8/12/2023 Wolfsbane + The Hip Priests + The Spangles @ The Water Rats

I love it when you get an actual paper gig ticket like you used to get at all gigs once upon a time - one you'll want to keep as a souvenir like in the old days. Who else apart from Runnin' Blue promotions still does this?

Little details like a nice printed ticket to take home to add to your collection help make a gig a bit special. But a good bill makes it even more special! Particularly tonight when the three acts on the bill are all bands I would go and see on their own. First up is The Spangles - an offshoot of an offshoot of The Wildhearts. When bassist Danny McCormack was inbetween tours of duty with The Wildhearts he formed a punk 'n' roll band called The Main Grains. They didn't sound a million miles away from his previous band away from the Wildhearts The Yo-Yo's who I saw countless times. The Main Grains were good and had some catchy songs but fell by the wayside... Their guitarist Ben Marsden went on to join new band The Spangles along with The Idol Dead frontman Polly Fluid now on bass duties.

Less punk 'n' roll and more pop/punk The Spangles are really good! The tunes are excellent, and the band playing them are fine musicians - there is nothing not to like here.

This band are a lot of fun and their full on enthusiasm for what they are doing is infectious! They don't get down to London from Leeds very often, but I strongly recommend catching them if you get the chance.

The next band get down to London from their home in Nottingham more regularly than The Spangles and have built up a loyal following over the years.

The Hip Priests have built up a formidable reputation as a live act and I suspect many bands would be wary of playing on a bill where they would have to go on after this lot!

Motörhead and The Stooges are obvious influences along with the MC5. There is a strong helping of punk attitude in them as well as loud filthy greasy rock 'n' roll. They have a very energetic frontman in Nathan Von Cruz, and one of their guitarist sports the splendid name of Austin Rocket - there is nothing here not to like.

The first song by this band I ever heard was their ferocious anthem 'Zero Fucks Given' - a statement of intent if ever I heard one! I was sold straight away and knew I would have to go and see this band live. They have never let me down since.

One band not afraid to go on stage after The Hip Priests is the mighty Wolfsbane! They can confidently do this knowing they have many absolute bangers in their back catalogue, and also one of the best frontmen in the business! In fact - a frontman so good that the legendary Iron Maiden headhunted him from Wolfsbane and hung onto him for several years, two albums, and accompanying tours.

Wolfsbane have been back for a few years now, and continue to write, record, and release new albums - as well as touring to play the old classics along with newer material.

Amazingly, this is still the original lineup of the band after all these years - not many bands can say that! It's still the same four guys from their debut album  the Rick Rubin (badly) produced 'Live Fast, Die Fast'. They may not look the same - apart from bassist Jeff Hateley who must have an old painting of himself somewhere in his attic...

Although lack of record company support held them back at the height of their powers in the 1990's they were without doubt one of the UK's best heavy metal bands - bringing shades of both Van Halen and (ironically) Iron Maiden to their sound. Guess what? Wolfsbane are still a really great live band! They still play 'the hits' from their earlier back catalogue as well as more recent stuff, and singer Blaze Bayley is still one of the most fired up and engaging frontmen you will ever see! He is the best at geeing-up a crowd to have a good time and enjoy the show! As heard on the band's amazing 1993 live album 'Massive Noise Injection' Blaze will still ensure if you come to a Wolfsbane show you will have a good time - whether you like it or not!

Wolfsbane are still a really entertaining live act, and if you get the chance to see them I suggest you grab it with both hands.