THE WiLDHEARTS – Newport Corn Exchange (Day Of Wreckoning Festival) 

THE WiLDHEARTS – Newport Corn Exchange (Day Of Wreckoning Festival) 

Nervous! That’s what I am right now as I’m typing this review, why you ask? Well, I’m a newcomer to this reviewing malarkey, for many, many years I’ve thought about what I’d write if I ever got the chance to say how this band and particular artist make me feel, whether it be through albums, gigs, or on a general day-to-day basis. Of course, I am talking about THE WiLDHEARTS and Ginger Wildheart. 

For those who know me, they will tell you my passion and borderline obsession with this band and the great man who has lived and breathed it, for anyone who doesn’t know me, I’ll try and summarise….. I was relatively late to the party being born in 89 I missed out on the madness of the 90’s but in the early 00’s I was introduced to them through my brother Mike and good friend Dom Daley, I think it might have been Vanilla Radio or Zomboid, one song the catchiest thing you’ll ever hear and the other a wall of noise, two songs that couldn’t be more different but that’s Ginger for you and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

I first got the chance to see The WiLDHEARTS in 2003 I believe, Cardiff Uni with Amen supporting, at the time believe it or not I’d have probably have said that the support band were the band I preferred, that ended that night….. roll on 23 years later and I can say I have seen Ginger live one way or another around the 40-50 times mark, not bad going yeah? I’ve lost count on the number of T-Shirts, Hoodies, CD’s, Cassettes, VHS and Records (That includes the holy grail of FFML on vinyl) I’ve collected over the years, I am well and truly all in on this band so to have to write a review that’s out there for fellow fans and possibly the band to see, yeah that’s why I’m nervous!!! 

I probably should get on with the review now….  Well okay so it’s about 7 months on since I last seen the band in Pontypridd and what a glorious night that was, during that said gig Ginger said on stage that he had been under the weather a few months later in March Ginger then announced the news that he has Mantle Cell Lymphoma, I like many was truly shocked and honestly didn’t have the words but Ginger the man he is has told everyone to be positive and celebrate so that’s what I am going to do and what this gig in Newport was! 

Hot on the heels off a Download festival set which by all counts went down a absolute storm (Ginger on his Patreon said it was his greatest moment on a Donnington stage) THE WiLDHEARTS a week later grace the stage in South Wales in the Newport Corn Exchange for a one day festival called Day Of Wreckoning, I’ll be honest I can’t comment on anything on else to do with the festival, I was just here for one thing and one thing only and that was to see the headliners (the classic t-shirt didn’t apply here, if you know you know ha ha). 

I make my way straight to the barrier and get chatting to fellow fans, we discuss the just announced Ginger Birthday Bash on December 17th and the glorious line up that has been assembled for which I truly cannot wait for, ticket and hotel already sorted! 

The band make their way to the stage and jumps straight into the epic “Failure is the Mother of Success” the closing song to the brilliant “Satanic Rites” album. “You took a lot of knocks to get where you are today” is the first of many goosebumps moments for me in this set, those lyrics hit so heavy!!! 

Straight after that, we go back to the very beginning of the Mondo Akimbo E.P., the absolutely glorious “Nothing Ever Changes, But The Shoes” and my bottom lip is going, I sing my heart out as does the rest of the audience and of course, so is Ginger who is on absolute fine form here. 

Ginger asks the audience how everyone is doing and the crowd is loving it, he then says he can’t remember what this album the next song is off it’s “Sleepaway” off ‘21st Century Love Songs’ and what a belter it is, one of my personal highlights of the evening is watching the absolutely lovely Carol Hodge on Keyboards marching along with a smile that could light up a room on the hup, 2, 3 section of the song, such a beautiful moment. Speaking of smiles honestly I cannot remember Ginger looking so happy up on that stage, it’s a testament to how damn good this line up is, when Ginger isn’t at the mic he’s going around his band mates one by one, laughing and joking with Mr Random Jon Poole on bass, these two men have been working together for close to 30 years now and what a ride it has been, Jon was also on bass that first time I saw the band back in 03 and what a fantastic musician he is!!! 

Next up, we get the big crowd participation moment. Ginger asks the audience to sing along to the chorus, it’s easy, it goes “woah woah” of course it’s the euphoric ‘Mazel Tov Cocktail’, one of the biggest crowd pleasers there is bar none. After that we get a double whammy off ‘Satanic Rites’ “Kunce” which had me smiling from ear to ear “there’s always some kunce in the way” indeed and the brutal “Maintain Radio Silence” with one of the many massive riffs we are going to be treated to this evening, if you wanted proof of how good this line up is then you’d have to look no further than this, Charles is a absolute beast on the drums, he smashes the shit out of his kit and doesn’t miss a beat!!! 

Ginger then tells the story of how the next song was championed by Chris Moyles on the radio and with every passing play the song went further down the charts which made the audience chuckle it is of course the classic “Cheers” a song that never fails to bring joy to everyone, another mass singalong ensues, Ben, Carol and Jon with some stunning backing vocals and massive smiles, beautiful stuff. 

If anyone doesn’t know there’s a new Wildhearts record on the way, it’s been done for about a year now and it’s just awaiting the green light from the record company for the release, Ginger says it should be here by the end of the year, the album is titled ‘Northern Spirit’ and tonight we are treated to hear one of said album called “Spider Beach” which I’m sure is going to be fan favourite once the album drops. 

I mentioned riffs earlier, well, ladies and gents, for the next 20-odd minutes or so you will not hear as many monster riffs by anyone anywhere, in what is probably the best moment of the current setlist. First up we go old school and honestly if the band were to only play one song off Earth VS the wildhearts again for the rest of time it would be this masterpiece for me, in a career of hundreds and I do mean hundreds of life changing/affirming song this has to be right at the very top I’m talking about non other than ‘Everlone’ I absolutely adore this song and from Gingers reaction I’m pretty sure he does too! 

Then the riffs just keep coming, the band is as tight as they have ever been and the riff medley section is outstanding, as much as I love a singalong you just have to be in awe and the musicianship on display here, they do not miss a beat, 

snippets of classics like ‘Do The Channel Bop’ and ‘Shame on Me’ thrown in, this is brilliant. Riff after motherfucking riff indeed! 

As the medley comes to an end, we go straight into another epic off the much underrated self-titled (white) album ‘Slaughtered Authors’, the Assault on Precinct 13 opening riff never fails to get me. This song has everything: monster riffs, time changes galore, epic chorus,  breakdowns, and yet another pinnacle of an unbelievable songwriting career Ginger has had. 

I’m repeating myself here, but again, the next song is one of the greatest Ginger has ever written, ‘Diagnosis’ off the excellent ‘Renaissance Men’ album, which anyone who’s suffered with mental health can relate to, yet another moment in this set where I’m fighting holding back tears because of how much this song means to me. “I’m not an animal, I am A HUMAN BEING”

We’re approaching the end of this incredible set just before the band go off for a few minutes respite we have another epic to close the main set the title track of the ‘Chutzpah!’ album another song with twists and turns, pure aggression one second, euphoria the next, I haven’t highlighted Ben Marsden yet but oh boy it was worth the wait, the guitar solo outro to this song was mesmerising, absolutely stunning! 

The band take the well earned break before the crowd breaks into a rendition of ‘Don’t Worry About Me’ as always, the band then return and give the audience a couple more classics to send everyone home with smiles on their faces a frantic one two off ‘Earth Vs.’ the moshpit favourite ‘Suckerpunch’ and ‘My Baby Is A Headfuck’ which never fail to get me headbanging, screaming and shouting along, if I could do this every day I’d never get bored. The band finishes and before they leave the stage give thanks to the crowd to mass cheers and applause, Ginger is the last one on stage and is serenaded with chants of his name, you could see how much it meant to him and looked very emotional as was the audience, I’ve said a couple of times that I could feel my bottom lip going and eyes welling up none more so than this moment, what a roller coaster ride that was indeed! 

So a parting word….. 

God Bless THE WiLDHEARTS

God Bless GINGER WiLDHEART

Author: Christian Davies

Motörhead – ‘Kiss of Death’ (20th Anniversary Edition) (BMG)

Motörhead – ‘Kiss of Death’ (20th Anniversary Edition) (BMG)

Back in 2006, Motörhead were still a force to be reckoned with. While record sales were nowhere near their heyday, they could still sell out mid-sized venues all over Europe, and the quality of their material was arguably even better than the classic “Three Amigos” lineup.

For me, the Lemmy/Campbell & Dee line-up is the best. The albums came thick and fast, but never compromised on quality. I believe that Cameron Webb was the only producer who truly nailed the true Motörhead sound in the studio. As Lemmy would always argue, the band were so much more than Ace of Spades.

Kiss of Death is one of my favourite Motörhead albums. Alongside Motorizer (2008), The World is Yours (2010), Aftershock (2013) and their final album Bad Magic (2015), Motörhead left us with some superb records that are still on heavy rotation at Kendrick towers. We get a fantastic 20th anniversary reissue here with a bonus live set from 2007’s Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands. Also included is the band’s Grammy-winning version of Metallica’s Whiplash.

Tracks like Sucker, Devil I Know, Trigger and the crunch-filled classic Be My Baby are slick, well-written and superbly performed. Lemmy’s growl had been perfected by this time, and his rasping, breathy delivery is superb. The recent, sudden passing of guitar wizard Phil Campbell reminds us just how much he contributed to Motorhead. There are some superb riffs on display all over Kiss of Death. RIP Phil. Drummer Mikkey Dee plays his arse off as ever, the thunderous double bass barrages propelled Motorhead into another league when Lemmy finally persuaded him to join in 1992. We also get their frantic tribute to Johnny, Joey, Deedee and Tommy – R.A.M.O.N.E.S. The track was always a live highlight.

The live set captures the dirty, greasy power of Motörhead . We get a great variation of the different eras of Motörhead . Snaggletooth, Stay Clean, Ace of Spades, Metropolis, Killed By Death, Over the Top and I Got Mine all sit perfectly with newer material like Be My Baby and In the Name of Tragedy.

BMG have done a fantastic job with the expanded versions on both CD and LP. The liner notes from Dave Ling are an interesting read, and I can’t wait to get my physical copy. Go and blast some of the band’s later albums. You can thank me later.

Buy Here

Author: Kenny Kendrick

Dead Pioneers – ‘Wagon Burner’ (Hassle Records)

Dead Pioneers – ‘Wagon Burner’ (Hassle Records)

‘Wagon Burner’ is the band’s 3rd LP, and is a fiercely political and full-on attack on the rise of fascism and the far right at a much-needed time. It also makes indigenous American issues front and centre. With a sound that draws from the origins of US punk like The Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks and Black Flag, they mix it with elements of more contemporary post-rock, punk and alternative rock sounds. They’ve also reached out to like-minded alternative artists on Wagon Burner, like Jason from Sleaford Mods and Aimee from The Interrupters, who have contributed to this record.

Frontman Greg Deal is a renowned artist and poet, whose words and art elevate the band’s music far above the standard punk fare. Taking on many subjects that put the band in the crosshairs of the far right, but the band fiercely defends their rights. The album kicks off properly with a raging ‘Nazi Teeth’ that also features Cheap Perfume with a thumping beat. The song rages as Greg lends his calming voice to proceedings over a really harsh, dirty riff as the song sets the tempo and is no doubt to become a thunderous live staple. The next “song” proper is ‘No Kings’ with its brooding, menacing backbeat grows into a heaving chorus that’s chest beating whilst you’re holding onto every word that’s spat out of Greg’s mouth.

The album ebbs and flows, and anyone new to the band should now reach back into their catalogue to see where they’ve grown from to fully appreciate their motivation and positive messages. Dead Pioneers have the potential to be huge on the alternative scene. Take the collaborations they’ve engaged with on this record, Sleeford Mods, who are also outspoken, especially on UK politics and punk throughbreds, the interrupers who join the band on ‘Never Alone’ with its melodic uptempo rager.

The band has branched out, adding variety and tempo to their album, and with the guest appearances, it should pull in a diverse audience who might not otherwise be enticed by Dead Pioneers. The production is big, and every space is filled with a big, bold peacock punk rock. The Sleaford Mods track is some slick new wave with the thumping rhythm before the collab chorus.

The second half of the album sees no change in the quality of songs offered. ‘Seeing Red’ begins with spoken words but builds into a heaving beast of a track, justifying seeing red, but Greg channels that anger into an awesome energy. What a tune. Then to follow it up with the pure rage of ‘Circle Jerk The Wagons’ is brutal, sounding more like Keith Morris than Keith Morris – superb stuff. But wait, they’re not done with the bass and drums intro of ‘Zealots’ takes that rage into another direction, thumping stuff.

Before we’re done, ‘Nobody’ lays it all out there, it had me thinking they should tour with Grail Guard, that would put a rocket under the backside of punk rock. Don’t mix politics with music, people say, but I say punk rock has always been political, and so it should be, but make sure you’re on the right side of history, and albums like ‘Wagon Burner’ are life-affirming slabs of punk rock that should be championed far and wide, so get in line, kids and get an earful of Dead Pioneers before they blow up. Another contender for album of the year, and this one speaks truths at every turn, lifting each other up and is a real positive record in some tough times. Buy this record, you won’t regret it.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

King Salami And The Cumberland Three – ’16 Knockout Hits!’ (Damaged Goods Records)

King Salami And The Cumberland Three – ’16 Knockout Hits!’ (Damaged Goods Records)

Everyone loves a sausage, don’t they? And, when it comes to a spicy and catchy compilation album, the King and his faithful Cumberlands deserve your attention. This is the perfect time, celebrating 20 years of bringing you the best bangers that get you up and dancing like a drunk uncle/auntie. And, the summer is the ideal moment to reacquaint yourself with their energetic brand of good-time rock n roll.

Frankly, all their albums are great. And, while they might not take themselves seriously (‘Kiss My Ring’, ooer, missus), this is no comedy band. They know how to pen an original banger, whilst supplying some quality cover versions as well. ‘Goin’ Back To Wurstville’ should get you moving like Wilko across your shagpile, and it doesn’t let up from there. Whether it’s ‘The Pulpo Dance’, ‘Shake It Wild’, or the classic ‘Pineapple Mama’, this is the perfect compilation; all killer, baby!

If you don’t own any of their albums, this is the ideal introduction. The soundtrack to your summer, it makes you smile in the winter, and you’ll burn off some calories in the process. What are you waiting for? Crank it up, and catch them on tour…

Buy Here

28th June, Bristol The Fleece

4th July, Blackpool Boneyard Weekender

8th August, Blackpool Bootleg Social

5th September, Brighton Daltons 

10th October, London Shacklewell Arms

28th November, Brighton Garageland 

Author: Martin Chamarette

First Boy On The Moon – ‘Demons’ (Self Release)

First Boy On The Moon – ‘Demons’ (Self Release)

It’s the autumn of 2019, First Boy On The Moon set out on a journey to create catchy songs and perform live shows and slowly but surely carve out a future. Fronted by singer-songwriter David Pedroza, the quartet is inspired by 80s alternative music with cerebral lyrics, kick-in-the-guts guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. Think the punch of The Stranglers meets The Cure and you’re on your way. The tunes are catchy and often bright. Take the album’s opener ‘Single Mother’, it has that JJ Burnel thump and tone whilst the guitars and keys are not too dissimilar to early Cure, with one eye on creating a pop hit and the other some alternative new wave earworm.

It’s taken 15 months to get to ‘Demons’ from the last album, sure it’s retro, but in a great way, the songs are well crafted and with one eye on being cool and the other on striving to create a sing-along pop tune. ‘That Ship Has Sailed’ has a great tempo and weaves on a synth and guitar lick borrowed from the alt scene who hung out with the punks in CBGB’s back in the day. It’s uncluttered and unfussy, and the songs breathe with traditional instruments, think Icicle Works and Echo and the Bunnymen if you like. The songs could be epic and tell a story. ‘Reach For The Sky’ is a slice of energetic power pop with the emphasis on pop. I’m hearing different things on each play, and parts are pushing to the fore, which is always a good thing. I love the Bass sound and the walks it takes the listener on on tracks like ‘Too Cold In Your House’ and its prominent place in the mix on ‘That-a-Boy’.

The album finishes strongly with ‘Port OF Fire’, in another life would work really well live and on Top Of The Pops or The Tube (remember those shows, kids?) A really cool album with ten well-constructed songs that arch over several genres and decades of Rock n Roll, what I’m trying to say is if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, just keep writing those tunes, and we’ll keep listening to them, and the flame burns bright on this one. Go check out some independent rock n roll music free of all the bullshit and just loving the music.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

DESCENDENTS’ – ‘All’ & ‘Liveage’ return in August

DESCENDENTS’ – ‘All’ & ‘Liveage’ return in August

DESCENDENTS’ ALL AND LIVEAGE! RETURN AUGUST 14 ON VINYL, CD, AND CASSETTE

Latest Instalments in Org Music’s Acclaimed Descendents Reissue Series Feature Expanded Editions, Exclusive Variants, and a New Punk Note Release

Pre-Order Here

Org Music continues its acclaimed and comprehensive Descendents reissue campaign with new editions of the band’s landmark 1987 studio album ALL and essential live album Liveage!, available August 14 on vinyl, CD, and cassette.

As the latest releases in the ongoing archival series, ALL and Liveage! document a pivotal chapter in the history of one of punk rock’s most influential and enduring bands. Originally released in 1987, the albums captured Descendents at a moment of transition, creativity, and reinvention, introducing a lineup and philosophy that would shape the band’s future for decades to come.

Featuring classics including “Coolidge,” “Clean Sheets,” “Cameage,” and “Pep Talk,” ALL marked the final studio album of Descendents’ original run and introduced the philosophical concept of “ALL” that would become central to the band’s identity. The album also marked the first appearance of the lineup of Milo Aukerman, Stephen Egerton, Karl Alvarez, and Bill Stevenson, the quartet that would remain the foundation of Descendents for the next four decades.

Expanding the band’s melodic sensibilities and technical musicianship while retaining the urgency, humor, and relatability that defined their earlier work, ALL remains one of the most important and influential albums in the Descendents catalog. This newly expanded edition includes the bonus tracks “Jealous of the World” and “Uranus,” available on vinyl for the first time.

Recorded during the tour supporting ALL, Liveage! captures Descendents at full speed before their initial hiatus, delivering fan favorites including “Myage,” “Bikeage,” “Suburban Home,” and “Hope” with the energy and intensity that made the band’s live performances legendary. Described by Maximum Rocknroll as “an extremely tight ‘best of’ set,” the album serves as both a companion piece to ALL and a snapshot of a band operating at the peak of its powers.

Like previous studio album reissues in the series, ALL will also receive a special “Punk Note” edition, featuring alternate artwork by John Yates inspired by the iconic Blue Note Records album covers and newly commissioned liner notes by BrooklynVegan editor Andrew Sacher. The “Punk Note “edition will be widely available on black vinyl, while a limited blue vinyl variant will be available exclusively through Org Music.

Both albums will be available on standard black vinyl, color vinyl, CD, and cassette, with additional exclusive variants available through Org Music, Descendents, Zia Records, BrooklynVegan, and Tapehead City.

Since launching in 2025, Org Music’s Descendents reissue campaign has brought a series of essential releases back into print across carefully curated vinyl, CD, and cassette editions, giving longtime fans an opportunity to revisit these landmark recordings while introducing a new generation of listeners to one of punk rock’s most influential bands.

ALL and Liveage! will be available everywhere on August 14. Pre-orders are available now.

ORDER EXCLUSIVE VARIANTS: Here

 ALL

Widely Available
• Standard Black Vinyl
• Cool Blue Vinyl
• Punk Note Edition (Black Vinyl)
• CD
• Cool Blue Cassette

Limited & Exclusive Editions
• Punk Note Edition Blue Vinyl (Org Music Exclusive)

• Blue bALL Vinyl (Descendents Exclusive)

• Pink Vinyl (Zia Records Exclusive)

• Blue & Silver Hand-Pour Vinyl (BrooklynVegan Exclusive) 

• Frosted Ice Cassette (Tapehead City Exclusive)

• Black Vinyl w/ Obi (Celebrated Summer Records)

DESCENDENTS – LIVEAGE!

Widely Available
• Standard Black Vinyl
• Transparent Orange Vinyl
• CD
• Orange Cassette

Limited & Exclusive Editions
• Orange & Blue Shatter Vinyl (Org Music Exclusive)

• Coke Bottle Clearage Vinyl (Descendents Exclusive)

• Blood Orange Vinyl (Zia Records Exclusive)

• Orange & Blue Hand-Pour Vinyl (BrooklynVegan Exclusive)

• Sea Green Cassette (Tapehead City Exclusive)

• Black Vinyl w/ Obi (Celebrated Summer Records)

Follow Descendents:
[Webstore] | [Instagram] | [Facebook]

Hot Load – ‘Realized’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Hot Load – ‘Realized’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Ever had a bad day and just needed to let off some steam? Well, here’s your soundtrack. Take a blast of ‘Exotic Weapon’ and thank me later.

If you’ve ever seen the Michael Douglas film Falling Down well, this is the soundtrack to your own Falling Down. From the over-the-top bass fuzz of Motorhead to the rampant, nasty punk rock of GBH or The Dead Boys, Hot Load has it all swirling round the drain and out of the speakers and into your ears.

They released an album in 2025, ‘Fate Unknown’ – it saw the LA five-piece embrace sounds outside of hardcore and expand their influences to reach a wider audience without losing any of the rage, anger and downright nastiness they have harnessed. Imagine the metal of say a Midnight or Motorhead hanging out with the noisy punk kids, then making a record.

The subtle punk attitude is raging through ‘Wodowmaker’ as the vocals sound like there’s been one too many Lucky Strikes, no filter smoked in some darkened late-night speakeasy while gargling bleach n jack Daniels.

They sound like a band at the end of their tether and straining at the leash, but have found guitars and volume to exercise their demons. ‘Blood Damage’ is a full-throttle rip ride with a great big dirty Gluecifer kinda riff that will cleanse the soul and fill your black heart up with the right stuff.

‘Hot Night’ is a fuzzed-up slash and burn born in some Zeke meets Motorhead wet dream fantasy that only has Discharge or GBH to be your lullaby tunes to settle down. There’s no slowing down either, this is a steam train of noise that’s hurtling outta your speakers until it hits something so hard it shudders to a halt. ‘Salvo’ is terrifying and sparks flying until the blood drains from your body and the band spontaneously combusts. The record closes on a real high as the title track signals all-out war. Check the schedule to see when these bad boys are rolling into a town near you because seeing is believing, and these songs are made to be played even faster in some sweaty shit hole of a club with fellow believers who kneel at the altar of Rock n Roll and have also given up their souls to the Gods of everything that’s louder than everything else. Get this in your ear and turn it up, you can thank me later.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Voivod/Midnight/Cryptosis – Thekla Bristol, 10/06/26

Voivod/Midnight/Cryptosis – Thekla Bristol, 10/06/26

All aboard for a night of frash as Canada’s finest thrashers are in town and they’ve brought the Mighty Midnight with them. Opening the show on the boat were Dutch power thrashers Cryptosis, who knocked out a solid thrashing set, but not being familiar with their repertoire, it took a bit of getting used to, but I did manage to chuckle at their mic stand. Imagine this – Blackie Lawless or Mayhem mic stands if you bought them from Temu, and you’re in the game right there.  With a video screen programmed for something different each song, it was a distraction from the music, if I’m being honest, or was it a welcome distraction, you decide.  Playing a tight, fast, and powerful set, it went down well with many in attendance, but it was a bit of a thankless task opening for Midnight and Voivod, to be fair.

Up next was the main reason I donned my spiked gauntlet and black hooded mask and spent all afternoon negotiating the south Wales train lines to head into enemy territory and the rather fine venue known as Thekla which for those who haven’t been is a boat docked on the banks of the river and hollowed out for a concert venue and to be fair I’ve seen many a great shows in there from The Dwarves to this expectations were high. Athenar took to the stage celebrating the anniversary of ‘Satanic Royalty’, so what we got was more or less the entire album with a fine sprinkling of tunes from around the band’s career. It was noticeable that this time there was a change in personnel from the last two times the band played Bristol but whilst I thoroughly enjoyed what I saw and heard it seemed a little off being on the boat and not somewhere like the previous visits the Exchange where I witnessed the loudest PA ever in almost 50 years of gigs and it almost caused my heart pacer to burst out of my chest it was that loud or maybe it was being on the balcony rattling my jewellery between songs and not in the thick of the pit being thrown around as the band raged through ‘Satanic Royalty’, ‘You Can’t Stop Steel’, Lust Filth and Sleeze’ and other such beauties from their Black n Roll playbook.

When the band hit their stride, there is nothing finer in loud, aggressive Rock music, and whilst they didn’t quite reach the heights of previous performances, it was still a shit ton better than pretty much all other bands doing their music hard, heavy and full of filth and fury. By the time they reached ‘Fucking Speed And Darkness’, ‘F.O.A.L.’ and ending with a triumphant ‘Black Rock n Roll’, they were hitting their stride. Athenar thanked the audience for the energy and thought it was their first time in Bristol – don’t tell me that behind the mask, it was an alternative Athenar who didn’t remember the two previous epic performances they delivered or had Satan finally stolen his soul in exchange for a set of awesome punked up Black n Roll. Let’s do it again, please, it’s still a breath of fresh air blowing through the harder side of metal.

Onto the headliners, the mighty Voivod, who’ve got a brand new Symphonic album (of course it is) to sell and a reminder to the people of the UK or rather England and beyond that, they are still at the top of their game delivering a technical thrash that is brain melting in the time changes and tightness of it all and how they do it oh so well.

Now here’s my little moan, having made the train journey at great expense and made sure I could make the last train home and several hundred miles to the most local show to me I was disappointed on arrival to find out that the early finish wasn’t quite so early and I would have to leave before the end of the set missing my favourtie songs (no not the Pink Floyd cover) but ‘War And Pain’ and of course the set closer ‘Voivod’. Oh well, next time I’ll have to factor in a stay over or hope they play South Wales again.

Anyway, moan aside, I did get to see roughly 40 minutes of their scheduled 60-minute set, and on the evidence before me, they were on fire. To say they were tight would be an understatement, and tonight’s healthy audience at this midweek show would absolutely testify that the band were killing it. From the opening ‘Experiment’ through ‘The Wakes’, Obsolete Beings’, the tempo and skill were awesome and all those changes. The band looked in great form and were beaming as the audience Rrrroooooooared their appreciation after every song. ‘Korgull The Exterminator’ sounded massive and fresh as fuck as the band mixed up the metal with Punk like no other. As we grudgingly made our way from the good ship Thekla to the strains in the distance of ‘War And Pain’, it was a bittersweet feeling. Well worth it as usual, but disappointing that the times didn’t work this time. £30 for Midnight and Voivod, what an absolute bargain if you can go get some, these bands are on fire and at the top of their games.

Author: Dom Daley

Oil City Confidential get expanded release

Oil City Confidential get expanded release

Cadiz Music is delighted to announce the reissue of the long-unavailable ‘Oil City Confidential’. Director Julien Temple’s remarkable film features the story of Essex’s Dr. Feelgood as told by original guitarist Wilko Johnson. This DVD releases will be made available on 18 September 2026. The expanded booklet includes a selection of rare and unseen pictures from the band’s heyday, plus an essay by Mark Radcliffe.

A critical and commercial success, upon its orginal release, ‘Oil City Confidential’ was winner of the Mojo Vision Award 2010, Best Documentary at the Kermode Awards 2011 and Best International Film 2009 (Cult Award, Turin Film Festival) and picked up the “DVD / Film Of The Year” gong at the Classic Rock Awards.The film even scooped a prize at the Turin Film Festival.

Julian Temple’s ‘Oil City Confidential’ is the last film in his trilogy on British music of the 1970s.  It is a prequel to his landmark films about punk figureheads the Sex Pistols in “The Filth & The Fury” and Joe Strummer in “The Future Is Unwritten”.  Rather than being standard ‘rockumentaries’, Julien uses the music as a prism through which he examines the social and cultural conditions of the times.  The films share his characteristic cinematic language – and irreverent and anarchic style of montage of archive and fictive footage which he pioneered in “The Great Rock & Roll Swindle”.

The Sex Pistols’ and Joe Strummer’s roles are well known, but Dr. Feelgood, who are the subject of ‘Oil City Confidential’, played a vital role in creating the conditions for that cultural explosion. This is the story of four men in cheap suits who crashed out of Canvey Island in the early ’70s, sandpapered the face of rock’n’roll, leaving all that came before a burnt out ruin…

Members of The Clash, Blondie and The Sex Pistols join Dr Feelgood with collaborators Jools Holland and Alison Moyet to provide a compelling narrative. Quite simply, ‘Oil City Confidential’ is the story of Canvey Island, 1970s England and the greatest local band in the world. 

Available to pre order Here

Lithium Kicks – ‘The Black Cat Club’, Bridgend 05/06/26

Lithium Kicks – ‘The Black Cat Club’, Bridgend 05/06/26

As far as debut gigs go, it always helps to have some music out there in the ether and maybe make it a hometown show with another band on the up this time in the shape of Bambees from Merthyr. With a near capacity turnout, it’s Friday night in the canteena from Star Wars, where cans of Red Stripe or Stella are the cocktails of choice. With the band not hitting the stage until 10PM, it was a wise move to get everyone loosened up for the pop show.

It was a joy to see Darren and Ginge on stage again after a lengthy hiatus. As the band took to the stage and struck up their intro as the ringmaster marched on to signal that it was time for the audience to join in with the backing vocals of ‘I Want Something I Don’t Care About’, and we were up and running.  The band sounded tight, and the songs sounded upbeat and full of energy. Sitting somewhere between early Manics, 60 ft Dolls married with a healthy dose of Sorry & The Sinatras punk n Roll for good measure and top melodies turned up a notch or two and pretty much everything sitting on the shelves of Ginge’s record collection (apart from his copy of Jimmy Nails ‘Crocodile Shoes’) it was hook after hook, swapping songs about darkness and self loathing for songs of love and nice things, funnily enough a track entitled ‘L-U-V’ was an excellent tune and a real highlight alongside ‘I Was A Teenage Arsonist’ something Ginge openely admitted was a true story, these alongside the already released pair of songs these were right in the pocket of catchy, sleazy rock n roll that’s been missing from the scene and some real immediate earworms. Going home singing the woah ohs! can drive you nuts but what a way to go. The audience was loving it, and the joy was infectious, but having the band sound in such a great place was a bonus I’m glad I was part of. Bring on the EP and the next show Lithium Kicks have arrived boys n girls substance and alcohol free and all the better for it, straight edge punk n roll its the bloody future I’m telling you.

Being their debut show I’m sure they’ll find places to tighten up and sharpen, but from a punter’s point of view they were right on the money, and it was infectious with people singing along with unfamiliar choruses like they were well worn songs they’ve been listening to for years, which is always the sign of a top tune wrapping itself around you and making everything alright.

Being the beginning of the journey the set was short and oh so sweet with the music being the real highlight on display sure it was great to see Ginge back on stage making music but it has to be quality and to be fair with the new material he’s knocked it out of the park thus far and the other new songs that were played there’s no sign of it stopping quite yet this train is bound for glory baby and I’m sitting in first class. Hop on board as they stop in a town near you, because this should gather pace, and it’s always cool to say you were there at the beginning. Bring on the Lithium Kicks, we all need some rock n roll highs.

Lithium Kicks

Author: Dom Daley