The Virginmarys/Hands Off Gretel – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club – 22nd November 2018

The Virginmarys/Hands Off Gretel – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club – 22nd November 2018

After witnessing between 20-50 people turn out for every gig I’ve been to over the last month I was starting to lose faith. I was starting to think that maybe Lenny Kravitz was right; maybe rock ‘n’ roll is dead after all! Thank fuck then that the Virginmarys fans descended on The Brudenell on a cold and wet Thursday to douse any flames of doubt that having been burning away in my brain. Of course rock ‘n’ roll ain’t dead!  It’s alive and well, kicking ass as strong as ever from the underground.

Tonight, we have 2 truly independent bands who are releasing great music and touring under their own steam.

 

Dressed in maroon velvet, with mismatched stripy socks and her black n white dreads in bunches, diminutive Hands Off Gretel frontgrrl Lauren Tate looks and acts every part the Alice In Grungeland you would expect. She takes us all down her own personal rabbit hole, giggling and rolling her eyes to the skies. Lauren is doing what she has been planning in her bedroom for years, and now all the songwriting and singing, the drawing and designing of all the artwork herself, is finally paying off.  Hands Off Gretel are a band that are certainly making waves in all the right places.

It’s not all about the hyperactive frontgrrl though, to her left new bassist Becky Baldwin, the consummate rock chick, is all flowing black hair and tattoos, she fits this band of misfits perfectly. Their original bass player Sam has been the drummer for a while now, he  keeps the beat well and ever animated guitarist Sean handles most of the guitars, leaving Lauren free to use every inch of the stage making new fans in every direction she turns.

On the strength of tonight’s set their highly anticipated sophomore album will be essential listening. Opener ‘Don’t Touch’ brings out Lauren’s inner Brody Dalle with some nice screamo moments and Becky’s backing vocals add a nice variety to the overall sound. Recent single ‘Kiss Me Girl’ sounds fantastic, it’s probably my song of the year, and ‘S.A.S.S.’ has a hell of a hook, bringing nineties riot grrl power kicking and screaming into 2019.

But it’s the cool as you like ‘Punk Rock Girl’ that steals the show for me. A high energy, schizophrenic song with a great delivery, I look forward to hearing the studio version.  A choice cover of The Stooges ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ is handled well, taken down to a brooding, dark beast of a song. Oldie ‘My Size’ closes a set that will surely gain the band many new friends tonight and on every night of this tour. Job done.

Hands Off Gretel are the sort of band people like me hope to discover at every new gig. They have that certain magic that sets them aside from the competition. One thing is certain; Lauren Tate is a superstar in waiting, she knows it and so do we, now we just have to wait for the rest of the world to catch up. Ones to watch in 2019.

 

Macclesfield’s finest export The Virginmarys should need no introduction to these pages. Now free of a recording contract and doing things their own way, they return with the release of fantastic new long player ‘Northern Sun Sessions’ and a short run of dates to promote said album.

Dressed in black, his hair grown out and peroxide blonde, Ally Dickaty doesn’t fuck about much between songs and lets the music do the talking. Opener ‘For The Two Of Us’ from the new album is a slow burner that not only showcases from the off what a great songwriter Ally is, but also what a great drummer Danny Dolan is. Then it’s straight into live favourite ‘Just A Ride’, The Virginmarys are taking no prisoners tonight as the room erupts.

In a set that covers the band’s three albums, there are many highlights to pick. Of the new material, ‘Get Me Back Home’ (with Ally doing slide on an old Vox guitar) stands out, as does brilliant new single ‘Look Out For My Brother’, a song that has already become a firm live favourite. ‘S.O.S.4.U.N.I.’ sounds amazing live, the euphoric, cinematic feel that they captured so well on record transfers just as well to the stage, even down to the spot on backing vocals courtesy of touring bassist Ross.

Elsewhere ‘Into Dust’ is intense and brooding as it builds to that epic chorus. Yes, epic…The Virginmarys do epic very well indeed. ‘Motherless Land’ and my own personal favourite ‘Lost Weekend’ give the desired goosebumps treatment.

There’s a punk rock intensity to a Virginmarys show that bands rarely capture, the combination of great songs with lyrics that are deep and relatable, a tight, well-rehearsed band and a passionate fan base that will sing along to every word. It’s a killer combination every time.

My eyes can’t help but be drawn to the drummer as he bends over his kit at the start of songs, staring daggers at the crowd, lost in the moment, before pounding seven shades of shit out of his poor kit, as spurts of water ricochet off the skins with the intensity of his beats. In a world of underrated musicians he is up there as one of the greatest drummers just to even watch. On the likes of ‘Portrait Of Red’ he even stands up to bash out the intros.

Encore time sees Ally pick out the intro to the title track of their new album. Emotive and soulful, it builds intensely, as many of their tracks do. He has us captivated, as we too get lost in the moment. And final song of the night ‘Bang Bang Bang’ does just what it says on the tin!

 

Tomorrow is Black Friday, but tonight I saw 2 great bands for £12, and that’s the best deal I could hope for all year!  One thing’s for sure, I will be back to see these bands time and time again, no matter the entry price. An awesome night of rock ‘n’ roll, who could ask for more?

 

Author: Ben Hughes

Heavy Drapes – Crashing Like Stars (Cadiz Music)

Heavy Drapes – Crashing Like Stars (Cadiz Music)

What a year in the world of Heavy Drapes. You never know what’s around the corner and that’s never been more apparent than here.

January they blow the roof off the 100 Club with an awesome set supporting the mighty Boys and all things gearing up to the recording and release of their debut album and some summer shows where it was really going to kick off at Rebellion Europe and Blackpool and upon their return from Holland frontman Garry lost his life in the blink of an eye and proving how fragile our time on this planet is and how none of us knows when our time here is over.

Never mind the music, that can wait, he left behind him a young daughter and loving wife and three devastated bandmates and a punk community that rallied round and hopefully comforted those that really mattered at such a tough time.

I’d exchanged messages with Garry days before I flew on a family holiday and after his band’s triumphant return from Holland we were sorting out an interview upon my return where I wanted the inside scoop on the band’s debut long player and their subsequent Rebellion appearance.  Sadly I found out on my arrival in America that the interview would not take place and Garry had suddenly been taken from his family and bandmates.

We’d only met briefly but I was gutted for those who knew him well and what they were no doubt about to achieve. A larger than life character Garry had an impact upon everyone who crossed his path and his wholehearted belief in the success that was about to hit his band was unwavering and people who saw the band play and had bought their singles were already in on what was going down North of the Border that was soon to break out all over the place.

Fast forward several months and whispers abound that the debut album Heavy Drapes were working on was being mastered and readied for release then out of the Blue (not into it) its here. ‘Crashing Like Stars’ is fuckin’ here!

Maybe unfinished as it was intended due to the extraordinary circumstances but its fair to say ‘Crashing Like Stars’ sounds fantastic.  Ten tracks that you could hear being played across stages around the UK and further afield had been captured on tape and were now loud and proud blasting through my speakers.  Now, I reviewed their previous EP and single and loved what I heard and anyone who knows me knows I love me some sleazy punk rock as played by the likes of The Lords Of The New Church, UK Subs, The Vibrators to name a few and a large part of that love is the unfussy arrangments with a lot of light between the instruments and a good ear for production and to let the music do the talking – always let the music do the talking. Well, Heavy Drapes did that.

 

Ten tracks all of which you would have heard live if you were lucky enough to have seen the band perform, the singles are here and opener ‘Should I Suck’ is a ball of energy from that intense bass to the backing vocals it’s a great tune to open any record with. You can also add the fantastic ‘Maladjusted’ with its clean and unfussy arrangement I love how the even having only seen the band play once some of these songs have stuck in my head and I remember them instantly and on the first play I’m singing along. Always a decent gauge to how good a record is isn’t it?  Rock and Roll is about memorable tunes and Heavy Drapes had plenty of them.  The vocals and backing vocals on ‘Into The Blue’ really elevate the song.  Its hard to be original in music and when you play a certain style odds are it’s been done once or twice before so all you have is a melody and some catchy lyrics or a well-placed solo and you can’t reinvent the wheel its perfect as is so when a band crops up who understands this and just offers up their interpretation of the wheel you have to take notice.  Here is the evidence of one of those bands Heavy Drapes had songs and plenty of them.

I love a good chorus and songs like ‘Janie’ has got one, in fact, it’s not just good it’s excellent. If you love the Steve Jones dry, clean overdriven chug then this is for you and you’re gonna love songs like  ‘Hanging Like A Suicide’.  Listen, I think you should have got the picture by now.  If you loved records like the Neurotic Outsiders, The Lords Of The New Church, Pistols and a few dozen other great bands then this is most definitely an album you are going to love. Like Gunfire Dance before them, Heavy Drapes flame burned bright but way to briefly. I guess we should console ourselves in the fact we now have a disc full of great tunes to remember them by and I raise a glass to what might, could and should have been. Well played Garry son this is as good as you said it was going to be may you rest in peace man you left a mighty fine legacy. Bam-a-lama-fa-fa-fa!

Buy Crashing Like Stars Here

Author: Dom Daley

That Was The Week That Was

That Was The Week That Was

2018 is quickly running out of weeks and before we know it we’ll be crashing into 2019 and another year of new records and great bands to see. Before everything blurs into one we have to reflect on what happened last week never mind last year so the final week of November saw RPM review some amazingly talented artists like the brand new up and coming force of nature that is Nikki Hill and her album ‘Feline Roots’. 

As well as the new talent we also welcomed back the return of US Bombs with their long player ‘Road Case’  

There was also musical collaborations that we found really appealing like The wicked EP by The Dahlmanns that we would highly recommend you check out and seeing as its Christmas why not give yourself a little treat.

Whilst on the live front RPM were present for the umpteenth show from the amazing UK Subs who are forever on tour as are The Quireboys but it was the line up of Helldorado that really caught our imagination as Europe seems to have really hit paydirt as far as the amazing line up goes. With top turn after top turn hit the stages and RPM was there to regale the magic for our readers.

Interviews we had them as well as Leigh spoke To Mike Christie about Guitars, Amps and general Guitar related Tech and we also caught up with Sal from Electric Frankenstein to hear all about his compilations and a general EF chat. On the feature front, Ben continued his adventure across the West coast of America and managed to catch a few live shows whilst he was talking in what Frisco, Vegas and LA had to offer.

Anyway enough looking back how about looking forward and this coming week on RPM we’ve got plenty of live action coming your way from some of our favourite bands still making music as well as some tasty new albums as well as a bunch of reissued classics you might have missed out on first time but now is your chance to pick em up. So we welcome December with a cheeky snap from He Who Cannot Be Named for you and as always Stay Sick and keep it RPM. Til next week that is.

 

Strange Planes – south Of Ok (Bad Horror Recordings)

Strange Planes – south Of Ok (Bad Horror Recordings)

North London punks mash up some 90’s indie with noisy punk rock to forge ahead into 2019 with a ringing in the listener’s ears as they go from melodic melodies ‘Headless Statues’ and then on the breaks make as much noise as possible with a distorted bass leading the charge. Think Buffalo Tom meets Fugazi and your heading in the right direction.

I can’t say I know anything about the band until this was thrust upon me to listen to and I’m glad it was as this threesome make a mean noise that I like.  At times it sounds quite bleak yet there is a warmth in the melodies. It might be a cliche to say that Berlin is a cold concrete dank place but they capture that in the song ‘East Berlin Comfort Zone’.  I think some of the melodies remind me of the kind Wonk Unit wrote especially early on.  PLenty of melody in the vocals but its backed up by a very dirty bass mix that adds depth and volume to proceedings.  It won’t be to everyone’s taste but it caught me on the right day where that big hook met noise and married at the right time to create a real force to be reckoned with.

‘Fade’ opens with a near nursery rhyme guitar but as the song builds its hypnotic quality is engulphing and a real triumph. The bass rumble becomes a feature and the all-out stomp of ‘Curse Of A Pistol’ reminds me of Gallows and St Pierre Snake Project.

To spread out the Strange Planes sound over twelve tracks is an intense listen but stay with it its a most enjoyable experience and the benefit of recording this at Steve Albini’s place is not lost on the band who embrace the American alt scene that took over in the 90’s is prevalent throughout this record but mixed well within the noisy punk rock that holds the songs up to the light and its a triumph of substance over style, the title track is worth waiting for and is the real highlight of a well above average record. As far as debuts go this is a real winner.

Buy South Of Ok Here

 

Author : Seb Boyd

Nashville Pussy – Cardiff, The Globe – 21st November 2018

Nashville Pussy – Cardiff, The Globe – 21st November 2018

So, I’m sat on the plane at Schiphol waiting to jet back to Blighty after my weekend in Helldorado, my tits are well and truly on the deck that’s for sure, then for some reason, I look inside my wallet and find one last 20 Euro note. What do I do with it? Why not get a ticket to see Nashville Pussy in Cardiff on the first night of their 5 date UK I thought? Yeah, why fucking not…

I’d last seen Nashville Pussy at Sjock Festival in Belgium back in July 2017, a day when the sun beat relentlessly down on many thousands of righteous heads and the band, whilst very good, were just a little bit too Southern for yours truly. So, what better way to redress the balance than to catch them on a freezing cold evening here in the UK playing to about a 100 or so diehards who have traveled from all over the country to witness Blaine, Ruyter, Bonnie and Ben on their seemingly never-ending road trip to promote studio album number (lucky) 7, the rather splendid ‘Pleased to Eat You’.

The Pussy must think its rather splendid too because tonight we get a total of five cuts from said opus and every one of them easily stands shoulder to shoulder with their already impressive canon of work. Highlights for me are the glamtastic ‘Go Home and Die’ where Blaine plays the role of storyteller to Coop-like proportions whilst on the menacing ‘CCKMP’ the band somehow manage to outclass Steve Earle right in his own backyard. Oh, and let’s not forget the boogie bastard that is ‘She Keeps Me Coming And I Keep Going Back’ a song that can make even the straightest gig goer want to duck walk across the dancefloor, as one or two do right here tonight.

It’s on the boogie train where the Pussy really are at home (and at their best) though as ‘Wrong Side Of A Gun’, ‘Pillbilly Blues’ and ‘I’m So High’ all prove to be some of the best AC/DC songs written in the past 20 years, whilst in ‘First I Look at The Purse’, ‘Piece Of Ass’ and the superb ‘5 Minutes to Live’ the band recently earned the honour of being dubbed the American Motorhead by Classic Rock magazine, something Blaine is very quick, and proud, to point out tonight.

Thinking back to that hot summer afternoon in Belgium this doesn’t really feel like the same band I’m watching here tonight and even the extended version of ‘Go To Hell’ is enthralling stuff plus it has to be said that guitarist Ruyter Suys really is one of the best out there playing this kind of cow-punk-abilly blues stuff she’s an engaging devil on those six strings even when she decides to rip most of them off her trusted SG during the final encore of ‘Wang Dang Sweet Poontang’, a song that perfectly sums up an evening spent in the presence of Nashville Pussy and takes the Ted Nugent influenced artwork of ‘Pleased to Eat You’ to its natural conclusion.

Granted I could have done without two drum solos and starting and ending the set with covers (they opened with AC/DC’s ‘Kicked In The Teeth’) seemed a bit unusual, as did the lack of support band tonight, but otherwise this was the perfect pick me up feelgood night of rock ‘n’ roll music played by one of the last true purveyors of the born to lose, live to win legacy something that had Tim Butcher (Lemmy’s long-term bass roadie) beaming from ear to ear along with the rest of us.

Epic stuff from an epic band and 20 Euros very well spent indeed.

Buy Nashville Pussy Here

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Author: Johnny Hayward

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Six)

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Six)

Day 10 – Downtown, near death experiences and magic shows

 

With yet another belly full of bacon and eggs, we take a cab to Downtown Vegas for some exploration. Away from the strip, Freemont Street is where it all started and its home to most of the Casinos. Since I’m not into gambling that stuff doesn’t really appeal but it’s good to explore the casinos, the shops and watch the street life.

Street entertainers are still setting up their spots for the day, all sorts of bizarre acts, from an old man in a thong and an obese man, sat on a throne in a bikini, onto a kid doing Michael Jackson moves and magic tricks, there is something for all persuasions.

A visit to the Mob Museum is a bit of a letdown compared to the Alcatraz experience a few days ago.  Housed inside a former federal courtroom, the Mob Museum has some very cool artefacts on display. Various guns and items belonging to the likes of Al Capone and even the actual brick wall from the Valentine’s Day Massacre.

While it offers an invaluable history of the Las Vegas mob movement, there is a lot of information that is just there on boards to read and to be honest I can’t be arsed with all that, I want to look at stuff!

We decide to walk back to The Strip via the business district, heading for Dino’s, a bar that has been recommended to us. I wonder if it’s the Dino’s Bar & Grill that Phill Lynott sang about. To say the areas we walk through look dodgy is an understatement, in hindsight we maybe should have taken a cab, but at the end of the day we didn’t get shot, so it’s a win! We walk past really sleazy strip joints and drive-thru wedding chapels where people are actually getting married by Elvis.

Dino’s is actually a very cool bar. Its quiet here, as it’s not even noon, come night-time I imagine it would be a different story. Refreshed, we get an uber back to The Strip for more exploration.

We find the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co restaurant for lunch, yet more amazing seafood. And explore the hotels on The Strip. Tonight we have booked to go and see the Penn & Teller magic show at the Rio Hotel & Casino, so we still have some time to kill. To be honest, it’s been a hectic trip and Vegas is mental, I feel like a rabbit trapped in the headlights here and feel Vegas is maybe a holiday that should be done separately from everything we have already experienced. I think maybe we are a bit burnt out, but a foot long, frozen margarita with extra tequila shots certainly does the trick.

The Hotel New York New York has a roller coaster on top of it. I hate roller coasters, they scare me to death. Sedd has been on it before, he loves it and says it is a rickety one and feels dangerous. Fuck it, we go on it. This is what this trip is about, doing the unexpected, the things you would not normally do. It’s scary as fuck, a white-knuckle ride. I hold on for dear life and think I’m going to die, it’s exhilarating and scary and I loved it, I will not do it again.

 

Penn & Teller have their own residency in Rio. They even have their own cocktail on sale at the bar. It’s expensive, but well, when in Rome and all that, it’s also very tasty.

There’s a guy playing Jazz on piano as we enter the theatre, which seems quite fitting. The magic show itself was disappointing to be honest.  The tricks were nothing special and seemed pretty run of the mill stuff, even down to pulling a rabbit out of a hat. For $100 a ticket I expected more, I expected to be thrilled but there was nothing that left me feeling “wow!”. It just seemed like they were going through the motions. Worth seeing if you are a fan but not essential.

 

Day 11 – Kiss crazy golf and farewell Vegas

We have a few hours to kill before the flight home. Just enough time to drive over to Rio Hotel (where we were last night) for a round of Kiss crazy golf! Kiss crazy golf you ask? Yes, at Rio there is a Kiss-themed attraction where you can play crazy golf on a neon course, a must for any rock ‘n’ roll fan to visit methinks.

The Kiss crazy golf is an indoor, 18 hole mini-golf course and it’s fully glow-in-the-dark. We have a round, the place is deserted and we have it to ourselves. There’s a gift shop and never before seen Kiss artifacts on display, guitars, basses and drum kits, even the car they gave to Eric Carr as a gift when he joined the band.

I wonder what it would be like to play golf here on mushrooms?  To be honest it’s trippy enough already without them. The gift shop is, of course, overpriced, so I just settle for a Kiss golf ball!

 

Job done, we head for the airport. Las Vegas was a wild end to our trip and I’m glad we didn’t go the other way and do it first. I think we did it the right way. We planned it fully and packed our days with as much as possible to get the most out of our experience. There was stuff we didn’t do, that was always going to be the case, there is only so much you can do in 10 days.

There were things we planned that didn’t happen. I wanted to get a tattoo, I wanted to visit a secret speakeasy and drink exotic drinks. We didn’t gamble in Vegas or ride a tram in San Francisco. I wanted to see big bands that never venture to the UK. I wanted to interview the likes of Sammy Hagar or Nikki Sixx. But the stars didn’t align for everything and that’s ok, as hopefully, we can do some of these things next time because there will be a next time.

When we return, we will skip Vegas and spend more time on the road between San Francisco and LA, but that is a future road trip that is still yet to be planned.

 

Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

Vocal Remover Requested – And The Beetle Trumpets…(Action Records)

Vocal Remover Requested – And The Beetle Trumpets…(Action Records)
“And The Beetle Trumpets…”. Recorded at Rock On Studios in Annecy, France in May this year. The Band is called Vocal Remover Requested. Not a band name that rolls off the tongue I’ll admit but when you see the personnel involved.  Those of you of a Rock and Roll persuasion will be all over this record like a rash and so you should be.
With the songwriting duties shared between mr Honest John Plain
and Sergeant No Voice with arrangments from Lester Greenowski and hitting the drums a certain Stéphane Renaud who many will know from the Punk Rock Menopause album released by the Boys.  now you know a bit about the people involved take a second to wonder what this might just sound like.  Ready? … There that wasn’t rocket science, was it?  Its a rock and fucking roll record of course and boy does it rock and roll.
Vocal Remover Requested has got everything bar the kitchen sink thrown in (it might even have that) laid out over fourteen songs.  As soon as you get that crisp slap of the snare they’re off.  The sludgy distorted Rock and Roll is happening and honest John Plain is right on form. ‘Personal Rain’ is a fine opener on this plain and simple rockin’ record.  There are no airs and graces here just a good time, No make that a great time played by people who really mean it man, not some Johnny come latelys jumping on a bandwagon but lifers with rock and roll coursing through their veins, playing rock n roll music that’s best left to the professionals and shouldn’t be tried at home unsupervised unless you’re sufficiently proficient like say Honest John Plain.
I love the melodies and the deadpan delivery of ‘Handle With Care’ as the music motors on and crashes into the next one ‘Self Sorryness’ is a traditional romp with Honest John shouting the counter chorus back at Sergeant and then ripping into the solo.  Classic and always a joy to hear. You just know that these songs would make for one hell of a great night out imagine happening upon some sleazy smokey bar and this is blasting out from the stage – me I’d be ecstatic and you just know that the louder you get your speakers the better this is going to sound.  the songs are about everyday life birds, booze with a cheeky wink and a smile.  the songs never go too fast nor do they  venture into genres or territories they don’t know this is a close relative to Plains day job with The Boys and not a million miles from The Amigos or the Crybabys and to end it all they take a seat and grab those acoustic guitars for a more gentle exit and I doubt they give a flying whatsit what any of us think but for what its worth I love it and highly recommend you grab yourself a copy before they’re all gone and then you’ll give a flying whatsit.
Author:Dom Daley.

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Five)

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Five)

Day 9 – Desert….more desert and Viva Las Vegas baby!

The drive across the Nevada desert to Las Vegas is about 4 hours and we have booked tickets to see Billy Idol at The House Of Blues tonight. So we hit the highway as soon as breakfast is done.

The thought of driving a left-hand drive car on the wrong side of the road through the middle of LA did not appeal to me at all and sent my anxiety levels through the roof, luckily Sedd has done it before, so I took the easy option and left him to it. But driving across the desert is one of the things I have been looking forward to the most, so I take my turn for a few hours.

I don’t know what I was worried about, driving US style is easier than I imagined and I wish I had done it sooner.

The scenery is stunning, yeah its miles and miles of desert and straight highways with mountainous terrain either side, but it’s great. If we had the time we would have veered off and explored for sure, but we had a schedule to keep. We stop at Peggy Sue’s Diner in Yermo. A proper 50s diner and it’s just as you would imagine. The place is stuffed full of 50’s memorabilia even down to the period menus and the waitress uniforms.

Statues of Elvis and The Blues Brothers look over as I tuck into a proper American burger and fries with endless coffee top ups. Opposite the diner is a road train that is just full of military tanks. Seems pretty random, just sat there in the middle of nowhere, seemingly waiting for a conflict to break out.

Just up the road is Calico ghost town. We can’t resist, gotta be some good photo opportunities there we reckon.

While it is a genuine old mining town, it’s geared to the tourists and not as cool as we were hoping. But it is interesting and there is some cool photo opportunities to be had.

 

Stop over, we head back on the road to Vegas. You see it in the distance as you approach over the long straight highway, the towering structures far off down in the valley. As you get closer, the lights and then the scale hits you as the buildings tower above you…and we are in it! The craziness that is Las Vegas.

We are staying at The Venetian, it’s the most over the top luxury hotel I have ever stayed in. The scale is just unbelievable, there is a river with gondolas that flows through it, the corridors to our room seems endless, like something out of The Shining, I expect to see twin girls at every turn.

We take to the streets and explore, and the only way I can describe it is like a festival. It’s like one big endless party, you end up with a sore neck as you spend the whole time looking up at stuff. There is so much to see, everyone is either drinking or eating or gambling and everyone is spending money, it’s all about money.

There are no homeless people in Vegas, or if there are they are well hidden. We dodge Mexican ‘flickers’ with their stacks of ‘tittie cards’, the streets are littered with discarded cards, during the night they will all be swept up and probably handed out again the next day. Chinese women collect discarded plastic bottles in massive black bags over their shoulders, they get paid out per bag I believe. Neon signs flash endlessly; horns beep endlessly and money changes hands endlessly. We get chatting to a suited guy outside our hotel, he’s half our age, he gives us his business card and tells us if we need anything to give him a ring. I’m sure he could hook us up with anything we wanted whether that be drugs, guns or women.

 

Did we eat an evening meal? I don’t think we did, all I remember next is getting a taxi to The Mandalay Bay hotel.

The House Of Blues is situated in The Mandalay Bay hotel where just 5 days earlier Stephen Paddock opened fire on concert goers and killed 58 people. As horrifying as that is, life in Vegas goes on as normal it seems. There seems to be no lasting atmosphere, the only constant reminder ‘#VEGASSTRONG’ that is emblazoned everywhere you turn.

Billy Idol is coming to the end of a 2-year residency at the House Of Blues and he has been mixing up the set nightly with his band. Tonight, he pays tribute to those that lost their lives just a few days ago during an emotionally charged set.

A white screen is lowered and a film of vintage interviews and performances plays out as an introduction before the curtains open and the band takes to the stage. Two choice covers bookend a greatest hits set from a finely tuned band.  ‘Viva Las Vegas’ seems the perfect opener and it’s a song that fits the Billy Idol set like a (leather studded) glove and ‘Money Money’ the perfect closer.

Fan favourite ‘Dancing With Myself’ is played early and newer tracks such as ‘Scream’ and ‘Can’t Break Me Down’ sit nicely up against the likes of ‘Blue Highway’ and ‘Eyes Without A Face’.

Billy Idol has aged gracefully, now in his early 60’s he still has the moves and the voice to wow his fans and still has the ability to work a crowd.

Back in the 80’s Steve Stevens was just the guitar player, 30 years later, the sidekick with the explosion of black hair, has his own t-shirts for sale on the merch stand and he very nearly stole the show.

Idol and Stevens have always been a great rock ‘n’ roll partnership. They have that certain chemistry. The frontman watches enthusiastically as the guitarist peels off lick after lick. Stevens has not one but two solo spots in the set, the first a very impressive acoustic solo that is flamenco-based yet aggressive as well. Guitar solos can be yawn-inducing at times, this is not one of those times. Both creative and impressive in equal measures.

‘Worlds Forgotten Boy’ the opening song from ‘Whiplash Smile’ is a highlight, as is the ever cool ‘Rebel Yell’. ‘White Wedding’ is played acoustic with the duo on their own for a verse before the rest of the band join them.

I never dreamed I would see Billy Idol play a gig in America, let alone in Las Vegas, This is a great end to our first night here.

Gig over, we head next door to the House Of Blues restaurant and eat amazing shrimps as a bar band play alternative 90’s covers by the likes of Sugar Ray and Weezer.

 

Author : Ben Hughes

Ginger – The Pessimist’s Companion (Round Records)

Ginger – The Pessimist’s Companion (Round Records)

Ginger swings from rock genius to self-indulgent pledge monster, crafting some of the finest tunes the UK has tasted in the last 25 years or so, but seemingly a social media time bomb primed to explode. Either way, whenever I’ve met him he’s been a totally nice guy so in I guess that’s just the internet for you…

Kicking off with the low key “May The Restless Find Peace”, I can’t quite place the songs it reminds me of but it’s a nice downer of a tune much greater than the sum of its parts.

On to “Why Aye (Oh You)”.  I could be facetious and say this is pound shop Jimmy Nail or I could be constructive and compare it to Del Amitri. You decide.

The album carries on in a similar vein. I guess the slide guitar gives it a country kind of vibe. You could say it’s a companion piece to 2018’s previous outing “Ghost in the Tangle Wood” It certainly sounds like an extension of that acoustic driven folky introspective sound.

Along with the aforementioned “May The Restless Find Peace”, “Better Love” is another standout track. To my ears it has a Crowded House feel, with perhaps a bit like Billy Bragg’s “Don’t Try This At Home” era. A great tune none-the-less.

The title track “The Pessimist’s Companion” has a bit more going on but remains on the “sounding up but feeling down” theme.

Like many of the tunes found here, “Sweet Wanderlust” and “In Reverse” feel like sketches of classic (Wildhearts) tunes, proving without a doubt that below the self-destruction is a great songwriter trying to find his way out of a chaotic mind.

Last up is the dark and desperate “There Is A House”. Another stand out tune and certainly one you’ll want to skip back to once the album ends.

Ultimately, if you’re a paid-up disciple of Ginger’s gang you’re gonna love this album. whatever I or anyone else thinks about it and more power to you.

 

 

Buy Ginger Wildheart Here

Author: Fraser Munro

LENE LOVICH CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEBUT ALBUM ‘STATELESS’ WITH UK TOUR

LENE LOVICH CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEBUT ALBUM ‘STATELESS’ WITH UK TOUR

March 2019 sees the Lene Lovich Band taking to the road to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Lene’s classic debut album Stateless. Containing the smash hit “Lucky Number” and other perennial Lene favourites including “Home”, “Say When”, “I Think We’re Alone Now” and the celebrated ballad “Too Tender to Touch”, Stateless was an immediate success when it was first released by cult post-punk label Stiff Records, and has held it’s place in fans’ affections for four decades. Lene Lovich’s work spent over four and a half months in the Top 40 charts after the release of her debut album in 1978 in the UK and 1979 in the US.

The tour will be fans’ only chance to catch Stateless performed in its entirety. The show also includes other Lene favourites, such as the Thomas Dolby-penned hit “New Toy”, as well as a handful of songs from Lene’s highly regarded second album Flex.

TICKETS ON SALE HERE