5/12/2009 Vice Squad & The Blank Heads @ The Gaff

Subject	Vice Squad & The Blank Heads @ The Gaff
PostedDate	12/5/2009
	Another good night at The Gaff. First band is the Blank Heads, playing what is apparently their 100th and last ever gig. This is full on but quite generic sounding punk rock with shouty vocals. They have very good drummer who really drives things along and could easily cut it in a metal band. The Blank Heads play hard and fast, and also with passion, but the band are somewhat lacking in stage presence - apart from the cute Suzi Quatro style bassist who has more personality than the rest of them put together and looks like she should be fronting her own band instead.  Vice Squad usually play a London show before Christmas at the Underworld. This year they are playing at The Gaff instead - which is a great improvement as far as I'm concerned.  It may be a smaller venue, but the atmosphere is much better, the door price is lower, the beer is far cheaper, the toilets don't stink, and the security guys aren't tossers who throw you out five minutes after the last band finish at about 10.30.  Oh, and it's open til late as well. The sound is usually at least at good at The Gaff as at the Underworld too - if not better. One thing that does annoy is the piss poor stage lighting at this venue though - which makes taking decent pictures with a Mickey Mouse camera like mine rather difficult.  As regular readers may have gathered by now, I like The Gaff. I like Vice Squad too. They have a large back catalogue of songs to pick from, are good musicians, and always put on a good and professional show. They may be a punk band, but they really know what they are doing. The members of the original band fell by the wayside over the years and Beki is now the only original member, but this is a far better band than it ever was back in the day. [Guitar Geek Alert!] I notice that Paul is playing exactly the same model and colour of guitar that I was playing on this same stage a couple of years ago - I'll have to check mine is still there when I get home! It's a bit strange as in the last few weeks I've seen Twiggy from Fables Last Stand, the legendary Gary Moore, and now Paul from Vice Squad all playing this same model which I think wasn't a great success sales wise and has since been discontinued by Gibson. An underated guitar I think... Vice Squad put on an excellent show with plenty of their old classics and loads of newer stuff too. I wasn't expecting a massive turnout for this gig as UK Subs are playing down the road tonight, but there is a good turnout of both ageing old school and young punks and a moshpit is soon raging. This show is much more fun than it would have been at the Underworld, as well as being much easier on the pocket. I hope Vice Squad shows will be regular at this venue from now on. After the band finish their set even more punks start arriving as this is also the venue for the UK Subs (who were playing down the road tonight) aftershow party and punk legend Charlie Harper appears with some other band members. An excellent night!

PS: This venue has now closed.