The Van Pelt Announce ‘Artisans & Merchants’

<strong>The Van Pelt Announce ‘Artisans & Merchants’</strong>

NYC Cult Indie Faves The Van Pelt Announce ‘Artisans & Merchants’

Their First New Studio LP In A Quarter Century – Out March 17

Pre-order HERE:

Stream The New Single + Video ‘Punk House’ HERE

Band Announces UK, EU and NYC Shows

Influential band stands among a select few of the most revered second-wave emo / indie bands of all time including their peers in The Promise Ring, Mineral, Christie Front Drive, Boys Life, Braid, Karate, and Rainer Maria.

“The lines between post-hardcore, indie rock, and emo blurred on the two mid-’90s full-lengths from the Van Pelt.”- Pitchfork

“New York City’s The Van Pelt are an influential, but too often overlooked indie rock band — cult favourites for many an emo-inclined crate digger.” – Consequence

“…should be mentioned a lot more than they are when you talk about the history of emo.”- Washed Up Emo

After twenty-five years of waiting, New York City cult indie favourites The Van Pelt have announced a March 17th release date for their upcoming fourth studio full-length, titled ‘Artisans & Merchants,’ which will be released jointly by Spartan Records in North America, La Castanya in Europe/World and Gringo in the UK.

The album was recorded and mixed in Summer / Fall 2021 by Jeff Zeigler (The War On Drugs, Kurt Vile) at Uniform Recording in Philadelphia, PA, and features guest appearances by Nate Kinsella and Ted Leo among others.

The first single ‘Punk House’ is out now, along with a brand-new music video.

Frontman Chris Leo says, “When a bunch of old VHS tapes were unearthed, the band had them digitized and they turned out to be from US tours of the mid-90s. The footage is mainly of daily banalities: random purchases at rest stops, packing and unpacking the van, highway views that could be on the outskirts of Any Town USA. Yet there is a nostalgia to it that’s compelling. The song mirrors the mood in both sound and text. Lines like “The floor is filled with resin on the place where you’re to sleep / if you have enough to drink you can pretend that it’s a sheet” bring any musician back to the rougher side of days on the road — yet again, the subtext here is that the spirit of it all is to be longed for.”

The Van Pelt has announced a series of UK, EU and Brooklyn shows in March and April. See dates below. Pre-order ‘Artisans & Merchants’ here – https://thevanpelt.bandcamp.com

Black Star Riders/Michael Monroe/Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons – Leeds 02 Academy – 19th February 2023

Black Star Riders/Michael Monroe/Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons – Leeds 02 Academy – 19<sup>th</sup> February 2023

I rarely venture out to academy size gigs these days, not for lack of wanting I hasten to add, it just seems most of the bands I’m interested in play smaller more intimate venues. But after catching The Interrupters last summer, it sure reminded me of a lot of the rock shows I used to attend back in the day at academy size, and who doesn’t like a full-on rock show?

So, with Black Star Riders coming into town promoting their highly acclaimed new album ‘Wrong Side Of Paradise’, and bringing with them not only the Michael Monroe band but also Phil Campbell & The Dirty Bastards, well it would be a shame to miss this.

I wouldn’t say I’m a massive Motörhead fan, but Phil Campbell once came to my flat and I made him a cup of tea, but that’s another story. Anyway, Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons are not Motörhead, but in the same way as Black Star Riders they channel the spirit of the band that came before them. What The Bastard Sons are though, is a full-on, old school hard rock band, and a good one at that. The sole non-Campbell onstage, new singer Joel Peters, works the crowd like a pro tonight. A larger-than-life personality with a larger-than-life voice, he splits the crowd for audience participation, mixing up originals like ‘We’re The Bastards’ and ‘Get On Your Knees’ with Motörhead classics like ‘Going To Brazil’ and ‘Born To Raise Hell’, the band are mightily impressive. The rhythm section is tight, the guitar tone fantastic and Phil must be proud having his sons up there keeping the spirit of Motörhead alive for fans and the younger generation.

The biggest cheer of their set goes up as bassist Tyla thumps out ‘that’ bass line. They were always gonna end with ‘Ace Of Spades’, right? The crowd go wild, and so they should.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Michael Monroe support anybody before, and I’ve never seen him do such a short set. This band don’t do bad shows, never give less than 100% onstage. The opening salvo of ‘One Man Gang’ and ‘I Live Too Fast To Die Young’ works a treat. The die-hards down the front know the words and the uninitiated are getting a shock treatment in high energy rock n’ roll. The Finnish Iggy Pop is on fire and the usual onstage chaos surrounds the whirlwind vocalist, who as ever is mesmerizing to watch, as he gets tangled up in microphone cables, does the splits and climbs the rigging. He swings the mic stand precariously close to guitarist Steve Conte’s head, but its all in a day’s work for the Michael Monroe band.

Older singles ‘Last Train To Tokyo’ and ’78’ go down well and get the crowd singing them back to the livewire singer as he bounds about the stage. If this is mainly a Black Star Riders fanbase tonight, I would say the band have won them over by now. And any who are not convinced may be shedding a tear by the time they finish the Hanoi Rocks classic ‘Don’t You Ever Leave Me.

‘Ballad Of The Lower East Side’ is arguably the strongest song in the band’s solo discography and it sounds killer live, yet as Michael climbs the rigging for the second time, the power is cut and the band stop playing mid-song! Seems the 02 don’t like rock stars climbing on their equipment. Funnily enough, the last time I saw this band, at The Brudenell up the road, there was an actual power cut on the equipment on the exact same song. What are the chances of that?

The band shrug it off and launch into ‘Motorvatin’ to get things back on track. ‘Dead, Jail Or Rock N Roll’ and ‘Up Around The Bend’ end a killer set that didn’t exactly go to plan, but rock n roll’s like that sometimes. I like it when a band has to work for it and I pity any band who has to follow The Monroes night after night.

Black Star Riders have that unenviable task, and while Ricky Warwick doesn’t possess the maniacal stage presence of Michael Monroe, he is one of the last of a dying breed of classic rock frontmen who are still out there doing it and doing it well. A 10-year anniversary for any band these days is something to celebrate, and Black Star Riders have morphed into quite the classic rock band now.

With original members drummer Jimmy Degrasso, bassist Robbie Crane and the Richard Branson of rock n’ roll Scott Gorham back in the fold for this tour, tickets have flown out, and the 02 is buzzing with anticipation as the band break into newbie ‘Pay Dirt’. In a leather jacket, his hair greased back and a Les Paul swinging from his hips, Ricky Warwick looks mean, moody and healthy, and his gritty voice is as powerful as it ever was back in The Almighty days. With the ever-smiling Wayward Sons guitarist Sam Wood by his side (who looks uncannily like a young Scott Gorham) the band sound impressive too.

The first half of the set weighs heavily on the new album. The single ‘Better Than Saturday Night’ is a killer highlight, ‘Riding Out the Storm’ and the title track ‘Wrong Side Of Beautiful’ showcase Warwick’s songwriting ability and suggests this album could go down as their strongest effort. They even breathe new life into their cover of The Osmonds ‘Crazy Horses.

Ricky introduces Scott Gorham to great cheers and the 71-year-old Thin Lizzy guitarist joins Black Star Riders for the rest of the set. The likes of ‘All Hell’s Breaking Loose’, ‘Testify Or Say Goodbye’ and ‘Bound For Glory’ all hit the spot and are welcomed like old friends to a crowd of a certain age. The spirit of Thin Lizzy seems omnipresent and of course a couple of choice songs get aired tonight. Phil Campbell joins them for ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ and a sublime ‘Jailbreak’ comes later in the set and understandably gets the biggest reaction of the night.

While the first half of the set was strong, I felt the latter half suffered and felt ploddy and a bit so-so. Only the addition of the Lizzy covers lifted thing for me. Hey, but I’m just nit-picking, really.

Big academy rock shows are always an event and tonight was no different. 3 bands who are well suited, all channelling the sprits of the bands who came before them, yet all with strong material that sets them apart from the legacy of those classic bands. And whether you’re a fan of Motörhead, Hanoi Rocks or Thin Lizzy, all had great new things to offer, as well as dipping into the past.

But finding out The Academy takes 25% of profits from the band’s merch and the fact that a pint and a G&T cost £17 reminds me why I favour the smaller shows these days.

Author: Ben Hughes

Then Comes Silence/Aux Animaux – Bristol, Zed Alley – 19th February 2023

Then Comes Silence/Aux Animaux – Bristol, Zed Alley – 19<sup>th</sup> February 2023

Following my recent enforced 3-month layoff from attending live shows I really wanted something special to usher in my 43rd year of going to see bands, so, after finishing off 2022 with the symphonic goth pomp of the Death Songbook, what could be more suitable than a night in the company of Swedish goth rockers Then Comes Silence, playing the final night of a short two date UK jaunt in conjunction with the Reptile club.

It’s the fact that this was going to be a dedicated goth night that really got me excited about a trip over the Severn estuary, with the promise of a night spent drenched in dry ice chicken dancing  my way into the wee small hours instantly taking me back to my days of going to see the likes of The Cramps, Alien Sex Fiend and Sigue Sigue Sputnik in the mid-eighties, when going to watch a band was just as much about meeting the characters that attended the shows (in fact its how I first met RPM’s main man Dominic Daley) as it was as seeing the bands themselves. But would there be a goth youth here in the 2020s to help keep the flame alive I wondered?

Entering Zed Alley I really need not have worried as with the mandatory dry ice lapping under the door was already a reassuring sign, once past security I immediately felt exactly how I did back in (what some might consider to be) the scene’s heyday, albeit these days I myself feel more like how Colin Robinson (grown up version not the child entertainer version) must have felt when walking into Nadja’s nightclub. Reptile DJ Vade Retro is blasting out an eclectic selection of electro tunes via the club’s excellent sound system, and yes indeed the next generation of goths are all present and correct and enjoying the ambience (and very reasonably priced libations) of the club itself.

Of course, it’s the live bands we’re all here to see tonight and Aux Animaux provides the kind of Nice Inch Nails to Bowie baton pass that occurred when those two giants once toured the US together, by which I mean the Swedish hauntwave star sets the scene perfectly for what is to follow by providing a kind of Danielle Dax meets Bjork by way of the (song)book of the dead set of ambient theremin driven electro tunes, something that holds the audience in perfect reverence throughout. The fact that this is an artiste singing over backing tracks would probably have most classic rock heads foaming at the mouth, but to a goth audience this is all par for the course and the reaction Aux Animaux receives come the end of her short set is one of total respect.

Something I have long since held for tonight’s headliners Then Comes Silence, the Stockholm-based gothic post-punk rockers, ever since I first heard their ‘III – Nyctophilian’ album all the way back in 2015. This is my first time seeing them live though as their intended 2020 UK tour (which included a Cardiff date) in support of their excellent ‘Machine’ album got blown out by the Covid pandemic, but having lost guitarist Mattias Ruejas ahead of a US tour towards the end of 2022 I was hoping by high expectations for tonight really weren’t about to be dashed after all.

Hitting the venue’s tiny but (for a trio) perfectly sized stage with ‘Flashing Pangs of Love’ from the band’s 2017 ‘Blood’ was certainly a surprise as I was half expecting them to open with the number that actually followed it, ‘Tickets To Funerals’, from last year’s amazing ‘Hunger’ album, but what this did was allow the sound to level out, and for the backing tracks used on certain songa (like on the latter) to really cut through and make a difference to the overall sound.

Singer/bassist Alex Svenson is also the man in control of the box of electronic gadgets and whilst he is a man of few words between songs he’s someone who lets the songs do all the talking with the likes of ‘Apocalypse Flare’, ‘Chain’ and ‘Worm’ all sounding totally imperious here tonight. The ‘Eighties’ (excuse the intended pun) Killing Joke influence I’ve mentioned in previous RPM reviews is also huge tonight thanks to guitarist Hugo Zombie, someone who literally doesn’t stop moving even when things slow down for an epic Bunnymen-esque rendition of ‘Mercury’ whilst turbo-riffing his way through the likes of ‘We Lose The Night’ and possibly my all-time favourite track by the band, ‘Rise To The Bait’.

When drummer Jonas Fransson (who is also Mr Aux Animaux) has some unexpected trouble with his snare stand it actually acts as a natural comfort break for a few (myself included) and the sounds that emanate from the remaining two members helping plug the inevitable gap evokes memories of Cronos’ bass solo during the Seventh Date of Hell tour, yup even when they are messing around these guys exude an air of doom and melancholic cool many can only dream of conjuring up.

As with all great gigs though they all unfortunately have to end, and after an intense ‘We Lose The Night’ its left to ‘Warm Like Blood’ and the epic ‘The Dead Cry For No One’ to send us off into the cold night air with just the echo of ‘Bella Lugosi’s Dead’ still ringing in our ears as DJ Vade continued the party well into the witching hour.

Gigs like this really don’t come along that often that’s for sure, tonight was something very special indeed, and reading just hours later that Reptile may now not be moving forward in 2023 due to a variety of reasons involving their current London haunt, it makes me truly sad to hear this. Let’s hope that after 15 years of promoting bands and club nights like tonight this really isn’t the end for them, because as tonight proved goth is very much still a musical force to be reckoned with and is also one that seemingly never grows old. Timeless stuff indeed!

Author: Johnny Hayward

https://thencomessilence.eu/

https://thencomessilence.bandcamp.com/merch

https://www.facebook.com/thencomessilence/

https://www.facebook.com/auxanimaux/

Two For Tuesday

Two For Tuesday

Buy Here

The Fine Art of Self Destruction came out at a time before punk rockers were picking up acoustic guitars and doing singer/songwriter songs. I wouldn’t want it to be lost that at that time very few people were mixing Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska and punk rock or any of that. You either liked one or the other. I believe liking the Rolling Stones was a sin in my circle of friends at this time. The internet hadn’t been there to absolve us of such sins yet.

There were a few people who liked these mixes of genres and took in everything instead of shunning things. They took it all in and received the transmissions that spoke to their hearts rather than thinking of what was allowed or safe. One of these was a guy who once set fire to bars in the Lower East Side, had things tied inside his dreadlocked hair, and fronted one of the wildest punk rock bands since The New York Dolls… And then says he has a singer/songwriter record coming? Mercy on our souls…

The Fine Art of Self Destruction opened up a new room in Jesse Malin’s world. And maybe, unknowingly at the time, opened up doors for many others who would follow in the future, myself included.

Jesse Malin and Ryan Adams were two of the first people in the forefront of showing that you could sing songs on records in a new way for punk rockers. The songs on The Fine Art of Self Destruction were punk in spirit yet broken and delicate in execution. These are beautiful songs about people in an in between, nocturnal world who “moved to Brooklyn”, back when that meant something, and people who “come so hard but their songs are so slow.” Those were the people I knew. That was a lot of people. And they felt like they were my songs, not that I wrote them, or could’ve, but that they belonged to me in my world. Jesse put those characters in songs that could sit with you on the drives next to Nebraska and Closing Time when you drove home at night.

I don’t think without Jesse making that bold move of doing exactly what he wanted instead of what was expected that I would’ve been here doing what I do now. I think there are a lot of people who could say the same. It’s not that we never heard music like this, we just didn’t know “we” could do it too. You didn’t have to be Dylan, or Bruce, or Tom Waits. You could be a punk rocker who knew three chords and had a story to tell and that was enough.

I also believe that there was no better person to produce this record than Ryan Adams, even though he may have cheated by knowing five or six chords to our three, but he knew what needed to happen with this record. He was in tune and tapped into the spirit. There was a magic Jesse and Ryan both caught on The Fine Art… And I think we’re all better for it.

-Brian Fallon

Grade 2 – ‘Grade 2’ (Hellcat Records)

Grade 2 – ‘Grade 2’ (Hellcat Records)

There was one album in particular that got me through the first Covid lockdown here in the UK, and that was ‘Graveyard Island’ the superb third album from Isle of Wight punk rocking skinheads Grade 2. Released at the tail end of 2019, it was a record that had initially passed me by, but once I discovered it (via a good friend who also resides on Graveyard Island) it was like a true beacon of punk rock hope shining through those darkest of days.

Fast forward to Rebellion 2022 and playing to a packed Pavilion audience Grade 2 then went and delivered one of the performances of the weekend, giving us an immediate sneak peak of the new album they already had up their sleeves (more of which in a second) to help kickstart a blistering set of older tunes that instantly had the audience in singalong punk rock heaven. They then turn up on the “hush hush” Pirates Press released Cock Sparrer tribute album, that snook out around Christmas time, and here the lads managed to take a Sparrer deep cut and truly make it sound like one of their own, which is no mean feat I’m sure you’ll agree. Reviewing that album for RPM (something you can read here)  I declared that 2023 really could be Grade 2’s year, so with their fourth album now cued up on my system and ready to play, what would the next 35 minutes have in store for me, and would the album actually live up to my high expectations?

Just like during their aforementioned Rebellion slot ‘Judgement Day’ gets things off and running in fast and furious style, the bass of Sid Ryan rattling the speakers with its punchy bottom end and drummer Jacob Hull attacks his kit like the IOW’s very own Joey Castillo whilst it’s the almost Dick Dale like guitar work of Jack Chatfield that truly propels this 1 minute 32 second ball of sonic fury, and before you know it we’re into one of the album’s (many) highlights, the cowbell (yup punk rockers use cowbells too) tonking beauty that is ‘Fast Pace’. It’s on tunes like this where Grade 2 really stand out from the punk rock pack, ditching the speed for a more intense melody packed approach, in many ways they remind me of Newport’s very own 60 Foot Dolls. This is music meant to be danced to, and there’s even a Hammond organ solo that crops up mid song to seal the deal. Fantastic stuff!

Up next, ‘Under The Streetlight’ takes us back to ‘Murder Town’ complete with a doff of a cap to the band’s label masters Rancid, whilst ‘Doesn’t Matter Much Now’ is another bootboy terrace anthem in the making, very much like latter day Argy Bargy. Then there’s the early days Jam anger of ‘Midnight Ferry’ which switches the perils of missing the last tube home for the last boat home, and oh the delights of living on an island eh!  I must give a special mention here to the band’s ear for a melody, as this tune could very easily have been a contender back in the days when singles sold, instead of TikTok views, actually lead to artists becoming household names.

Having been one of the lead videos from the album ‘Brassic’ is the song that initially got me truly excited about this record, its jagged riff and instantly memorable chorus (complete with female backing vocals) knocking the tune well and truly out the park.

As the album reaches its midway point the tracks that fall either side, the Matt Freeman like 58 second blast of ‘Gaslight’ and the anthemic ‘Don’t Stand Alone’ complete with its (once again) glorious backing vocals, really are the perfect example of the two sides of the Grade 2 songwriting coin, and it’s at this almost perfect point I’m going to dip out and let you discover the rest of the album for yourselves, because you really do have to hear it.

I said it at the top of the review that I thought 2023 could very well be Grade 2’s year, and with a proper multi-date UK tour kicking off in just a few weeks’ time, along with dates with Rancid and The Bronx (now that is a one hell of line up) later in the year, it very well could be, it just needs you to get off your arses, buy those gig tickets and most importantly snap up copies of this 15-track Grade-A punk rock record. It’ll never be off your turntable, or out your CD player (you might even be constantly streaming this) come its February 17th release date.

What the hell are you waiting for?

Hit the links below to make it all happen!!!!

Buy Here

https://www.facebook.com/grade2iow

https://grade2official.co.uk/

Author: Johnny Hayward

The Gathering – Venue Cymru, Llandudno 27-28/01/23

The Gathering – Venue Cymru, Llandudno 27-28/01/23

Friday 27/01/23

It’s been a long time coming but it’s good to be back. Some fella used to sing that every night from a stage, somewhere back in time…oh yeah, Mike Peters of The Alarm.

It’s been a tough six months for Mr Peters and his family, after playing the final night of a rigorous and full UK tour back in mid ’22 he became seriously ill and has had the toughest battle with his health in a long line of tough battles, but Mike Peters being Mike Peters he soldiers on with the most incredible PMA you could imagine. Tonight (Friday acoustic in the round) began with a serious personal (Maybe a little too personal) video shown on the big screens of a bedside, fly on the wall, half an hour of the most uncomfortable footage of one of your heroes you could imagine. The most awful cough, tears, lung drains you name it. Not what I was expecting to be played on the big screen before a live show. It was tough for everyone present I’d imagine, watching the very private and personal fight to save Peters’s life. I’m not sure I was ready for the 21st-century – film everything – gets it online tiktokin’ or instagrammin’ – maybe I’m stuck in the old school and not down enough to appreciate this is how it is these days, who knows? it was what it was. The upshot is Mike looks fighting fit and the picture of health as he strides to the stage to an emotional performance that many thought would never take place, but here we were, gathered around the camoed out round stage to witness the return of one of rock musics most battle scared warriors, Don’t say team MPO aren’t inclusive and go the extra mile to let you in to their inner circle because that was it. Sharp intake of breath give your loved one a knowing squeeze and lets go!

I do know it came close to the wire if this weekend would be possible what with Covid putting the kibosh on the last few years and last year’s return to Rhyl acoustic Gathering. playing live is where Mikey boy is most comfortable and the place that makes him feel so alive it was emotional and massively appreciated as the audience sang ‘Walk Forever By My Side’ and a emotional Peters gathers his composure for the next few hours of Gathering 30.

It was a joy and a pleasure to see him in his natural environment looking healthy and raring to go for the next two hours or so as he blitzed through an incredible set of deep cuts from an unbelievably rich back catalogue.

Decked out in his now familiar fighting green Peters gets straight down to business as he whips out sizable chunks of songs from his repertoire playing songs like his life depends on it (it quite possibly does) as he veers from ‘Breed Apart’ and ‘Neutral’ from his more recent past through deep cuts such as the fantastic ‘Heroine’ thru the snotty (even acoustically) ‘Under Control’.

By the time he reached the majestic ‘Rise’ he seemed comfortable with proceedings and whilst there were scuffed chords and rearranged lyrics Peters was winning and the audience was on its best behaviour as you could have heard a surgical needle drop it was so respectfully quiet whilst the songs were being chased out of the speakers like a superhero gaining strength from the music pouring out of the man’s guitar and voice.

Possibly my fondest memories of previous Gatherings came around the time of ‘Rise’ and ‘Feel Free’ of aftershow parties in the Hydro Hotel at 2 AM where we got Clash songs from the ragged house band Peters could assemble but memories come flooding back as ‘Feel Free’ cracks to life leading to a run through ‘All Is Forgiven’ incredible, emotional and as fresh as the first time I heard these songs. It was then thoughts entered my head of that Brixton night as ‘Raw’ followed by ‘Sold Me Down The River’ its been some journey. I’ve been to every Gathering from Rhyl Town Hall to Pontins and its spiritual home o here in Llandudno and whilst I might not intake all they offer on Saturday and Sunday I wouldn’t miss it for the world and some people ask me how can you enjoy one man playing one guitar year after year after year but I would say that its one of the most enjoyable two nights I look forward to year after year and during the pandemic years it was miserable knowing that for a weekend in January, I wouldn’t be freezing my backside off walking down the seafront going to another night of Gathering entertainment if you’ve ever been you’ll know how good a weekend it is and what effort Peters puts into ever show he does under some challenging circumstances, to say the least.

Anyway, back on track, we marched on through some old-school Alarm classics, climaxing with the quite brilliant ‘Howling Wind’ followed by ‘We Are The Light’. As we entered the final furlong the old Alarm cover of ‘Bound For Glory’ was knocked out as Peters explained that during the staycations people would throw cover song challenges at him from the obvious ones to more obscure and quite frankly bizarre choices which lightened the mood and gave many present a raised eyebrow as a minimum. if all I Need Is The Air I Breathe wasn’t left of field enough how about George Michaels ‘Faith’ complete with a wiggle? no, you would have guessed that one well how about a flawless take on ‘Time Warp’! No, I didn’t think I’d hear an encore of covers like that, but hell, people were loving it, and it was another Gathering first. The night was drawn to a close as Peters’s two teenage sons were brought on stage to accompany him on an emotional run through ‘Wonderwall’ and a rousing finale of ‘One Guitar’ before everyone filed out of the venue with the thoughts running through their heads that everything was going to be alright, ok for the Saturday night main course of some more Rock and Roll but with drums and louder guitars – Bring It On!

Saturday 28/01/23

Tonight’s electric performance kicked off with a brand new track ‘Forwards’ more easing in than punching you square on the nose. To most established bands starting your set with a brand new track is terrifying and a big no-no but to Mike Peters its what he does and the fans who’ve been on the journey with him over the last few decades pretty much demand new material anywhere in the set because the history of Saturday nights at the Gathering have been some marathon performances and this one seems rather poignant considering the man’s health issues people (me included) are just glad to see him back on stage in any capacity and for any length.

It is the same stage set up as previous Gatherings pre-pandemic and the tour last year with his wife on keys tucked up on stage right next to Smileys drum kit with James Stevenson on Stage left whilst Peters patrols the main stage between four mics.

His voice sounds strong and the band sound locked in. as recent tunes ‘Fail’ skank in before the hard rock of the epic ‘Superchannel’ fills the either. With such a vast catalogue it’s always a tough call what he plays and what he leaves out. Sure there are staple Alarm songs he would find hard to leave out that pepper the set as it ebbs and flows from recent to vintage. there isn’t much time for talking and the band lets the music yap yap yap its way to another brand new song as ‘Are You Ready?’ hits the spot with its punchy mod rhythm as Peters puts his vocal cords to the test and they sound fine from my spot which must have been a relief not knowing if the punishment they would take over two nights after such a lay off would hold up. They did and some.

After a few more old and new with ‘Warriors’ being the pick of the newer songs blasted out with energy and verve Peters vanished from the main stage to take up his familiar position at the back of the venue to run through acoustic versions of ‘Its Alright’, the poignant ‘Without A Fight’ before ‘Breathe’ lit up the room. Peters then weaved his way through the audience to join the band back on the main stage for a rocked-up version of ‘Walk Forever By My Side’. The band then proceeded to run down memory lane with a superb bunch of picks from the earlier days of the band ‘Declaration’ heavy period of the set with ‘Shout At The Devil’, ‘The Deceiver’ and ‘Third Light’ pouring memories over me as my mind sped through sets from a time I’d almost forgotten where the band had the energy of a small army dropping sound bombs on the New Ocean Club to the Orange Box and every old school concert venue between. Good times then and good times now.

Proceedings were halted during ‘Majority’ as someone needed medical attention minutes later the show was resumed and momentum was regained swiftly. We were now twenty songs plus into the set and it was showing no signs of stopping Peters looked fitter and stronger than I’d seen him for quite some time. The man is a machine and considering what he’s been through to want to get right back into the eye of the hurricane seems like madness but like many, I’m delighted he wants to go on – after all, what else is he supposed to do?

Back to the beginning and ‘Unsafe Building’ kicks off the final furlong and its heads down and go! ‘Knifedge’, ’68 Guns’, ‘Spirit Of 76′, Rescue Me’ all get a good seeing and it’s a swift encore before returning to beat out another five songs before the curtain finally gets dropped on what has been an emotional Gathering 30. With all the trials and tribulations that the Peters have been through over the last few decades let alone the last few years is nothing short of breathtaking and the fact they perform for almost five hours spread over two days and do it with a bazillion selfies, and questions with beaming smiles are heartwarming. When people tell you not to meet your heroes I roll my eyes and tell me bollocks. Mike Peters is a legend and once again turned in a memorable Gathering with a little help from his friends and some. An announcement about next year’s festivities is on hold but you can guarantee if I’m fit and healthy and if he’s fit and healthy then we’ll be doing this all again same time same place. Bring it on!

Website

Love Hope And Strength

Author: Dom Daley

The Hip Priests are chasing death

The Hip Priests are chasing death

‘Chasing Death’ from their forthcoming album ‘Roden House Blues’ – which will be released May 5th, 2023, via The Sign Records.

The song is, say the band “about self-destruction and self-sabotage. A story stuffed with vice and excess. A tale about one person’s journey, after buying a one-way ticket on the train wreck to end all train wrecks. The age-old colourful topics of sex, drugs and rock n roll. Is it autobiographical? Is it celebration or commiseration? Hero or Rock N Roll failure? Chasing death or embracing life? Crank it loud and make your own mind up.”

Since their inception in 2006, The Hip Priests have released a mighty thirty 7” singles, four albums, two compilations and three EPs by various independent labels from all over Europe & the USA. Fiercely independent and tirelessly driven, the ‘Priests have preached their high energy sermon of misanthropy, hate and contempt across numerous tours of the UK, Europe and USA and made countless rapturously received festival appearances.

picture credit is Ralph Barklam

Gaining a richly deserved reputation as a white-hot live band, the last few years have seen the band’s popularity increasing further with them regularly playing alongside kindred spirits such as The Hellacopters, Gluecifer, The Good the Bad and the Zugly, New Bomb Turks, Dwarves and Zeke at both festivals and in clubs. Rave reviews pour in for every release, ranging from ‘a band on top of their game & steps ahead of any of their UK contemporaries’ to ‘if you’re in any doubt about how good these bad boys are then you need locking up’. After 16 years some bands would be taking it easy but in spite of a global pandemic, there was no let-up in their determination and activity. Their fifth, and by far their best full-length album – ‘Roden House Blues’ – was written, rehearsed, and recorded during this period and will be released May 5th, 2023, via The Sign Records.

Today, The Hip Priests blast out a second offering ahead of the album’s release with new single ‘Chasing Death’, a song that is, say the band “about self-destruction and self-sabotage. A story stuffed with vice and excess. A tale about one person’s journey, after buying a one-way ticket on the train wreck to end all train wrecks. The age-old colourful topics of sex, drugs and rock n roll. Is it autobiographical? Is it celebration or commiseration? Hero or Rock N Roll failure? Chasing death or embracing life? Crank it loud and make your own mind up.”

The Hip Priests. Zero fucks n’ less success since 2006. The most prolific band you haven’t heard of. High energy sweaty sermons of misanthropy, disillusion (self) loathing and despair. Get ready to have your ears torn clean off.

FIND THE HIP PRIESTS ONLINE AT:

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

BANDCAMP

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

CATCH THE HIP PRIESTS LIVE AT THE FOLLOWING DATES:

February

Monday 27th Dragonfly Rock Cafe, Almeria

Tuesday 28th Sala Plant Baja, Granada

March

Wednesday 1st Fun House, Madrid

Thursday 2nd Salason, Cangas De Morazzo

Saturday 4th Hell Dorado, Vitoria

Sunday 5th El Sotana Rock Pub, Teruel

(With The Dangerfields)

Wednesday 22nd Bennigans, Derry

Thursday 23rd Áras Na Ngael, Galway

Friday 24th Fred Zeppelin’s, Cork

Saturday 25th Venue Tbc, Limerick

Sunday 26th Wild Duck, Dublin

Germany

(With Lucifer Star Machine)

April

Thursday 27th Sonic Ballroom, Cologne

Friday 28th Freakshow, Essen

Saturday 29th Zollkantine, Bremen

Sunday 30th Indra Musikclub, Hamburg

UK (With Bitch Queens)

May

Thursday 25th The Pipeline, Brighton

Friday 26th Hope And Anchor, London

Saturday 27th Nice And Sleazy, Morecambe

Grade 2 – New single and huge tour

Grade 2 – New single and huge tour

GRADE 2 SHARE NEW MELODIC PUNK SONG “MIDNIGHT FERRY” SELF-TITLED ALBUM OUT FEBRUARY 17th VIA HELLCAT RECORDS

EXTENSIVELY TOURING IN EU AND UK THIS SPRING

Famed for blistering live performances and exceptional musicianship, UK band Grade 2 bring no-frills classic punk to the modern era. Their self-titled album due on February 17th is a bone-crunching 35-minutes that agitates, intoxicates and liberates in equal measure.  Ahead of its release they share their new single “Midnight Ferry” out today, featuring slick guitar riffs and lively shout-along verses that lead into crisp vocal harmonies.

“This song is our story, a tale of a night out and the truth of growing up in a rural town,” the band explains. “Capturing the adventurous spirit, trying to escape any mundane responsibilities, if just for a night. Just know you’ll be brought straight back down to earth on that journey home.”

Listen to Midnight Ferry here.

50 years after the genre turned the music world upside-down, UK based Grade 2 are bringing the raw power of old school punk to a new generation. United by a love of old-school punk, ska and oi, childhood friends Sid Ryan (vocals, bass), Jacob Hull (drums) and Jack Chatfield (guitar, vocals) formed the band at fourteen years old, honing their craft playing Clash and Jam covers before refining their own sound. Melding the near-mythical musical heritage of their native Isle of Wight with the humdrum reality of growing up in a tired seaside town, Grade 2 spit out blistering punk music laced with passion, angst, humor and despair.

After signing to Hellcat Records in 2018 – helmed by Rancid’s Tim Armstrong – they put out their second album ‘Graveyard Island’ in 2019. With the release of ‘Grade 2’ comes their most representative work yet; a thumping fifteen track tour-de-force melding the uncompromising ethos of punk with the howl of contemporary injustice, personal identity, and frustrations of Gen-Z youth, authentically told by three lads with punk coursing through their veins.

Grade 2 will be touring extensively this Spring, starting with a UK & Ireland headlining tour in March, directly followed by headlining European Tour with Death by Stereo and a support tour with Rancid this summer. Please find the full list of dates below.

UK & Ireland Headlining Tour

March 3, 2023 -Wakefield, Vortex Bar and Nightclub     

March 4, 2023 – Newport, The Cab         

March 5, 2023 – Stamford, Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge

March 6, 2023 – Norwich, The Waterfront Studio

March 7, 2023 – London, The Lexington

March 8, 2023 – Southampton, The Joiners        

March 9, 2023 – Exeter, Cavern

March 10, 2023 – Bristol, The Louisiana

March 12, 2023 – Derby, The Hairy Dog

March 13, 2023 – Stafford, Redrum        

March 14, 2023 – Newcastle, The Lubber Fiend

March 16, 2023 – Dublin, The Grand Social          

March 17, 2023 – Belfast, Voodoo           

March 18, 2023 – Glasgow’ Classic Grand            

March 19, 2023 – Manchester, Star & Garter     

EU Headlining Tour w/ Death by Stereo

March 23, 2023 – Antwerp, Kavka (Belgium)

March 24, 2023 – Tilburg, Little Devil (The Netherlands)

March 25, 2023 – Vechta, Gulfhaus (Germany)

March 26, 2023 – Drachten, Iduna (The Netherlands)

March 27, 2023 – Hamburg, Hafenklang (Germany)

March 28, 2023 – Berlin, Cassiopea (Germany)

March 29, 2023 – Regensburg, Tiki Beat (Germany)

March 30, 2023 – Dresden, Chemiefabrik (Germany)

March 31, 2023 – Posnan, Pod Minogą (Poland)

April 1, 2023 – Warsaw, VooDoo (Poland)

April 2, 2023 – Budapest, Instant (Hungary)

April 3, 2023 – Vienna, Arena (Austria)

April 4, 2023 – Milan, Barrio’s (Italy)

April 5, 2023 – Lucerne, Sedel (Switzerland)

April 6, 2023 – Dijon, Les Tanneries (France)

April 7, 2023 – Montreuil (Paris), La Pêche (France)

April 8, 2023 – Fontenay-le-compte, Espace Rene Casino (France)

EU/UK Tour Supporting Rancid

June 3, 2023 – Ljubljana, Media Center Cvetlicarna (Slovenia)

June 6, 2023 – Warsaw, Letnia Scena Progresji (Poland)

June 10, 2023 – Stockholm, Annexet (Sweden)

June 12, 2023 – Berlin, Columbiahalle (Germany)

June 13, 2023 – Wiesbaden, Schlachthof  (Germany)

June 20, 2023 – London, Brixton O2 Academy (UK)

June 21, 2023 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse (UK)

Tickets available via band’s WEBSITE.

RICH RAGANY & THE DIGRESSIONS RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM ‘WHAT WE DO (TO NOT LET GO)’ RELEASED MARCH 3RD

RICH RAGANY & THE DIGRESSIONS RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM ‘WHAT WE DO (TO NOT LET GO)’ RELEASED MARCH 3RD

PRE-ORDER HERE:

Fronted by former Role Models leader Rich Ragany, the last few years has seen the Calgary, Canada born and now UK based songsmith build up quite a reputation with his band of rock n ’roll trailblazers, The Digressions. With musicians that include Andy Brook (celebrated producer, SHUSH), Gaff (Glitterati, Dedwardians, Desperate Measures,) Ricky McGuire (UK SUBS, The Men They Couldn’t Hang), Simon Maxwell (Role Models, Yo Yos) and Kit Swing (Mallory Knox, Seven Days And Doesn’t Die), the band won over the hearts of many in 2021 with their critically-acclaimed ‘Beyond Nostalgia & Heartache’ album, gaining considerable airplay on BBC Introducing, and rave reviews and features from the likes of Classic Rock, Vive Le Rock, Louder Than War and Powerplay etc.

Sharing stages with the likes of The Lemonheads, Warrior Soul, The Men They Couldn’t Hang, Whitfield Crane, Ginger Wildheart, The Professionals, Steve Conte (New York Dolls) as well as packing out London venues in their own right, all this deserved attention has led to the band signing a deal with Barrel And Squidger (who have released music by CJ Wildheart, Massive Wagons, members of Status Quo and Sex Pistols) and are set to return March 3rd with a brand new album titled ‘What We Do (To Not Let Go)’.

Today, the band have launched the pre-order for the album and are giving people the first sweet taste of its charms in ‘One Last Thing To Prove’ – a song that lulls the listener into a false sense of security with a beautiful piano and simple chord refrain before out of nowhere the Digressions kick in with a Stooges worthy rock n’ roll riff, complete with ‘Raw Power’ one-note piano stabs. But the vocal harmonies that the band are renowned for lift the song far beyond any low rent garage vibes, and the song soars.

“One night out in Camden I ran into an old friend Pete,” explains Rich, remembering the origins of the song. “We go way back to Canada He’s a sound tech for some pretty amazing acts. Anyways, I see him, and his arm is in a sling. I ask him what he’s doing after. He says he can’t be out late as he leaves in the morning to hit the road. “With a broken arm man??” He replied “We all got one last thing to prove…”

It’s a taster of an album that is crammed full of soaring melodies and the kind of rock n’ roll that can take on many different moods, sounds and styles. For ‘What We Do (To Not Let Go)’ that band went for a different approach to its predecessor…

“As ‘Nostalgia….’ had that wide-screen depth and cinematic feel,” explains Rich. “I decided to lay down a new approach. Gone were layering guitars and keys, in with punchy one takes… everyone getting one shot… everybody gets one job (Gaff is lead guitar, Kit rhythm for example no layers… just the parts), solos are solid takes and not pieced together. This to me would ensure that everyone’s personality would shine right through while making the songs far more immediate and vital. If it’s one thing I’ve learned while being incredibly lucky to work with the Digressions, it’s that they have a ton of personality.

“After writing, recording our ‘Beyond Nostalgia And Heartache’ album through the pandemic I felt we were on an incredible creative roll. So just before the release of Nostalgia I booked time again with Andy at The Brook Studios in Wallington Rock City. I had the songs and the band had grown into something very special. We had to keep going, which felt natural. What you get is a muscular yet melodic, anthemic rock n roll album. A new way of telling our story. One I can say I am so proud to be part of.”

‘What We Do (To Not Let Go)’ is out March 3rd via Barrel and Squidger Records and is available to pre-order HERE.

Album release parties are confirmed for March 3rd at The Parish in Huddersfield and March 4th at The Camden Assembly in London. 

Also, the band have just secured the main support slot on The Southall Lawless Stage of The Call Of The Wild Festival on May 27th. More dates across the country are being added.

Rich Ragany And The Digressions are:

Rich Ragany – vocals/guitar/drums
Gaff – lead guitar
Kit Swing – guitar/vocals
Andy Brook – keyboards/vocals/guitar
Ricky McGuire – bass
Simon Maxwell – drums/percussion

Rich Ragany And The Digressions online at:

BANDCAMP

FACEBOOK

TWITTER