Bob Vylan is going on tour. Tickets for the ‘Viva La Vylan Tour’ are on sale now.
They’ve been locked away making new music and it’s time to get back out on the road. They’ll be joined by Panic Shack and Kid Bookie from the 12th onwards and Meryl Streek will be joining them in Ireland.
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When Motorhead folded after Lemmy’s death in 2015, everyone wondered what would become of guitarist Phil Campbell and drummer Mikkey Dee. Would they stay together and form another band? As it turns out, that wasn’t to be, these days Mikkey sits on the drum throne for German metal titans the Scorpions, and Phil Campbell turned his side project while he was in Motorhead; Phil Campbell’s All Starr Band into something permanent and changed the name of the band to Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. The Bastard Sons in question are of course Phil’s actual sons Todd, Tyla and Dane on guitar, bass, and drums respectively.
A self-titled EP was released in 2016 and they released their debut album ‘The Age of Absurdity’ in 2018 on Nuclear Blast records. The album was well received, winning best album at the 2018 Metal Hammer awards. The band succeeded in salvaging some of the Motorhead swagger with a modern edge that helped them fit in to the NWOCR movement.
Their second album ‘We’re the Bastards’ which was released in the autumn of 2020, followed on nicely from the debut with more fist pumping anthems. In 2021 the band parted ways with vocalist Neil Starr. Andrew Hunt from Buffalo Summer/Valhalla Awaits filled in for some live dates including a headline spot at 2021’s Steelhouse Festival while the band looked for a full time replacement for Starr.
In January 2022 the band announced Bootyard Bandits front man Joel Peters as their new vocalist after completing a UK tour with PCATBS. The band have always been a force to be reckoned with live and with this latest release ‘Live in the North’ we have been given a great insight into just how good they are as a live unit. I have been lucky enough to have seen the band live numerous times now, and they never disappoint. The album was recorded in 2021 at the Independent in Sunderland and the track listing has a dusting of both studio albums as well as some Motorhead classics and material from Phil’s solo album ‘Old Lions Still Roar’.
Kicking off with a rousing rendition of ‘We’re the Bastards’ the band are on fire throughout the set. Joel Peters sounds like he’s always been there fronting the band, he really is a fine front man, engaging the crowd and singing his heart out. The Bastard Sons themselves are all fine musicians and play a blinder here as always. Drummer Dane is world class and shows his fine-tuned chops here driving the band all the way. Todd and Tyla sound great, Todd’s crunching guitar sound works perfectly and Tyla has that rumbling bass sound that’s worthy of every Lemmy lick he plays. Then we have Papa Campbell himself, still playing like his life depended on it every night, he really is an inspiration. ‘Bite My Tongue’ swaggers along nicely, ‘Rock Out’ sounds revitalised here with a little more pace than the Motorhead original. ‘Spiders’ grooves along with a riff that Tony Iommi would be proud of. ‘Son of a Gun’ is an absolute belter of a track that sounds so much better live. Motorhead anthem ‘Born to Raise Hell’ is full of rock n roll boogie and is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. ‘High Rule’ is another track that sounds better live with its double time chorus that Dane has a ball with. ‘These Old Boots’ pumps along nicely with Peters taking on the vocals that Dee Snider of Twisted Sister provided on ‘Old Lions Still Roar’ with ease.
We are then treated to a breakneck speed version of ‘Ace of Spades’ which rolls into a clap along rendition of Hawkwind classic ‘Silver Machine’. ‘Ringleader’ brings us back to the band’s original material with a bang before we are ‘Going to Brazil’. ‘Dark Days’ does what it says on the tin, a brooding chug fest that comes into its own in a live setting. ‘Big Mouth’ from the bands debut EP is a mainstay in the bands set and always goes down a storm. The album closes with a fantastic execution of Motorhead’s ‘Killed by Death’.
‘Live in the North’ is a solid representation of Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons in a live setting. A great listen from start to finish, and with 15 songs and just under an hour’s duration, you get plenty of bang for your buck. As I write this, the band are taking pre orders for a signed CD version or a T shirt and CD bundle. Get on it quick people! Oh, and fuck you Tyla Campbell!!
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Author: Kenny Kendrick
The Godfathers will release a brand new ‘I Hate The 21st Century’ EP & also an expanded 2 CD version of their critically acclaimed ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ album that includes a cornucopia of previously unreleased bonus material.
The ‘I Hate The 21st Century’ EP (released 9th June) features the title track & ‘You Gotta Wait’ from ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ & previously unreleased, alternative acoustic versions of ‘Straight Down The Line’ & ‘Tonight’.
The 26 track, new double album entitled ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta PLUS’ (released 16th June) contains the original album on CD 1 & a wealth of unreleased material on CD 2 – studio numbers recorded at the album sessions, previously unreleased alternative acoustic versions of key songs & ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta’ related live tracks from the band’s celebrated Rockpalast TV special performance in Germany in 2020, including an electrifying cover of The Stooges ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’. Full track listing for ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta PLUS’ will be announced soon.
The ‘I Hate The 21st Century’
EP & the ‘Alpha Beta Gamma Delta PLUS’ double album can both be pre-ordered NOW via
http://www.thegodfathers.bigcartel.com/
The Godfathers will also play 4 UK gigs in June – Edinburgh, Wigan, London & Hull.
15/6/23 – Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
With very special guests Twisted Nerve
https://www.seetickets.com/event/the-godfathers/the-voodoo-rooms/2552212
16/6/23 – The Old Courts, Wigan
https://www.theoldcourts.com/shows/the-godfathers/
17/6/23 – O2 Academy Islington, London
With Very Special Guests The Urban Voodoo Machine
https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/the-godfathers-london-17-06-2023/event/1F005E44EA391824
18/6/23 – The New Adelphi, Hull
Making our way through the wretched hive of scum and villainy gathered on the streets of Mos Ei… sorry I of course meant…Newport, on route to entering our favourite local cantina bar, Le Pub, I’d perhaps be forgiven for thinking I’d actually stepped back in time, to a film set not from the 1970s, but in fact the 1960s and that scene in ‘Blow Up’ where David Hemmings walks in on the Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page version of Yardbirds rippin’ through a rough as they come version of ‘Train Kept A-Rollin’’. That’s because Finland’s finest rabble rousers US are in the house tonight opening proceedings for Jim Jones All Stars, and they are making an immediate (and very positive) impression on those of us in the sweaty confines of Le Pub early doors.
Having recently completed a set of UK shows in support of the fast rising His Lordship, US are not only a band seemingly out of time, but also out of this world, their music falling somewhere between garage rock and out and out old school R&B, with the Helsinki 5 piece not only winning the sharpest dressers in Newport award tonight, but also truly sounding like the real deal too. I could say they remind me of The Strypes, as they look as young as those Irish lads did in their early years, but no, these lads actually remind me of The Sonics, and that’s a world of difference in my book.
US are playing a series of UK shows this summer including a run of 5 shows at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, make sure you catch ‘em while you can, as these guys are going to be going places.
Having witnessed Jim Jones during his time fronting revolutionary psych punks Thee Hypnotics (first time around and the brief pre-Covid reunion), along with his roustabout Revue years and those most Righteous of Minds days, my most recent encounter with the singer/guitarist was at this year’s Vive Le Rock Awards in London where he briefly put a spell on us all fronting the house pick up band the Vive Le Rockers.
Why do I mention this? Well, simply because the 8-piece band that now makes up the collective known as the Jim Jones All Stars is like the perfect sum of all those already great parts…but (as some welly wearing comedian used to say) there’s more. Much, much more.
I’m not sure exactly what it is, but there’s times tonight where the All Stars sound like they could be Stax or Sun (oh and let’s not forget Bell either) Records recording artistes, there’s just so much soul emanating from the stage, and that extra little touch of class that the dual saxophones bring to proceedings is nothing short of musical genius.
For their hour on stage (which literally felt like it was over in the blink of an eye) we get reinventions of classic Revue tracks like ‘Cement Mixer’, ‘Burning Your House Down’, ‘The Princess And The Frog’, along with a truly off the scale ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Psychosis’ plus there’s a seismic rendition of the Righteous Minds’ ‘Satan’s Got His Heart Set On You’ along for safe measure, something that very well might just have woken up any dozing Rontos chained up outside. (Jeez, I never do any Star Wars references and that’s two in one review). Plus of course there’s the All Stars very own anthem in the making, the hip shaking, ‘Gimme The Grease’, which really is a sign of truly great things to come.
Whilst a lot of the other bars in Newport would see cover bands playing in them tonight, I will bet my mortgage on the fact that none of those bands will have covered both ‘Run Run Run’ by The Velvet Underground, and ‘Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey’ by The Beatles. Unfortunately, there’s no space in the set tonight for the band’s version Of ‘Human Fly’, aired during their inaugural live shows, but I’m more than happy to trade that in for the All Stars’ rendition of Thee Hypnotics’ ‘Shakedown’ that closes things out tonight. Wow! That really is all I can say, apart from this is how I always wanted to hear this song delivered live, and like the wise old sage stood by me during the show shouted in my ear, it really did “sound like The Stooges in their prime”.
With the clock ticking down to the dreaded night club early load out, there was just enough time for a whirlwind run through of the Revue’s ‘512’ before we were all being ushered out into the main bar and ultimately out into the maybe not quite as cold as usual Newport night air.
This long since sold out show will surely feature on many of its (very lucky) attendees’ gigs of the year list, and after seeing Jim Jones perform with all those aforementioned bands, I feel he’s really hit on something very magical indeed with the Jim Jones All Stars.
This is without question his finest hour yet, truly exceptional stuff!
Author: Johnny Hayward
Having been under the weather for the previous few days and still suffering from an infection a very busy O2 Bristol gives Libertines, Babyshambles frontman Doherty a very warm welcome in the spacious environment for an “intimate” acoustic performance. Peter is accompanied onstage by his two rather large dogs who stroll on and make themselves comfortable making the whole thing quite surreal.
I can’t help but feel that playing this kind of show would work so much better in a small compact venue but then a fraction of the people would get in but that’s the way it goes, the O2 is impersonal and cavernous for a one-man acoustic show even if it was a treat to hear some gems played this way by a writer who has written some of the best songs and lyrics over the last few decades. Doherty is a genius and it felt a treat and a privilege to witness the man perform in this way. Whilst he might well have been playign to a set list it certainly didn’t feel that way as Peter meanders through the songs finding a comfortable pitch and easing his vocal into the set whist interacting with the audience as shouts go out for favourite songs and classic cuts this is loose as Dylan and Richards and Wood at live aid (go find it) its Libertines heavy in the opening exchanges, ‘Music When The Lights Go Out’ is very early in the set along with a couple of Babyshambles choice cuts with ‘Bollywood To Battersea’ working really well.
Mid set we were treated to a fantastic ramshackled ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ where the audience found its voice and joined Doherty for the best song written by anyone in the UK for decades. As we headed into the homestraight and Peters voice was showing little signs of wear that had him postpone a show a few days earlier ‘Don’t Look Back’, ‘Time For Heroes’, ‘What Katie Did’ went down a treat before ‘Last Of The English Roses’ was aired along with a new song entitled ‘The Barons Claw’.
Possibly the best song of the night was an epic version of ‘French Dog Blues’ before ‘Albion’ kissed goodnight to a really chilled night out where I witnessed people jostling in the pit to a one man acoustic evening which was cool. To be fair I love his lyrics and I’ll take his music be it with a rock and roll band or ensemble of musicians as well as on his lonesome. Peter Doherty is a poet and one of the United Kingdoms finest songwriters and to him stripped bare like this was a real treat.
Author: Dom Daley
We’ve been banging on about Texas singer/songwriter Ryan Hamilton since before RPM was even a thing, and for good reason. Ryan is an artist who always seems to be on the verge of breaking through with every new album, before some personal tragedy scuppers his plans and he’s back to square one.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, well that all depends on what is trying to kill you, I guess. In Ryan’s case it could be a cheating first wife, addiction, divorce, online abuse, the record business, cancelled tours and most recently…a delayed album due to manufacturing errors. All the above have happened in the last decade and you really couldn’t make it up, but Ryan is still soldiering on, and thank your lucky stars he is.
‘Haunted By the Holy Ghost’ follows his 2020 break up album ‘Nowhere To Go But Everywhere’ and the following lockdown album ‘1221’. Produced by go-to-guy Dave Draper who also plays bass, along with Ben Marsden on guitar and Carol Hodge and Emily Ewing on backing vocals. It was recorded at Draper’s studio The Old Cider Press and Ryan’s home studio in Texas, making the whole album a transatlantic power pop affair.
The opening song ‘Asshole’ shows Ryan’s current attitude towards the music business. It was released on Valentine’s Day as an act of self-sabotage guaranteeing zero radio airplay, which is maybe a silly idea if you are a struggling artist wanting airplay, but I’m sure he knows what he’s doing…. but its ok, because this album is choc-a-bloc with singles!
The title track is classic Ryan power pop, a radio-friendly earworm inspired by his Catholic upbringing. With an infectious hook and a euphoric feel, it is an early highlight. ‘Paper Planes’ again, is the sort of song Ryan first showed promise with on ‘Hell Of A Day’, full of quirky, power pop goodness and a euphoric middle section that takes it up a notch.
Ryan is never shy to pen an 80’s style power ballad or two, and for this album he has outdone himself. There are two ‘lighter in the air’ moments that could end up on future teen lovers’ mixtapes. The first ‘Overdose’ is not about drug addiction, but about falling madly and deeply, like ‘first love’ deep or ‘marriage material’ deep. You know, right? We’ve all been there. Elsewhere the emotive ‘Absence Of Love’, lyrically is the complete opposite to the aforementioned ‘Overdose, while full of heartbreak and yearning, it is still as emotive though.
A cover of Splender’s ‘Yeah, Whatever’ is given a lick of aural magic by Ryan and Dave Draper. Indie beats and those quirky vocals give the turn of the century alternative hit a new lease of life, as they do with George Strait’s ‘All My Exes Live In Texas’. This fun run through was a past single but shows its face here as a hidden track (it’s a homage to the CD era, kids!) after the closing song of the album.
‘Sad Bastard Song’ officially closes the 12-track album, and it is the best song here for several reasons. For one, I just love the countrified acoustics and pedal steel guitar vibes, and secondly the tongue-in-cheek lyrics may on the surface make it seem like a throwaway, comedic song for losers, but the stark reality is that these lyrics are from the heart and probably ring truer than you would think, and it’s probably my favourite song on the goddamn record.
It’s a sad fact that some of my favourite artist from the last 30 years will never get the commercial success or the critical acclaim they so rightly deserve. Times are tougher than ever for the underdog, but only one thing can make a difference…you, the music buying public. It would be a tragedy for an album this good to slip under the radar when it should be up there with the Adele’s and the Tayor Swift’s of the world, but how can Ryan compete with those big guns? Who knows, but maybe if when you finish reading these words, you were to click a link and buy this album, that would help just a little. I mean, c’mon, it’s worth it just for that cover art of Jesus in shades, right?
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Author: Ben Hughes
The sun is still blazing in the sky over a hot and sweaty Barcelona evening as a line of people zigzags up a metal staircase to Club Razzmatazz where a packed out room is bathed in dry ice as the PA creaks to ‘Tadeusz (1912-1988)’ and the already sweaty audience breaks out into a heaving mass of football sing-a-long excitement before the band walks on for one last hurrah around Europe on the Deja Vu tour.
The few times I caught The Mission last year they were on fine form breaking in the new drummer just ahead of the UK tour post covid lockdowns and they were (pardon the pun) on a Mission and full of energy. Barca expects and as the band winds up ‘Beyond The Pail’ the club is jumping and with hardly any room to breath its a heaving mass of swathing bodies singing along and I’m imediately taken back to the early days where packed clubs like Bristol Studio or New Ocean Club in Cardiff would see you carried along in a sea of bodies well this was like that. ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ was played early doors before the band lashed out ‘Serpent’s Kiss’ and an enthusiastic ‘Over The Hills’ this was warming up to be something special.
The sound was good and the band sounded well rehearsed and full of energy. With a great mix of songs from way back to more recent offerings, it was ‘Within The Deepest Darkness (fearful)’ when we could take a breather and take in just how bloody good a band the Mission are. The show was taking shape in manageable chunks as the audience sang back every word from the epic ‘Kingdom Come’ and ‘Stay With Me’ it was ‘Butterfly On A Wheel’ where Wayne let the audience sing back to him and I think he was impressed how loud and in tune it was. the main set was brought to an end with an energetic ‘Wasteland’ before ‘Deliverance’ saw the band leave the stage for the first time. A dozen songs had just flown by and I’d found myself in a pocket of air towards the front as the band returned for a trio of songs culminating in an exhilarating ‘Crystal Ocean’ that was the highlight of the set for me. How or why I don’t know but tonight I was moved by this song even though I’d heard it live dozens and dozens of times the whole experience was uplifting and life affirming and I love that Rock and Roll can do that even in a sea of top tunes one will stand tall.
The band left the stage for a second time before Wayne returned alone to announce that one of the band needed a toilet break but would say who so it was left for a welcome return of ‘Love Me To Death’ which only left an epic rendition of ‘Tower Of Strength’ before it was done leaving only Wayne and Simon to twist out a feedback soaked ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and then it was done. Off to Madrid for one last time as we filed out into the warm night air happy I’d once again seen The Mission deliver the goods and cement their place as one of the best live bands still treading the boards.
I know they’ve alluded to this possibly being their last foray into Europe but I’d ask they reconsider that and maybe do it one last time next year or the year after and I’ll be there and by the looks of it so will a lot of others. Another night of Deja Vu with the awesome Mission. Gracias amigos.
Author: Dom Daley
The Last Internationale were formed in NYC by singer Delila Paz and guitarist Edgey Pires back in 2008. Their socially conscious protest songs garnered the attention of Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who subsequently introduced them to drummer Brad Wilk. Their debut album ‘We Will Reign’ was released on Epic in 2004, it was produced by Brendan O’Brien and Brendan Benson and featured Wilk on drums.
The album led to tours with the likes of Robert Plant and The Who, the band gained a cult following and a reputation for energetic, crowd-pleasing live shows. Currently on the road supporting the release of their brand new, independently released third album ‘Running For A Dream’, The Last Internationale return to the UK as part of their extensive European tour, and to the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds for the first time.
York rockers The Black Skies are riding high on the release of their newest single, a cover of Nina Simone’s ‘Feeling Good’ and playing The Brudenell for the first time, less than 12 months since they became a 5-piece band.
The room is filling up as they take to the stage and their soulful, metallic-tinged rock sounds mighty in my favourite venue. Dressed all in black, shades and a cowboy hat ever present, singer James Handley sticks to the mic stand like it’s his best friend. I get menacing, rooted-to-the-spot Layne Stayley vibes in his delivery and those powerful, soulful vocals are as spot on as the recorded versions.
Flanked by animated guitarists Luke Falkingham and Benny Sheldon, and with bassist Michael and powerhouse drummer Tom holding down the backbeat, the band sound massive and way tighter than they should do at this stage of their career. And they also have the songs. From the contemporary and commercial first single ‘Unchained’ onto the bluesy earworm ‘Save My Soul’ and last single ‘Come And Get Me’, they show maturity and diversity in their songwriting and a knack for a catchy chorus or two.
They are pretty good at making covers their own as well. They take Hellbound Glory’s swampy ‘Sun Valley Blues’ and give it some 70’s riff rock treatment that Aerosmith or even Zep would be proud of. And ending with latest single ‘Feeling Good’ leaves those who are unacquainted with the band a taste of something familiar but given the Black Skies treatment.
A local band that are growing in confidence with every gig and have that certain something that makes them stand out from the competition. If they keep going the way they are, who knows where it will take them.
Who the hell are Taipei Houston, you may well ask. Well, I certainly did before this gig. A bit of internet digging later, and it turns out the 2-piece bass and drum combo are brothers named Ulrich, yes that Ulrich. But they don’t make a big deal about their heritage, and no, they sound nothing like Metallica.
That said, drummer Myles is a demon behind the kit. With his brother Layne handling vocals and fuzzy bass duties, the duo make a remarkable and pretty unique noise. Part Royal Blood, part White Stripes, their schizophrenic music is like Rush on crack with breakbeats all over the shop.
I don’t know any of their songs but there are more time signatures and stop/start moments than The Mars Volta in their prime, I mean, its verging on jazz…maybe its jazz metal? To be honest, I can’t take my eyes off that drummer and what he’s actually doing, is he playing it straight or improvising? Is he making it up as he goes along? Whatever’s going on, it’s certainly original, the only drawback is that it all ends up sounding the same.
I don’t know if I could handle a full album of that stuff, no disrespect to Layne, but I feel they are lacking a singer and could be a killer power trio with the right guy. That said, their instrumental version of The Beatles ‘Eleanor Rigby’ was insane! A cracking live band that are well worth checking out if they come your way.
Gil Scott-Heron’s ‘The Revolution Will Be Not Be Televised’ plays through the PA, signaling the arrival of The Last Internationale on to the stage at The Brudenell. Guitarist Edgey is immediately at the front bashing his fists on his Les Paul, goading the crowd, while singer Delila, looking very rock n’ roll in a silver one-piece cat suit, takes straight to the mic as the band kick in with ‘Killing Fields’.
There’s an immediacy to the performance from the off and a crackling energy that fills the room. With the addition of a bassist, the band are now a 4 piece, giving Delila the freedom to devote full attention to performance, and my how that girl can work a crowd. The rhythm section are tight as you like, and the focus is on the singer and guitarist as they work that certain magic that only seasoned touring musicians can. With its chanting refrain ‘Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Indian Blood’ is the ideal fodder to get the crowd worked up and the duo know it. Edgey punches his fist into the air with passion to incite crowd response and you believe every word that comes from Delila’s mouth. 2 songs in and if you aren’t completely sold by this band already, then you maybe should’ve stayed at home. There’s a reason why that first gig I witnessed 8 years ago still sticks in my mind, and why I still follow The Last Internationale’s every move.
The high energy newer material such as ‘Hero’ and ‘1984’ fit well with the older tunes and it’s not until they wheel out the keyboard for the emotive ‘Soul On Fire’ that the crowd and band get a chance to rest. The jammed-out version is extended as Delila sits down and takes her piano-led soul music to new heights. Mid-song she moves away from the piano and sings acapella about Nina Simone, seemingly going off on a tangent and singing free form, shouting “Nina Simone!” at the crowd and stamping her feet in unison to hit home the passion, the soul and the message. She has the whole room in the palm of her hand and I’m sure you could hear a pin drop during that performance.
The band delivers like any classic 70s rock band you have ever seen footage of. Delila coming on like Juliette Lewis meets Patti Smith, spinning and turning, having the time of her life as Edgey pulls all the cool rock poses behind her, bashing 7 shades of shit out of his guitar.
Towards the end of the set, Delila straps on the bass for early career single ‘Wanted Man’. Edgey motions to the crowd to clap as she plays that pumping bass groove, getting more crowd interaction with the “whoo-hoo’s”. Another defining moment of the set.
Extended set closer ‘1968’ sees Delilah jumping into the crowd and getting everybody to crouch down on the floor as she takes the song right down. I saw her do a similar thing at the main stage of Ramblin Man Fair a few years back, festival crowds or 300 capacity clubs, it makes no difference, the same delivery and the same reaction. I like it when an artist makes the audience part of the show, and The Last Internationale have become masters of the craft over the years. It ends with a stage invasion as the singer invites all those who want to come up and dance to do it.
The Last Internationale are a world-class act that deserves more recognition. As a live band they are up there with the best, pretty untouchable in my opinion. Like their heroes Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, they have something to say and the fact that they are now doing this independently is a testament to their passion and the message they are preaching to all who will listen as they take it around the globe.
In an age of extortionate stadium gig prices for over-the-hill bands, tonight was all about 3 excellent bands for £15, one who already have festival crowds in the palm of their hands and two who represent the grassroots bands of the future, all are the artists we need to be supporting before live music becomes a thing of the past.
Author: Ben Hughes
Photo credit to; Mimi Cullen, NI Studios
There’s nothing better than the feeling of the sticky floor of your favourite local live music venue on a rainy Sunday evening, but just like the time just under a year ago when I first encountered tonight’s headliners live, I regret to say that once again the Covid social media warriors who swore they’d be at every gig if a venue would be brave enough to open during lockdown. appear conspicuous by their absence, I bet they’re probably all at home too busy posting about the national alert signal they didn’t want to go off on their mobile just a few hours earlier.
Ho hum, still those of us who are in da house, and I see quite a few new faces amongst those parting with their £8 (yup you can still do gigs for under a tenner folks) at the door, are in for a right rollicking night of live music make no mistake, and I can think of no netter way than starting things off than 30 odd minutes in the company of Chepstow based punk rockers Bottlekids.
Having not seen the trio live in quite a while it’s interesting to see (and hear) they’ve not only added a feisty cover of 3 Colours Red’s ‘Mental Blocks’ to their set, but also (to my ears at least) moved ever so slightly away from the more pop/punk edge or their earlier sound into a harder more aggressive direction. There’s still plenty of hooks and “woah ohs” to enjoy, but the band themselves appear have really grown as songwriters via their 2022 ‘Zilch!’ EP pushing the needles well and truly into the red and live they really are one hell of crack unit. Bottlekids really have been beavering away on the live front recently, playing gigs right across the country, and with plenty more shows on the itinerary for the rest of 2023, make sure you get out and support them, because as we all know, it’s always nice to discover a great new band you’ve never seen before (or in this case, not in a good while).
Which is exactly how I discovered tonight’s headliners, Californian R&B surf stompers The Atom Age. Sauntering in off the street eleven months earlier half realising a band I’d heard via a YouTube video a friend had sent me were playing Le Pub and then immediately being blown away, tonight, is going to be my first proper encounter with the 12 legged rock ‘n’ roll monster, as this time around I come prepared with a knowledge of the band’s back catalogue, but will it prove to be just as impressive as that initial encounter?
Well, it takes just a few seconds of opener ‘Honeybees’ to answer that question. Shake, rattle and rolling the always impressive Le Pub sound system The Atom Age launch themselves into action like an MC5 shaped musical torpedo and they aren’t about to miss the target. We, the audience. It’s fascinating to watch six musicians so seemingly different (visually at least) gel into such a formidable live force. From the Wilko Johnson meets Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist antics of singer/guitarist Peter Niven, to the Pål Pot Pamparius of the farfisa Fred Brott, there is an explosive edge to the band that is only balanced out by the uber cool saxophone licks of Brendan Frye and (and I’m still chuckling at the one) the young Jack Jarvis charms of anchor-man MC guitarist/singer Ryan Perras. Add to this the substantial bottom end powerhouse drummer Fat Tim and bassist Kevin Mohn and you have a band able to level audiences and venues in equal measure.
Set list wise the band are (perhaps understandably) still out on the road promoting their Covid impacted 2019 album ‘Cry ‘Til You Die’ (available tonight for just £10 on vinyl and £5 on CD folks…are you listening The Bronx?) as though it is a new record, and there are some actual newer tunes like ‘Til We’re Shakin’, a track custom made for any upcoming Tarantino soundtrack, plus the frantic BRMC-like set closer ‘I Was A Rock ‘N’ Roll Narcissist’ that indicate the future does indeed sound great for The Atom Age.
Of the older Atom Age tunes aired tonight it’s still ‘I Hypnotize’ that flicks all the switches for yours truly, the tune sounding not unlike an unreleased cut from ‘RFTC’ era Rock From The Crypt, and who couldn’t love that?
Elsewhere the aforementioned ‘Cry ‘Til You Die’ album gets represented by its soulful and sassy opener ‘Love Is A Numbers Game’, the strutting ‘Walk Through Walls’ and perhaps that record’s best cut, the glorious beetle crusher stomp of ‘Never Looking’ with its divine “woo-oo” vocal breakdown, all delivered to absolute perfection.
And if its something from the Blag Dahlia co-produced ‘Hot Shame’ album (also available for just £10 on vinyl and £5 on CD folks) you are looking for, then there’s the Hives on steroids blitz that is ‘It’s A Mess’ plus the album’s equally excellent title track for you to shake your Sunday night tail feather to.
The only downer for me tonight was it was all over way too soon. The Atom Age really are a very special band indeed, flying just under the punk rock cool radar (which at the moment seems to be distracted by any band coming out of Australia) but just the same delivering total annihilation wherever they play.
Catch The Atom Age wherever you can… they are incredible!
Author: Johnny Hayward
For some years now Diverse Vinyl in Newport have been putting together a day of free live music within the city centred around Record Store Day. This year though, seemingly sick of working through the whirlwind that is the retail event of the year for many a record shop and then running an 8 hour live event, the promotor (take a bow Matt Jarrett) and venues involved (take a bow Le Pub and McCann’s) have moved this live music element forward by a week, so everyone can enjoy the show without being totally exhausted.
In saying this though, between us, me and my RPM gig going amigo Nev Brooks still can’t quite muster up the superhero power known as “standing up for the full show”, so instead, we descend on Le Pub about halfway through the event, just in time to catch Pigeon Wigs, who were also coincidentally the first band I saw post the UK coming out of Covid lockdowns.
Back in 2021 I predicted that the Cardiff based band showed all the signs of following in the footsteps of Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and possibly ink themselves a major deal due to them playing a mesmerising mix of powerpop and fuzzy guitar driven rock ‘n’ roll. Instead (for now at least), they have signed with Clwb Music and are just about to launch their new single ‘Hold Up’ (which gets played four songs in tonight) into the multiverse, and to be honest not a lot else has changed, other than they appear to be a keyboard player short tonight. Pigeon Wigs still have this immediate likeable swagger about them and songs like ‘Paper Tiger’ really are custom built for venues much larger than Le Pub, catch them in one such sized venue while you still can.
I’ll say exactly the same thing too for Hastings based trio HotWax, who are up next in The Pit at McCann’s, simply because this is one amazing band in the making if ever there was one. Fusing Polly Jean Harvey’s skills within the musical dark arts with the overdriven thrust of Kat Bjelland’s Katastrophy Wife (thank you for that reference point, Mr Brooks) HotWax duck and dive around their short and not so sweet set like battle hardened grunge prize-fighters, yet they still retain the nativity of a band just out of school, a quality that immediately drags you in. Upcoming single ‘A Thousand Times’ is a classic example of how to bend and twist the song writing formula the HotWax way, whilst in ‘Barbie’ HotWax possibly have their very own scent of teen spirit ready and waiting to be bottled up for the masses. Don’t believe me, then just ask Legendary TJ’s promotor Simon Phillips who I spotted out of the corner of my eye whooping and slapping one of the basement walls mid-set as a show of support. Who was it again he promoted back in the day? Yeah, pretty much everyone.
It’s outside we go next to sample the fresh Newport night air along with about a hundred other hardy souls as Fashion Weak take to the makeshift stage situated between Le Pub and McCann’s to deliver, what turns out to be, a masterclass in avantgarde electro pop. Dubbing themselves the new wave of synth wave, what Fashion Weak actually are is yet another glorious musical left turn within a genre than seems to be throwing out great bands at an alarming rate right now. In frontman John MOuse you not only have someone brave enough to play part of tonight’s outdoor gig topless, but also dance around like an off his nut Dave Gahan, whilst delivering acerbic vocal lines (like the absolute classic ‘Eighteen Percent Of Swansea’…haven’t worked in the DVLA) over what can only be described as a Spagna goes Krautrock soundtrack. All making for one unique live experience indeed. Go see them on their ongoing UK tour and I dare you not to be dancing by the end of the first song.
We descend back into the white-hot underbelly of McCann’s just in time to see Shlug’s frontman rip off his vintage 1990s Cardiff City top and prepare to take us on a musical trip heavily influenced by the tail end of that exact same decade, and especially (I would say) by fellow Cardiff formed band Mclusky. Shlug are what some would term post-hardcore and as a result they have a tendency to be as noisy as hell (The Pit’s system crackling with the low end of their primal sound) and this proves all too much for one gig goer near me who shouts “fuck this” just a minute or so into their first song, and duly stomps their back up the stairs to the safe space of the bar, and that right there pretty much sums up Shlug’s musical appeal. They’re the type of band you’ll hate to love, just like Cardiff City I suppose. (What’s the chances RPM’s editor in chief will add some witty remark here eh?) *(Ed; I though of one at the double but decided against it)*
And so we come to tonight’s headliner Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, who just like Pigeon Wigs before them now appear in a slightly more streamlined format, as a trio, but what a musical tour de force this trio is.
Kicking this off in manic feedback drenched style with a 1-2-3-4 attack of ‘Sweet Disorder’ the pumped-up opener leaves anyone thinking that Lee is all about country music with an immediate bloody nose. No brothers and sisters this is all about the heart and soul of rock and roll music and if anything given the frontman’s proclivity to engage in lengthy politically charged spoken word introductions to most of his songs, if anything, it’s probably more punk rock than most punk rock bands these days.
I’ll admit that I’d struggled to get into with The Glory Fires slightly more relaxed 2022 album ‘Old Time Folks’ but here in the live setting tracks like ‘Lizard People’, ‘Outlaws’ and the superb ‘(In Remembrance Of The) 40 Hour Week’ all crackle with a truly soulful undertone largely due to Lee’s huge vocal performance (he justifiably sounds slightly croaky when I get a chance for a quick chat post gig) and he looks like he’s loving every second of finally getting the chance to play these songs live post pandemic.
Of the older tunes aired ‘The Company Man’ from 2014’s ‘Dereconstructed’ album has never sounded more relevant whilst set closer ‘Good Old Boy’ from 2017’s ‘Youth Detention’ not only brings the set back around full circle but also sees Lee joining his adoring fans to share the vocal refrain as his guitar strings get shred in the ensuing frenzy, and just like that it’s all over.
What makes Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires live shows so essential is the fact that they not only hit the mark musically but also on a personal level, and one such moment tonight evolves during Lee’s between song diatribe regarding how the UK made film Pride had been synonymous in galvanising the spirit of striking Alabaman miners during their two year struggle, which is enough to move even the toughest of us.
A truly magical performance then, topping off a great (and very eclectic) line up of bands. So, let’s hope that it really isn’t (as rumoured) the last of these events, as tonight Newport’s rich musical legacy once again burned very brightly indeed. Long may it continue….
Author: Johnny Hayward
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