General Saint and Ruts DC brought Reggae rhythms and protest Punk to a phenomenal gig!
Taking the unusual step of publishing two live reviews of the same band in succession, for the mighty Ruts DC, I will make an exception! If I had a time machine, my only wish would be to go back to 1979 to see the original Ruts playing live (I was nowhere near old enough then to go to punk gigs). Fortunately, with two original members and an ace guitarist who can play both the old and new material with equal accomplishment, seeing Ruts DC in 2026 is still a phenomenal experience!
Human Punk provided the DJ sets pre- and post-show, as well as putting on a brilliant Reggae-Punk show starring General Saint and Ruts DC at the 100 Club in the heart of London. Having attended the excellent Vive Le Rock 16th Birthday show the day before, I wasn’t the only one to venture back into the capital – now thankfully less rammed with footie fans by evening – for another fix of live music.
Reggae legend General Saint opened proceedings with some interesting and groovy covers, including The Monkees‘ ‘I’m a Believer‘, which saw most of the crowd joining in! Still cutting a dynamic and highly expressive figure, all alone on the wide stage, he sang over backing tracks (provided by his assistant playing them from a mobile phone). Unfortunately, the tech gremlins made an appearance and the phone eventually refused to respond to frantic finger prodding, freezing up completely by mid-set… Some quick thinking by Human Punk promoter Andy Chesham saw him slap an instrumental 7” on the deck to allow General Saint to conclude his shortened set. The crowd cheered enthusiastically as he went off to a great deal of applause!
With plenty of time to socialise, get another round in, and catch up with friends, there was a lovely laid-back vibe in the room. As the time drew closer for Ruts DC to take to the stage, anticipation was clearly growing, and the atmosphere was buzzing. Playing the same set as in Europe earlier in the month, Ruts DC were slick, tight and well-oiled. I honestly don’t know how this band keeps getting better and better each time I see them, but they do – exponentially!
Bassist and lead vocalist Segs Jennings was full of cheer and smiling to be playing a home show on the last night of their current tour. The 100 Club was gratifyingly packed with fans, singing along to every word, some dancing their socks off. ‘Mighty Soldier’ is a real favourite, both on record and live, and if your feet aren’t moving to its infectious beat, you must have expired! An oldie that has recently returned to the set is the fast paced ‘Demolition Dancing’, Segs giving it as much vocal welly as original Ruts singer Malcolm Owen did.
Both Owen and original guitarist Paul Fox were paid tribute in words tonight, and also in the song ‘Too Much’, which Segs wrote with his old (and sadly deceased) bandmates very much in mind. Drummer Dave Ruffy was on form as always – he played with so much soul as well as with dextrous precision, often providing smooth backing vocal harmonies whilst demonstrating his mastery of the drum kit. Sharp of wit as well as sharp of stick, Ruffy as always was the man to thank the audience for their enthusiasm and appreciation, in between the main set and the encores.
Guitarist Leigh Heggarty has more than earned his place at Ruffy and Segs’ side. Originally a disciple of Paul Fox, Leigh’s decades of playing (and self-confessed guitar nerdery!) have given him the skills to effortlessly throw in inventive solos as required. There seemed to be a golden thread of synchronicity connecting the three musicians tonight, as they freestyled through the midsection of ‘In A Rut’ – no tributes to another band or musician this time.
Ending the main set with an uproarious ‘Babylon’s Burning’ – yes, we’re all feeling the true meaning of this song in current times – Ruts DC took a brief breather at the side of the stage before returning for three encores. ‘Pretty Lunatics’ is a favourite of mine from their last studio album ‘CounterCulture?’ and I couldn’t stop myself singing along while I captured the song on video:
Hurrying for the train after saying my farewells, my heart was light and full of joy after an outstanding show by the Ruts DC boys. I can’t wait to see them again at Rebellion Festival – and I’m hoping they’ll unveil a new number or two there, as I know they’ve been writing and recording recently…
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