Do you know it’s been a fantastic year for gig’s, The Bellrays, Thee Hypnotics, Lee Bains, to name just a few and all in Le Pub. A superb year for Lp’s loads of new artists discovered, and a time to watch some I’ve followed for a while step out of the underground on to a much larger stage the Bar Stool Preachers, Estrons, and tonite’s support Pizzatramp to name just a couple.

Pizzatramp have put in the miles this last year, as they did the year before, levelling Rebellion in the process, they are a well-oiled machine and so far from those beginning couple of gigs, in fact, I’d go so far as to say they just get better every time I see them. Tonite’s showing was a foot down, full throttle, flat out fucked from the time they hit the stage.

Now if you haven’t caught Pizzatramp live, the first thing you’ve got to ask yourself is why the next the next thing you have to do is find out where their playing and strap yourself in for the next big thing to hit the punk rock scene.

I mean anyone who’s penned a song called ‘Bono is a cunt’ deserves the time of day, it was played tonight and levelled the place, as was Millions of Dead Goths, blowing chunks, Scumbag Boogie, Nunchucks of Hell, My Backs fucking Fucked and” I got work in the morning”. 100% the greatest punk rock band in Caldicot!!!

Following on from the lunacy that Pizzatramp bring it was over to Newport’s finest Bad Sam, now anytime around Xmas your not quite sure of what your going to get from Bad Sam, Beddis pulled out all the stops this year and we’re confronted with the pope stepping in all the way from the Vatican to mumble absolutions overall in attendance and fair play it was packed solid, as the mask drops what we actually have is Bad Sam, Beddis fronted, firing on all cylinders, gone was that metal sheen brought in by the last guitar player, and what a noise and twin guitar carnage now bestowed onto us by Jeff and the Glove, what we now have is punk at its very best.

Looking deeper into the band you begin to see the reality which is you also have a shit hot rhythm section locking it all down.  I mean come on starting with “I’m a Terrorist” from the Bring me the head of Lp its only going one way.

Now if you’ve ever caught Bad Sam or The Cowboy Killers back in the day, you’ll know that usually the last place you’ll find Beddis is on the stage watching the “Pope” tear through the crowd was a little disconcerting but watching the Pope sings “Dicks with dogs” “Newport Hotel” “Valium”, “Cocaine me” even “Christ Betrayed” took on a whole new dimension.

To finally finish off the crowd “I love the Port” was what was demanded and duly delivered. Now if your hoping to see a lot more of Bad Sam in 2019, this line up has shifted things up about three gears, you might be disappointed, in fact, if you see any gigs advertised anywhere get in there!!! The only thing you’re likely to get is the unexpected.

Author:Nev Brooks