The Past, Present and Future of Punk Rock come together for Meff Fest #3!
If ever you needed validation that punk rock is a music for all ages, then MEFF FEST in Colchester on a Mayday bank holiday Saturday is the place to be. With the youngest performer just 15 years old and the oldest 81, this truly is a celebration of all styles of punk rock, from across the ages.
This is the third time that Lily Hopkins and Lewis Copsey, who are The Meffs, along with their friends and family, have put on what is becoming Essex’s favourite punk rock party.
The venue this year is Charter Hall, an oversized sports hall in the middle of Colchester, that is not at all used to staging gigs. But it’s a significant size upgrade on Meff Fests One and Two, and the purpose-built stage looks the part, decorated as it is with a giant Meffs logo and adorned with an impressive backline of amp stacks and two drum risers and lit simply by animated projections.
With merch stalls on one side, a bar on the other, and a steady stream of expectant punters making their way in, we are all set for an impressive seven band line up. Although it’s bigger this year, it feels just as intimate.
Both of the performing Meffs and the indispensable Ola Sroczyńska are very much present in the room all afternoon, mingling and chatting easily with the assembled ‘Meff Army’, which adds to the feeling that this is less of a festival and more just one big family get together.
There’s a decent crowd in early, as our compere for the day, musician and journo and punk rock face Jon Robb takes the stage to announce our first band, adding that it’s only their 4th ever gig!
Then bounding on stage with grins all over their young faces come Essex all girl teenage 5 piece Violet. Booked to open for today after impressing Lily at a local Battle of The Bands competition, Ruby, Lilly, Katie, Hannah and Felicity launch into their self-titled original ‘Violet’, before delighting the crowd, with 3 more punk infused indie tracks, which they deliver with a confidence that belies their inexperience. Their 15 minutes goes like a flash and I’m sure they’ll be back on the big stage soon.
They are soon followed by the winners of the same competition, Chelmsford 3 piece No Idea. Now, these kids take confidence to the next level, and as someone who witnessed their first ever gig at The Black Bull in Chelmsford, their progression over the past 2 years is nothing short of remarkable.
This afternoon’s big stage doesn’t faze them at all it feels like a natural step for Callum, Flynn and Luke as they play four great original tunes, that mash up the guitar sound of Bilk and early Arctic Monkeys, into an angsty and lyrically accomplished set, including the excellent ‘Winging It’, which they certainly are not. Keep an eye on these guys, they are going to be big.
Now we are getting going, and next up it’s those Keighley ska punkers, Random Hand. I’m always amazed by the energy these fellas put into their performance. It’s infectious, and dancing breaks out throughout the hall as they tear through a set of ska punk bangers.
Veering from moshing to skanking enthusiastically, the growing Charter Hall crowd are loving it, and encouraging others to get involved too. Onstage, tiny shorts, tight leopard skin leggings and high-octane trombone antics are the order of the day as Robin, Joe, Dan and Sean ‘Play Some Ska’. Running through such crowd favourites such as ‘Pack It Up’, ‘Life Jackets’ and getting the mosh pit going with the heavier ‘Anthropology’
Random hand is a band that ‘if you know, you know’, and at the end of the day, ‘fuck this shit, they’ve been doing it their way’ for over 20 years now, so they know how to put on a show and this afternoon they are certainly winning over the Essex crowd. They end their 35 minute set with the excellent sing-along ‘Anger Management’. The crowd need little encouragement to join in on this one and most are still singing it as the band leave the stage.
Next up it’s two thirds of noughties indie punks The Subways. Billy Lunn and Camile Phillips are here, but sadly Charlotte Cooper is absent, which facilitates a rather different acoustic set this evening.
Initially there’s an air of surprise in the hall, as many were looking forward to seeing the band’s full electric set. Especially as the band has strong Essex connections – In their early days, they played extensively at the now sadly defunct Square venue, just down the road in Harlow. However, any disappointment, fades away quickly as Billy and Camille, charm the crowd with a more laid back set of thoughtful songs which actually provide the perfect indie interlude between what’s gone before and the upcoming proceedings.
Billy admits to feeling ‘rather naked’ playing acoustically, treating us to acoustic versions of their biggest hits ‘Oh Yeah’ and ‘Rock & Roll Queen’ – singing the latter’s last chorus in Polish (much to the delight of Ola Meff in the photographers pit)’, as well as giving us covers of Nirvana’s ‘Come As You Are’ and The Nerves/Blondie’s ‘Hanging on The Telephone’.
So, maybe not quite as expected, but this set it was no less enjoyable and it made me want the ‘full’ Subways live experience, soon.
The variety of styles on the bill at this festival, highlights the breadth that is punk rock, because up next we have the godfather of anarcho-punk Steve Ignorant and his band. Next year, Steve will be celebrating 50 years of promoting anarchism, DIY ethics, and social change through music. A founding member of anarcho-punk collective Crass (alongside Penny Rimbaud) in 1977, tonight, he’s joined on vocals and on keyboard by the super talented Carol Hodge, and along with his full band creates a wall of sound that unfolds as a hard hitting sonic protest, which feels as relevant now as ever.
In a 15 song, 40 minute set, we are treated to many of the songs from back in the day. Kicking off with ‘Do They Owe Us A Living?’ and ending up with ‘Banned From The Roxy.’ Steve’s effortless delivery of a stream of lyrics delight his hardcore fans in the room, and intrigue the others who, even after 49 years, are not so familiar with his work.
Looking around, I felt some younger audience members struggled to stay engaged all the way through, But no matter, tonight’s typically loud, unapologetic blast of anarcho-punk energy is driven along by a hardcore crowd that shout every word like it still matters to them, because it does.
If Steve Ignorant has been at this for 49 years, then our next act or its leader Charlie Harper has been at the top of his game in the punk rock genre for 50 years! Yes, next up it’s UK Subs.
This is the first time I’ve caught the ‘Subs’ since guitarist Abe Inglis replaced Steve Straughan, so for me, there’s great anticipation and excitement at the opening chords of ‘Emotional Blackmail’. Abe fits right in and provides some real punk riffing power and youthful energy to this seminal British punk rock band fronted by Charlie, his long time bass playing compadre Alvin Gibbs and on the money drummer Stefan Häublein, as they tear into a set featuring some less well known songs from their extensive twenty six album back catalogue.
Charlie’s demeanour as everyone’s favourite uncle (if not great-uncle), keeps the family party feel going. Tonight, wearing a Crashed Out T-shirt and his signature neck chain and padlock, jeans and converse sneakers he just seems never to age, as he approaches his 82nd birthday. His absolute command and delivery of the lyrics of some relatively obscure Subs tracks in the first half of tonight’s set was impressive indeed. He is as sharp as a pin, acknowledging and bantering with people on the rail, while never missing a lyric, and with Alvin, moving and throwing shapes like a teenager too, these fellas put on a hell of a show.
It’s clear they’re having fun and when they launch into mid set favourite ‘Rockers’ the crowd really get into it. The first crowd surfers go over the barrier! The songs keep on coming, without intro or pause, and as we get towards the business end of the set, the crowd favourites come thick and fast. ‘Party In Paris’ and ‘Tomorrow’s Girls’ get everyone jumping and now Charlie announces, “it’s time for ‘Warhead”.
We know what to do, and we all get ready to sing along as Alvin’s bass growls into action. ‘Riot’, ‘Stranglehold’ and ‘Disease’ complete the set and there’s just time to thank The Meffs for having them, as Charlie, humble as ever leaves stage to a rapturous applause from the now very sweaty Charter Hall crowd.
The super-efficient stage crew get to work, the stage is stripped back to one amp stack and a single kit, because now it’s time, for what the assembled MEFF army have been waiting for. It’s the main event The Meffs; Lily and Lewis, now free of organising and hosting duties and ready to rock the hell out of Colchester!
So, on they come, Lewis perched on the drum riser, dry ice rising behind him, turned a fiery red with stage lighting and Lily prowling the stage with her Telecaster with her usual menace, ready to incite movement and unleash mayhem! This is their moment and it’s clear they’re going to enjoy it!
Kicking things off was new ‘Business’ which opened things up nicely before the crowd participation starts early with the shout back ‘Stamp It Out’ which does indeed ‘start again’ after an encouragement to participate in a wall of death.
By now the mosh pit has upped the ante, with multiple people of all ages going over the rail, some more than once. It never matters if you have walking sticks or crutches everyone gets involved at a Meffs pit! Suddenly, Lily’s in the pit too, along with guitar still playing and singing at full throttle as the circle pit surrounds her. ‘Yes, it’s all a bit of fun!’
The songs keep coming, ‘Death Wish’ and ‘Wasted On Women’ which tonight segues into a version of X-Ray Spex’s classic ‘Identity’ are early set highlights. There’s a bit of a crackle in the sound quality upfront early on, but nobody seems to mind and by the time the band play a new song ‘Like Gravity’ things seem to be fixed.
Looking at the crowd you can see there’s a real delight in being here, and the vast array of Meffs T-shirts in various colours is testament to how much the punk rock community has taken to following this personable duo and also to mum and dad Meff and Ola manning the merch stall.
Back on stage, the fun continues with the much loved cover of the Prodigy’s ‘Breathe’, which festival goers can download with todays limited edition T-shirt – All smart marketing! Before ‘Broken Britain Broken Brains’ and ‘Everything’s Gone’ gets everyone jumping againand brand new single ‘Disorder (Wake Up)’ gives the crowd a new shout back opportunity.
Then, suddenly and completely in keeping with the nature of the day, we pause to draw the raffle! The prize is one of Lily’s old guitars. Jon Robb does the drawing honours, and the lucky winner comes on collects his prize, then stage dives into the crowd and is swept to the back of the hall and is not seen again!
But now, It’s time to bring the night to an end and after a burst of ‘Budget Luxury’ the set concludes with ‘Clowns’. As the band leave the stage Lily tells us we’ll see you in 2028, which suggest there may not be a Meff Fest next year, which is fair enough, because the band are busy enough just being a band! But whenever and wherever the fourth edition of this wonderful festival happens I think most of the crowd will want to be there. Because, as the lights came up on a sweat-soaked Charter Hall, it occurred to me that it felt less like the end of just another gig but more like the closing chapter of a day that perfectly captured the enduring spirit of punk rock.
From teenage first-timers to genre-defining legends, to current scene favourites on the top of their game, every act reinforced the same message: this music, and the community around it, is as vital and inclusive as ever. What Lilly and Lewis have built here goes beyond a lineup—it’s a genuine gathering of like-minded souls – a family if you like. Bound by energy, attitude, and a shared love of the music.
All Photos: RACH WHEELHOUSE
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Writer, lyricist, and guitarist with The Viral Breakdowns, radio presenter and passionate protagonist of Punk! From teenage rocker in the seventies, to playing my own original music in far flung parts of the world, I have a love for fast, loud, short sharp tunes with attitude and edge. Based in Chelmsford, you can find me out and about on the Essex and London music scene or rooting through the racks of record fairs, markets and car boot sales, looking for hidden punk rock treasures.
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