6/8/2009 Drugdealer*Cheerleader, Teenage Casket Co, Zen Motel & Jukebox Junkies @ The Gaff

Subject	Drugdealer*Cheerleader, Teenage Casket Co, Zen Motel & Jukebox Junkies @ The Gaff
PostedDate	8/6/2009
	Another cracking bill at The Gaff tonight - top value for money! Jukebox Junkies open the procedings in fine style - these guys from Rugby play every gig as it may be their last. It's quite an achievement them managing to play this gig at all as guitarist B-Bop is really ill, but being the troopers they are they pull it off pretty well. The ever reliable Zen Motel are up next - proving that Essex is still capable of producing great rock bands in spite of being Chav Central. Maybe this band is partly a reaction to all the idiots that county seems to breed - indeed, one of their videos featured a chav being shot while their song 'Dress Code Violence' deals with small town thug culture. Zen Motel have always been a quality live band, although recent changes to the lineup have confused people a bit. A new drummer has added some punch and dynamics to what was already an excellent live band with some great songs. Next up is a terrific band from the Derby area that have been conspicuous by their absence from the live scene for a couple of years. The band members needed a bit of a break from each other after several years of touring to support their CDs. After some time off persuing their seperate projects and other bands Teenage Casket Company are back with a bang. This is the first date of their 'Road To Trashstock' mini tour. These well seasoned road warriors turn in a top performance and you wouldn't know they had been away. It's good to have these boys back with their distinctive brand of 'punk rock Bon Jovi' style. They are a particularly good band to watch as every member is like a rock star in his own right and there is always plenty happening on stage. Even on the first date of the tour they are on fine form and I'm really looking forward to seeing them again in a couple of days when they are really warmed up for the Trash-Stock festival in Nottingham. Finishing matters up tonight is a band with more of a London flavour, although their singer Hilda is originally from oop north. The last two or three times I've seen Drugdealer*Cheerleader they have had bass-whore Rob Lane (Teenage Casket Co/DIP/Let Loose/Bullet Boys, ect) helping them out on four string duties, but now they have finally found a new bass player. Bomber fits in well - not suprising as he is an old mate of the band. This is a band with a strong and powerful sound as well as some catchy tunes. They are always quality live and their shows usually feature some extra eye-candy in the form of cheerleaders and/or extra backing vocalists to bolster the sound. It all makes for an entertaining package and this is another band I always look forward to seeing live. They have another album on the way which apparently is rather a progression so it will be interesting to see what the future holds, but in the shorter term I'm looking forward to seeing them again in Nottingham in a couple of days. It's been another top night at what has become one of my favourite venues. A couple of years of so ago I seemed to me at the Purple Turtle or Bar Monsta all the time, but one of those venues no longer exists and the other only rarely seems to put on bands I actually want to see these days, but The Gaff has filled that void very nicely and is a venue I actually look forward to visiting in it's own right as well as now regularly putting on bands I really like. The cheap admission and drinks prices (particularly with a members card) don't hurt either, as well as being one of the easiest and cheapest venues to get to for me personally. What with Big Red being just over the road and being well served by night buses Holloway Road is becoming 'the New Camden' for me!

PS: This venue has since closed.