It was a cold Sunday night, but a bill of this quality was worth the trek!
The temperature’s dropping, it’s dark outside, and it’s a Sunday evening, but we’re glad we made it out. Tonight, we’re at The Lexington to see three bands, two of which feature Mosrite-style guitars à la Johnny Ramone, and also a bunch of New Yorkers who need to be shown that London crowds can hold their own. We’re here, and we’re excited as hell.
With all due respect and credit to the musicians of Botox, their live show wouldn’t be half as compelling without frontman Tommy. As when we saw them here with The Darts back in July, his lean, hyperactive, snake-hipped presence utterly dominates the stage. As they inject the sounds of ‘77 with new vitality on the likes of ‘Paul Kersey Is Thirsty’ and ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’, he throttles his mic stand, jumps off the bass drum, bounces around in the crowd, and generally goes crazy. Go see them, and in the meantime, check them out on Bandcamp – you couldn’t possibly regret it.
Time is starting to run out for someone to knock Los Pepes’ magnificent ‘Out Of The Void’ LP off its perch as my Record Of The Year. The quartet are self-described as “the Motörhead of power pop” and that’s right on the money, as they relentlessly blast through melodic gems like ‘Automatic’ and ‘Let Them Talk’ with utterly electrifying energy. They both sound and look great, all with legs akimbo for a vitriolic ‘New Christians’, and as vocalist/guitarist Ben solos away down the front of the stage, it occurs to us that this is as definitive a middle finger salute to middle-aged complacency as it’s possible to give. In a word – essential.
How on earth to follow that?! Mala Vista give it a damn good try. They’ve got the songs, they’ve got the swagger, they easily get us dancing and they work up quite a sweat themselves; this is great rock n’ roll, for sure, but it lacks that manic edge that Los Pepes have in spades. Still, there’s an obvious chemistry between them, and they certainly look they’re in their element as they deliver a scorching brace of ‘I Don’t Wanna’ and ‘In The Dark’. Calls of “one more song!” are certainly justified, and as they rip through a brief encore, it’s clear that they can chalk up tonight as a victory.
Overall, an evening of top-quality rock n’ roll, and for goodness’ sake, if you haven’t heard the aforementioned ‘Out Of The Void’ yet, please rectify the situation immediately – you can thank me later.
All Photos: ALEX GOOSE
Follow Mala Vista and Los Pepes on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album Review: Broadwing release their debut ‘Duck and Cover’
Based in Portland, Maine, Broadwing are a pop-punk trio. Their debut album ‘Duck and Cover’ which drops today, 16th April 2026. The album is produced
Interrobang urge us to ‘Rethink Everything’ with brilliant new album and EP release
Preparing ourselves for the long-awaited new Interrobang album, I’m ahappy to report it’s a rather special one. A band made up of Dunstan Bruce (vocals)
Rage DC’s 4th album launch at Facebar, Reading, 12th April 2026
Local Punk heroes Rage DC released their fourth album ‘Mind Your Head’ on 12th April 2026, and celebrated its release with an album launch gig
Festival review: Scarborough Spa turns up the volume
Scarborough Punk Festival is five years in now. It’s grown, but it hasn’t lost its grafted, DIY heart. Sixteen bands across two days, no filler,
The Damned dazzle us all in their 50th Anniversary show at Wembley Arena!
Promising us something spectacular, legendary Punk pioneers The Damned lined up a hugely impressive show to celebrate their 50th Anniversary as a band, at London’s
Lightyear/Slow Gherkin, London New Cross Inn, 8th April 2026
Two much-loved stalwarts of ska-punk are reunited at last! Lightyear and Slow Gherkin originally toured together about 25 years ago, during the late 90s/early 00s
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.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
