Disgraceland frontman Ollie Stygal is possibly the South West’s version of Henry Rollins, perhaps with a slightly different physique. Like Rollins, Ollie is getting angrier as he ages and this is highlighted mid-set with the fantastically titled 100% Cunt which is dedicated with real vitriol to the Tories, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson, and let’s face it, it’s well deserved.

While being angry, Disgraceland are still an exceedingly tight punk rock n roll machine, playing fast, furious and very catchy tunes that wouldn’t be out of place alongside Dead Kennedy’s, early Damned and even Motörhead numbers. With gigs lined up around the country and their debut EP due on 1st June, Disgraceland are a band well worth keeping an eye on.

Following the storm kicked up by Disgraceland was never gonna be easy and despite their best efforts Bristol’s idestroy don’t really manage it. Songs tend to pass by without ever really grabbing you and it’s hard to understand just what the band is trying to be. One minute they are trying to get big crowd clapalongs going and then the next trying to get all aggressive, but it all seems a bit fake to these eyes and ears. Idestroy might be the band’s name, but on tonight’s showing, Imildlybruise might be more appropriate.

It has been 13 years since Bullets and Octane last graced the Cavern stage, and while they are a completely different beast now, with only madman frontman Gene Louis remaining from those days, they haven’t lost any of the fire or huge sense of fun that they had back then.

 

Louis remains that frontman that wants to connect with every single person in attendance, and that he does, spending as much time off stage as on it, hugging, high fiving and dancing with everybody and anybody and even getting one fan to take over vocals for him on a few occasions, which may or may not be due to him forgetting the lyrics!

 

The band themselves are no slouches though with the rhythm section of Jonny Udell (who strangely was in support band The Knives when B&O were last at the Cavern), and Zachary Kibbee holding the mayhem together while guitarist Filipe Rodrigo provides another focal point throwing himself around the room, while still delivering in spades.

Newer songs like ‘Bad Motherfucker’ and ‘When we were Young’ are greeted as enthusiastically as classics like ‘Caving In’ and ‘Pirates’ by the small but very appreciative, and often very drunk, crowd, who give back as much as they receive right up until the final chords crash out.

 

On leaving the venue I overhear someone say “that was the most fun I have had at a gig for ages”, and that sums up a Bullets and Octane gig better than I ever could! Keep singing that Song for the Underdog!

 

Author: Nigel Taylor

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