On the day they begin the WA leg of their I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken tour, The Hard-Ons have released a new single and video from the album.
The “Needles & Pins” 7″ single will be released on coloured vinyl as a strictly limited edition of 300 – 100 in hot pink, 100 in clear teal and 100 in black. It features the exclusive non-album B-side “Spider Tree” (an out-take from the album) and will be available from the band at the shows as well as on the Cheersquad Records & Tapes Bandcamp page and from select retailers..
Of the new single and video, Hard-Ons co-founder and bassplayer Ray Ahn has said “The Hard-Ons are in love with the music and beauty of pop. We wanted Mike Foxall, the director to capture the sentiment and tenderness of the melody – all the while showing some light-hearted humour… ”
Guitarist and fellow co-founder Blackie adds,“People usually scoff (politely Emoji) when I insist we’re a pop band .. SEE!!”
The WA dates follow the band’s recent AIR Awards ‘Best Independent Rock Album Award’ nomination for I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken, and the group’s much-viewed surprise APRA Awards performance of “Know Your Product” in tribute to The Saints’ Chris Bailey.
The Hard-Ons’ new album I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken is out now via Cheersquad Records & Tapes. (Distributed by Magnetic South)
Three years on from the last Rebellion Festival and we are finally back at our spiritual home, and there’s a few things that have changed. The Winter Gardens has opened a new Conference Centre main entrance, and the old backstage area where we’ve done so many great interviews with bands over the years is no more, so sadly bang goes any chance of doing any of those for you this weekend folks…. sorry! Then of course there’s the new outdoor stage going by the name of R Fest that you can attend on its own if you so wish, at £50 a day, or its free to those with Rebellion weekend wristbands and then finally there’s this sense of freedom in the Blackpool air, something that I certainly haven’t felt in quite some time.
What hasn’t changed though is the fact that Rebellion is still the number one punk and alternative festival here in the UK, returning with another knockout bill (that a few cancellations aside) has the RPM team arriving a day earlier than we have done previously, just so we can ensure we don’t miss any of the bands playing early on the first day of the festival. It wasn’t that long ago that I remember Thursday being the kind of “warm up” day for the event, now it’s the surrounding pubs and clubs that provide that, and we find ourselves crammed into an uber sweaty Tache watching Suzi Moon, when really we should have been getting an early night preparing for the weekend ahead, but fuck it, we really are back, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
THURSDAY
Arriving early doors at the Winter Gardens to catch Janus Stark opening the Empress Stage line up, the first thing that hits me is the size of the queue outside the conference centre waiting for the wristband exchange. We’d followed the festival’s advice online and got ours the night before, so we sailed through, but I can understand some of the anger vented within Facebook groups if you did get caught up in this and missed a band you wanted to see. As it is Gizz Butt and the Stark guys get to play to a smaller crowd than they might have given these circumstances but this doesn’t bother the quartet one iota as they deliver an outstanding performance that proves once again that every little thing does in fact count.
“Alright you English cunts, I bet you wish you’d been stuck in queues too rather than watch us,” is certainly a risky opening gambit from Pizzatramp frontman Jimbob Theodore Logan, but having risen from playing a slot at the festival’s Introducing stage just a few years back to now playing the flagship Empress Ballroom, he’s a man on a mission, and if he can make you laugh, or indeed cry (more of that in a moment) then what the hell? Jimbob’s other half Tia is in the line-up today on bass and backing vocals and that female voice does add a new dynamic to call response element of some of the band’s back catalogue, but then when you have songs as insanely catchy as ‘CCTV’ and ‘Ciggy Butt Brain’ within that canon of work how can the Chepstow pizza crew possibly go wrong? There’s even a touching moment when Jimbob calls his son mid-set just for the crowd to sing “Happy Birthday” to him, something that sees the frontman getting “sweat in his eyes” before the obligatory ‘Bono’s A Cunt’ closes a resoundingly successful set for the trio. You know, when people say you have to be “in the know” to get on the Rebellion bill, I always say “well Pizzatramp did it and they are fucking clueless.” There’s really no come back from that one is there….
I first saw Suzi Moon take to the Rebellion stage twelve years ago, playing one of the two stages they then had over in the Olympia, when she was a member of the Hellcat signed Civet. I have to admit I wasn’t that enamoured with the set I’d witnessed at the Tache the night before, largely due to a muddy sound, but Suzi seemed to love it, and for her set in the Pavilion this afternoon, it’s the almost absolute opposite. Here right from opener ‘Special Place In Hell’ the sound out front is stunning, thus ensuring that tracks like the strutting ‘Sonic Attraction’, the glamtastic ‘I’m Not A Man’ and the sultry set closer ‘Animal’ rip through flesh to get their hooks in you. It’s up on stage where Suzi is having guitar problems, that she doesn’t seem quite as in her special place as she did just twelve short hours earlier, and smashing the offending article into the Pavilion stage, you can feel the frustration she must have had boiling up inside. Rest assured though Suzi (If you are reading this) this was a great performance, and pretty much everyone around me seemed to think so too. I mean a bit of mid-set tension never hurt Texas T at Rebellion now did it?
Heading back to the Empress for some Wonk Unit, it’s now a decade since I first witnessed Alex Wonk live (that being at Slugfest 5 back in my hometown of Abertillery) and boy how things have moved on since those early(ish) part spoken word/part grunge/part punk rock days of the band. Only the main man and bassist Pwoison remain from that gig, but once again within this performance today the spirit of vaudeville is still there for everyone to delight in. I’ve often referred to Alex as the “Ian Dury of his generation” and here in the same hall that so many tortured geniuses have played over the years he seems in his element, conducting his glorious-sounding band through the likes of ’Pathetic Merry Go Round of Existence/Heroin’, ‘Day Job Wanker’ and a furious sounding ‘Nan Is Old’. It takes a pitch-perfect ‘Awful Jeans’ to get the sprung dancefloor bouncing for the first time this weekend, and just as ‘Go Easy’ tears out the PA we have our first band clash of the weekend, as we hop, skip, and jump over to Club Casbah in time for the arrival of Dirt Box Disco.
It’s also a decade since I first witnessed the mighty Dirt Box Disco deliver their slamdunk debut at Rebellion, and today they return to the Olympia, now retitled Club Casbah, playing perhaps their finest set since that jaw dropping debut. Some might argue that this is because the set list draws heavily from the ‘Tragic Roundabout’ EP and ‘Legends’ album, but when you have a song as strong as ‘Burning’ that can immediately get the whole of the packed-out Casbah singing as one, you just need to make sure you don’t lose the audience, and then when you can follow that anthem with the likes of ‘Peepshow’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Go Out With You’ and ‘My Girlfriend’s Best Friend’s Sister’ you really are ‘Unstoppable’ and even when Spunk calls his band “rock ‘n’ roll dinosaurs” towards the end of their set, I’m sure he means it in a “Jurassic Park” Alan Partridge kind of way. “Back Of The Net!!!”
After a quick pitstop for some food (we do have to eat too you know) we move back to the Empress for Anti-Flag, or as they like to pronounce it An-tie-Flag, and I have to admit that I’ve never been a huge fan, thinking them to be a band consisting of more style than substance. Tonight, however even an old cynic like me can’t help but get caught up in the moment and singalong with the likes of ‘You’ve Gotta Die for the Government’ and ‘Fuck Police Brutality’ and whilst these tunes might now be over 26 years old they still sound as relevant today, maybe even more so. I do find it odd that in amongst their strongly politically driven setlist that they still have time to do a ‘Stars on 45’ kind of run through some cover tunes like ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, ‘God Save the Queen’ and ‘If the Kids Are United’, but the Empress faithful lap it up and send Anti-Flag off into the night like all conquering heroes. Me, I’m properly distracted by what’s about to follow.
Drawing the largest crowd of the day so far, it’s LA hardcore punk legends Circle Jerks who are up next in the Empress. Originally confirmed for the 2020 Rebellion Festival for what would have been the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s seminal debut record ‘Group Sex’, tonight, two years on it’s also the 40th-anniversary celebration of the band’s second album ‘Wild In The Streets’. Guiding us through tonight’s 32 (there may have been more) song battering of the senses that the band like to call a set list there’s the ever-convivial Keith Morris to relay the background story behind each of the blocks of songs the band, made up of bassist Zander Schloss, guitarist Greg Hetson along with guest drummer (the man who makes it all possible according to Morris) the monster that is Joey Castillo, deliver like men a third of their age. From ‘Deny Everything’ through to ‘When the Shit Hits the Fan’ via ‘Red Tape’ there’s even a point towards the end of their set where Castillo has to ask Morris to keep talking just so he can get his breath back, and if you remember that his day job is currently laying down the backbeat for The Bronx then that is surely some feat indeed. With the crowd thinning a little towards the end I do wonder how much of this is down to the relentlessly intense nature of the Circle Jerks set or if it’s just another one of the weekend’s many stage clashes, and as I’d actually forgone a long overdue chance to watch Hawkwind down on the R Fest stage for this Circle Jerks reunion set I for one was certainly glad I made this choice here tonight, as this was something I really would have hated to have missed.
Another potential stage clash was taken out of my hands literally a few days before Rebellion started when Bad Religion were forced to cancel all of their remaining European dates, including their headline slot in the Empress Ballroom, due to a family emergency back in the US. With The Skids stepping in to save the day and me having never been a fan of the band I instead headed over to Club Casbah to catch The Boys once again ploughing through a 19-song set that covered most of the hits from their back catalogue as well as a few deeper cuts to keep the diehards on their Cuban heeled toes. Singer/bassist Kent Norberg may lovingly refer to Boy’s songwriting machine of Matt Dangerfield and Casino Steel as the “Lennon And McCartney of punk rock” but through squinted eyes, Dangerfield would certainly pass more for Keith Richards these days, and not just in his looks either. There’s also the clang of his tight yet loose guitar proving to be the perfect counterpoint to Honest John Plain’s stand in Chips Kiesbye and with Steel closing down the set keyboard-less for ‘Sick On You’ he was giving us perhaps a rare glimpse of his inner Mick Jagger, albeit a slightly reluctant one. Oh, and here’s a footnote to the organisers of Rebellion too regarding this performance, because as The Boys have for some time featured two members of the fantastic Swedish punk rock band Sator. How about asking them over to play as well especially given they’ve just scored a number 1 album back home with their ‘Return Of The Barbie Q Killers’ record?
With just a couple of bands left on my must-see list it’s during the changeover between The Boys and The Bar Stool Preachers that I rechristen my RPM travelling compadres for the weekend, the Goldfish Brothers as everything I seem to tell them they immediately seem to forget. It’s no wind-up either, and never mind how many times I tell them I want to watch Bad Nerves at the ungodly hour of 1 am over in the Arena they instantly forget and ask me “who?” and “where?” time and again. In the end I have to put it down to the cider visors they have both been wearing for most of the day and the fact that one of them left home at 4 am this morning to get here, so instead I just settle in to watch the return of the mighty BSP as their career takes yet another stellar upwards turn.
Having recently announced that they have signed with Pure Noise Records on a two-album deal Brighton’s favourite ska-punk sons can seemingly do no wrong at the moment. Granted, a couple of band members do resemble extras from Nick Love’s The Business as they take to the Rebellion stage with a drum and bass intro tape booming out over the PA, but as soon as ‘Choose My Friends’ kicks in there’s no disputing this is the sound (and look) of The Bar Stool Preachers at the very top of their game. There’s also a smattering of new tunes given a spin around the Club Casbah block tonight and if this is the sound of what is to come then this is probably the last time we’ll be seeing TJ and the lads playing small venues here in the UK. This new stuff is essential listening, and I can’t wait to hear what the third album will sound like when it does finally get released. There’s only one downer tonight and that’s the fact that the band’s signature tune ‘Bar Stool Preacher’ doesn’t get to be played as the lads are on a strict curfew, but that tiny set list blip aside, this is the sound of the future of punk rock, bold, ballsy and most of all, absolutely brilliant. Look out for them across Europe and UK as the support for The Interrupters tour, things are about to go major league for these guys, you just mark my words.
So with that performance still ringing in my ears, it’s at this point I give up on ever getting the Goldfish Brothers to ever hang around to watch Bad Nerves, but as the weekend progresses I actually find myself not regretting missing them quite as much as I was fearing, but more of that to come.
Adios for now I’m off to bed for some much-needed shut eye. “Woking turn that fucking phone off!” Ha!
Coming across like a down-under Devitto era Buzzcocks meets AC/DC old Skool the Chats do anything other than getting Fucked on this their second offering of Aussie punk rock.
‘GET FUCKED’ opens with ‘6L GTR’, a takedown of a speed-crazed status-symbol driver – a critique piqued when Eamon spotted the titular license plate in an airport carpark. It’s an album that shows the band’s maturity from the off on this here 13 high-velocity punk tracks. To be fair they’ve hardly matured and started writing prog whilst playing a flute one-legged on a toadstool. This bad boy rips from start to finish, as they’d say down under. Lyrically it covers topics from panic attacks, junkies, prison breaks, the price of smokes, surf mafia, and being drunk in every pub in Brisbane amongst other heady big ticket topics.
There’s a rumor that Opener ‘6L GTR’ saw Eamon Sandwith nick a bit of Dave Lee Roth which was taken out of the tune after management got a knockback from Diamond Dave but hey ho them is the breaks they should have just done it and send double D the V sign with a sue us if you want letter. The non-PC album title came from a brainstorming session (imagine that one folks?) where Matt Boggis said imagine how funny it would be if kids go to the record store and ask for Get Fucked from the salesperson. Yeah pretty funny slinging it on yer Christmas list from your nan to pick up. But hey this isn’t Roxy Music or Genesis or some high-brow prog This is working-class Aussie punk rock yer Fuckers!
Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah, thirteen songs. The first single and album opener down The Chats have got sharper and tighter that’s for sure and all that touring has paid off for sure. Most of the album is your usual Australian HC one and a half minutes of rage then boom! but there are a couple of tracks that tickle the four-minute mark which in itself is almost Maiden-esque pro in length rather than Ron Jeremy Length in the puns and goofiness stakes. so good on ’em for that.
‘Struck By Lightening’ is a warning to take cover in storms maybe go inside and put this on the earbuds – thundering along with a rapid verse with sloppy doo wap backing vocals and a cautionary tale. the solo is majestic to be fair as the song hammers along. ‘Boggo Breakout’ is punk as fuck from the vacant riff to the snotty vocals it’s another banger and benefits from volume and multiple plays. ‘Southport Superman’ is just a heads-down race to the finish line in true punk as fuck style. ‘Panic Attack’ is more restrained from the intro with a military slap on the snare and pluck on the bass before Josh joins in with his Shelly meets Diggle meets the Undertones wall of punk rock guitars lifts the song up.
The first of the long songs is the excellent ‘ The Price Of Smokes’ which is about the economic cost of living stuff where the band thrust the cost of living to the forefront. It’s a cool bass and drum intro where they lock in and take this baby to the bridge then drop her off gently. An excellent song that asks the important questions of the day. Sidestep from the heads down crank it up that had preceded it, (See I said The Chats had moved on and matured). Oh hang on ‘Dead On Site’ is a razor-sharp riff delivering exactly what The Chats fans are clamoring for. Punchy, full throttle, punk rock mixed with some fine Angus Young inspired old school solos – magical stuff!
‘Paid Late’ is a fine slice of Smash and Grab punk rock before the let’s go to the pub banger that is ‘I’ve Been Drunk In Every Pub In Brisbane’. If I’m honest this album has added elements of Rock and old-school hard rock, even when they speed up proceedings it’s a great crossover full of energy and street punk rock n roll. Their no longer on Smoko their running the gaff. There’s no acoustic ballad but there’s lots of loud guitars. I think one of my favourite tracks is ‘Emperor Of The Beach’ with its cock sure riff that tips the hat to the daddy of tone Steve Jones and is a thumper of a track. The band signs off this second album with the punky ‘Getting Better’ and so they are. God bless these noisy cunts from down under for they’ve taught this old dog a few tricks on this album and tightened up the loose ends of the debut and thrown in a few curve balls but above all delivered a fantastic record that I’m thoroughly enjoying
The small consolation fans of The Wildhearts can take from their favourite band being such a volatile unit, is I suppose, the amount of fantastic music the resulting side projects have produced every time a member leaves or, as is the case right now, the band goes on an extended hiatus.
Honeycrack, The Yo-Yo’s, The Jellys, Jackdaw4, Mutation, Silver Ginger 5, Sorry & The Sinatras, the list of quality just goes on and on.
There is one band however, that rose from the ashes the first time The Wildhearts crashed and burned that completely passed me by at the time, and that band is Grand Theft Audio.
I’m not exactly sure why this was, as formed around the creative nucleus of Wildhearts drummer Ritch Battersby, producer Ralph Jezzard and Realtv and Vive Finito frontman Jay Butler, the band quickly signed to London Records for their debut album ‘Blame Everyone’ and then found themselves pretty much everywhere, touring the world whilst also featuring on various movie and video game soundtracks. Then, almost as quickly as they burst onto the scene they were gone, as their label dissolved and the band fell apart.
Its two decades on from that implosion with Ritch and Jay now back in the ring with their second album ‘Pass Me The Conch’ that I first get to hear them, and praise the Gods (of Rock) that I’ve finally discovered them.
Effortlessly merging elements of electronica with balls out arena rock Grand Theft Audio sound like a whirlwind of positivity in a world that once again seems to love wallowing in the negative. Inspiring tracks like the gothic ‘Ruin Your Youth’, the anthemic ’Bad Instinct’, and the monstrous ‘Bury The Day’ take the bottom end thrust of The Wildhearts and give it a 21st Century twist, full to bursting point with melody and catchier than Covid-19 in a world that is now seemingly devoid of any conscience for its continued spread.
Elsewhere, there’s the pop-tastic rock/rap lead single ‘The Gods of Rock’ that has me thinking of Manson at his finest (that’s Marilyn not Charlie) and album opener ‘Scrub Up’ could very easily have been a long-lost GUN track written at the height of their 90s MTV fame.
It’s the darker and more reflective electronic tracks like ‘Trevor’ and ‘The Load’ that are the flipside of the Grand Theft Audio dynamic, and for me, this is where they stand apart from being just another rock band. It’s exhilarating and genre smashing stuff!
‘Pass Me The Conch’ is Grand Theft Audio’s statement of intent, its them taking control of their musical destiny and throughout the record’s ten tracks it sounds like they are loving every second of it.
Released on the 2nd of September with a twelve date tour starting a week later to help promote the release of the record, Grand Theft Audio will be sharing stages across the UK with CJ Wildheart and Scott Sorry and some might even be so bold as to say that a world without The Wildhearts is actually a musically much richer place to live in. ‘Pass Me The Conch’ is a leader not a follower- check it out!
There was a moment during ‘Tower Of Strength’ tonight when I took the time to look around the packed room. Confetti stuck to my sweat-drenched skin, flanked by girls on guys shoulders, there was a sea of hands in the air, smiling and singing along to one of their favourite songs. Nobody had a mobile phone out and everyone was lost in the moment, and I thought to myself …this, this is what live music is all about. This is what I have loved my entire adult life. And this sort of energy, this camaraderie at a live gig is what keeps me coming back for more.
This is the first of 3 warm up shows by The Mission in preparation for their European tour, and it will be the last dates the band play in the UK for the foreseeable future. There is no support and The Mission will play 2 sets. To my knowledge, the band have never played York before, they probably won’t again. It has been sold out for months. This could be a night to remember.
It is hot in The Crescent before the band even take to the stage at 8pm, and by the time they finish the first set of deep cuts and curiosities, I can only describe it as being akin to having a sauna, fully clothed with 250 of your best friends!
Engulfed in a cloud of dry ice, the opening ‘Black Cat Bone’ from their 2013 opus ‘The Brightest Light’, is an atmospheric, slow-burner that builds nicely. Dressed head to foot in black, the band skulk the stage as you would expect. The tribal beats of new boy Alex Baum sound powerful and Wayne Hussey’s 12 string sounds loud, way loud! The live mix ain’t the greatest it has to be said, but that’s what you get for standing a few feet from the stage and the PA, I guess! Wayne is certainly struggling with the sound, but it seems to sort itself out after a few songs.
Some great and some may say, unexpected tunes follow. The Beatles ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ sounds ace and that riff to ‘Evangeline’ is pure joy that lights the place up, a set highlight for me. The enigmatic frontman takes center stage, gesticulating to his enraptured fanbase as they sing the chorus back to him.
They mix up the old and new nicely. ‘Tyranny Of Secrets’, ‘Swoon’ and ‘Grotesque’ follow in quick succession, followed by old classics ‘And The Dance Goes On’ and ‘Into The Blue’. ‘Swan Song’ ends an hour set that dare I say it, was a bit mid-paced and lacked any big ‘hits’. But there is more to come.
A half hour break and then the band return for Set 2. This is more of a greatest hits set, consisting of the songs they will be playing on the imminent European tour. Opening with ‘Beyond the Pale’ immediately sets the scene for how a gig should be. The energy levels are off the scale, in complete contrast to the first set, where it seemed the crowd were hesitant to go for it. No such problem now, as fists punch the air in unison to the anthemic chorus and a circle pit of sorts forms sending arms and legs flailing into the unsuspecting masses.
The ebb & flow of this set seems perfect. Classics such as ‘Serpent’s Kiss’, ‘Garden Of Delight’ and a magnificent ‘Severina’ keep the energy levels high, the crowd are in fine voice and the sweat is literally dripping from every pore.
The gentle ballad ‘Butterfly On A Wheel is a welcome respite from the goth-tinged anthems and gives the more energetic amongst us a breather and a chance to get a drink. Wayne sips from a bottle of red and gets us to sing the chorus to him as he surveys the scene and smiles.
And then there’s confetti in the air… boom! ‘Wasteland’, hello my old friend! A heartbeat of a bassline from Craig Adams, effect-ridden guitars from Hussey & Simon Hinkler and that anthemic chorus. The song is jammed out with harmonics and feedback, as the frontman takes us on an extended trip, before bringing the hook back in again for a crescendo. Magnificent stuff.
Reinvigorated with its recent re-recording and release as a charity single, I guess ‘Tower Of Strength’ still stands tall as one of Wayne Hussey’s finest moments. Certainly, in this live setting it has the power to unite and enthrall in equal measures. The message in the lyrics is something we can all relate to during recent events and it stands tall as a testament to that more than anything.
They end the second set with ‘Deliverance’. I mean, c’mon, what a tune! If you aren’t making shapes with your hands through that verse and punching the air for the chorus, then what sort of a music fan are you anyway? Wayne keeps the chorus refrain going as Alex beats that bass drum, the guitarist and bassist exit stage left, leaving all eyes and ears on their band leader ending the song.
Shit, I need a drink of water and a change of t shirt, but they ain’t done yet. An encore is in order, and Wayne removes his 12 string for the first time tonight, takes to the mic and apologises for any mistakes they may make as they haven’t played the quite fitting ‘Heat’ for a long time. ‘Hungry As The Hunter’ follows and sees the band gift one last hurrah for a 2-set treat that no other show will provide on this run.
Combining the energy and bombast of an arena show, the atmosphere and intimacy of a small club show and the heat of a thousand suns, The Mission delivered a one-off performance I will remember for years to come. My ears are ringing, my clothes are drenched and my faith in live music is fully restored. If you are still under the illusion that goth rock is dreary and miserable, go see The Mission live and prepare to get the cobwebs blown away for good.
A NEW OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN FRONT OF BLACKPOOL TOWER TO TAKE PLACE AUGUST 4-7, 2022, IN ADDITION TO REBELLION AT THE WINTER GARDENS
R-FEST OFFERING FREE TICKETS TO NHS WORKERS!
Rebellion Festival, the largest punk and alternative festival in the world, is returning in 2022 even bigger and better with the launch of new outdoor event R-FEST – the festival within a festival.
Taking place this coming 4th to 7th of August 2022, in addition to Rebellion Festival at its annual home the Winter Gardens,R-FEST will be located slap bang in front of Blackpool Tower on the promenade, directly down from the Winter Gardens.
Although the country and government might have stopped clapping for the NHS, R-Fest want to show their gratitude for everything they did during the pandemic and continue to do, by offering one hundred tickets per day to the wonderful NHS workers.
If you’re an NHS key worker and fancy coming along for a day of music, food and sunshine all you’ll need to do is visit the Winter Gardens box office on Victoria Street, Blackpool this Wednesday 3rd August (12pm – 9pm) and show your NHS ID card to receive a free ticket for the R-Fest day of your choosing.
T&Cs apply: only one ticket per NHS ID can be given for free, though you may be able to purchase additional tickets from the box office. Up to 100 tickets available for each day of the festival – Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th August.
Note: this is a goodwill promotion and as such refunds cannot be issued for existing ticket holders.
The full line-up for R-Fest is.
THURSDAY 4th AUGUST: Levellers, Hawkwind, Misty in Roots, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, Beans on Toast, Millie Manders and the Shut Up
FRIDAY 5th AUGUST: The Stranglers, The Undertones, The Skids, From the Jam, Toyah, Jilted John, The Vapors
SATURDAY 6th AUGUST: Gary Numan, Peter Hook & the Light, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, The Wedding Present, Primitives, Pete Bentham & the Dinner Ladies
SUNDAY 7th AUGUST: Squeeze, Billy Bragg, Tom Robinson Band, Hollie Cook, Buzzcocks, Altered Images, I, Doris
R-FEST will quickly establish itself as the North West’s premier music festival and Rebellion Festival look forward to welcoming many fans that could be experiencing one of their events for the first time. We’re sure they will be welcomed by the Rebellion Family and soon realise why Blackpool is such a special place for our summer gatherings.
R-FEST is a standalone festival and day tickets are available at £50 per day. However, if you are a REBELLION weekend or REBELLION day ticket holder your ticket will get into R-FEST Free Of Charge!
R-FEST is all ages and there is re-entry available.
Rebellion Festival also looks forward to hosting the best punk from around the world in 2022 with the likes of Sham 69, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers confirmed to play the Winter Gardens August 4th-7th 2022.
Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners are proud to announce the release of their debut album on October 7th on Wicked CoolRecords. Their self-titled album is an energetic album that celebrates rock’n’roll and as Ginger explains it is in “the spirit of the music that we all collectively love, from childhood to the present day. Little Feat, The Allman Brothers, Wilco, The Band, Creedence, The Jayhawks, Lone Justice, Jason & the Scorchers, Georgia Satellites, Status Quo, The Stones…from roots country to rock n roll and Americana.” The uplifting new single Lately, Always is about a dream “Not necessarily one that will come true but enough to have something to look forward to, especially when times seem a little hopeless.”
Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners were formed in August 2019 when Ginger joined forces with Neil Ivison and Nick Lyndon from the band Stone Mountain Sinners. The lineup was completed with drummer Shane Dixon (Tri-City Fanfare) and as Ginger explains “Me and The Sinners met for the very first time in the studio, in preparation for recording an album together. We figured out that if we can’t get along with each other then the music would be ultimately worthless. So we went to the pub and got drunk together. The next morning the music started flowing with ease. This is the sound of friendship.” Their self-titled album was recorded at Mwnci studios in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with Dave Draper producing. The album kicks off with their first single Wasted Times, which sets the tone for an album of pure rock n roll, peppered with country touches. The listener will find a further seven original songs, including Lately, Always plus two covers: Dirty Water by Status Quo and Six Years Gone by Georgia Satellites’, the first song Ginger wanted to play with the band back when this was just an idea. “I became a bit obsessed with the song while in LA for Lemmy’s funeral, and carried it around in my heart from then until we all congregated at the studio.” There is a refreshingly familiar sound to every one of the songs on the album and it is a masterclass in how to write melodies that pull the heartstrings. Despite the turmoil in which we find ourselves, Ginger with his Sinners give us all hope. Get with it or get out. Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners essential debut album will be available digitally, on CD, and limited edition “Seaside Swirl” 12” vinyl. To pre order / pre stream Here
To celebrate the release of the Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners album the band will be playing ten UK shows, starting at Bannermans in Edinburgh on 18th October and finishing on 30th October at The Hare & Hounds in Birmingham. Tickets available from Monday 1st August at https://www.facebook.com/gingersinners
Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners UK October 2022 tour
Legendary British rock & roll band The Godfathers return with an almighty bang on their highly-anticipated new album Alpha Beta Gamma Delta. Featuring thirteen tracks of new material, the album is described by the band’s lead singer and founder Peter Coyne as “a sonic tour de force” and is their first full-length studio release since the critically acclaimed A Big Bad Beautiful Noise in 2017.
Written and recorded during the course of the Covid pandemic, the album was produced by The Godfathers’ bassist (and former Damned member) Jon Priestley. Following on from the double A-side single I’m Not Your Slave / Wild And Free released in 2020, ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ is the first Godfathers’ album to feature the new line-up of Coyne, Priestley, ex-Heavy Drapes’ members Billy Duncanson (drums) and Richie Simpson (guitar) and guitarist Wayne Vermaak from The Great St Louis.
“Alpha Beta Gamma Delta is definitely one of the very best albums The Godfathers have ever made – it’s exciting, dark, dangerous contemporary rock & roll!” states Coyne.
Originally formed in 1985 out of the ashes of The Sid Presley Experience, The Godfathers quickly earned a serious reputation for their electrifying brand of primal rock & roll and their incendiary live shows, aided and abetted by a string of classic radio hits and chart-bothering albums.
With numerous sold-out international tours and festival appearances to their credit, The Godfathers remain a consistent and reliable draw on the world’s stages and Alpha Beta Gamma Delta marks a thrilling new chapter in The Godfathers’ saga.
The album will be preceded by a 4-track EP entitled Midnight Rider on Friday 26th August, featuring two album tracks (Midnight Rider and OCD) plus two brand new and exclusive non-album tracks When The Cowards Fall and Fade Away.
The Godfathers will be announcing a full Autumn tour to coincide with the album’s release.
Alpha Beta Gamma Delta track listing:
Alpha Beta Gamma Delta / Bring On The Sunshine / You Gotta Wait / I Hate The 21st Century / OCD / Midnight Rider / Straight Down The Line / Lay That Money Down / Tonight / I’m Not Your Slave / There’s No Time / Dead In Los Angeles / I Despair
The ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ album & ‘Midnight Rider’ EP can be pre-ordered Here
TOYAH joins the tour! alongside Television and Headliner Billy Idol. Billy Idol is delighted to announce that Toyah will be joining the UK dates in October of The Roadside Tour 2022, alongside very special guest, Television. Billy will be heading out with some new music and a stack of timeless classics for his first appearances in the UK since 2018 and will play 6 Arena dates. Tickets are available Here
The ever-popular Toyah will bring an extra sense of fun to the tour. Alongside a flourishing acting career, Toyah carved out a successful musical career with three top ten UK hit singles in the 1980s and the Gold-selling album Anthem.
“We’re looking forward to having Toyah join us in the UK,” said Billy. “This is the final piece in what is going to be an epic show!”
“I am thrilled to be opening for Billy Idol on The Roadside Tour,” an excited Toyah commented. “Billy is an icon whose music has thrilled millions worldwide and continues to do so. Billy has created a style of rock that has gone on to inspire generation after generation. ‘Rebel Yell, ‘White Wedding’ and ‘Mony Mony’ are up there with the all-time greats.
“I can’t wait to start the tour and I am excited to be included in the fabulous line up alongside Television who made one of the first albums I ever bought.”
Billy Idol’s very special guests are Television featuring Tom Verlaine. Television will be performing their seminal debut album Marquee Moon in full.
Billy’s touring band features his long-time guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens along with Stephen McGrath (bass, backing vocals), Billy Morrison (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Trudeau (keyboards, backing vocals) and drummer Erik Eldenius.
Pic by John Patzer
Billy Idol The Roadside Tour 2022dates:
Thursday 13 October Manchester AO Arena
Monday 17 October Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Wednesday 19 October London The SSE Arena, Wembley
Friday 21 October Glasgow The SSE Hydro
Sunday 23 October Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Tuesday 25 October Leeds First Direct Arena
Tickets for The Roadside Tour 2022 can be purchased from www.aegpresents.co.uk/billy-idol. All existing tickets are valid for the revised dates.
Here at RPM we pride ourselves on our diversity, like to think we cover a wide range of artists and we strive to step out of our comfort zone at every opportunity. So, taking a 2-hour car journey and seemingly stepping back in time a good 100 years or so, I head to The Toon for one of only five (mostly sold out) UK shows from Nashville’s best kept secret Sierra Ferrell.
Born and bred in West Virginia, Sierra Ferrell grew up on a diet of punk and grunge. She started busking in her 20’s and adopted a nomadic lifestyle, where she discovered a love for bluegrass and swing music, adopting her style to suit. She settled in Nashville and signed a 3 album deal with Rounder Records, releasing her debut album ‘Long Time Coming’ in 2021. Some say it’s her solo performances, preceding the album release and uploaded to YouTube, where this girl truly shines.
Sierra Ferrell has a voice that sounds like it should be on old, crackly vinyl, and in a live environment, as on record, she has the ability to transport the listener back to another time.
This is Sierra’s first visit to the UK and many of these long postponed European dates are sold out, so it’s no real surprise that there is an air of anticipation and excitement leading up to the performance. Its already hot in The Cluny as Sierra plucks the opening chords to ‘In Dreams’ and walks on to whoops and hollerin’ from the packed-out crowd. Wearing a red, flowery dress, matching cowboy boots and her hair up in rollers, she certainly looks old school country, yet it’s the septum ring, tattoos and ultimately the quality tunes that sets her apart from the usual Nashville country artists that come our way.
Flanked by Oliver Bates Craven on mandolin and fiddle, and upright bassist Geoff Saunders, the diminutive singer takes us back to another place, another time with her ageless, gypsy jazz and folky laments that incorporate as much calypso and Latin influences as they do country.
For an artist who has just one album, she seems to have a cult following in the UK. Looking around me the demographic is similar to an Alabama 3/Primal Scream sort of crowd, a mix of gig-hardened 50 somethings, alternative students and die-hard roots music lovers. A Glasto sort of crowd, a festival which funnily enough is happening as we stand here. How is she over here this weekend and not playing? She would be perfect at Glastonbury. Maybe next year.
A lot of people know all the words tonight and it’s a very vocal and upbeat crowd. There’s a lot of chat, a lot of foot-stomping and a whole lotta singing. Yet, a song like ‘Whispering Waltz’ stops everyone in their tracks and you could hear a pin drop while we are mesmerised by the near perfect rendition. Sierra transports the listener to the mountains of Virginia with mournful, rustic accompaniment and a stunning mandolin solo (not a phrase I ever thought I would say!).
They pretty much play the whole album, past singles and a few covers. Highlights for me would be the gypsy jazz of ‘The Sea’, the countrified ‘Bells Of Every Chapel’ and the heartfelt balladry of ‘West Virginia Waltz’ that was simply outstanding.
There was also a new song which will be on her next album called ‘Fox Hunt’. It featured Oliver and Sierra both on fiddle and had a foot-stomping, folk driven intensity that brought to mind The Levellers at their finest. This I liked a lot, instantly gratifying and judging by the whoopin’ and hollerin’ from the crowd, I was not the only one. A song that promises good things for album number two.
Between songs, Sierra sinks a large wine glass of something pink and makes use of the strategically placed fan to cool down. The main set closes with the finger-pickin’ delights of ‘Jeremiah’, one of those YouTube wonders that has the crowd singing along.
No drums, no electric guitars, just simple, honest songs played by 3 players on stringed, acoustic instruments and a voice that is effortless in its perfection.
They sure missed a trick not having any vinyl on sale tonight, as you can’t find the album for love or money over here, but the t shirts were cool, so that was a bonus.
As we always say at RPM, we strive to bring you the cool artists from the underground, the ones on the way up, the ones who bring something a bit different and edgy to the table. Sierra has something, from the first video I watched and the ensuing YouTube rabbit hole I went down. It was well worth a 2-hour trip and I will do it again when she returns. She will return, she expressed a wish to live here from the stage tonight. When she does come back, I highly recommend you check her out. In the meantime, has anyone got her record for sale please?
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