Wonk Unit/The Pleasures/System Reset – Le Pub, Newport – 5th November 2023

Wonk Unit/The Pleasures/System Reset – Le Pub, Newport – 5<sup>th</sup> November 2023

It might be Bonfire night but the only fireworks I’m interested in seeing tonight are those being generated by this stellar three band bill. It’s a line-up that has more than a hint of Slugfest about it too seeing as all the bands have shared the floor/stages at the (now thankfully, once again) annual event. There’s also more than a whiff of the UK’s number one free festival within the crowd tonight too with the X15 bus seemingly standing room only to ensure that Blaenau Gwent is very well represented early doors. And who can blame them for picking up a rover ticket?

Fresh from recent support slots with the likes of Discharge, Raw Brigade and a whole host of other bands, System Reset have certainly come a long way in there still relatively short time together (as a five piece) with their back catalogue of songs maturing with them. Songs like ‘Anxiety’, ‘Fail Safe’ (my fave song by the band) and ‘Big Business’ all sound huge played through Le Pub’s impressive sound system, and there’s an immediate smile on my face when they kick in with the “woah oh” gang backing vocals and an even bigger one when there’s a nod to James Williamson’s time with The Stooges creeping into the riffage at one point too. System Reset’s soon to be released new single ‘Gas Light’ is a cracker, which alongside a handful of additional live shows brings to a close a very impressive 2023 for the melodic punk rockers. A slot at Rebellion 2024 awaits methinks.

The Pleasures are not as you might first expect, being an avid reader of RPM, the German glam rockers of the same name. Nah, this four piece are from the Gwent valleys and are a world away from anything even remotely glamourous. These four lads hail from one of the most deprived areas in south Wales and as you might expect have the anger and attitude by the bucketload that comes with such a dubious claim to fame. There’s also something that I cannot quite put my finger on about this gang, something that I last felt when I witnessed IDLES open a three band bill in Bristol’s Exchange just a few years back and before that when The Guns first broke on the south Wales scene. Not that they necessarily sound anything like either of the bands you understand, it’s just they have that special ingredient some band’s simply don’t have… charisma.

Singer Caethan Tucker is literally all over Le Pub’s stage and dance floor, he’s also shirtless and dripping sweat after just one song, such is the intensity of the band’s performance, and then when it comes to songs, popping up mid-set they have this monster of a tune called ‘Grandfather’s Bones’ complete with a mantra of ‘Don’t bite the hand that feeds’ that literally sounds like it’s ready made for when the boys get their chance to wow a Glastonbury/Reading type of crowd. They have the same kind of breakthrough potential that I witnessed in HotWax when they played just a few yards up the road in McCanns cellar bar and are now touring enormodomes in the US with Royal Blood.

Go give the band’s single ‘Lies’ a listen on YouTube (with coincidently the video being directed by Alex from the aforementioned Guns) and turn the fucker up loud. Oh, and before I forget, any band that can cover the mighty LCD Soundsystem and make the song (‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’ in case you are wondering) sound like their own tune, really does deserve your attention.  “Woo!”

Croydon’s Wonk Unit have always had a reputation for having great support bands on the bill with them, it’s almost like their singer Alex welcomes the challenge this poses his band, but when it comes to the current six piece band he has carefully assembled he’s more than capable of batting off any young shavers looking to steal the band’s crown as undisputed champions of the UK DIY punk rock scene.

I’ve seriously never heard Wonk Unit sounding as essential as they do here tonight, be it the classics like ‘Guts’, ‘Go Easy’ or ‘Lewisham’ that first introduced me to the band, or the tunes that immediately followed these like ‘Je M’appelle Alex’, ‘Awful Jeans’ and ‘Day Job Wanker’, tonight’s set has more bangers than the rain-soaked pyrotechnic display just over the river at Rodney Parade.

I also get to hear my first Christmas song of the year tonight, but when it comes all wrapped up in the shape of ‘Christmas In A Crackhouse’ you certainly won’t hear any complaints from myself or anyone else packed in down the front.

As always with a Wonk Unit their show is as much about Alex’s between song chats and tonight he’s on tip top form, sharing the hilarious back stories regarding tunes such as ‘She Cut Her Finger’ and ‘Horses’ whilst also displaying his more sensitive and private side ahead of new tune ‘Overwhelming’ (the first of two played) a song that keyboardist Vezzy insists could even have chart potential.

Of course, Wonk Unit live are anything but sensitive and the chaos that ensures once (Johnny) ‘Rambo’ enters Le Pub for the band’s finale is all you’ll ever need in your camouflage jacket pocket if you ever had to give evidence of this fact in a court of law.

I’ve said it many times before, but I’ll say it again, Wonk Unit really are something special, there’s no one else quite like them out there, and in fact they fast becoming something of a national treasure when it comes to DIY punk rock bands. They are no heritage band though, the new songs really sounded great tonight, and the current, settled, line up of Alex and bassist Pwoison, alongside Vezzy, drummer Max and guitarists AJ and Ryan really look like they are relishing every second of being in a band together.

Don’t forget to honk if you Wonk.

HONK!

Author: Johnny Hayward

The Barstool Preachers, Riskee & The Ridicule, Bottlekids – Le Pub Newport 09/12/21

The Barstool Preachers, Riskee & The Ridicule, Bottlekids – Le Pub Newport 09/12/21

With the sold-out sign on the door, expectations were building and something special was in the air. Bottlekids, Riskee & The Ridicule, and Bar Stool Preachers is an excellent three-band lineup by anyone’s standard.

The last band I was lucky enough to see pre-pandemic was in Rough Trade Bristol and just happened to be tonight’s headliners. To be fair they were building up a good head of steam ahead of the release of their third album. With the world at their feet, big things were anticipated and expected. Then you know what happened, time virtually stood still as we all retreated to behind our doors. I did a zoom call with Bungle Preacher and that seems such a long time ago now so tonight was a line in the sand hopefully and the start of something new to build on. Lets have it!

To be fair, the creative types might have benefitted from forced isolation and having time to create new music but without human contact, none of us knew what was going to pan out once we were released. Sure as night follows day those Bar Stool Preachers did the only thing they know, and that was to get in the van, throw caution to the wind and get out there and play some live Punk Rock shows to some lovely people (and some not so, probably). Tonight was the turn of South Wales and the awesome venue that is Le Pub. Drawing in openers Bottlekids with their spikey melodic punk-rock driven by a huge bass sound they did a sterling job of setting the mood. I wasn’t familiar with their songs but I have heard them before and I was pleasantly surprised with the songs and with the really good live mix they had it has to be said. With a new album already done and set for a 2022 release, they punched through and it was an impressive set from a band I will definitely be hearing more of.

Riskee & The Ridicule were up next, playing to a full house the band delivered an impressive set featuring some cracking songs. ‘Blue Jacket’, ‘Molotov Cocktail’ and ‘Kaboom!’ went down really well as did their excellent interpretation Of the Lana Del Rey song ‘Young And Beautiful’. The band sounded up for it and were winning new friends with their anthemic and down-to-earth songs, delivered with passion and conviction. Newport has always been a great litmus test for bands from TJ’s to Le Pub they can sniff out an honest band and will payback with mutual respect and love and tonight RATR were feeling the love.

If the Bar Stool Preachers ever needed a band to give them a kick up the arse and a follow that message then tonight the Brighton Boys were going to have to bring their A-game with Bells and whistles.

As the band took the stage in front of a sweaty Le Pub to open up the intro for ‘One Fool Down’ which was the perfect opener to let people know it was showtime and to get ready for the next hour and some to go in full tilt and as Tom took the stage the crowd was already all in.

The band was the last band I saw before the original lockdown (as I said earlier) but the months slipped away and what seemed like years ago disappeared as I put my lockdown fitness routine to the test and got me Adidas Munich working out my legs as I moved to the monster sounds of a tight and up for it band. ‘8.6 Days’, ‘Choose My Friends’, ‘Trickle Down’ and ‘State Of Emergency’ all flew by as the band got a sweat on, constantly moving and living life in the moment and a glance around it seemed as if it was the tonic everyone needed. The band created a massive positive energy that the audience was feeding off and in turn, the band fed off that back. The sound was top-notch and for a sweaty club showed just how good the songs are with a clarity you don’t always get.

The banter was good but kept to a minimum as the band let the music do the talking. We were even treated to some new songs and the lockdown single ‘When The World Ends’ was very apt. The energy and joy emanating from the stage was infectious as we moved towards an encore. What encore? The encore was binned to save the pretense and to carry on the energy that has been building throughout the evening. As we reached the final shot of the anthemic knees-up that is ‘Bar Stool Preacher’ we all had a sing-song and the world was put to rights.

We left the venue having been treated to a proper punk rock show that celebrated community and all that is good about live music. The Bar Stool Preachers didn’t muck about when restrictions were lifted and got straight back on it giving their all every night one would suspect and apart from Tom falling into the drum kit in the first song after reaching blast off levels of energy and then spilling a beer on his pedal it was a most excellent night of punk rock (not that I ever doubted it anyway).

If you’re looking for a night out with top music then put these boys on the top of your wish list, get out there, and support them because they’re not just diamond geezers, they’re packing some of the best tunes out there. Treasure these moments, because it won’t be long before playing small venues will be a thing of the past for The Bar Stool Preachers and we’ll all remember saying we were there. Three excellent bands for the price of a few pints in a sweaty club is just what the Doc ordered. Brilliant!

Author: Dom Daley