25/3/2009 Disarm & Drugdealer*Cheerleader @ The Fly

Subject	Disarm & Drugdealer*Cheerleader @ The Fly
PostedDate	3/25/2009
	Yes, at last - another blog!  If I appear to have been a bit quiet on the blogging front recently there have been reasons. I've had a lot on my plate the last couple of months or so and haven't been out to gigs much, so there hasn't been much to report. That's changing now, although I still don't have much spare time for doing this sort of thing.  The last few gigs I've been haven't got blogged yet because I haven't really had the time to sort through all the pictures and write the bloody things. Also, I couldn't really be arsed to be honest - other things are more important right now.  Anyhow, back to the 25th of March. This was always going to be a good night - a decent venue and Pure Rawk have booked three bands full of sleazebags!  I didn't arrive at The Fly until 'Towers Of Glagow' AKA Peep Show (OK - they are from Edinburgh really but that doesn't scan as well) had nearly finished their set - possibly by design as I was less than impressed when I saw them at the Bull & Gate a while back. I caught the last couple of songs, which included their only memorable one from last time 'The Stand' - I remembered it because it sounds just like a Tigertailz song. I'll leave it to you to decide if that a good or bad thing.  They finished with a Billy Idol cover - stealing the following band's thunder as they often do the same. I didn't get myself together in time to take any pictures of them, so I've included one above courtesy of Mademoiselle S Photography - which is no doubt better than I'd have managed anyway! Disarm were on good form. They always put on a ferocious performance. This band are really in their element playing in a small sweaty club and never disappoint. Tonight they were playing to a full room and feeding off the energy of a really 'up for it' crowd - which just makes Disarm play their sleazy pop/punk/glam racket even harder and even faster than normal. Frontman Brad has changed his image a bit recently and is looking a bit like Danny McCormack at times tonight.  Drugdealer*Cheerleader are another band that always make the effort to put on a good show. Hilda is an excellent frontman and really throws himself into each performance - always trying to draw you into the show. On top of that there is a girl backing singer, as well as the usual cheerleader or two to get the crowd going. Plus they once again have the 'human air conditioner' Laney74 filling in on bass duties on this tour (probably the 100th band he's played with here and in the US in the last 12 months) as the band are still 'between bass players'. Tonight's set is a mixture of stuff from the band's latest album 'Enjoy The Time You Waste', plus some really early songs that haven't been played live for ages - if ever, and some brand new tunes for the band's next album as well. This is certainly a band who always go the extra mile to give an audience top value for money. We were told that the venue would be open until midnight, but both the bars actually shut long before then - don't you just hate it when that happens! A few of us weren't ready to go home, or to stop drinking, so we adjourned to the nearby 12 Bar Club. Unfortunately it wasn't a 'rock' night at the club, but the bar was well stocked with suitable beverages so we stayed there in spite of the dubious acoustic entertainment in the other room - I had to wander in there and take a look when I heard a familiar song though. I was shocked to discover a solo acoustic act playing 'Highway To Hell' to a small audience of people who were actually seated - the first time I'd ever seen anyone sitting down for live music in this venue!  I was so shocked I had to stagger back to the front bar and sit down with another beer.  It was a good way to wind down after the excitement of the earlier show at The Fly though. To follow: (but maybe not straight away) Imperial Vipers, Livid, Ginkinta, Love & a .45, Maleficent, Kitty Hudson, The Erotics, Dogbones, Danko Jones, Cherry Brakewells, Eyelash, Supersuckers, Nashville Pussy, Terrorvision, and AC/DC plus more. Stay tuned for more rock 'n' roll...

PS: This venue closed, then reopened as 'The Bowery'. I think it has shut again since...