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Rebellion Festival 2024 – New Announcements

Rebellion Festival 2024 – New Announcements

REBELLION FESTIVAL 2024 RETURNS 1ST – 4TH AUGUST AT THE WINTER GARDENS IN BLACKPOOL

THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT PUNK FESTIVAL IN THE UK

GOGOL BORDELLO JOIN THE FESTIVITIES!

www.rebellionfestivals.com

Returning this summer over four days from the 1st to the 4th of August at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, Rebellion Festival has once again pulled together a line-up that runs the full length and breadth of worldwide alternative and punk rock culture. From the four iconic, genre-defining headline artists of The Stranglers, Sham 69, Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers to the young upstarts kicking up a racket in 2024 like The Chisel, The Meffs, Grade 2, Bar Stool Preachers, HotWax, and Meryl Streek, Rebellion Festival displays an ageless and timeless event annually that demonstrates just how big and welcoming our punk rock family continues to grow.

With over three hundred bands and artists playing and performing across the Winter Garden’s multiple stages, Rebellion Festival really does supply something for everyone with an interest in alternative culture. From the very roots of the movement with the proto 60s garage punk of Love guitarist Johnny Echols, performing with his version of the psychedelic legends, to 1970s glam stompers The Sweet who were a huge influence on the first waves of punk, Rebellion Festival goes from the very start to the wholly contemporary, and everything in between.

A recent and thrilling addition to the line-up this year is the eclectic and theatrical Gogol Bordello from the Lower East side of Manhattan, although they feature members hailing from Ukraine, Ecuador, Russia and Ethiopia for a truly worldwide sound. The band are notorious for their relentless touring, and they have lapped the world many times since their formation in 1999. Rebellion is excited to finally have them hitting the festival in 2024.

All this and so much more, these join many other highlights including Tom Robinson Band, UK Subs, Lydia Lunch, Toyah, Dead Boys, Ruts DC, GBH, Cockney Rejects, The Alarm, and The Men They Couldn’t Hang.

Got to Line Up (rebellionfestivals.com) for the full four-day line-up.   

DAY AND WEEKEND TICKETS ON SALE HERE: https://rebellion.keekmerch.com/ 

Since its original inception in 1996 as the then named Holidays In The Sun festival, Rebellion has always aimed to bring together the best punk and alternative music from across the globe, and is still a family-run, family-orientated ALL AGES event and children under 12 are admitted free of charge (accompanied by an adult).

Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com for more information.

Instagram: @rebellionfest

Sonic Boom Six- ‘Re: Generation’ (Rebel Alliance Recordings)

Sonic Boom Six- ‘Re: Generation’ (Rebel Alliance Recordings)

Heavy as a tonne of bricks Landing on your head ‘Re: Generation’ kicks off with ‘Future Shock’ sounding like a female-fronted Senser when they were at their devastating best mixing it up in the mid-90s. but wait, the pace is changed like a full-speed handbrake turn on ‘No Man No Right’ as the band gets their ska on and goes in for some skanking. with a rather splendid saxophone break.

Breaking through during lockdown this ten-legged ska/punk/grime/dubstep/metal machine shouldn’t work at all but it does. Via some sparkling production and great arrangements.

This compilation pulls together some single mixes in the shape of ‘Virus’ and ‘Keep On Believing’ and playing with some new mixes as well as some brand new tunes its throwing the kitchen sink effect that will hit your ears in one huge loud production. Can’t say I’m up to date on my Grime or my dubstep but I do know when something is done very well and this is that. now the full-on punk rock I do get. ‘Learn TO Live With It’. The uplifting tone of ‘Sunny Side Of The Street’ works really well from the acoustic intro in the whole band joining in for a really good tune.

They speed it up and turn it up on the really bright ‘New Style Rocka’ Having several members of the band who can handle the vocals is a real asset from the fellas doing the hard rock to the sweet female rasp of ‘Train Leaves Tomorrow’ but don’t be fooled it’s like a steel fist inside a velvet glove Laila Khan delivers be it doing the hard rock or the punk stuff as well as she sings the pop stuff the do when they need a strong melody over whatever style they happen to pull off for each song. Doing this for a decade these guys aren’t some johnny come lately they know what they’re doing and do it very well indeed. It is no surprise to see they’ve worked with Skunk Anansie as well as drawing influence from the Streets and Dubwar as well as classic Ska bands it’s a real melting pot going on and ‘Re: Generation’ should put them in front of a much bigger audience no question.

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Author: Dom Daley

‘Oh Shit!’ The Libertines – release another new single

‘Oh Shit!’ The Libertines – release another new single

‘Oh Shit’ is the latest single from their forthcoming new album due in April listen here: TheLibertines.lnk.to/OhShit

pic Ed Cooke

Oh shit ,oh shit

Lets make some money

Just enough to get us by

The Libertines release a fabulous new single (quite possibly the most Libertines single ever!) on Wednesday 6th March. Entitled Oh Shit it is an earworm anthem for these economically challenging times and is taken from their eagerly awaited new album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade which hits the streets on April 5th.

Written by Carl Barat and Peter Doherty, Oh Shit is the fourthsingle to be lifted from All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade, following the release of Run, Run, Run VIDEO, Night Of The Hunter VIDEO and Shiver VIDEO  You can preorder the new album here: TheLibertines.lnk.to/AQOTEEPR 

The Libertines’ UK/IRELAND tour all but sold out within hours of being announced – faster than any previous tours in their history – which nails the lie that no-one wants to see bands live anymore. To cater for the unprecedented demand, a third and final night has been added at Manchester’s Albert Hall on Saturday 9th November.

The full dates for the All Quiet On The Esplanade Tour are:

SEPTEMBER 

23rd MON Dublin  3Olympia Theatre SOLD OUT

24th TUE Belfast The Telegraph Building SOLD OUT

OCTOBER

3rd THU Birmingham O2 Academy SOLD OUT

4th FRI Norwich UEA SOLD OUT

5th SAT Cambridge  The Corn Exchange SOLD OUT

7th MON Cardiff Great Hall FEW TICKETS

8th TUE Bristol O2 Academy SOLD OUT

17th THU Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom SOLD OUT

18th FRI Glasgow  Barrowland Ballroom SOLD OUT

19th Sat Liverpool Mountford Hall SOLD OUT

21st Mon Nottingham Rock City SOLD OUT

22nd  TUE Leeds O2 Academy SOLD OUT

30th WED London Roundhouse FEW TICKETS

31st THU London Roundhouse SOLD OUT

NOVEMBER

1st FRI London Roundhouse FEW TICKETS

4th MON Sheffield The Octagon FEW TICKETS

5th TUE Newcastle NX SOLD OUT

7th THU Manchester Albert Hall SOLD OUT

8th FRI Manchester Albert Hall SOLD OUT

9th SAT Manchester Albert Hall TICKETS ON SALE 9AM 8TH MARCH

The Libertines will be playing the following in/out-store shows on the week of release of the new album with a special Q&A happening at Rough Trade East.

APRIL IN/OUT-STORES:

5th  FRI  Coventry HMV Empire

6th  SAT Birmingham Acoustic

Manchester Academy w/ Crash Records

8th MON Rough Trade East Q&A w/ Rough Trade

9th TUE Pryzm Kingston w/ Banquet Records

As previously announced The Libertines will headline ‘On The Beach Festival’ in Brighton on Sunday, July 28th.

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Sami Yaffa – ‘Satans Helpers, War Lazer Eyes And The Money Pig Circus’ (Island Records)

Sami Yaffa – ‘Satans Helpers, War Lazer Eyes And The Money Pig Circus’ (Island Records)

After the innermost journey, it seems about right we should engage with ‘Satans helpers, War Lazer Eyes And The Money Pig Circus’. Confused? Relax, sit back, and take a deep breath its only an album title.

I’ll set the picture for you, Sami Yaffa managed to turn in the album of the year when he released his debut solo album in 2021. It had everything and confirmed with many of us how fuckin talented the guy is. Not content with being the coolest bass player on the planet or playing on some of the best records ever he had to go and write produce sing and play on a solo album that was so fuckin good it was almost unfathomable. Roll on a couple of years and Mr Yaffa is back in the ring and taking precision shots again like the heavyweight player he is.

The first glimpse into album number two was the Iggyfied ‘Crashing Down’ and with a confident swagger, Sami was on top of his game with another earworm that sounded so good it made me grin for days. Excited at what was coming down the line and the first taste was exactly what I wanted to hear. Such is Samis laid back demeanour is infectious and engaging and it puts the listener in the best frame of mind for listening to some of the finest music currently being laid down anywhere by anyone.

The title track rolls in on a cool countrified lick that gathers pace before exploding into widescreen as Yaffas well worn, warm vocal wraps itself around you like a warm comforting blanket and the opening of this much-anticipated album is done.

‘Silver Or Lead’ rattles in off the back of the widescreen opener with a sharp, stripped back song with plenty of punch and gang vocals on the chorus but it’s the arrangement that gives the song an air of excitement that draws you the listener in. ‘Hurricane Hank’ is one cool motherfucker by the swagger of his soundtrack. A cool bluesy lick is held by some cool keyboard rattling over a rapid fuzzed guitar.

One thing Yaffa is clearly gifted is the ability to change pace and style yet keep it perfectly on point whatever the style so ‘Death Squad’ is the first glimpse of the reggae skank we had on that first record and it’s here with the keyboard slap with rhythmic stabs to groove alongside the skank of that clean guitar with its bluesy licks.

‘Down Home’ is laid on a bed of acoustic guitar chords and a warm pained vocal. It’s not quite a ballad but has a gentler hand maybe more Americana in the vein of say Jesse Malin at the top of his game. In contrast ‘Shitshow’ is rockin’ out at its finest from the storming the gates guitar break that’s scorching the speakers as it bursts through. No time for finery or complicated arrangments it’s heads down and lets rock! Some wonderful piano fills and backing vocals to accompany this rocka.

Whilst we’re deep into the record we have the first single that dropped several weeks ago ‘Crashing Down’ and it still sounds like the best song Iggy never wrote anytime over the last thirty years. ‘Chemical Life’ has the funk pulsing through the bassline sounding like an adventure through the NYC underbelly from the keys and that funkified bass to the cool lyric and fucked up flavours created by the brass and percussion exploding all over the place. A fantastic song and even after so few plays it sounds like a track to delve into for years to come.

A more varied album than his debut and touching upon all his previous bands and roles within bands Sami Yaffa has really spread his wings on ‘Satans Helpers’ there is perhaps a supreme confidence happening here before our eyes and ears and the off-kilter groove of ‘Far Star’ is his most varied offering yet. It could have been offered up to Harry and Chris Stein around the time they were eating to the beat it has that LES charm as the mist rolls in off the Hudson it might turn out to be the record’s buried gem the more play I give this, Only time will tell.

The record is almost done and already I’m excited to do it all again and see what pops out of my speakers on the next play. ‘Faster Than Me’ has a carefree vibe that is like a ray of sunshine after the storm. You know that satisfying smug feeling when you’ve looked forward to a new record and it absolutely doesn’t disappoint, well, ‘Satans Helper’ is exactly that record. I think it’s safe to say that Sami Yaffa will once again be challenging for the album of the year title such is the quality of this album after only a few plays.

Now, go and ask your local record store to get you a copy of ‘Satans Helpers, Warlazer Eyes & The Money Pig Circus’ it might just be the best record you buy in 2024 and you can quote me on that!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Midnight – ‘Hellish Expectations’ (Metal Blade Records)

Midnight – ‘Hellish Expectations’ (Metal Blade Records)

As night follows day the last few years have been peppered with album releases and UK tours from the mighty Cleveland noisemakers known as Midnight. such is their output and the quality of it I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting, knowing it’s coming. The album drops and I get the cans in the fridge and prime the stereo because the unholy racket is a coming. You know already that before you’ve clapped eyes on the artwork it’s going to tickle your pleasure receptors and have you nodding like head bobbler on an F1 car with your bullet belt and leather gloves on it’s time to give in and offer up your undivided attention because Athenar and the gang are on the stereo. Beelzebub is ying the bellows for some ‘Hellish Expectations’ and enough fast as fuck punk/metal to tide you over until the apocalypse or next years release and tour.

2003 was the year that Satan belched these bad boys out on an unsuspecting world all looking for a fix of Motorhead, Venom and Tank fuelled noise. Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, Midnight makes music to start fights to and drink beer until you can’t physically carry on its slayer for scum. Athenar has been calling the shots for this ungodly racket, and ‘Hellish Expectations’ won’t disappoint – there are no curveballs, no letdown and plenty of life-affirming noise.

‘Hellish Expectations’ is blunt force trauma set to music – no nonsense, no mucking about just pure fuckin’ hell and some. Imagine all the previous albums thus far rolled into one concise record – Ten songs equally noisy and all as intense and rapid as the last.

Athenar alleges these songs were all written in a weekend after being pissed at the demos of the last album ‘Let There Be Witchery’ (Don’t be hard on yourself mate that album was a belter). Opening track ‘Expect Total Hell’ (Obviously, what else would we expect?) not so much creeps out of the speakers but builds up a head of steam sounding so raw and vital you can feel the head on your back as the chopper your on spews out of the ground as you burst out of Hell. The first thing you notice is how live it all sounds it has the feel of a one take deal and the energy is spot on. The song titles have long since had me properly laughing out loud and ‘Gash Scrape’ is no exception as Cronos must be looking over his shoulder upon his blackest stallion wondering how Venom at their peak never sounded so fuckin’ vital. As you get comfortable ‘Masked And Deadly’ has already been and gone before the old school ‘Slave Of The Blade’ has you windmilling in a pool of sweat.

Side two is underway with ‘Nuclear Savior’ is going through the gears and we’re just warming up never mind a tipper sticker this should carry a government health warning. It’s brutal, raw and insanely addictive like fentinal audio crack.

My heart pacemaker was put out of sync after the last tour and almost caved in my chest so loud was the PA I’m now turning this bad boy past 11 on the stereo as ‘Mercyless Slaughtor’ grinds my ears into submission before ‘Doom Death Desire’ has the Lemmy like a wall of noise hit me like dropping a breezeblock off a ten story building onto my chest but wait, there no time left except to thrash like fuck as ‘F.O.A.L’ races to the finish line and we’re done. It’s not long enough, clocking in at a ‘Reigning Blood’ length album. I mean one song on Venoms ‘At War With Satan’ is almost the length of the entire ‘Hellish Expectations’ album some will complain but I accept it for what it is pure fuckin armageddon in a nutshell and besides the music is top fuckin notch, that’s a given the artwork has two pencil drawn demon women with 70s bushes and a nun swinging from a Bell Midnight at truly Satanic Royalty and have to accept their place at the top of the Black heavy metal/punk ranking. They have no peers and as well as being in a league with Satan nobody can touch them. Vital album right here, buy and F.O.A.L. because you’re worth it.

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Drunk Mums – ‘Beer Baby’ (Bachelor Records/Legless Records)

Drunk Mums – ‘Beer Baby’ (Bachelor Records/Legless Records)

Having taken the last four years off (prob to drink more beer) the world is a pretty different place now as it was when they fucked off. But in many ways, it’s still the same fucked up, shit pit of a place so these Drunk Mums will feel right at home as they deliver ten relentless, no-holds-barred party hard anthems that leave you wanting another tinny and party to attend with zero chance of worrying about governments, world wars, terror threats, global warming. For now, we’ll concentrate on having a good time because we’re not here for a long time. Refreshed and ready to go with their zero BS, good-time rock ‘n’ roll explosion.

Recorded at the legendary Hot House studio with Jez at the helm and masterfully fine-tuned by the Bear, no expense was spared in crafting this comeback masterclass, aptly named “BEER BABY.” imagine a cocktail of loud guitars, gang vocals, uptempo anthems, zero bullshit and endless shots of Jager, Beer and good times. right, we’re in the right ballpark or on the same page. Anybody who knows their music already knows that Australia has been churning out top-notch guitar bands be it hard rock or garage rock or punk rock they continue to nock ’em out at a fantastic rate. Over the last few years, they seem to have gone into overdrive with bands like the mighty Stiff Richards, Civic, Amyl & The Sniffers, The Chats, TNSW and who can forget bands like Cosmic Psycos or Radio Birdman as well as a whole host of bands and artists. This year has already given us Split System and now you can revel in the comeback of Drunk Mums and their awesome new earworm ‘Beer Baby’ which crosses the great divide of being hard-rocking punkers and this record is on fire.

Spending their hiatus crawling through dive bars looking for inspiration this bunch of yobs are about to set off on a world tour with the chats and headline dates with ‘Beer Baby’ in hand to elevate themselves into the big league and now they’ve got a whole bunch of new tunes to consolidate that theory that Australia is leading the way with loud records.

Ten ragged glorious anthems kicking off with the snotty ‘New Australi’ it’s like they embodied the Roxy from 77 and when DC hit the UK back in the day. It’s rough riffs and drunken vocals hanging on a wicked melody that locks into your ears and doesn’t let go. ‘Slippin Up’ channels the Ramones hashing out a Chuck Berry riff at some yard party where the beer is going down nicely just before the cops show up. ‘Mutant’ is just nasty punk rock running amock in your head as the chasers do the damage You’re getting leary and the pit is getting treacherous and messy.

You should get the picture by now, the tempo is stuck on high with big riffs chopping away wearing you down as the melodies get stronger and the playing more intense but always of a high standard. ‘Apocolypse’ is an anthem and chorus that should be an instant hit and promote the band front and center. The early single ‘Living At Night’ is a little sprinkling of magic from the chorus and the guitar lick it’s wonderful stuff that should unite the punkers and the hard rockers such is its appeal. Hell, it’s even got some britpop running through its DNA in that hook and melody. and who doesn’t love a good ole Ramones breakdown, simple and to the point these guys just get it – plain and simple.

There aren’t any weak tracks here not a single skippable tune. ‘Magazine’ is a thumper with a heart full of power pop whilst ‘Not My Dad’ is the perfect crossover of The Undertones and The Chats and that why this is so good – as the cool kids would say this is so on point man its pure fire. By the time ‘From The Hip’ explodes to a crescendo and burns out like a blazing rocket all you want to do is drop the needle bac at the beginning and dive back in for another round. Fire up the Barbie and get the beers on ice because Drunk Mums and having it all their own way and you might as well surrender right now because once you give yourself up to this record you won’t be able to stop. Never mind a government health warning Drunk Mums are back and their throwing out the beer baby, baby and I’m all in, get involved boys n girls its futile resisting especially when it’s this good. As they say, embrace the chaos and join this rowdy bunch on a rock ‘n’ roll journey that’s bound to be nothing short of legendary.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Gypsy Roller & The Strand – ‘Live At Dantes’ (Self-Release)

Gypsy Roller & The Strand – ‘Live At Dantes’ (Self-Release)

A ‘Live’ album from Gypsy Roller but also has bonus Demos / Outtakes. It’s not a band name I’ve heard from in quite a while way before the pandemic but it has to be said a proper throwback to when Glam meant Bolan Boogie and twin guitar attack. Gypsy Roller is essentially Gil Soliz and his vehicle for kicking out the jams.

What you effectively get is a couple of dozen songs with the first ten being a live performance from a proper Rock and Roll band who have it coursing through their veins. Just think the boogie and swagger of early Aerosmith and the street cred of Bon-era DC and you’re on the right path. Mix it up with the unmistakable street smarts of The Dolls and you might be in the right ballpark. The bad boy boogie of ‘City Of Angels’ messes about with the Noo Yawk sass of Lou Reed on ‘Waiting In Line’. These boys can obviously play and they’re quite happy to throw in some tightly woven jazzy breaks to compliment the groovy harder rock but it is clearly all about the music here and when you hit the demos you enter a world that indulges on 60s Kinks and some sleazy Stones on ‘She’s Got The Structure’.

Some of the demos double up which is cool to hear the difference in the recordings from some quite early on generic “live” demos to a much fuller production. ‘Whatcha gonna Do’ is Stonesy meets Primal Scream when they wanted to be Keith n Mick. The no-nonsense straight-up street vibe of ‘I Like It Like That’ is fantastic. There is even time to get a little laid back and sleazy on ‘Some Girls’ of course getting an LUV in somewhere is perfect something David Johannsen would be proud of. Don’t take my word for it Let the music do the talking and get onto Bandcamp for some previous recordings from Gypsy Roller you won’t regret it.

Get on it Here kids it’s a wonderful collection of songs from a very talented group of musicians.

Gil is ably supported by Ron Wesley on Lead guitar, Jonas Greene on Rhythm, Doug Reichard on Drums and Adam Bartell on bass Guitar and produced by Allan Davis. Check it out at the links.

Author: Dom Daley

Marc Valentine – ‘Basement Sparks’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Marc Valentine – ‘Basement Sparks’ (Wicked Cool Records)

Something must be in the air as we ready ourselves for the return of the Norwich troubadour Marc Valentine and his latest slab of power pop perfection. Yes, the voice of the power pop dandies the Last Great Dreamers is back with the successor to his 2022 debut long player ‘Future Obscure’.

Jumping straight in with the infectious ‘Complicated Sometimes’ – Marc continues doing what he does best – hook after glorious hook, without a breather, it is straight in with the new single ‘Tyrannical Wrecks’, which also highlights how much of the original sound of the ‘Dreamers’ Marc is.

Following up such a glorious single is last year’s single ‘Skeleton Key’, which shows off Marc’s storytelling prowess and blasts even more sunshine through my speakers, which is always a good thing.

As usual with Marc and anything he touches, all of the songs could easily be future singles. ‘Eve of Distraction’ is another fine slab of nostalgic magic. These songs all hark back to a carefree era, but the kicker is that the lyrics are on the ball, with what is current and a message that while bleak – we always have hope. 

‘I Wanna Be Alone’ is another power pop sensation, which is followed by a change of pace in the form of ‘3 AM Anderson Drive’, which takes me back to the Dreamers’ ‘Retrosexual’ debut of some 30 years ago.

Hitting the midway mark (no pun intended), is ‘Strange Weather’, which has seen love from none other than Stevie Van Zandt, who classed it as – The Coolest Song in the World back in ~January. Well, who can argue with a claim like that, not me?

‘You Are One Of Us Now’ features a chorus that is so catchy, that has seen me humming it, along with most of this album, since I’ve had it. Such a great earworm is a blessing and a true sign of music that will live on forever.

‘Opening Chase Theme’ does exactly what the title says and you can imagine it on a retro-tastic buddy cop show chase scene. Complete with more Na-na-na’s than any song should rightly have in this day and age. But with music so infectious, who cares?

‘Repeat Offender’ complete with its Honeycrack-esque intro is another sublime slice of pop perfection. And then without any warning, we are on the last track ‘Ballad of Walt’, the piano-led pomp-tastic tune that closes off an easy album of the year contender. 

This album picks up straight from the debut in every way, from sugar-infused pop. All of this features music that has no business in being as good as it is, but then I’ve always been a bit partial to the vocal stylings of the Valentine, back from the days of Silver Hearts, Last Great Dreamers and not forgetting their mid -’90s name change Jet. 

While his debut was ‘Future Obscure’, Marc is back with a future classic in the form of ‘Basement Sparks’. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy as soon as it hits the shelves. You can always thank yourself later.

Buy Here

Author: Dave Prince

Christmas/Deathtraps/System Reset/The Setbacks – The Cab, Newport – 29th February 2024

Christmas/Deathtraps/System Reset/The Setbacks – The Cab, Newport – 29<sup>th</sup> February 2024

It’s almost a year since I first set foot in The Cab, and it’s wonderful to see the team behind the place going from strength to strength and keeping the scene alive, it’s also a staggering 10 years since Christmas frontman Max Motherfucker first brought his band of deathpunk renegades over from Germany to play south Wales, as he is quick to remind us during his band’s headline set here tonight.

Where the hell does the time go eh? That’s why it’s perhaps always best to “live in the moment” as you’ll never know what’s around the corner. You might just be putting on your biggest show ever when Sick Of It All play for you this spring, or you might be just about to celebrate 15 years together as a band. Yup it’s all about the here and now folks and tonight is like a mini-Slugfest, but on tour, as four bands who have all played at south Wales’s finest DIY free festival share a stage at Newport’s finest DIY punk rock venue. Four bands, £6 entrance fee…bosh! How’s that for living in the now?

Kicking things off are The Setbacks from Bath and the five-piece fair rattle through their set finishing off with a riotous rendition of ‘Lulu’s Leaving’.  The healthy-sized crowd loving every minute of tonight’s starter for ten and I must admit it had been way too long since I last saw them live. Tidy!

That can’t be said of System Reset, however, as this popular combo seems to pop up wherever there’s a punk rock show occurring, and it shows in just how slick an outfit they have become. Tracks like opener ‘March’, ‘Anxiety’ and (still my favourite track by the band) ‘Fail Safe’ positively bounce along, containing almost as much spring in their step as frontman Stan, who just doesn’t stop. ‘Big Business’ is always how a Reset show ends and it’s a middle finger to the corporate world we all live in. Talking of which, rumour has it that Sutton and Shov from the Reset have got the original Trigger McPoopshute line up back together for one last hurrah! Perhaps a co-headline tour with Terry & The Idiots awaits, or maybe it’ll be Rebellion 2025?

A band that I feel have long since warranted a slot at Rebellion are Newport’s Deathtraps. Now a full year into being a quartet the band are currently recording album number five, and if tonight is anything to go by it’s going to be their most ferocious slab of wax yet. ‘Red Eyes And Black Kisses’, Too Much is Never Enough’ and ‘Cool Kids’ are all present and correct from the old trio days but it’s the new cuts like (please note I may have these titles slightly incorrect) ‘You’re The One’ and ‘Right Thing’ that positively hammer home why Deathtraps in this new expanded format truly are a mighty force to be reckoned with. 

It’s going to take a special kind of band to top the sonic fury of Deathtraps and thankfully Christmas (playing on a leap year day too, just to totally mess with my OCD mind) are just that band. Frontman Max has his shirt off and is in our faces before ‘Wolfpack’ has even had a chance to howl and throughout the band’s 20 odd song set he’s constantly in and out of the crowd cajoling those brave enough to stand in front of him to sing along with the band’s incendiary back catalogue. He’s such a blur of energy that even the Cab’s normally Tonka truck strong vocal PA (this is a set up that withstood Clobber and Conservative Military Image on the same bill remember) gives up the ghost just ahead of ‘Appetite for Selfdestruction’ and with a shorter microphone cable attached and Max finally partially tethered the likes of ‘Hot Nights in Saint Vandal’ ‘Nothing But  A Handjob’ and the immense ‘Candy Me’ all sound like firecrackers in the head. There’s just enough time for a run through of Turbonegro’s ‘Ride With Us’ before ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ sends me out into the cold night air loaded up on band merch, recognising the fact that any group that has driven for 15 hours and passed through 6 countries to get to play for you fully deserves our support.

“Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day…..”

Author: Johnny Hayward

Bad Nerves have got a nerve

Bad Nerves have got a nerve

The band just stood at a tram stop in Vienna for 15 minutes and filmed the video. In 20 years that tram stop will be the most famous tram stop in the world. Heading out on tour with The Hives is also next on the list of things to do for Bad Nerves and on the strength of the new song they’ll give the Hives a damn good run for their money

The new record is coming out 31st May. It’s called ‘Still Nervous’. They thought up that title in the car park out the back of Rotown in Rotterdam in 2021 and it stuck.

You can pre-order the record HERE.