You can be apathetic and bemoan the current state of music, you can hate certain bands and spend endless hours wondering how they got signed and why you still working a shit day job and having someone run your time, money and weekday-office-hours life.
Fortunately there is a solution: put on bands you like and organise your own night.
Shabeen Scene has flirted with this format for a while now but think we hit our stride this year if Sunday was anything to go by. This idea was spear headed by Space Rat and hats off to the idea that became a reality. It’s a simple formulae: book bands, charge people to watch and you make money to pay bands and expenses and the venue makes money from punks at the bar. This doesn’t always happen in practice and maybe we have been lucky but Sunday ruled and apathy diminished (for now).
Seven bands were booked which can seem like a logistical nightmare but everyone was cool and no one ran over there allotted slot with prog-rock-induced-5-minute-bass-solos or anything of that excessive nature.
LEFT LEG were on first, they are fronted by Aaron from the now defunct BLOODY KNEES and SAD SHIELDS (also X-members of). They kick out a cool mix of Unwound-style drone and tight, angular Warmers/Circus Lupus-esque riffs and arrangements; Aaron's singing really stands out too and gives the music an awesome tone and atmosphere. We really look forward to more from this band.
Next on were BIRD CALLS. We've all seen this band live a few times in 2010 and they were always awesome but had compliments and accolades changed them, would they succumb to losing the bite in material or making excessive rider demands? No, not a chance, just consistent, abrasive and catchy, modern post-hardcore jams the way it should be done. I’m sure there is a bunch of bands that could be referenced but the arrangements and dynamics of the songs are awesome and powerful enough so why reference when they cutting their own niche? Nice guys playing good rock 'n' roll.
Following Bird Calls was another new band for 2011, GOOD THROB - sporting the punk rock chameleon, Louis of Shitty Limits, Love Triangle and NO, etc fame; leave him in a room with some punks and beer and a band will be formed. This time he’s taking charge from the back, leading the beat on the skins alongside Big Take Over and The Sceptres famed Bryony on chainsaw along with Ash on short-scale bass and Ellie on art-school/vocal duties. The Good Throbbers put the throb on good and although they're still a bit rusty and rough round the edges, the essential music is great. We got to see them play again on Tuesday and in a few days they seemed a lot tighter. Their sound is nice and dark, loads of feedback and cranked out intros into blasts of energetic noise-punk. Hopefully this will fill the vacuum that will be left with Josh’s departure to Berlin therefore less Love Triangle gigs.
After this we / BLACK MAMBA BEAT played, it was great and we got to showcase some new material. It went down well and I talked some shit (as usual) especially calling Josh from Love Triangle 'Craig Nicholls from The Vines' due to his Ozzie-grunge-connection? …stupid shit I know but it got a giggle.
After playing the gig I was hot and sweaty and went upstairs to chill out. There I met a couple who came down from Cambridge to see the gig; they had picked up our LP at All Ages Records because they liked the cover art. It was really awesome to hear this and it is the reason why the first part of this article references apathy because when good things like this happen, things that are beyond marketing and free downloads, it makes you feel good and you know you on the right path. Anyway while chatting to this couple which turned into a discussions on global economics, I missed both Saturday's Kids and Sauna Youth. This is a particular point of embarrassment as it turns out I knew the singer Rich from way back when I first moved to London. Anyway we bro-ed down before the gig and I returned the favour by missing his gig. Apologies to you Rich, I listened to the tape and it fucken rules (I’m not just saying that).
Anyway luckily the real punk and organiser Space Rat was there to witness all so he can tell you about dat......
Yea, big up m'self! Sauna Youth killed it live too, they had the whole crowd boppin' to their infectious punk-rawk-pop choons with cool psyched out bits too. Again, such raw energy is so refreshing. I have wanted to get these dudes to play the minute I heard their recordings. True UK-DIY punk rock, keeping it real with righteous vibes. Thanks guys!
Saturday's Kids got to the venue in the nick of time just before they had to go on, unfortunately Ryan's bars' sweaty pit of a basement cleared out a bit right before they started playing and they played a really short set too. They had also played with Sauna Youth the night before in Brighton and with Good Throb and The Love Triangle the night before that in Kingston. They're 4 young lads from Wales who seem to be super proactive, musically they fuse genres in a good way making them difficult to pin down though exciting at the same time, definitely a dark, early DC-sound happening, equal doses of melody and noise.
The Chief returned to catch the end of THE LOVE TRIANGLE set (The Rat was there from the get go) which was the perfect closer for the evening. All embraced in TLT spit, beer, punk. Go see these guys live before the bass player Josh (Craig Nicholls) departs or catch them when he’s back. Catchy, power-pop-garage-punk (to generalise), melodic and all that jazz (and blues too). I somehow feel I am in the presence of a very important part of punk rock history whenever these dudes perform or maybe not.
Special mention also goes to Kimberley, who came all the way down from Buckinghamshire! Thanks for the effort we appreciate it! Another bullet for the apathy mind set.
Fortunately there is a solution: put on bands you like and organise your own night.
Shabeen Scene has flirted with this format for a while now but think we hit our stride this year if Sunday was anything to go by. This idea was spear headed by Space Rat and hats off to the idea that became a reality. It’s a simple formulae: book bands, charge people to watch and you make money to pay bands and expenses and the venue makes money from punks at the bar. This doesn’t always happen in practice and maybe we have been lucky but Sunday ruled and apathy diminished (for now).
Seven bands were booked which can seem like a logistical nightmare but everyone was cool and no one ran over there allotted slot with prog-rock-induced-5-minute-bass-solos or anything of that excessive nature.
LEFT LEG were on first, they are fronted by Aaron from the now defunct BLOODY KNEES and SAD SHIELDS (also X-members of). They kick out a cool mix of Unwound-style drone and tight, angular Warmers/Circus Lupus-esque riffs and arrangements; Aaron's singing really stands out too and gives the music an awesome tone and atmosphere. We really look forward to more from this band.
Next on were BIRD CALLS. We've all seen this band live a few times in 2010 and they were always awesome but had compliments and accolades changed them, would they succumb to losing the bite in material or making excessive rider demands? No, not a chance, just consistent, abrasive and catchy, modern post-hardcore jams the way it should be done. I’m sure there is a bunch of bands that could be referenced but the arrangements and dynamics of the songs are awesome and powerful enough so why reference when they cutting their own niche? Nice guys playing good rock 'n' roll.
Following Bird Calls was another new band for 2011, GOOD THROB - sporting the punk rock chameleon, Louis of Shitty Limits, Love Triangle and NO, etc fame; leave him in a room with some punks and beer and a band will be formed. This time he’s taking charge from the back, leading the beat on the skins alongside Big Take Over and The Sceptres famed Bryony on chainsaw along with Ash on short-scale bass and Ellie on art-school/vocal duties. The Good Throbbers put the throb on good and although they're still a bit rusty and rough round the edges, the essential music is great. We got to see them play again on Tuesday and in a few days they seemed a lot tighter. Their sound is nice and dark, loads of feedback and cranked out intros into blasts of energetic noise-punk. Hopefully this will fill the vacuum that will be left with Josh’s departure to Berlin therefore less Love Triangle gigs.
After this we / BLACK MAMBA BEAT played, it was great and we got to showcase some new material. It went down well and I talked some shit (as usual) especially calling Josh from Love Triangle 'Craig Nicholls from The Vines' due to his Ozzie-grunge-connection? …stupid shit I know but it got a giggle.
After playing the gig I was hot and sweaty and went upstairs to chill out. There I met a couple who came down from Cambridge to see the gig; they had picked up our LP at All Ages Records because they liked the cover art. It was really awesome to hear this and it is the reason why the first part of this article references apathy because when good things like this happen, things that are beyond marketing and free downloads, it makes you feel good and you know you on the right path. Anyway while chatting to this couple which turned into a discussions on global economics, I missed both Saturday's Kids and Sauna Youth. This is a particular point of embarrassment as it turns out I knew the singer Rich from way back when I first moved to London. Anyway we bro-ed down before the gig and I returned the favour by missing his gig. Apologies to you Rich, I listened to the tape and it fucken rules (I’m not just saying that).
Anyway luckily the real punk and organiser Space Rat was there to witness all so he can tell you about dat......
Yea, big up m'self! Sauna Youth killed it live too, they had the whole crowd boppin' to their infectious punk-rawk-pop choons with cool psyched out bits too. Again, such raw energy is so refreshing. I have wanted to get these dudes to play the minute I heard their recordings. True UK-DIY punk rock, keeping it real with righteous vibes. Thanks guys!
Saturday's Kids got to the venue in the nick of time just before they had to go on, unfortunately Ryan's bars' sweaty pit of a basement cleared out a bit right before they started playing and they played a really short set too. They had also played with Sauna Youth the night before in Brighton and with Good Throb and The Love Triangle the night before that in Kingston. They're 4 young lads from Wales who seem to be super proactive, musically they fuse genres in a good way making them difficult to pin down though exciting at the same time, definitely a dark, early DC-sound happening, equal doses of melody and noise.
The Chief returned to catch the end of THE LOVE TRIANGLE set (The Rat was there from the get go) which was the perfect closer for the evening. All embraced in TLT spit, beer, punk. Go see these guys live before the bass player Josh (Craig Nicholls) departs or catch them when he’s back. Catchy, power-pop-garage-punk (to generalise), melodic and all that jazz (and blues too). I somehow feel I am in the presence of a very important part of punk rock history whenever these dudes perform or maybe not.
Special mention also goes to Kimberley, who came all the way down from Buckinghamshire! Thanks for the effort we appreciate it! Another bullet for the apathy mind set.
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