A packed out club, sweaty drunk young people awaiting some punk rock hot off the press from Aberavon – it must be Shunko time. Heavily influenced by the lofi punk rock spewing out of the Southern Hemisphere The Shunkos have taken their lad culture and fast food obsession to the next level. ‘Meal Deal’,’Uni Mate’ and songs about bus wankers and late-night kebabs are sung back at the band by an enthusiastic audience of nerdowells intent on having a good time all of the time. It was quickly turned into a sweaty heaving mass of bodies as the band plowed on at 100 miles an hour duly held together by the Ryan boys in the rhythm section.

Frontman Mal should be called (Maladjusted) has taken control of his building site humour and spits out the words like he’s been doing this all his miserable life ‘Beer & Gear’, ‘Chippy Tea’ sounds like a one way trip to A & E but he’ll have a shed (Dermans Shed) full of new lyrics along the way.

It’s clear The Chats, Amyl And The Sniffers, Chubby & The Gang and other such punks are the go-to inspiration for these punks who also inject some surf punk into their sound and bounce around harder and faster as the songs dictate. They need to get out there and play with the likes of Pizzatramp, Slugfest and Wonk Unit it would see them go from Boys to Men and put their punk rock credentials to the test. One thing for sure is the more they play the tighter they sound and the better they get and the new songs are proof of that. Get that CD released and get out there and show the world that South Wales can do hardcore punk with the best of them.

The fact nobody under the age of 25 looked remotely grossed out as Mal took a slug of beer from someone’s sweaty slip-on van told you everything about what to expect on a shunkos night out, ‘Whats In The Box’ and ‘Big Bertha’ sounded like these ‘Little Bastards’ are on the right track to perfecting the new punk scene out of South Wales . Songs about bus rides, meal deals, favourite Currys, young lust, having a good time makes for a top Saturday night out these party animals are all about living in the moment and under such troubled times maybe now is the right time for a party, and the Shunkos are exactly what the doctor ordered for a good time, all the time. Go see em if they turn up in your town and don’t be afraid to throw yourself around just don’t lose your shoe or the singer (cough cough) will use it as his drinking horn ‘punk as fuck’ – ripper!

Author: Dom Daley (oldest in attendance by about 30 years)