25/9/2010 Bubblegum Slut 10th Birthday gig/party @ The Gaff

Subject	Bubblegum Slut 10th Birthday gig/party @ The Gaff
PostedDate	9/25/2010
	This is a gig I'd been looking forward to for a good few months - the Bubblegum Slut fanzine 10th Birthday gig/party at The Gaff.  The date is a bit unfortunate as it clashes with Trash-Stock in Nottingham which I would otherwise have definitely been going to - as would quite a few other people present tonight.  I feel bad about not going - not only as the bill is actually a lot stronger than I first thought, but also because it's the last Riot Promotions show ever.  However, the Bubblegum Slut gig is local so no travelling/hotel required, has a strong bill playing in a venue I like with cheap booze, plus a load of my friends will be there.  Bubblegum Slut are giving away free goodie bags to the first 25 people through the door - I'm number 24! Among other things like stickers, badges and bubblegum I find four CDs in my bag - albums from Zen Motel, Silverjet, Ricky Warwick, and Acey Slade & the Dark Party. Result! My evening has got off to a good start before I've even reached the bar.  I arrive as Goth band Achilla conclude their set as an acoustic duo. Another duo follows, but a much louder one! This is Evil Beaver from L.A.  Imagine a female fronted Winebago Deal or White Stripes - only with a single bass instead of guitar. You wouldn't believe two people could make such a big sounding noise with only bass, drums, and vocals. The bass sounds MASSIVE though - not a million miles from Lemmy's bass sound, although the person playing it is rather easier on the eye.  With various effects pedals being put to good use, you'd think from what you hear that there's a guitar in there somewhere as well. This is certainly an interesting, different and very 'in your face' approach to the duo thing, but to be honest all the songs sound rather similar after a while. It's good to hear a Ramones cover thrown in though - you can't go wrong with the Ramones, and 'Beat On The Brat' isn't a song that many bands play. In the ten years of Bubblegum Slut fanzine there has only been one other actual Bubblegum Slut gig. I believe there are only three people present tonight who were at that other show at Club 85 in Hitchin all those years ago; Myself, the 'zine's editor Alison, and the third person is now on stage with the mighty Zen Motel - who also played that night. The band's frontman Lee Wray is now the only member left from those early days. Among the changes to the band since those days, Lee has moved from bass to guitar, but the band remain a formidable live force with an armoury of hook-laden songs most bands can only envy. Unfortunately, this is bass player Dan's last gig with Zen Motel as he has his own band to concentrate on. This band now have so many good songs that some real crackers from earlier days like 'Black Tail' and 'Devil Song' have been dropped from the set - and there is more to come with the band's third full album in the pipeline for next year... There's more in-your-face rock 'n' roll up next - this time female fronted and with a punk edge. The Duel have been doing this for a while now, and have built a reputation that allows them to tour all over Europe. They have a strong look of their own and can be relied upon to deliver the goods with a strong performance - even if the hard working drummer looks to be on the verge of a heart attack! Final band of the night is the excellent Bermondsey Joyriders. Now this is what I call a proper rock 'n' roll band.  They look and sound great, and have a very strong identity of their own. Fronted by ex-Cock Sparrer man Gary Lammin, and with ex-Chelsea man Martin Stacey nailing down the bass department this band has top London punk credentials and snarling attitude. For tonight only, they were originally going to have Robin Guy filling in for the band's new drummer Rat Scabies (ex-Damned - how punk can you get?!!) - which would have no doubt delighted 'zine editor Alison as she is a huge Rachel Stamp fan. However, he wasn't available in the end so we have another stand in who does a decent enough job. This is a band with a strong punk edge as you'd imagine with this lineup, but a band who aren't afraid to break away from punk's 'rules' (which shouldn't even exist, but do as punks can be as narrow minded as any other musical 'tribe') and add slide guitar to the template to give a very distinctive sound. The punk influence is still very strong as far as vocal style and lyrical content go, but attitude aside, Bermondsey Joyriders sound far more like a rock 'n' roll band than a punk band. They aren't afraid to look different either - again breaking the 'punk' rules by not wearing that uniform. This lot look like a rock 'n' roll band - not many bands really do these days, and they have terrific stage presence too. The songs lyrics cover various subjects, from Cafe Racers (which I can identify with) to football (which I don't) and boy racers (I have been called that by coppers in the past - ironically while driving a Jaguar!) and there is also a heartfelt tribute to the late Johnny Thunders - who was a guitar influence on many of us. The Bermondsey Joyriders are rock 'n' roll band with a difference and well worth checking out. That brings the live music element of the Bubblegum Slut 10th Birthday show to a close - but the night isn't over - far from it. Now it's party time! Angel is on DJ duties, and even more people drift into The Gaff as this is also the venue for the Reckless Love aftershow. The place is pretty full, and a good time is had by all well into the small hours.

PS: This venue is now closed.