Gigs with Ivan

The Darkness at the revamped Bristol Beacon

The Darkness live at Bristol Beacon on 14.12.2023 with Bad Nerves supporting

Bristol Beacon

My first encounter with The Darkness was at the suggestion of gig buddy Dave here at what was The Colston Hall in Bristol, six years ago to the day. Not long after, the venue shut, from 2018 to 2023 for a major refurb, dumping the Colston name, as the statue of the said slave trader was in the harbour, in favour of the new bland but inoffensive ‘Bristol Beacon’. The building was apparently on the site of a school named after Colston with no other connection.

Five years and a huge investment and it all looks very tidy, though the basic shape of the venue is the same, with a good selection of seats at the rear of the ground floor, balconies above and small side balconies on two levels which give a great view, above the standing crowd tonight. Capacity is 2100 or 1800 if all seated. This is a great facility to have back in the city, although it is a fair old drive for me, especially when returning home to Poole afterwards amid late night surprise road closures and winding cross country routes.

Previous Darkness

This return to see The Darkness came about after I stumbled on a showing at Wimborne Tivoli, for one night only, of the fascinating documentary film, ‘Welcome to The Darkness’. It really made me want to see them live again – we could have easily lost them – and a late surprise was that my gig buddy had a spare ticket for Bristol the following week. I recommend the film to get an insight into this talented, fun and often misunderstood band, particularly in light of their media image in their initial burst of success. After a year without Justin and Dan Hawkins speaking and a few health scares for the brothers, The Darkness may well have been history by now.

I did see them live in the interim in a few ‘special guest’ appearances: supporting The Hollywood Vampires in Birmingham in 2018 and at the Royal Chelsea Barracks outside in the pouring rain, supporting Toto.

All have been as rock’n’roll, glam, good humoured and entertaining as you could wish for – Justin Hawkins is such a showman, and a beautifully blunt and sweary one.

We were in for part of the soundcheck tonight and a Q&A session. Justin was annoying the band with his mini-keyboard. There was a lucky dip for someone to sing a song with the band… did we have to put in for this? The moment of fear passed and a women’s name was pulled out. She did a brilliant job. What a treat.

Bristol – grey haired gig goers with The Darkness

Tonight’s Support

Once I knew I was coming this evening, it only got better when I realised who was supporting: modern day Ramones style punks Bad Nerves. A new band that have had some good support slots across Europe and America but not toured at home that much – there’s a great first album and a live one which I have and I did catch them at a little place in Southampton, Heartbreakers (My Bad Nerves blog from Southampton.)

Bobby Nerves – Bad Nerves – Bristol Beacon

Great bonus to see them tonight – the audience warmed up as they continued. With the over stage view I grabbed a video of this one with a novel opening: Mad Mind. I love the poses; the guitars are especially Ramonesesque. Baby Drummer is my favourite – an established top tune of theirs.

As soon as they finish, I want to see them again. They offer the excitement generated by youth.

The Darkness tonight

Before the first song, Black Shuck, finishes frontman Justin Hawkins pulls up and the band clatter to a halt as humorously sweary scorn is unleashed on the odd phone wavers down the front. I slip mine sheepishly into my pocket. He’s got a point. He’s calling the shots but I enjoy taking a few pics, blogging and an occasional video. I don’t overdo it – we’re getting a bit of a balconywankers tag without adding to it.

Suffolk locals lend Justin a Lowestoft Athletic Club top

Not long before chests are revealed, allowing Justin to squeeze on a top from the local athletic club where they formed the band.

Brother Dan creates a wall of guitar sound for Justin to overlay his melodies on, while bass and drums thunder away.

This is a celebration of the 2003 Permission to Land album – their successful debut from 20 years ago. Aside from a Radiohead cover (Sweet Spirit) and some B-sides of the time it is pretty much a full salute to that classic first album, Permission to Land. Get Your Hands Off My Woman, early in the set and later gems like Friday Night and, of course, I Believe In A Thing Called Love. That one got to number 2 the UK chart and was a global smash.

The band get down to shorts and slippers – Justin playing the guitar backwards above his head, reversing hands and going walkabout through the crowd on drummer Rufus Taylor’s (Son of Roger Taylor in Queen) shoulders. What a showman. He orchestrates the crowd clapping and leans over the adoring fans as he sings, leaps and plays guitar.

The festive special, Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End), is greeted with cheer…and pyrotechnics. A Christmas treat.

The encores to finish – I Love You Five Times and Love on the Rocks With No Ice. Classic rock’n’roll. Don’t let these boys end.

Double Date with Spear of Destiny

Spear of Destiny: 8.9.2021 Exeter Phoenix and 26.9.2021 The Joiners Arms, Southampton

The Spear of Destiny World Service @35 tour (planned as 35 years on from the original release and tour of that now re-recorded album) was a much delayed one, thus fuelling my eagerness to get to see it…..so I went to two dates – The Joiners, Southampton and Exeter Pheonix arts centre. My pre-tour ordered t-shirt is now a lie with old Covid-wrecked dates and the Southampton gig recently switched from The 1865. I got my first Covid jab wearing it so this will become a treasured one, to be wheeled out on the Antiques Roadshow one day eh.

My recent quasi-Lockdown socially distanced Bath Kirk Brandon solo gig is documented in these blogs, as is my last Spear of Destiny gig in Southampton and Kirk history which goes back to Theatre of Hate at Hammersmith Palais and Digbeth Civic Hall, Birmingham in the early 80s….they were for the long term.

The sets at Exeter and Southampton were pretty much identical but the venues and experience varied – so much more right in the sweat of it at little Joiners and a calmer, clearer aerial view from the front row of the balcony at the arts centre in Exeter. I enjoyed them both, obviously.

Southampton is certainly preferable on the journey from Poole front, with a reasonable train option and 40 mins by car as opposed to 2 hours and City Centre congestion in Exeter. Having just emerged from Covid nonsense, the fuel shortage was the new crisis off the press on the Sunday of the Southampton, Joiners gig.

There was a local-ish support act at Joiners: James Krumbock (an Austrian name – he’s from Winchester and the Railway Inn is his familiar stomping ground) – solo with acoustic guitar. Captivating singer songwriter stuff and an interesting cover of The Manic Street Preachers’ If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next – a verse in Italian, just for the hell if it. He doesn’t speak Italian – I asked him – but just learned the one verse.

Spear of Destiny open this tour set with the title track of the remade album being toured: World Service. The drums and backdrop match, as does my t-shirt both gigs – never been one for wearing a t-shirt of the band I’m going to see but I felt it an appropriate exception for this.

Most of the set is understandably the World Service album tracks, shuffled. I’m particularly up for All My Love (Ask Nothing), (video link) a single from the album and one I had a huge poster of blu-tacked to my wall in two South Birmingham rented rooms in the mid-80s…. and I found the evidence.

Kirk Brandon – solo spot – Exeter – Harlan County

Once in Her Life Time and Rocket Ship are other upbeat faves from what is a great album but Mickey is something special. There was a long period when it didn’t get played but it was a huge favourite with the ample bouncing crowds of the 80s – a tale of injured forgotten soldiers, used and abused.

Now mama’s little boy went to ulster one day

He was lucky he didn’t get his

Legs blown away

They gave him medals for kicking front

Doors in

Now Mickey’s grown up and he

Ain’t laughing
…….

Your grand daddy fought in the 1418

Your father too in ’44

Now little Mickey’s gonna run away

And find himself a war

I wanna go home

I wanna go home
‘Mickey’ SoD

The low slung guitar playing from ex-New Model Army’s Adrian Portas is excellence in action. In Southampton it’s from the gloom (not as dark as the bass side) but visually better from the balcony of the Pheonix.

The set list can just about be made out at The Pheonix, pre-gig from the balcony but I saved it to check up later rather than give myself a spoiler.

Kirk dispenses with his guitar for some songs and gives himself a workout – less room or ventilation in Joiners. Not sure I fancy my chances of matching that effort – I’m still building up my gig standing muscles post Covid, never mind a workout.

After a break Harlan County, Solution and the surprise inclusion of a cover version of Joy Division’s Transmission – less of a surprise at Joiners of course. Cracking choice.

As we come to the end a couple of the best from the second album One Eyed Jacks: Playground of the Rich and the rousing Liberator, a great way to end.

It’s a pity more people weren’t attracted by the Exeter gig – the crowd was a bit sparse and Joiners seemed a better venue to host those sort of numbers. The band put every bit the same effort in at both and the Pheonix balcony won on visible experience – besides, my knee was knackered.

The Joiners

Through the bar and out to the quite narrow rear to the gig room. Funnel through there, passed the small mixing desk and the room opens out just in front of the stage, across its width, and only about as deep as the stage. It’s about as compact as it gets on the recognised gig circuit. I’m happy to lean on the rail next to the mixing desk – always a fascinating watch the mix desk.

The capacity is 200 but that must be a squeeze. It looks like a small old city pub on entry, with an L-shaped bar with an old ticket design on featuring bands that have played there – they’ve had some crackers over the years, not that they all feature in the formica: Green Day, Muse, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead. A few days after Spear of Destiny, Wolf Alice were playing as part or their small venue mini-tour.

There are car parks nearby but on street parking further down St Mary’s Street is preferable for me. Joiners is about a mile from the station. It’s not a great area to wander about in if unfamiliar.

Exeter Pheonix

This multi-use arts centre has a good outside decked seating area and decent bar.

The building is a bit of a maze to discover when hunting down the bogs. I was upstairs sat in the front row of the balcony with a recovering knee. I was pleased to see a handy disabled toilet nearby only to find it was out if action necessitating a trek down and up a few flights of stairs and journey around the entire building.

It wasn’t very busy for Spear of Destiny and the 415 standing capacity was not at all challenged. I’ve been here once before for a sell out Half Man Half Biscuit gig and when standing it’s pretty hard to get out of the gig room, especially if you stand on the right looking stagewards.

Lots of decent chain restaurants and other choices nearby – Bill’s, Turtle Bay, the Brewdog bar (shame I was driving but they did Punk IPA alcohol free) – and it’s positioned right in the middle of Exeter.

Guildhall Car Park did the job.

Two gigs on the World Service @35 tour done. Cheers Kirk. Thank you… goodnight.

Ocean Colour Scene – live in Bournemouth

Ocean Colour Scene at O2 Academy Bournemouth on 3.12.2023 with Burr Island supporting.

Another visit to the O2 Academy Bournemouth – more on the venue here in my venue blog.

Up in ‘The Gods’ at O2 Academy Bournemouth

Sunday night and it’s sold out and bustling. Both balconies open and the upstairs back bar. I start off in the top tier ‘Gods’ seats for the support band. A bit of legs preservation. Support is from folky rock Burr Island, from around Somerset somewhere originally.

A decent listen with hints of MacCartney at times. Short set. Not a great view from the seats further forward and down the side up here as the lighting rig gets in the way. It’ll be downstairs for Ocean Colour Scene.

Ocean Colour Scene

These boys from Moseley, Birmingham, started out in 1989 with the big break being the superb and decade defining Moseley Shoals album in 1996. I lived in Moseley a bit before that in the early 80s and had left the city by 1987 but I still warmed to the album marking my first home from home. I’ve never seen them play in Birmingham though.

This is my tenth OCS gig on a look back. Two Victorious Festival appearances in recent years inspiring this gig and nine others, the last of which in 2011 here in Bournemouth O2 wasn’t that good. The Ryde Ice Rink gig on the Isle of Wight was quite an event with a mini-invasion from the mainland and some over-partying. They did cover the ice over!

I have bought just about all of the 10 or so studio albums and a few other specialities. I find I can put any of their material on and enjoy it.

Tonight’s performance

The band come on after a moving playing of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York, with a wash of emerald green lights over the stage – it’s just days after the death of Shane MacGowan.

It’s not long before they are blasting out The Circle, accompanied by a backdrop of scooters, mods and old footage from Birmingham streets – it’s a song about the bus route that goes through Moseley and in a loop right around the city. The nostalgic video backdrops that accompany many of the songs are excellent.

Great atmosphere in here tonight. It’s noisy and the drink is flowing with people pushing through trying not to lose any and failing. Certainly no rainy Sunday feeling in here and isn’t that what the escape of gigs is all about.

Better Day is another fan favourite early on in the set. Simon Fowler’s voice has remained excellent. He has an acoustic tour with drummer Oscar in 2024 but you might not recognise his current frame from that slender figure of 90s youth.

We don’t hear much from guitarist Steve Cradock but he looks as trim as ever as he dazzles with his guitar playing. I saw him earlier this summer in his usual place in Paul Weller’s band.

Simon recounts childhood visits to nearby playground of the rich, Sandbanks, as he introduces Travellers Tune. The crowd cheers loudly to the opening chords. Of course there is Riverboat Song: this is very much a greatest hits set. A real crowd pleaser.

The old videos from through the OCS years accompany some tunes – one sees the band packed into a car driving around central Birmingham and along the Aston Expressway (cutting edge road engineering of its time, with controversial flexible middle lanes) in a video reminiscent of The Specials’ Coventry Ring Road Ghost Town video. I think this was during 100 Mile High City. Then last before the break: Get Away. Such a care free song.

I wander again during the break to get a better view. Simon Fowler returns alone to play Robin Hood, from Moseley Shoals.

Building on the earlier high spots this is now building to big faves to finish and with the full band back on a raucous version of Profit in Peace. If only songs could solve anything eh. I’m nearly the back by now as the final gem from Moseley Shoals brings a great evening to an end – The Day We Caught the Train.

This is what it’s all about. Escapism on a dark and rainy Sunday night and a sellout crowd gathering to enjoy tunes they love with like-minded people.

Suede – live in Southampton & Portsmouth 2023

Suede at O2 Guildhall Southampton 25.3 2023 & at Guildhall Portsmouth 11.12.2023

So good in March I returned for more later this year. I’ve bought the records, read the books, watched the documentaries but not seen them that much considering my long running interest, revived at various points over the last 30 years.

Birmingham Hummingbird for a sell-out gig on an early tour was my first encounter – one of the guys I was with lost his ticket and had to go home. That was the year of their first album, in the heart of the Bernard Butler years.

There are a few festival gigs at least that I can’t quite nail down – V, Reading and Pheonix (1995) but I can’t recall who I saw at the festivals, which is maybe why I didn’t see them much on tours. I didn’t see them again on a tour until Southampton Guildhall in April 2019. Victorious Festival in August 2022 saw Brett Anderson back, fit and on top form with what I thought was the best performance of that festival – shortish set but punchy. So hence the visit to Southampton Guildhall in March this year.

Southampton O2 Guildhall 25.3.2023

Brett Anderson – Suede – March 2023 Southampton Guildhall

Suede – March 2023 Southampton Guildhall

I was in the balcony, which is a fair way back, but the sound was good, as was the view. It was such a lively performance from Brett Anderson. So interactive. Sweating and pleading for involvement and getting right into the crowd, leaping from monitors, rolling and crawling. Athleticism that defied his age (then 55, now 56).

That was no total nostalgia trip. A third of the set (seven songs) were from the 2022 album Autofiction. It’s a good album, as is Blue Hour (2018) but only one track from that one. It is still the old ones that hold their top placings: Animal Nitrate, Metal Mickey and So Young from the first album and the highlights tonight fom Coming Up, my favourite album, with Trash and The Beautiful Ones.

Come on – Brett Anderson – March 2023 – Southampton

From my perch, back on the balcony, with my pocket zoom I could still get some decent pics and I captured a few videos also, available on my YouTube channel:

– Beautiful Ones

– So Young

– The Wild Ones

As Brett introduces The Wild Ones he remembers his early forays into Southampton and the legendary Joiners venue in 1992, which got a big cheer.

One of my gigs of the year, so when Suede popped up again with another gig not so far away in Portsmouth, I couldn’t resist.

Portsmouth Guildhall 11.12.2023

I was upstairs for this one as well – it is a superb view from the front of this venue’s balcony. Not much knee room but hey, it’s good and this grey-haired gig goer is saving his legs a bit at the moment.

There are also those unreserved seats downstairs at the back of the standing area if saving your legs. It’s all being done up at the moment with new toilets but this place has a great shape and structure to play with. Capacity is 2500.

I skipped the support band to catch up with friends and friends of friends beforehand in the main spacious and well-staffed bar.

By 9pm the balcony is full and the crowd are in downstairs. Excitement builds on this December Monday night,

Suede – Portsmouth Guildhall – balcony view

Brett has his same favoured black outfit, including a shirt that quickly starts to stick to him and he gets a sweat on from his leaping about, in front of the much more static band.

The set is similar to March but this is not the same tour. Only five songs differ from the March gig in Southampton. My pick of these different ones is Filmstar.

Brett crawls and rolls on the stage, ever fighting his mic lead into submission. Real passion in his singing. Again there is the solo acoustic section two thirds into the set which includes The Wild Ones. After this there is more extravagant microphone swinging – he is a master at that.

With Autofiction (2022 album) still getting top billing – seven tracks tonight – Brett refers to this as his favourite album, obviously, living in the now. The Only Way I Can Love You is my pick, having been playing that album a fair bit this year.

Anderson goes on his walkabouts, wrestling through the crowd – he really revels in it. Talk about getting to meet your fans. The set had a great finish, although it feels like it’s a brief set (actually an hour and a half) with So Young and Metal Mickey from the first album and Beautiful Ones from Coming Up, yes my favourite album.

Brett Anderson in with the Portsmouth Guildhall crowd

They leave the stage briefly: it’s Monday night and no one is going to hang about too long. That Boy on the Stage, another one from Autofiction to finish. Still, there is music from seven albums on show tonight. So much great material to select from, to integrate into another Autofiction tour date: not that it’s called that.

Two Suede dates and two top gigs in 2023. With Brett Anderson looking particularly Peter Pan-like surely there is a lot more to come from this latest version of Suede.

Ruts DC – live at The Joiners

Ruts DC live at The Joiners, Southampton on 21.12.2023 supported by The Duel

A late move of venue takes this one from the larger 1865 venue nearby here to The Joiners (Venue blog). Here tonight with early 80s gig-going school/home suburb mate who’s now in Dorset – we’re back. Neither of us have seen The Ruts/ Ruts DC on one of their tours.

I remember deciding not to go on to see Ruts DC at a nearby venue with two other school mates, after we were turned away at the doors of Hammersmith Palais when The B52s gig sold out (November 1980). Schoolboy error eh… literally.

Original frontman Malcolm Owen had died of a drug overdose by then. That’s maybe why I didn’t go on to see the then new band without him. I had bought the first few singles when they came out – In A Rut and their top 10 hit Babylon’s Burning.

At 16 years old I even remember tippexing a patch on my straightened jeans with some self-made rips. and drawing The Ruts logo on… but no I didn’t see them until 2022 a few times when they supported The Stranglers on tour. Then Rebellion Festival 2023, but never on their own tour. This is it then. To be fair the band had a 24-year break after splitting in 1983. Not that that has altered their music, attitudes and lyrical approach.

Original guitarist Paul Fox died in 2007, leaving tonight’s line up of John ‘Segs’ Jennings on main vocals/guitar, Leigh Heggarty on bass and Dave Ruffy on drums – both supporting with vocals.

Tonight’s Support

It’s The Duel supporting this evening. A duo of Tara Rez and Paul Laventhol – guitars and backing loops with punk influences – heavy ones. Tara’s been singing and playing as the duo for 20 years, previously with Andy Thierum.

This is a good lead up to the main band – the short set flies by. All sounds so late 70s punk. I’m reminded of The Slits. This could almost be a London pub gig of my youth.

Ruts DC

The reggae and ska tracks cease and the security guy leads the band through the to the stage, punters parting for the torch beam.

My recent experience is that they are a very loud trio and this is a small 200 capacity venue so I was ready to be blasted, but my ear saving inserts are only temporarily required and can be pocketed for much of the set.

The set is peppered with classics that everyone here knows. That’s what we’re here for. S.U.S. is the first of these closely followed by It Was Cold. Early songs see Segs on guitar, later reverting to his bass.

With just three in the band the sound heavily leans on the bass and drums for the distinctive Ruts sound – the reggae beat and dub style comes in to supplement the late 70s pub rock style. It’s the apparent simplicity that makes the gig a winner: classic songs we know, no frills, no gimmicks, solid sound… and what a great little venue to see them in.

2016 track Kill the Pain is introduced with reference to original Ruts, Malcolm Owen and Paul Fox. It’s about what finished them – “without those guys we wouldn’t be here”. After the bright clean guitar of West One (Shine On Me) another dedication to the departed: Despondency with a very Killing Joke style guitar intro played for Geordie of Killing Joke, who died recently.

The reggae beat pumps up for Jah Wars – I just don’t hear enough live reggae sounds these days. Benjamin Zephaniah gets a name check: another loss. We aren’t done yet with the memorials. After the urgent Was It Something That I Said we soon get to that classic early single, In A Rut. In the middle of this one drummer Duffy breaks into a few verses of The Pogues’ Dirty Old Town, paying homage to Shane MacGowan – a choker as the audience joins in.

Leigh Heggarty on guitar – Dave Ruffy on drums

The last number in this well-crafted crowd -pleasing set is Babylon’s Burning. Now and again you hear a song live that you’d happily pay the entry fee to hear on its own. This is one of those.

The Joiners stage set up means disappearing for a bit before encores is too impractical and involves wading through the crowd a few times. Hence they ask us to pretend while they just take a breather.

Three more songs complete the set, including Never Surrender, and tonight’s wonderfully simple pleasure of seeing a classic old punk band that lit up my youth, in a great little venue, full of cheerful people, with the Christmas break nearly upon us.

Death Cult’s brief return – live in Bournemouth

Death Cult at O2 Bournemouth on 16.11.2023 with Lili Refrain supporting.

A special one this. A 12-date one-off tour with Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy from this 1983-4 incarnation of the Cult trilogy: Southern Death Cult; Death Cult; The Cult. Murmurs of expensive tickets but this is on the doorstep in a decent medium sized venue. (More on the venue in my O2 Academy Bournemouth blog.)

I never saw Death Cult in that one-year window, but I did see Southern Death Cult at two memorable gigs from way back. First, supporting Theatre of Hate at the wonderful Hammersmith Palais on 4 July 1982 and then in December that year in the Golden Eagle pub near to Birmingham New Street Station. Both venues are long gone. The Golden Eagle gig audio is available on YouTube amazingly. I was probably drinking pints of mild for a quid.

These gigs were like getting caught up in a native American tribal war dance with all the hair, feathers and ripped clothing to go with it. The chicken dancers were in full swing, elbows everywhere.

It wasn’t until 2001, when The Cult, with a more conventional rock sound but still with Astbury’s unique vocals, had reformed after a four-year break, that I saw Ian Asbury live again, then with Billy Duffy, at Reading Festival. The Cult had another four-year break prior to 2006, since when they have continued.

Tonight’s Support

Support band Lili Refrain is an interesting one – different certainly.

A dark masked figure appears and proceeds to play a variety of instruments and devices including keyboards, guitar and bells in an almost ceremonial way. It creates a spiritual atmosphere, although before long the excited chatter starts to grow – only a 25 minute set but impatience sets in around me.

Her voice dipped into sounds reminiscent of The Cocteau Twins at times and a calling to prayer at others. She appreciated the broad attention with her remarks at the end that sounded like someone who’d just taken part in Eurovision, rather than her mystical stage persona.

Death Cult are on

Necks are craned as the band come on, including frontman Ian Astbury eventually. While it’s a Death Cult billing they open with a Cult song, 83rd Dream.

It’s quite dark and hard to see faces. The crowd is intently looking and listening: not that mobile though. It’s busy but not sold out. People have come see and respect this illustrious visit to Boscombe rather than go wild.

Ian Astbury and Billy Buffy – balcony view

The Death Cult songs, from that one album, dominate the early part of the set – God’s Zoo, Brothers Grimm and title track Ghost Dance for instance – but not a simple plod through the album. Horse Nation is probably my pick of the Ghost Dance songs. Astbury’s voice is still excellent and distinctive and on Horse Nation it maybe the earlier more Southern Death Cult sound that appeals.

It isn’t the mayhem I was expecting – maybe on reflection the Death Cult period wasn’t a high, just a significant stepping stone and part of the Cult story.

As The Cult songs rolled out the set lifted, in my ears. I’d had my wander around to capture some pics and the pace picked up, the crowd jostle increasing to the rockier tunes like Hollow Man and inevitably to the brilliant Spiritwalker and Rain. Hearing songs like that live are worth the ticket alone.

Rain ends the main set. Rest required but the buzz is still there and sure enough they return and this time with the Southern Death Cult classic, Moya – hard to stop your feet stomping to that one. That opening line was and still is the first thing I think of when there’s any Cult mention: ‘The kids of the Coca-Cola nation….’.

To end, it’s what really has to be the end: She Sells Sanctuary. I’m near the back by this point, hovering around the mix desk. What a belter.

Having been reacquainted live with the Ian Astbury vocals and Billy Duffy guitar, I’d go to see The Cult again soon. I wonder if they would do us a ‘Southern Death Cult’ tour.

Sleeper ‘Unplugged’ – live at The Brook

Sleeper at The Brook, 466 Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton SO17 3DD on 10.11.2023

While Sleeper are a band I have seen a fair bit in recent years, tonight’s novel factors are the ‘unplugged’ approach and seating downstairs at the legendary old pub venue of The Brook. Hence a brief blog is in order.

My live Sleeper gigs started with their support slot for REM in July 1995 (with The Cranberries and Radiohead) and blossomed on their reformation in 2017. This trail is expanded on in my Sleeper/ Bluetones blog of August 2021.

Looking back I realise I haven’t been to The Brook since a From The Jam gig (blog link) in August 2021, but it’s certainly well established venue on my personal ongoing tour. That blog has more details and observations on the venue.

Having bought the tickets for tonight as an all-seated event I was curious to see the set up. Chairs in tight rows, with the ability to stand by the bar to the right, the merch ‘bar’ to the left or at the back, including the spacious corner near the bar. All good but getting in and out for beer or bogs in what is usually a very casual setting can create a bit of a nuisance… which I managed to do with a few pints of Blue Moon. However, seating was entirely the right environment for this ‘unplugged’ approach. The bare bricked walled stage looked good – beautifully lit.

There are seats upstairs in the balcony here anyway, which give a great view over the high stage if you get the right spot.

Tonight’s ‘unplugged’ badge is earned by, it seems to me, not having a drummer or a bassist. It’s an interesting concept where everyone is plugged in but it’s all just a bit calmer. A semi-acoustic electric guitar and an acoustic one do make an appearance but the band is mainly Jon Stewart on electric guitar and Andy Maclure, the usual drummer (and Louise’s partner) on keyboards and a bit of guitar, with Lousie Wener’s vocals at the heart of it – Louise also plays guitar in a solo section (Alice in Vain).

No support but two sets, divided by a questions and answer session and a break. The Q&A worked well – entertaining and jovial responses by all three band members to the selected written questions handed in before the show. Louise’s voice is great despite a passing cold – just a little more husky between songs.

A well-crafted mix with five or so tracks from each of the first two albums, Smart and The It Girl, making up a substantial part of the set. Two top five albums from the mid-90s Britpop years.

Great sound tonight and no bad songs, the most memorable from part one being Nice Guy Eddie and Statuesque and with part two lifting it further with Inbetweener and Sale of the Century.

The way Sleeper hit the top of the charts in the 90s and then disappeared until they reformed in 2017 has meant they still have a freshness. Throw in Covid disruption and Lockdown gig starvation, a new album and an album of rediscovered recordings and this is an oldish band with a newish feel.

… and The Brook with seats. Yup this is a good way to do it.

Rebellion Festival 2023 – a punk feast

Rebellion Festival in Blackpool Winter Gardens (3-6 August 2023)

My second trip up to this four-day punk festival. Last year had an added outdoor arena on the seafront which had the more mainstream bands. This year it was all indoors and with the added very large mainly seated space of The Opera House, with a deep balcony and standing at the front. I think in the end I was happier with this set up and this vast seated option did twist my choices a bit – we are all knocking on a bit now, given it’s a festival celebrating music and many bands originating in the late 70s.

It’s too vast to write in any depth about the whole four-day punk jamboree. Every path taken through the options on offer must be unique. Meandering through ten stages to gorge on this feast. I had a look in at all of them but only saw bands play in seven. On the Saturday afternoon, with my Rebellion brothers, Dave and Big Gra, I even strayed to a packed venue above a pub in the town, The Tache Rock Club, to see Siouxsie tribute band Lizzie and the Banshees, and excellent they were too.

Lizzie and the Banshees – Tache Rock Club

All told, I saw 28 Rebellion sets, two bands in the Tache Rock Club and five interview sessions at The Literary Stage. That’s a busy weekend. I have summarised my tour with few words and some photos in this belated blog of the experience.

I did set myself the task of picking my top three bands along with a few special mentions. This was mainly based on performance, nostalgia and raw emotion. Everyone has different views and I realise mine are more mainstream than hardcore but it’s rare I don’t enjoy seeing any band to some extent. It’s all experience and sensations.

My top picks?

It had to be Penetration as my number 1: late additions after The Damned withdrew due to a bad back in the camp. Shame that as probably the major draw for me but that cloud had a silver lining in the form of the first band I ever saw live… Penetration. (Disappointingly, The Descendants also pulled out.)

Pauline Murray of Penetration – Empress Ballroom

My number 2: The Dickies. A packed Club Casbah at 11pm on the Sunday night and just the ripping speed and youthful enthusiasm from these old guys was fantastic. All the ones I wanted to hear – Give it Back; Paranoid; You Drive Me Ape; Got it at the Store; Eve of Destruction and yes, even Banana Splits. They started with Anarchy in the UK. From then on it was fast and fantastic. What a finish to the weekend.

And my number 3: Wasted Youth. This was me reliving the melancholy guitars and dark vocals of the band I saw in London several times in the early 80s. The Opera House was not that full but I perched on the front row of the balcony and thoroughly enjoyed their late show, after 40 years. It’s only in the last few years that originals Ken Scott and Rocco Barker had reformed a band for some gigs, which I couldn’t get to.

Thursday

A hefty personal programme. That first day excitement: Oi! band Tear Up (Pavilion); The Meffs duo (Empress Ballroom); the lighter hearted jangly guitar and dancing from Peter Bentham and the Dinner Ladies (Opera House); into the Almost Acoustic Stage for Grant Sharkey, lost on me, then some, in hindsight, dry comedy gold from Max Splodge – his version of All the Leaves are Brown stayed with us all weekend and beyond.

Crisis (Opera House) were solid then US punks Pulley (Club Casbah) to follow. Both more than held my attention, despite being unfamiliar with anything but names.

The first retreat to the calm of the Literary Stage followed and Dave Robinson, founder of Stiff Records. Fascinating reflections. Skinny Lister (Opera House) introduced some ska punk pop as a change. I’d see them out again.

Then a run of goodies for me: the last four songs of a triumphant UK Subs set (packed to overflowing Empress Ballroom). Darlings of Rebellion.

My band of the weekend, Penetration, followed then back to the Opera House for The Members in dub mode (Sound of the Suburbs – forever my anthem) and Big Country who I have seen a lot and can’t resist more. Now there’s a Thursday afternoon and evening out.

Friday

A bit calmer today watching just six sets. Great start with anthemic songs about ‘football, beer and punk rock’ from Knock Off (Casbah Club) – that’s three times I’ve seen ’em and always deliver. Off to find seat in the Almost Acoustic room, very ornate, indeed weird, for Bighead Duncan Reid and then Dave Sharp once of The Alarm.

Spizz Energi next with a big crowd in the Opera House, another top pick.

The noise around The Bar Stool Preachers (Empress Ballroom) made them unmissable. Entertaining without hitting my top spots.

Bar Stool Preachers – big crowd in the Empress Ballroom

I rounded off with Dirtbox Disco, on numerous previous recommendations. Miles better and more accessible than the name suggests and yup, more good stuff.

Saturday

A quiet but interesting start today with two sessions at the Literary Stage – some humorous short stories from Paul Ragitty and an interview with Eugene Butcher, Vive Le Rock editor and frontman for rocky punk band Desperate Measures.

Off to the Opera House to see Duncan Reid and the Big Heads for my last time – just a few more gigs and he’s packing in the touring.

After our excursion to see the excellent Lizzie and the Banshees it was back for The Meteors in Club Casbah. Huge interest in this legendary psychobilly band. Another one I hadn’t seen for over 40 years.

Then it’s back to the Opera House for a supposedly acoustic Bar Stool Preachers set… near enough as wild as the last one.

So much energy. Ruts DC followed. Loud, solid and magnificent – just slipping outside my top three of the weekend. Great concise set of classics. Jam packed with people sat in the aisles in the balcony.

I stayed upstairs in the Opera House, moving forward to the front row of the balcony as it cleared a bit for the wonderful Wasted Youth and finished off with The Rezillos – faves of mine. Sound seemed a bit off tonight to me…. a few leaving after thought the same. Sound engineering this onslaught of bands must be a challenge eh.

Eugene Reynolds of The Rezillos – Opera House

Sunday

Pizzatramp kick off my day in the Club Casbah with their individual style of assault on the audience, and anything and anyone – Bono took a hit. A sweary live act to treasure – well you will never hear or see them on radio or TV.

Next a superb performance by TV Smith and band of his old Adverts material. He was really going for it. Great performance. I did catch Gary Gilmore’s Eyes on video viewable on this link to my YouTube channel.

Former Stiff Little Fingers’ songwriter, guitarist and supporting vocalist Henry Cluney drew a bumper crowd up to the Almost Acoustic Stage for a hearty singalong with SLF classics. It went down a storm. Brilliant one-man show.

Henry Cluney at the Almost Acoustic stage

Off to the Literary Stage for a rest and Saffron from Republica being interviewed. Another interesting one and shame Republica clashed with my Sunday night prize – The Dickies. It was two original members of The Dickies that were interviewed after. Witty guys and some marvellous Pearl Jam impressions and jovial slating from Leonard Graves Philipps. He’s in his 70s now and the talk is that this is the last UK tour.

Leonard Graves Phillips and Stan Lee of The Dickies being interviewed on the Literary Stage

One more band to go before that frantic and fantastic Dickies closing set in Club Casbah. It was a bit of a wild card, way off the punk radar, but I was intrigued and I enjoyed: Gay Bykers on Acid.

That’s it. Exhausting wasn’t it and you’re only reading a summary. My feet and legs were done. Industrial action on the trains next day but an early start secured me an 11 hour journey home to Poole.

What a great event. The list of bands playing I didn’t get to see could fill another four days.

Blogs from Rebellion Festival 2022:

Part 1 – Thursday Friday

Part 2 – Saturday Sunday

Me, Dave and Big Gra – gig buddies – at the Winter Gardens’ Morecambe & Wise statue

Rediscovering Wreckless Eric – live in a Poole coffee shop

Wreckless Eric at Boheme Coffee Lounge and Bar, 307 Ashley Road, Poole BH14 9DZ on 31.10.2023

This is novel. I never knew this little coffee place in Upper Parkstone, Poole had live music. I’ve been in once before while at the second hand record shop up the road.

It’s a sell out – the windows are dark with blinds down on this rainy night and I wondered if it was even open. Inside it’s the sort of place that looks over busy if 10 people are in. By the time Eric appears I count 21 people. I’ve been to small gigs before (thinking in particular of The Winchester Arms, Salisbury for The Ramonas and The Railway, Winchester for Kirk Brandon acoustic) and badly attended gigs – now there’s conversation starter – but not sell out gigs for 21 people.

With an old school mate tonight, from early 80s gig-going days, and we grab two comfy seats and a few bottles of ale, pretty much in front of the corner of the lounge that is the stage.

Wreckless Eric came to my attention in 1977 when he was on the Live Stiffs Tour with the likes of Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Ian Dury (not that I saw it). An album with highlights of that tour was released in 1978, which I still have – that included Wreckless Eric’s Semaphore Signals and Reconnez Cherie. Later in 1979 I bought his Hit and Miss Judy EP, my young mind maybe wooed by the 12″ orange vinyl. Then, nothing: my radar was blank and I never went looking.

When I saw he was going on tour I looked for a possible date – he is one of the few artists I have bought records by, still playing, that I hadn’t seen live. Nothing doing, until I got a message from a mate who’d seen a Poole date added….in this coffee bar. Unmissable.

So here I am, waiting for a 69-year-old Wreckless Eric, having been doing some gig revision with his 2023 Leisureland album – this includes the track Standing Water, my favourite, which he plays tonight.

The small venue concentrates minds and brings intensity. This is overlaid with Eric’s humour and commentary – between song explanations that are often quite poetic and run in and out of the tracks, enhancing the lyrics.

Sometimes he doesn’t stop for applause but uses his intricate guitar riffs to join the songs.

He’s been playing live throughout the decades – largely in America and with many different and unfamiliar bands to me (I always thought he sounded American). His 2015 album AmERICa is worth a listen… well they all are.

Born in Newhaven, East Sussex he went to Hull to art college – this was a source of his inspirarion for his irony laden song, Gateway to Europe, about the Humber Bridge, which he explains was the bridge to nowhere. Then they all wanted out of Europe up round there anyway he chortles hopelessly.

Up close and personal – Wreckless Eric (cheers for the pic GA)

Of course, he plays a huge, well crafted version of his best known song, from 1977, Whole Wide World to finish. Loved it. A really engaging and relaxed evening amongst respectful and curious music enthusiasts.

A grey-haired gig goer’ evening with Wreckless Eric

I bought a copy of his Construction Time & Demolition album, which includes Gateway to Europe and of course got the opportunity, in this intimate environment, to get it signed.

As I said, a novel one and hopefully I will be back here and catch Eric again somewhere. It’s been a while but he’s back on my radar.

Victorious Festival 2023

25/26/27 August 2023 at Southsea Common, Portsmouth

My blog has been quiet for a while. No lack of gigs, almost the opposite and OK enjoying covering some old ground, such as The UK Subs and The Undertones. Given up work and started a new job part-time and amid some summer travel just a bit of blog downtime. There are a few special ones to revisit sometime soon, such at Siouxsie Sioux, Devo and The Beat tour with Bow Wow Wow.

But the return to posting starts with a pictorial wander through the Victorious Festival that rounds off the summer: now an annual pleasure that I have survived for the last 10 years.

Every festival wander must be unique. The friends I was with all take their own carefully selected or rather more random routes through the three-day musical feast. I wonder if anyone went the same route as me – impossible surely.

Friday

The first ever full Friday line-up using all the stages. I made straight to the second of the main stages, the Castle Stage, for Crystal Tides, local indie rock and very guitary outfit. The revelation of the weekend, playing three sets and I went back for another later. Here they are doing Courtney Love.(My YouTube channel)

Back over to the Common Stage, the main arena, for wife Sally’s favourites: Blossoms doing a lunchtime special guest slot to get everyone in early. Top pop rock as ever and frontman Tom Ogden looking as rock star as ever.

Then on my way over to the Castle Stage I found The Bottom Line. I hadn’t seen they were playing but saw them at Teddy Rocks Festival earlier this year, with Tom Newton, one of that festival’s organisers on guitar. Power punk pop. Excellent.

The Charlatans next up on The Common Stage. Tim Burgess loving the afternoon slot in the sun – one of my favourites and a very good wide-ranging set. I really like their more recent albums as well as the early stuff.

Bit of meandering and some expensive fish and chips from a wagon. Then it was Jake Bugg on the Castle Stage. I saw him also at Teddy Rocks Festival earlier in the year and his rockier more mature stance got me over to see him and he didn’t disappoint.

Dark by the time he finished and weather coming in. We stopped at the small and homely, Portsmouth Creates Stage and watched RU40, a tribute act for you know who.

It’s pissing down now – a mist of rain gradually soaking in. We thought we’d try Newton Faulkner but we couldn’t see him due to the crowd and decided to call it a day after a bit. Two more days to go after all.

Newton Faulkner is down there on the Acoustic Stage somewhere

The heavens opened and we trudged passed the depleting crowd watching Jamiroquai.

Saturday

I thought I’d check on McFly first. Sneaked over to the Castle Stage and everyone was over there. It was rammed. Bit of nostalgic fun. Not too much screaming, not from me anyway.

I was spotted by friends leaving and I had to confess. I grabbed a distant video of All About You.

I headed back for another bite of Crystal Tides. Another cracker in the car park that was the Beats and Swing Stage.

One of the weekend’s highlights, Pale Waves next. A mid-afternoon rock star performance.

Getting the steps in today – back to The Castle Stage for the wonderful Hammond organ sounds of The Inspiral Carpets. Love it. Second Carpets gig of the year for me. Clint Boon on the organ is the main man. His son is in the band as well now. The frontman Stephen Holt is the original, pre-dating Tom Hingley who is the lead singer most will be familiar with.

Back once again to The Common Stage for Belle and Sebastian. Interesting. Bit surprised as I thought I’d like them but totally lost on me I’m afraid.

Everyone on stage for a Belle and Sebastian finale

Next, I nip back as crowds gather for my festival highlight: from Oz, it’s Amyl and the Sniffers.

I place myself just behind the moshpit when they come on. This is like the early days waiting for The Undertones or The Ramones. On come the band, then Amy Taylor. It goes wild. A fantastic set. Hot air pumping from the ground as the mosh pit leaps. Gotta see them again on their tour. That’s two brilliant festival performances to go with the classic last album: Comfort to Me.

I took a video to capture the moment – Security (links to my YouTube channel).

That’s enough excitement for me for the Saturday. My legs are buggered. Rest needed.

Sunday

The main stage is opened by Courting. I’d been listening since some guys recommended them in a pub before a Future Island gig in Southampton. Enjoyable start to Sunday and here is a link to my video of them playing Famous.

The ‘Staines massive’ gravitate to the front of the Common Stage for Hard-Fi. Been wanting to see them again since they announced their re-emergence. A wonderful set with tracks plucked across their three albums (2005-2011).

After revelling in a bit of my Staines history it was over to the Castle Stage to have some of my Coventry years – ‘ave it indeed. Tom Clarke spits out the songs with anger and passion. A lovely, contained riot of a set. Another weekend highlight.

Several options now. Plenty of well-known bands I just didn’t want to see. I decided I would have a look at some of the smaller stages, demolish some unhealthy food, have a few beers and tactical wines and watch The Vaccines. Good move.

I hung around, determined to get a good spot for Johnny F Marr and that paid off. Central, relatively close position for a selection of Marr solo material and some beautiful Smiths songs. Choruses from teary-eyed grey and no haired gig-goers. Marr is the light that never goes out.

Top finish to another great festival….and I dodged Mumford and Sons.

Johnny Marr rounds off at the Castle Stage

All done. Booked for next year already and looking forward to it.

Rock on.