26/5/2019 Bike Shed motorcycle show at Tobacco Dock

And now for something completely different...

I thought it was about time I went to another motorcycle show, and sadly the MCN Supersprint held near Dark Towers at Alexandra Palace last year doesn't appear to be taking place in 2019 - so I thought this looked interesting.  I'd been aware of The Bike Shed and been intrigued for some time but had yet to pay a visit. Now seemed to be a good time, but this event isn't actually held at the club's hipster East End hangout in Old Street but in Docklands. At Tobacco Dock to be precise. This looked an interesting area to visit and like Ally Pally proved very easy to get to by train. It turned out to be a great location with craft ale and various fancy street food outlets available on site, and an interesting place to look round. The old docks are real, but like a modern retro style Triumph motorcycle the ships are not what they seem and are not real although they add to the character of the area.

However, the motorcycles contained within the listed old warehouse building the show is held in are real. Well sort of - some of them anyway. The building itself is a terrific location for the show and full of character - as are many of the machines contained therein. This is not a large corporate motorcycle show, it's more of a custom show - and consequently there are many weird and wonderful machines on show.

This one is unfinished and based around a supercharged Yamaha motor.

Some of the bikes are old fashioned but conventional although using some modern parts and materials.

And some are far from conventional, like this BMW based trike!

This one is electric and may actually enter production - at a very steep price!

My favourites were the custom Triumphs based on new modern machines but designed to look old - you had to look twice at this one to make sure it wasn't actually an old 1930's bike! Great attention to detail - even down to the old fashioned girder forks and 'pedestrian slicer' front number plate.

Although this looks like something out of a museum it is actually based on a modern production Triumph engine and frame - I bet if Triumph put something similar into production themselves they would sell loads of them!

I thought this vintage aviation inspired modern Triumph was great! Where's my old sheepskin flying jacket? 

CHOCKS AWAY!

A steampunk motorcycle?

Again based on a modern production Triumph engine and frame.

There were many weird and wonderful custom machines on display - some more practical than others. I think many of them are more like works of art than functioning usable motorcycles - amazing to look at, but I suspect many of them don't have engines that will actually run. There is definitely some impressive engineering to be seen though! I found this heavily modified Royal Enfield Himalayan particularly interesting. 

As well as the radical mono-shock rear swing arm conversion, the more eagle-eyed amongst you looking at the exhaust system might spot a turbocharger! I can't see this working well on a large capacity single cylinder engine - especially on a bike that is designed to be used largely off-road! What were they thinking?

I think this would be an 'interesting' machine to try to actually ride off-road - assuming that the engine actually works?

I certainly found this a very interesting motorcycle show, although smaller than I expected. I thought the ticket was a bit on the pricey side for a small show, although maybe this is the price to be paid for not having big corporate sponsorship? I had an enjoyable day out, although I regret to say this might be the last motorcycle show I ever attend. To be honest I find it all a bit depressing since my last Triumph was stolen and I know that I will probably never be able to afford to get another bike. Looking at all these amazing machines while knowing that I will almost certainly never be able to ride any motorcycle ever again makes me sad - so maybe it's time to step back and put that important chapter of my life behind me...

24/5/2019 Duncan Reid & The Big Heads + Cyanide Pills + Witchdoktors @ The 100 Club

Friday night finds me heading down to Oxford Street and one of the only music venues left in the West End of London. One of the great things about the 100 Club is that's it's hardly changed at all over the past 30 or 40 years. It's musical history is pretty special too - nearly everyone has played there. Even me. It has still managed to hang onto it's character, and although most the ales on tap are very pricey there seems to be a policy of still having one beer at an affordable £3.99 a pint. Other venues take note.

No pictures from this show - I can't remember why. Maybe I didn't take any, or maybe I just can't find them.

I arrive just in time to see the last of the Witchdoktors. I've seen them before so I know how good they are and am disappointed not to catch their whole set.This is a great old school rock 'n' roll band. They have a bit of a punk edge, but really manage to capture the spirit of early rock & roll.

Next up is a band who are completely new to me. Cyanide Pills are a new punk band in the old school sense and are very good indeed. This is a band who fit perfectly into the 100 Club's legendary punk history. The Clash are an obvious influence - without this band being Clash clones or rip-offs. They have the look, the attitude, and the style of UK punk circa 1977 absolutely nailed. And they have decent tunes too. I will definitely be looking forward to seeing this band again.

And so to the headliners. Duncan Reid was the original bass player in first generation UK punk band The Boys and so has excellent punk rock credentials. Not for nothing were The Boys known as 'The Beatles of punk', and Duncan has carried this theme on with his current band - he knows how to write a good catchy pop/punk song and this band's set is packed full of tunes you can sing along to.  Duncan Reid and the Big Heads are always a great live act, but tonight things are slightly different. The amazing Sophie K Powers is absent from guitar duties due to suddenly having to go into hospital at the last minute for an operation on her wrist - quite important if you are a guitar player! Sophie's absence is so last minute that her stand-in for tonight's gig hasn't had time to rehearse the setlist or even practice the songs. Fortunately her place is being taken tonight by Mauro Vengegas - who actually used to be in this band (as well as Johnny Cola & the A Grades, more recently The Godfathers and currently The Speedways) and played on the second Big Heads album as well as live. His problem tonight is that although he used to play the songs from the Big Heads first two albums he doesn't know any of the songs from the band's new album Bombs Away! Fortunately the band's other newer guitarist Nick Hughes can do all the lead work - although Mauro is a very good lead guitarist. So for some of tonight's set he just has to wing it. Fortunately he is that good and fits in so well that it doesn't even show that he has never played some of these songs before tonight! Duncan is also a very good frontman so that helps too.

In spite of the band's last minute guitarist substitution Duncan Reid and the Big Heads play a storming set of catchy pop/punk songs - I think they are actually better live than on record - where I find them a bit too overproduced and 'pop' for my tastes. They are a terrific live act though - brimming with energy and personality. Interestingly I notice Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof lurking in the crowd, and I wonder if he might get on stage for a guest spot? However, he remains in the shadows tonight...

23/5/2019 The Warner E Hodges Band + The Spangles

Thursday night finds me back in Islington at the famous Hope & Anchor pub. The Warner E Hodges Band are returning to this venue with another sold out show - this venue is really too small for them. However, before the headliners there is another band I've been wanting to see for a while. The Spangles are a power trio consisting of members of The Main Grains and The Idol Dead. Less punk and more rock & roll than the former, and less glam than the latter they are a terrific dirty raw and basic rock 'n' roll band dripping with charisma and personality - fun and highly entertaining!

I saw the Warner E. Hodges Band here last year and the venue was too small for them then, and it's even more so now! The place is packed, and to call this gig 'intimate' would be an understatement. Warner is best known as being a member of country punk outfit Jason And The Scorchers, and tends to be perceived as a 'Country rock' artist when he goes out on his own. However, the Warner E. Hodges Band focus much less on the Country and far more on the ROCK! There is still some Country in there, but Warner's favourite band is actually AC/DC - and this is very much reflected in the show we are treated to tonight. The set features much of Warner's own Country/ROCK material as well as some from other artists he has been involved with over his career. There are also a few covers, including AC/DC songs which are played not as token 'crowd pleasers' but just as pure fun because Warner loves playing them so much. The Country cover side as usual includes John Denver's 'Country Roads Take Me Home' (as also covered by Olivia Newton-John!) but in a more rockin' style - and this always goes down a storm with the crowd! And just to emphasise that Warner's roots are really in rock rather than Country he throws in an all time heavy metal classic - Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs'. And it's probably the best version you will ever hear. By anybody - and that includes Black Sabbath if the one time I've seen them is anything to go by.

I didn't bother even trying to take any pictures due to the extremely cramped conditions, and also because once again the excellent Trudi Knight was in action at the front taking far better pictures than I could ever hope to even if I had a decent camera. You can see her pictures from the gig here.

11/5/2019 Lilith & The Knight, Gasoline Thrill & Filthy Militia @ The Unicorm

Back to a venue that used to be my Camden home from home - The Unicorn. Lilith & The Knight are the main reason for my attendance, but as always there are other acts of interest. As it's free to get in and as the (bottled) ale is cheap there is no reason not to get there early enough to see the earlier bands.  OK, so I didn't get my shit together in time to catch the earliest acts.

The first band I see are Filthy Militia. Punky funky ska. The saxophone makes them more interesting and they are quite lively but don't really float my boat.

Yeah, I know - shit pictures. I can actually get better pictures on my phone than my current digicam (not using flash) but I have had my previous phone knocked out of my hand while trying to take pictures in the crowd at this venue and phones are much more expensive than expendable £50 digicams so....

Next up are Gasoline Thrill. Emerging from the ashes of all girl band Catfight about 10 years ago this band were Camden regulars for a while, but with line-up changes and who know's what else they seemed to disappear for a while. Think Distillers/Joan Jet/Johnny Thunders and you are pretty much in the right ball park.

Frontgal Samara Kain has a formidable Brody Dalle style croak and is a very energetic performer - when she sings Joan Jett's Ramones rip-off 'Bad Reputation' you believe her! The band's original songs are convincing too.

I've been looking forward to seeing Lilith and the Knight again after finally managing to catch them for the first time a few months ago - at this same venue. *see previous posts involving this venue & also Camden Rocks* I was very impressed then by the full-on metal performance from their singer - charismatic, with an amazing image, and a stunning vocal performance - actual singing as opposed to the dumbed-down grunting, screaming and fake 'emotion' many modern heavy metal singers think they need to be 'down with the kids'. This seems far more honest to me.

The rest of the band are excellent players even if they don't look like they are in a metal band - maybe the band should employ a stylist? Don't take that remark too seriously, but if the band want to be taken seriously maybe they should consider going for a more 'group/gang' look rather than looking like they usually all play in different bands (maybe they do?) and couldn't be bothered dressing any differently for this gig tonight.

The music is very good though, and with a little thought they could (and should) be playing in bigger venues and gaining a reputation.

Ominously(?) the band have announced that this is the last ever show where they will play any of these songs. Apparently they are about to totally change everything and reinvent themselves - maybe even changing the line-up. This is the last time we will ever see Lilith and the Knight in their current form and we will never hear their old songs like 'Formaldehyde' again. I'm sad to hear this as although I was late to the party I was getting in to what they were doing and thought they had great potential. I hope they know what they are doing...

Maybe no more stuff like this?

Next time we see them it will be 'Lilith and the Knight, but not as we know them Jim'. Watch this space....

9/5/2019 The Wildhearts, Massive Wagons & Towers Of London @ Electric Brixton

Wow - what a fantastic 3 band bill! There's no way I'm going to miss this even if it means heading south of the river on a school night. And although it's a simple journey it takes ages to get to Brixton on the Victoria line. It's the first time I've been to this venue although I've walked past it many times on my way to The Windmill. Back then it was the infamous Fridge nightspot and a well known trouble-spot due to the rap/hip-hop events it used to put on and the the gun and knife wielding 'Gangsta' clientelle it used to attract. Now it's called Electric and seems to have cleaned up it's act. First impressions are good: No queue to get in and very professional security on the door - I've never been searched so thoroughly to get into a music venue before. The 'rock' crowd don't take weapons to gigs, but this lot aren't taking any chances. This is yet another venue that used to be a cinema many years ago, and it appears to have been recently refurbished in a modern style. It looks good, but I don't bother going near the bar as I'm sure it will be a rip-off and they won't have anything I actually want to drink.

Amazingly, in spite of the long trip from the Northern Heights I actually manage to arrive before the opening act. At the beginning of this year I would never have believed it if someone had told me the original lineup of the infamous Towers Of London were back together. This will now be the second time I have seen them this year. I saw the original (and by far the best) version of this band play a tiny pub gig in Camden back in March. The Rev told me at the time that they would be supporting The Wildhearts in Camden later in the year, but that show got cancelled and now the band have been added to the bill for the whole of this current Wildhearts tour. So here the band are playing larger venues again - and they look like they are loving it! A couple of months ago when I saw the band's first gig since the old lineup reformed they were already well fired up and on good form, but they were playing to a packed venue to mostly people who had come just to see them. I was a little concerned as to how they would fare as the opening act on a very strong 3 band bill - bearing in mind they have always been a bit of a 'Marmite' band, and the many people who hate them really fucking hate them! I needn't have worried - quite a few other people have made the effort to get there early to see Towers and the band seem to go down well with the early crowd - with some people obviously really enjoying their set. As this was a shorter support slot time was limited and the band only had time for the 'hits' most people would know like 'I'm A Rat', 'Air Guitar', 'Fuck It Up', 'How Rude She Was' and 'Beaujolais' - most the best stuff from their first album Blood, Sweat & Towers - and ignoring the dire second album or the recent one (with the previous lineup) that bombed and seems to have been erased from history for Alan McGee's label. Towers Of London are now a revitalised force and firing on all cylinders. A new album is apparently in the pipeline and due before the end of 2019.....

One of the many reasons I've been looking forward to this show was because it's the first time I have managed to see Massive Wagons properly. I have almost seen them on other occasions such as at far too small venues at Camden Rocks Festival when I have just managed to get into the venue and hear the band but not actually see them! Massive Wagons are the new 'Young guns' on this bill, but have already got two or three albums under their belt and built up a following. I first heard of them when Ginger recommended them several years ago and I have been trying to see them 'properly' for some time. They did not disappoint tonight! Although I have been aware of this band for a few years I'm still not familiar with their earlier stuff, although I did download their excellent charity single tribute to Status Quo's late Rick Parfitt 'Back To The Stack'. That song later appeared on their most recent album Full Nelson - most of which is played tonight. It's a great album with some cracking songs on it - including the rather fantastic Ratio - an anthem about hope. And that's something we all need right now. Massive Wagons are an odd looking band - one of those groups who's members all look like they are in different bands, but the noise they make together is magnificent. They have a load of great songs and are a terrific live act with a very energetic frontman in Baz. I get very annoyed when I hear people say there are no good new bands these days when they are plenty of excellent bands like this around - if only you make the effort to find them, instead of just listening to all the old music the Absolute Shite/Rose Tinted Specs/80's nostalgia radio stations play over and over again and you think that's all there is. Massive Wagons can do 'heavy', they can do 'catchy tunes', and they have songs with meaningful lyrics that are actually about something and reflect modern life - with a pop at things like social media and the idiots you find on there. This is a very good band who sound great and are a lot of fun too.

And so onto the headliners. The Wildhearts seem to be on the crest of a wave at the moment with a massive return to form. The renaissance they are currently enjoying is well deserved and reflected in the title of their fantastic brand new album Renaissance Men - although oddly the excellent title track isn't played tonight. Which is surprising as it's one of the strongest songs on the album, although sounding less like a Wildhearts song. The band have just released what is their best album for many years, a firm favourite already with the fans and definitely one of the very finest of their career. The heavy riffs are there, the catchy sing-a-long tunes are there, and the rage, aggression, and pure fury is there too - all boxes ticked. There is a lot in the world to be angry about now, and Ginger is very angry indeed at the moment - and when Ginger is pissed off the Wildhearts make their best music. However, the band's leader isn't (particularly) pissed off tonight as he and the band are well aware they have recently released a fantastic album that has been very well received, and as a live act the band have been really on fire on fire since the album came out - they are possibly the best now that they have ever been. With popular bassist Danny McCormack back in the band for over a year, and the equally popular CJ on guitar/vox plus Ritch Battersby on drums this is what many regard as the 'classic' Wildhearts lineup, and they are playing as such a tight unit. Tonight the band are determined to tear London a new arsehole - and that's exactly what they do.

After the 'Don't Worry About Me' intro warms the crowd up (not that they needed it) The Wildhearts launch the furious Dislocated which also opens the new album - a song that very much strikes a chord with the way I am feeling at the moment. Then into a crushingly heavy 'Everlone', followed by poppy sing-a-long 'Vanilla Radio', the super-fast Motörhead inspired 'Suckerpunch', and another great crowd sing-a-long with 'Sick Of Drugs'. This is such a storming start of full-on crowd pleasers. Things calm down a little as the band slip in some lesser heard songs from their middle period including songs from their 'White' album, 'Chutzpah!', '...Must Be Destroyed', and  'Riff After Riff...' albums, and 'Urge' from the infamous 'Endless Nameless' album - songs from which have always sounded better live. In fact, all bases are covered - apart from the band's first two EPs - but there simply isn't time for everything, and the band always include some stuff that hasn't been played live for many years or never at all. Unfortunately, we only get time for three new songs from the latest album - although 'Renaissance Men' is already hugely popular with the fans and I'm sure we all would have liked to hear more songs from it tonight. We just get the very catchy ode to losing arseholes from your life 'Let 'Em Go', and the AC/DC influenced and very angry 'Diagnosis' - both of which go down an absolute storm and have become instant crowd favourites. The 'encore' is a massive seven songs - largely including classics from the band's brilliant first album 'Earth Vs...' and finishing with the ever popular '29 x The Pain' and 'I Wanna Go Where The People Go'.

The show has been an absolute triumph and confirms that The Wildhearts are back with a bang, firing on all cylinders, and very much at the top of their game. Their new album is a scorcher, and tonight they played by three favourite songs from it - What a brilliant night! In the space of one week The Wildhearts have released what I think is the album of the year, and played what is also probably the show of the year. Yes, I know it's only May but I can't see anyone beating this album or this show in 2019.

Now all I need to do is have a piss before the long tube journey home - it takes over an hour. Electric Security start trying to close the venue down almost as soon as the band leave the stage - I only just make it to the toilet in time! Others aren't so lucky and I see quite a few people being denied what I see as a basic human right - the the right to use a toilet before leaving a venue and a possibly very long journey home with no other toilets available in the streets, at stations, or on trains. What are you supposed to do - piss yourself, or piss in the street? My previously good opinion of Brixton Electric takes a dive at this point....

No pictures from me at this show - I didn't bother even trying to take any as I knew the amazing Trudi Knight would be in the photo pit, so there was no point me attempting any pictures. You can view her superb photos by clicking on these Wildhearts,  Massive Wagons and Towers Of London links - they are much better than I could ever do!

7/5/2019 Porcelain Hill @ The Monarch

Back to The Monarch in Camden yet again - this small pub venue seems to be hosting some of the best nights in town these days. And tonight it is hosting one of the best live bands you can see in the UK right now, although actually Porcelain Hill hail from California. They seem to like it over here though!

This is an old school power trio, but with a new slightly modern twist  If you can imagine the Jimi Hendrix Experience mixed with Cream then you would be in pretty much the same ball park.

Porcelain Hill play a funky mix of rock and blues, with a little soul mixed in - with the emphasis very much on performance. 

The band have an entertaining and engaging frontman in Darnell Cole, and he's no slouch on the guitar either!

Porcelain Hill seem to be on an almost never ending Tour of Duty across the UK - playing virtually anywhere and everywhere they can get a gig - they must be one of the hardest working bands in the country right now. Catch them while you can before they head back across the pond.