live and I expect a chaotic mess of a show and I can’t wait to see it.

Don Blake – Sunday, at Zombie Shack (Colin)
Bolton’s Don Blake are playing their final ever show at Manchester Punk Festival, that really should be enough reason to go and see them – you’ll never get another chance. Unless they decide that splitting up is a silly idea and keep on going. Don Blake play some of the best pop punk produced by a UK band in the last few years, bringing together catchy melodies, buzzing riffs and soaring harmonies better that almost every other band in the genre. I’m sad to see the band are calling it a day but I’m certain the MPF crowd will give them a great send off.

All Away Lou – Sunday, at Yes (Robyn)
All Away Lou is the latest project to come from Lou Hanman (of Caves and Flamingo50) after moving to Philadelphia from the UK. It’s very much in the same vein as these earlier projects, offering catchy indie-pop jams, although the newly released album, Things Will Change, reminds me most of Worriers (who Lou has also played with). This comes through both in the style of singing and in the strong sense of melody and introspection in the songwriting. It will be great to hear these new songs live and to experience a bit of Lou.

The Chisel – Sunday, at The Bread Shed (Richard)
Hot on the heels of Chubby And The Gang, rising street punk / hardcore crossover act The Chisel will no doubt excite many with their working class anthems and political fuelled polemic. Last year’s Retaliation was an excellent debut and explosive listen that was equal parts Sham 69 and the Clash as it was early Bouncing Souls. Given their formation just before the commencement of the Covid lockdowns, it’s likely this will be the first opportunity for many to see them live and therefore an essential set you’ll want to catch before they blow up big time!

Good Friend – Sunday, at Zombie Shack (Robyn)
I’ve wanted to see Good Friend live ever since 2017, when Colin told me about their phenomenal live performance supporting Nothington and I first listened to their fantastic debut album, Ride The Storm. The band have a raucous energy, with big melodies and awesome singalong moments that should make for an amazing live show. I also can’t wait to hear Adam Carroll’s gorgeously gritty vocals in the flesh.

Incisions – Sunday, at Gorilla (Richard)
Last years ‘Bliss’ was described as a “cracking album that was perfectly balanced and structured full of vitriol and insight like the best hardcore albums” by these very pages (by me in fact). Incisions have built an excellent discography of Black Flag meets Vorhees styled hardcore that demands attention. Surrounded by equally excellent hardcore acts across the weekend and in front of a native crowd, you can expect this to be one of the hottest tickets in town.

Fresh – Sunday, at The Union (Robyn)
I am so incredibly pumped that Fresh is playing MPF again and that I’ll finally have another chance to see them. I’ve been wanting to catch the London four-piece live since our first MPF in 2018 and for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened yet. They play a wonderfully open and bright style of pop-punk that’s both fun and sincere. I can’t wait to dance and sing along to all my faves, so hopefully there will be no schedule changes or last-minute emergencies that see Fresh having to drop out of the festival.

PMX – Sunday, at Gorilla (Dan)
It's a massive crime against skate punk that I haven't seen PMX play any songs off "Ctrl Alt Del" yet so I'm changing that at MPF. They have a talent for creating amazing hooks with the counter melodies to match and an extra layer of excellent harmonies! I recommend a single dose of “Who Are We To Pray” and you will be hooked by this spectacular band!

Jeff Rosenstock – Sunday, at The Union (Emma)
So, I’ve stupidly picked two clashing Sunday night headliners to write about here. Technically I can’t physically watch both (at least not whole sets) but I’m going to write this as if I can! The MPF team have only gone and booked DIY punk rock legend Jeff Rosenstock to headline the closing night of their festival. I’ve seen Rosenstock and his band live a couple of times in the past, although not all that recently, and so I know that they are brilliant live. There’s a chaotic energy to their songs and performance style that will no doubt spread into the crowd. They’ll be playing The Union which is the biggest MPF venue but, given that the festival is sold out, I expect it to be packed. Probably a set that will spoken about in years to come.

Roughneck Riot – Sunday, at The Bread Shed (Emma)
And then we have Roughneck Riot – a completely different sounding band to Jeff Rosenstock but one that I love just the same. Although they’re not from Manchester – they’re from down the road in Warrington – Roughneck do feel like a MPF staple band to me. Perhaps it’s because of their relationship to TNSRecords or perhaps it’s just because they always receive an outstanding reception whenever they play the festival (which they’ve already done twice before) and, I imagine, the city in general. The raucous folk punk troupe have made a recent come back after some years off (extended by the pandemic) and have a brand new album, Burn It To The Ground, to boot. This is going to be one hell of a comeback show.

A Wilhelm Scream – Sunday, at Gorilla (Robyn)
I’ve been fortunate enough to see AWS live a few times in the US and I can tell you that it is every bit as technical, blisteringly energetic, and fun as you’d expect. The five-piece melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts, is fronted by the incomparable Nuno Pereira, who always works hard to engage with the crowd and to get everyone pumped up and singing along. The band’s new album, Lose Your Delusion, also drops right before MPF on 14 April. So, hopefully we’ll also get to hear a few of the new songs live and maybe even pick up a copy of the album.

Plot 32 – Sunday, at Zombie Shack (Colin)
These Leeds ska punks are one of the bands I’m most excited to see at MPF. One of the most fun bands to emerge out of the UK ska punk scene in recent years, I had the pleasure of seeing them in 2021 and had a whale of a time. There’s such a freshness about the band and just a big feeling of fun that surrounds them. I do like fun things. The seven piece will be squeezing onto the stage at Zombie Shack and, I expect, falling into the crowd. It will be the perfect way to start the final night of after parties. Check out my interview with Plot 32 in the official program.

Forever Unclean – Sunday, at The Bread Shed (Emma)
One of CPRW’s most favourite European DIY punk bands – and one Colin has been championing since their 2015 debut EP – Forever Unclean are back this year to play their second Manchester Punk Festival. This time the Danish trio are bringing tracks from their debut album, Best, which was released at the beginning of the year. It will be our, and indeed many people’s, first chance to hear many of these songs live and you can bet they are going to sound incredible. In 2018 Forever Unclean opened The Bread Shed stage on the Sunday, this year the band are playing the same venue and the same day but they’ll be playing a late set as part of one of the infamous MPF after parties. They’ll be just the boost of energy I need to power me through to the end of the festival.

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you in Manchester tomorrow/Friday!