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!
No comments:
Post a Comment