Both bands tore the roof off this punk mecca - you totally had to be there!
Dear Santa, what we would most like for Christmas (and, indeed, throughout 2025) is MORE GRUNGE. Particularly the punkier variety. Alas, I’m not old enough to have attended early UK gigs by the likes of Mudhoney and Nirvana (you’ll have to ask fellow Punktuation scribe James Sherry about those), but by all accounts, they were thrillingly raw, chaotic affairs – and these days, it seems that wherever the genre’s influence pops up, the results are usually awesome
A case in point: Spleen. After their set, vocalist/guitarist Samuele admits to have been feeling a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of playing this renowned London punk pub; not least as tonight is the young Italians’ first ever gig outside their home country.
He needn’t have worried, though. Songs like ‘What’s Behind The Sun’ and ‘Affected Kid’ are proof that Spleen are already masters of the quiet-loud dynamic that was (yes!) grunge’s hallmark in its heyday, and a mid-set cover of ‘Making Plans For Nigel’ transforms XTC’s original into something fabulously fierce.
They play with more and more confidence – and intensity – as the set progresses, and eventually Samuele dispenses with his guitar for a feral finale, whipping the already-lively pit into a crazy, bouncing mess. We can’t help but wonder if there’ll be many more folks claiming they were here in the future, when Spleen have gone on to greater things. Fingers crossed.
Most bands would be nervous at the prospect of following such an impressive set, but Brazilian duo Yur Mum are not most bands. From the go, this is a heads-down, no-nonsense display from Anelise and Fabio; you get the impression that they’d give their all in front of just two men and a dog.
By the time they drop ‘Tropical Fuzz’ fourth song in, they’ve well and truly hit their stride, and those fuzzed up bass riffs (hello again, grunge!) hit the spot beautifully. Initially recovering after Spleen’s set, that pit (now featuring members of Spleen themselves!) builds again, and it morphs into an utter maelstrom for the hardcore punk blast of ‘Same Igual’ from this year’s expressive album release ‘Duality‘. And hey, it’s nearly Christmas, so there’s time for a quick mauling of ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ to bring things to a feedback-drenched close.
So ends a great evening at a deservedly sold-out venue. Thanks to Sam Wilde from UXB Music Promotions and Tony Smith from Sounds of the Suburbs for having us – be sure to follow them on Facebook for more quality gigs.
Thanks also to Paul Bedford from Kick Down The Doors PR and Paula Hartley from Digital Rebel PR for all their help!
Main Photo Credit / All Photos: RUTH RAE
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I spend my days teaching English to foreign students, and my evenings attending as many gigs as possible. Raised mainly on a diet of 90s third-wave punk, my tastes have grown to include just about anything from trad ska to thrash metal. The Ramones are my musical gods.
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