Gigs with Ivan

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.

The Wonder Stuff – live in Southampton

The Wondertuff at The 1865, Southampton 26.7.2023 with Ian Prowse supporting

Arrived late for this one due to a bad back – the creaking grey-haired gig goer eh – and preparation for camping trip (!) next day, but got in to catch the last few Ian Prowse songs. I’ve seen him before supporting Elvis Costello in Bath and glad I got to hear the excellent Does This Train Stop on Merseyside again. (Link is to my Elvis blog).

I’ve always enjoyed Wonder Stuff gigs – mine go back a long way to that first album tour (1988) but there was a big gap. (Previous Wonder Stuff gig blog has more details.) Not all my fault as they split up after the release of the fourth LP which they are showcasing tonight – it’s 30 years since release of Construction for the Modern Idiot. It’s the first one I didn’t buy (cassettes at that stage). To save my back I sit down upstairs wondering if I should be here.

The upstairs balcony at The 1865, up and round beyond the raised rear bar, has some upholstered benches around the walls but unless you get a standing spot at the rail you can’t see anything. You can hear it fine so as the penny dropped that they were playing whole of an album that I didn’t know, at all, I saved myself for the second set.

Miles Hunt – peeping through bodies from The 1865 balcony

It’s not that I mind hearing all new stuff: I’ve seen main man Miles Hunt solo and bought the 2017 album (We Came Here to Work) with violin playing Erica Nockalls, after listening to some of his sanity saving Lockdown livestreams. It is largely that my back was killing me that kept me seated (my wife Sally was no better.)

The violin was lifting the better songs in the first set tonight – what a great musician she is.

I had started watching where we’d got to on the LP and at the end I thought Miles was joking when he said they were going to do a couple of b-sides to round off this first section. He wasn’t.

At the break we made our way downstairs. It was rammed but recent sell outs have seen us find room down near the left hand wall. No good if you want to be making visits to the bar and bogs but fine otherwise once you get there.

Wonder Stuff – back bar zoomed shot – The 1865

The second set was what I needed. Heavy on The Eight Legged Groove Machine album. For me A Wish Away was the winner. Jumping up and down 80s music with guitars getting a full on go. Give, Give, Give, More, More, More has a similar appeal – that one ends the second set.

There are other nuggets in there – Golden Green – more prominent violin – No for the 13th Time and Caught in My Shadow. Size of a Cow is introduced as a ‘the most ridiculous song we ever wrote’ but it is catchy and probably isn’t.

This second set restores my faith although I pledge to go and listen to that fourth LP again, now I have that much maligned Spotify luxury.

They come back for two more: Unbearable and later ‘Eight Legged’ extra track Ten Trenches Deep. Well and truly a gig of two halves. I am sure I will be back again for more, more, more, as long as Miles Hunt (now a youthful looking 57) is up for it.

My Britpop Week – Blur & Pulp revived

Blur live at Wembley Stadium 7.7.2023 with Self Esteem, Sleaford Mods and Jockstrap supporting; Pulp live at Cardiff International Arena 11.7.2023 with Baxter Dury supporting.

A wonderful week. My 37th and 39th gigs of 2023 which I rank as the best two this year to date. Two Britpop essential bands returning after a time and taking different approaches.

Blur, the original line up and Pulp with Jarvis Cocker as the sole original. Blur in the massive 90,000 Wembley Stadium and Pulp in the 7,500 capacity, nearly all standing, Cardiff International Arena.

Saturday’s Blur support bands were to my ears just awful and inappropriate. I have seen the Sleaford Mods on tour and I was absorbed then. I get it. I walked away from their Victorious Festival set and Wembley? Bonkers. The other two acts: I just fail to see how they made the bill – Jockstrap (knob twiddling electronica with light vocals) and Self Esteem, who seem(s) to be have been eaten up and swallowed by an adoring London media. I just don’t get it or maybe I can see through these Emperor’s new clothes. On Sunday it was Paul Weller and Selecter and that date went on sale much later.

Pulp meanwhile had Dexter Dury supporting. Fascinating and I thoroughly enjoyed him and his band. A selection of albums to choose from. Surprised I haven’t seen him before – son of Ian Dury.

As regards the main acts – both brilliant. Both loved by participative audiences. Pulp, notably Jarvis, feeding off the atmosphere and tension created and Blur overcoming the echoing vastness of Wembley Stadium with their celebration of the return and their achievement in getting there.

Both bands delivered the crowd pleasing sets that the audiences deserved and had turned up for. Blur had more work to do on such an enormous gathering but they did it.

I saw Blur first almost by chance, back on 3 May 1991 at Coventry Tic Toc Club, before the first album Leisure had been released.

It was the indoor Wembley in December 1999 before I saw them again – a singles set – and then on 12 December 2003 at Bournemouth International Centre for a quiet gig, heavy with the then recently released Think Tank album.

This Wembley performance topped those other times. Damon was so overtly happy to be there and to be back. Although the new Blur album was due out the set drew from the back catalogue. I’d been singing Tracy Jacks to myself for days beforehand and it duly appeared early on. Beetlebum soon after with its slow grinding start that draws everyone in.

We are a long way back but pleased to be enjoying front of block unobstructed seats. Camera on full zoom to see what was going on.

Stereotypes and Country House, from the number one Great Escape LP, were the chart topping hits – I had thought they might avoid such celebrated pop but not tonight – Damon even put his deer stalker on for Country House.

Under the Westway was a quieter special moment – as London a song as they could muster. The quality of the playing just about conquers the overchallenging stadium sound but oh to hear that one in the Cardiff venue where Pulp played a few days later.

A quieter acoustic moment – Damon Albarn

Parklife was the centrepiece of this Blur party. Phil Daniels emerged from one of those work man’s tents to deliver. Magnificent. Yes nostalgic.

Song 2 another top song before the break for encores. After the break another goody, Girls and Boys.

As Tender was playing I made the misjudgement of thinking it was the last song. On came the gospel choir and as we contemplated the crowds and tube station mayhem, we thought let’s beat the inevitable. We did…and escaped back out to Ruislip and the car but missed the last few songs unfortunately. An awful place to see a band but what a wonderful performance.

And four days later it was Britpop nostalgia round two and on to Cardiff International Arena (what was the Motorpoint Arena).

A giant moon appeared on the backdrop and slowly a rising silhouette of Jarvis appeared to crowd roars. The tour is tagged ‘This is what we do for an encore…’ and the gig started like it was an encore, with an announcement to welcome Pulp back on, after years away in the wings. What an atmosphere.

Much more intimate this experience – 7500 but yes intimate. Jarvis talks nicely to the audience. No shouting.

I’m was with gig buddy Dave (DPi) and we found a spot adjacent to the mixing desk barriers – something to lean on eh. You can get a decent view from anywhere in here – not many seats in the balcony at all here.

The set drew heavily on the wonderful 1995 album Different Class, with eight songs performed from that. It started with I-Spy and then, playing along with the encore idea, Disco 2000. Yup second song. Tickertape blasted into the air like a finale to start. Woodchip wallpaper on the backdrop.

I remember woodchip on my Coventry walls back then. I first saw Pulp on 22 February 1996 at the NEC Forum Birmingham. By then I had got married and already split up so I was a bit ahead of those anthemic lyrics. Quite a night that gig was – it followed the Jarvis invading the stage and mooning moment while Michael Jackson was performing at an awards do. I haven’t seen them on tour since.

Very much the Jarvis show. All eyes on him. The band on the right of the stage and something of an orchestral input from the left: Jarvis, all the while, centre stage.

Pink Glove saw a few devout fans wearing one: Jarvis asked to see them in the air after. Do You Remember the First Time sounded as bouncy and fresh as ever.

The expected highlight came: Common People, building beautifully until the floor erupts. Jarvis succeeded in making a big hall feel like a cosy little venue. Perhaps Pulp will have a crack at Wembley Stadium – NOOO! Don’t do it!

Two hugely enjoyable gigs. The experiences all the better for the fact these bands hadn’t played for so long. Not just any old favourite band but bands that defined the 90s.

All photos from my trusty TZ90 Panasonic pocket zoom.

Iron Maiden – live in Birmingham

Iron Maiden at the Utilita Arena Birmingham on 4.7.2023 with Lord of the Lost supporting

Iron Maiden eh? Another deviation into the world of heavy metal, in particular that NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) as it was back when I was at school, and buying Sounds every week.

I bought the Running Free single when it came out in 1980 – I just may have been influenced by their allegiance to West Ham United. That was and is the sum total of my investment in their records but I have listened a lot (my school mate Rich T has a lot to answer for). In recent years I have seen Weymouth based tribute band Ironed Maiden three times. In Covid Lockdown two sparsely attended seated gigs saved my sanity during the gig desert. Tonight it’s the real thing.

The line-up is from the early 80s, although back in 1981 Bruce Dickenson was the new boy, having taken over front original frontman Paul Di’Anno.

Bruce Dickenson on stage tonight in Birmingham

On arrival into Brum I see Iron Maiden t-shirt clad fans everywhere, the clan gathering in numbers the closer I get to Broad Street and the Utilita Arena. (I now have such a t-shirt as an accessory for any future metal excursions.)

Chis Harms – Lord of the Lost – supporting

Lord of the Lost open the evening. They were Germany’s entry in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Most un-Eurovision. A decent heavy rock noise for starters.

The lights dim and UFO’s Doctor Doctor starts playing. This is their chosen build up music and it goes down a storm – even I have this EP – then a bit of Blade Runner soundtrack and they’re on, with a small backdrop to give a smaller gig feel than the 15,800 venue that it is. It opens out shortly after with a huge backscreen, but the basic shape doesn’t change, with the drummer tucked in his own cubby hole.

The setlist draws heavily on two albums: the latest release, Senjutsu (I’ve been listening and it stands up there) and the 1986 album Somewhere in Time, with five tracks from each of those. The first one I know well is The Prisoner, complete with Portmeirion backdrop (I visited several times in the 90s with my Coventry mates), from the classic album Number of the Beast (saw that title track video so many times in the 80s).

Dickenson still has a great rock voice. He wanders the limits of the stage, up behind the band as they work sway intensely at their art. Three guitars and a bass make for a wonderful wall of guitar sound. I’m enjoying my heavy metal outing. The guitar swinging stage right is jaw dropping.

The next song I must have been exposed to a lot is Can I Play With Madness, Dickenson’s rock voice at its high-pitched best.

I am still focused on Hammers supporting bassist Steve Harris – he writes a lot of the material apparently…but there is the distraction of a bit of metal stage show stuff. Almost a token gesture I think but that suits me – it’s about the music.

The show escalates with some belters. The end of the main set is Fear of the Dark, maybe my pick of the night and then that very early track Iron Maiden which I will always count as a privilege to hear live.

The encores included The Trooper (I like that ale – Iron Maiden linked) which was a biggy, good ‘un that – and Wasted Years. This experience was high on heavy metal quality and limited on pomp and posing. Iron Maiden are category winner in my life Oscars awards. They were the NWOBHM.

Dog Day Afternoon Festival at Crystal Palace

Iggy Pop, Blondie, Generation Sex, Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks and The Lambrini Girls 1.7.2023 at Crystal Palace Park

As the day approached, I realised what a huge treat was coming. What an assembly – a special nostalgic day in London, albeit a more difficult to find bit of London. The long, quite narrow strip cordoned off for this was a new one on me, holding around 25,000 people.

It wasn’t the Bowl and wasn’t the Athletics Stadium I saw The Beautiful South and Texas at in 1997. We shared a cab up to the south side of this enormous park with a couple from our Bromley Hotel – cabs were in demand – I was there with gig buddy Dave for this and meeting a few others inside. Then the long haul uphill through the park, before a nervous and prolonged queue for a wristband to get us in to the upgraded area (a laughable option here), while we sweated over Internet connectivity issues – phone only tickets on this one.

Lucky the bands were so good, the sound was tip top and it didn’t rain, because the queues for everything, the cramped set up and just getting in seemed intent on screwing up a great day.

I heard the Lambrini Girls in the distance as we queued, staring at the staffed but closed windows, alongside the busy ones.

A few beers (Hobgoblin👍) before making our way down along the front right side for Buzzcocks, while there was a bit of room down there. This became our pitch for the day – a day which got busier and busier but once in a spot it’s easy to stick to it and put down a few markers (Keith’s rug and crisps and a few bags) and resist space invaders. (Later on, Pete Bennett, the guy who won Big Brother with Tourette’s turned up next to us with friends. He didn’t encroach on the rug.)

Having seen Buzzcocks many times, going back to 1980 (when NME suggested they were past it) the Buzzcocks without the departed Pete Shelley are a tricky one to sell. I listened to Steve Diggle talking on the literary stage at Rebellion Festival last year though – he just can’t stop and felt he needed to go on doing all he knows. Fair enough. It’s still enjoyable but different.

Manchester Rain from the post Shelley 2022 album is a good example of why Buzzcocks are still a worthy listen. Hearing the old classics on a sunny day in a field (it’s no better than a field) is irresistible. I was intrigued by the signing woman in front of the stand to the right. I pondered the experience of being deaf at a gig it got me thinking ..and are there many needing that intensely active signing service. The prospect of Buzzcocks playing Orgasm Addict dawned. They did and I have to admit I peered over curiously but nothing obviously notable to report.

With Harmony in My Head being the big single with Diggle vocals, it was inevitable perhaps that this was the finale…. a 10-minute epic to stamp the Diggle mark on this new Buzzcocks line-up.

Next up Stiff Little Fingers. I always enjoy SLF and this afternoon is no exception. Standing amongst a crowd pretty much all around my age I found this respectful gathering almost emotional. Early on the bill but Jake Burns has the crowd.

With shorter than the normal tour stage time, Jake and the guys have little option but to go for it (pun intended), firing out the classic air punching choruses, starting with Tin Soldiers and reaching a finale of Suspect Device and Alternative Ulster. Doesn’t matter how many times you hear that one, the excitement, passion and anger is still there.

The set is largely from the first two albums but there is the chance for Jake to call out for men hiding their mental struggles, as he did before sorting his: newer song My Dark Places marks that. Cover, It Doesn’t Make it Alright, by the late Terry Hall is another worthy inclusion to slow it down a bit. The anger of Wasted Life still hits the spot: ‘Stuff their f*cking armies, killing isn’t my idea of fun’. Great set.

And so I get to see this Generation Sex combination: this new Sex Pistols/ Generation X family. Enhanced by the 1977 gig footage as a backdrop – worked a treat as not many of us can jump up and down any more without a trip to a physio after.

Idol, Cook, Jones, James – Generation Sex

I did see The Pistols, but only on the second coming in the 90s. We are all getting on a bit now and it’s easy to scoff at this initiative but when you see Billy Idol come on and open up with Pretty Vacant, backed by Cook and Jones…. well just enjoy it. I did. Never Mind the Bollocks is still a fantastic album and the Gen X material weaved in for extra less angry, more sneery, interest.

The stand out song of this much anticipated set for me was Bodies. Vile and angry. The song has lost none of it. Brilliant and stirring stuff. God Save the Queen, nearing the end, felt like an anthem for the day. I would like to see them in a small place with a longer set – it works. It isn’t going to be a long running collaboration I’m sure – just enough for one more for me to get to eh.

The original sound obviously comes out more on the Generation X songs that Billy Idol sang on in the late 70s, Ready Steady Go and Dancing With Myself the best of those, but Idol is good front for the Pistols material.

It was My Way to finish – from the Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle – the Sid Vicious take on it. While I can still hear it as a Sinatra belter, it has a misery about it when associated with the victim that Sid Vicious became.

And so a trip off to find a bog. Jesus. Mayhem. All these aging bladders and gridlock – urinals hidden behind a maze of other queues. Still, we put up with it don’t we. Pay the money and suffer in silence. The upgrade area was no better – I gave up in there first. Back to festival school whoever managed this one.

And after this breather – Blondie Ahhh. I suspect a lot of this crowd wouldn’t buy tickets to see Blondie these days, for one of their own shows. While they were right in that New York punk scene back in the day, and have all the credentials, they were a huge, mainstream pop rock band after the first few albums. But everyone’s glued. All eyes front.

Debbie Harry – 78th birthday today at Crystal Palace Park

Debbie Harry’s 78th birthday. A remarkable lady. A true legend. All seemed effortless up front on the vocals, while Clem Burke powered away on the drums. Sex Pistol Glen Matlock on bass, where he’s been since his surprise appearance for the April ’22 delayed UK tour I saw them on in Glasgow.

Parallel Lines, surely the best album, dominates: starting with One Way or Another and continuing with Hanging on the Telephone (you know that’s a cover?); Sunday Girl; Will Anything Happen and eventually the beautiful and dreamy Heart of Glass – arms waving in the air – my mate Chris enjoying his own little disco in front our protected rug space.

There were a few of the earlier punkier tracks – their first single X Offender and from the Plastic Letters LP, the cover of which I have on my wall at home, there was Detroit 442, sung with more grit.

I thought this set was a beauty. Maybe made better by the band enjoying the event as the support act, without the big tour attention. This was better than my two previous Blondie gigs – this is the one I want to remember.

And on to the master. The man I once heard referred to a ‘the King of Rock’ as I passed through US Customs in Miami airport…. well, the customs official bellowed it at the top of her voice, preceded by ‘oh my gaaaad it’s!….’

Iggy and his full band, including brass, take the stage. It felt like an epic gig happening. We’d had a great day but this was the main event and even though I could hardly count myself as an Iggy Pop fan – I did see him headline a Reading Festival Friday in 1988 – it was an impressive career spanning performance that the crowd were overtly happy with.

Within a few songs, Iggy had disposed of his waistcoat revealing, unashamedly, his seasoned old frame. This was rock’n’roll. What a guy. His voice was strong and growled.

Mid-set, Lust for Life and The Passenger come together – that’s all I needed to hear to fulfil my ambitions for the day but the set was rich in variety. Towards the end of the main set, I Wanna Be Your Dog sees Iggy gripping the mic stand and hanging on, contorted – his twisted hips more obvious. This body has survived so much life.

I had a look at the setlist and although Iggy Pop had a new album out in January, he only found room for two tracks from it, one being Frenzy to finish. I feel his work deserves more of my attention.

This Dog Day Afternoon was a cracker. A wonderfully balanced selection of sets from some big names in the punk hall of fame. The escape from the park was on. The battle for cabs and skirmishes for an Uber. We got lucky (thanks Gary) and were away. Great day.

As ever, all pics are my own – trusty Panasonic TZ90 pocket zoom.

A busy gig year has continued for me despite a rest in the blogs. 35 gigs and 74 different bands. I will catch up with some, not all, as I start doubling up on bands I‘ve already covered.

The Dead Kennedys – live in Southampton

The Dead Kennedys at The 1865, Southampton on 5.5.2023 with Pissbath supporting

The 1865 seems to be my venue of the moment – my updated blog on the venue is here. It’s attracting bands I want to see and I really like the place.

Tonight, it’s to see San Francisco’s punk legends, The Dead Kennedys….well as they are today. While at school, the novel vibrating voice of original frontman, Jello Biafra, combined with regular John Peel show airings of the band’s singles and other tracks, imprinted them firmly in my consciousness.

There weren’t that many punk bands from the US, that had reputations that travelled across the Atlantic. They were a little late to the party with the first album not appearing until 1980, but that suited my timescales. They broke up by 1986 and I never did get to see them live. The break up was a big one, which led to Jello Biafra being sued by the other three original band members over the payment of royalties and they won. So the distinctive voice was lost. The current touring Dead Kennedys four piece includes two originals: East Bay Ray on guitars and Klaus Flouride on bass and backing vocals. Frontman is Ron ‘Skip’ Greer who has been with them since 2008… and he’s good.

Klaus Flouride – bass/ backing vocals – at The 1865

It’s another packed house tonight. Yes, the audience has aged with the band but tonight the angry youth inside is allowed out. Near impossible to get forward with a pint and if you do you’re going to lose it and be covered in some more. Support band Pissbath, also from the US, got some appreciation but I was up on the balcony and at the bar, catching up with mates. Considerable excitement as they take to the stage. It’s not every week the Dead Kennedys are in the country.

Frontman Ron ‘Skip’ Greer flanked by Klaus Flouride and East Bay Ray – Southampton 1865

We managed to push down the side left a bit (here with Plymouth Dave tonight) and I end up wandering a bit to get a better view and grab a video up at the raised back bar – so as not to obstruct or get hit by a flying pint.

They open with Forward to Death, from THE album for me: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. Released in 1980, it’s the only one I bought (later on CD) and I am less familiar when leaving this one. Half the set is from this album so that’s a relief.

The front section moves and leans in the direction of frontman Skip. He disappears down into the pit from time to time, emerging to towel down his sweat soaked head.

Really good sound, at volume, this. After several later album tracks, so as not to peak too early, first album single Kill The Poor makes an entrance. Fists are pumping and the mosh pit sways. Too Drunk to F*ck is probably well known for all the wrong reasons but well received, with smiles.

East Bay Ray and Klaus Flouride keep to their opening positions – concentrating on keeping it together. Only front man Skip is mobile. Strong drums beat from the back.

The one minute EP track Nazi Punks F*ck Off is cheered, perhaps for longer than the song itself. A curious addition to any John Peel show at the start of the 80s. Well meaning yet almost comical. After that, one we have all been hoping for: California über Alles. What an anthem. They leave the stage and a main set timed to ensure more is an urgent necessity.

The Dead Kennedys – back for more at at The 1865

I’m up at the back next to the bar at this point and captured the first of the encores, Bleed For Me, on my camera video. (Here on my YouTube Channel.) This is followed by cover Viva Las Vegas, which appeared on that first album, before another of the Dead Kennedys’ prize nuggets, Holiday in Cambodia (link to another Grey-Haired Gig Goer video). Times have changed eh? Every song a mini history lesson – I have been on holiday there since its release and couldn’t stop singing it.

To finish, another first album classic, Chemical Warfare. More steam, the last steam, is let off. So glad I made it to see The Dead Kennedys, at last. Well I guess I had not tried that hard in the post Jello Biafra years, when I could have done, and realise now I should have done.

Peter Hook and the Light – live in Southampton

Peter Hook and the Light at The 1865 on 27.4.2023

Just a brief note for this one – I wanted to mark it – I gave up work earlier in the day. What more can be said about the sounds of Joy Division, this gig being one on the Hooky tour showcasing both the studio albums: Unknown Pleasures and Closer.

It’s both albums in full, Unknown Pleasures first. Before that, no support band but instead a shorter introductory set of New Order songs. Well worth getting there on time for and wrestling for a car park space with the late arrivals for tonight’s Premier League relegation battle at St Mary’s, very close by, between Southampton and Bournemouth (Bournemouth won it.)

An odd day for me this one: this afternoon I left my job and full-time employment, probably forever, to look forward to more years of enjoying life as a grey-haired gig goer. I came back from the office, got changed and with our little car full, drove to tonight’s gig (with SHa, GAl, AFr). No end of term beers tonight – this was another long-standing musical appointment – hadn’t intended to end my career today when I bought the tickets.

The only surprises in the setlist are the New Order component to start – which I take as a big bonus – and perhaps less surprising, the encores. Confusion was my New Order highlight and this section ended with the 1997 Monaco single What Do You Want From Me?, Hooky’s post New Order band, which had two albums – must check those out.

I saw Monaco live once, although I don’t remember it (Reading Festival), never Joy Division, and after a few New Order gigs with and without Peter Hook, I find that in the last three and a bit years, I keep bumping into excellent Peter Hook sets at festivals – Great British Alternative Festival at Butlins 2020; Victorious Festival 2021, Let’s Rock Exeter 2021; Rebellion 2022 and maybe the best of these Shiine Weekend at Butlins 2021. This is the first proper Peter Hook and the Light tour gig I’ve been to though. They have all been great sets, with some more limited on time than others. This is indulgent though – the Joy Divison studio albums. A packed room full of largely male ex-John Peel listeners, of an age, in dark clothes and Doc Martens. There are some young people in here though – all is not lost.

Despite the cool and grumpy look to Hooky over the years he always performs with so much passion and effort. This is a long trio of a set and he is up front an full-on throughout. After all these years he still giving it like he’s touring a debut album, and with a polished band with him (including his son) to give a better live sound than surely any Joy Division performance (just listen to live album Still).

After gorging on this dark feast what then for the encores? Firstly, New Order’s Ceremony, then Transmission (YouTube from Mr Bitz II) and inevitably Love Will Tear Us Apart, the big singles that were not from the studio albums.

I can’t imagine anyone even half liking New Order or Joy Division would be disappointed by a Peter Hook and the Light gig. This was another winner.

Inspiral Carpets – live in Frome

Inspiral Carpets at The Cheese and Grain, Frome, Somerset 22.4.2023 with Lumley supporting

The Cheese and Grain seems to be growing in stature and becoming appealing to more tours for something a bit different. My last visit, with a bit more info on the town was for Sweet. (Blog link)

Frome

A weekend gig meant a bit of extra time to wander around Frome, stopping over at a B&B (Rook Lane House), as it turned out with all four rooms taken with Inspiral Carpets fans – opposite a carpet shop – lovely old house and a friendly stopover.

New and secondhand record shop, Raves from the Grave was well worth a visit, it also being Record Store Day. I picked up a signed copy of the latest Inspiral Carpets’ remastered singles album, Generation X first album re-release and used LPs by TV21 and Wasted Youth. Bit of a haul.

Pre-gig involved a pint in The George, at the heart of everything on the main street done through the town, then up the hill to Italian restaurant Castellos – I recommend those. Best of all, a few doors down is Palmer Street Bottle, a craft ale bar that does a great cheese board and stunning ale selection.

Back down to The Cheese and Grain to catch Lumley. Cover songs with a 90s theme to get the sell-out crowd singing along. Enjoyable as a while-you-wait rabble rouser.

A sell-out crowd – towards the back of the venue

Inspiral Carpets

My preferred Madchester option from the 90s – it’s that organ – what a fabulous sound. I bought the first album Life (1990) and later that year was at Reading Festival for their headline set on the Saturday night – I just went to the one night, a regular thing I’ve done with Reading over the years, except when I lived there for a five year period.

How could anyone forget the full marching band of drum majorettes that trooped out for She Comes in the Fall – what a stunt. I found a video on YouTube. The Inspiral Carpets were chart toppers then. What a gig for those majorettes and the look on the lead baton twirler’s face is pride, fear and emotion: She Comes in the Fall – Reading 1990 vid.

Despite a fistful of very good albums, I didn’t see them again until this Frome gig. They split in 1995, reforming in 2003. The band membership has been in constant evolution. When drummer Craig Gill died in 2016 the band stopped again – tribute is paid to him tonight, the last night of Inspiral Carpets’ first tour for eight years.

The current line has three original members, although one of those, frontman Stephen Holt, is so much an original band member that he left before that first album and 1990 boom.

Clint Boon has been at the heart of that keyboard/organ-led sound since 1987 and he’s very much stage front for this gig.

The other original is guitarist Graham Lambert. He is joined by two newer members including a youthful Oscar Boon (18) on bass.

The sell-out, standing, Saturday night, crowd of 850 is over-ripe by the time the Carpets unroll. Wonderful atmosphere. I looked down at the floor to admire the array of trainers – a range that could grace any 90s gig – like an Adidas shop.

The whirling organ sound, so distictive, dominates. The backdrop throws shapes and tells stories of the past. The cow artwork appears (Cow Records was the first album label) – the crowd ‘moo’ intermittently, a rural touch adding to this market town venue. Reference is made to the early days when Noel Gallagher was the band’s roadie – maybe some photos appeared on the screen but for a lot of the gig I was off to the front right, before moving in front of the speaker wearing some ear protection and leaning on the rail.

Inspiral Carpets – rear centre view – Cheese and Grain

The set leans well on that first album Life with more than half the set from it. These include She Comes in the Fall, Joe, which they open with, and that anthem of self-pity: This is How it Feels…. to be lonely. I thought that was their best track for years but in my mind it was eclipsed, as it was tonight by Dragging Me Down and better still, Two Worlds Collide:

“What have I done with my life?
Is this the end when two worlds collide?”

Both of these tracks feature on the Revenge of the Goldfish album (1992) – a really goody.

Frontman Stephen Holt comes down off the stage later on, to step on the front barriers, leaning over the herd, keeping his voice controlled and steady while the organ does its wild things, driven by Clint.

Well I hope I don’t have to wait another 33 years to hear this wonderful noise again (I won’t – they’re playing Victorious Festival 😁). It’s not just the stand out tracks, it’s the whole set. Yes of course I’d like to hear the 1990s vocalist, Tom Hingley, but you can’t always get what you want eh.

They finish with Saturn 5, a single from their 1994 Devil Hopping album. Top night – friendly, enthusiastic crowd – great venue to visit and stay in town for. Mooooo!