Three rousing Punk bands joined forces for a rip-roaring night of rock 'n' roll!
My inner impatient dickhead likes it when bands keep things concise. Of course, punk can be so much more than just three chords and the truth, but the world of sprawling concept albums is not for me. Tonight’s bill features three bands, none of whom outstay their welcome, and there are only 15-minute breaks between their sets. Promoters, take note – this is how gigs should be run.
Who’d be a microphone stand when Finnish quartet Dead Fun are in town? Theirs gets flung all over the place, and even gets a brief humping courtesy of their singer. Of course, such antics wouldn’t be half as entertaining without decent tunes to back them up, but luckily, Dead Fun have plenty; mixing punk rock with plenty of rock n’ roll swagger on the likes of ‘Fuel To Burn’ and ‘Run Run Run’. Worth keeping an eye on.
Split Dogs have been tipped for great things, but they clearly aren’t feeling any pressure, having a blast as they rip into ‘Stay Tuned’ with typical intensity. It’s impossible to take your eyes off vocalist Harry Atkins; some people are just born to do this, and they are one of them, oozing charisma and stage presence as they lead us through new single ‘Precious Stones’ – about STDs, apparently! The songs are catchy, but make no mistake – this is still raw, untamed punk rock, and you can be sure that whatever lies ahead for Split Dogs, they’ll make sure it happens on their own terms. Essential.
Desperate Measures are approaching their 40th anniversary, but you wouldn’t know it with performances as passionate and energetic as this. Maybe it’s the recent re-election of prize idiot Donald Trump, but something’s given Eugene and co. that extra jolt of fury tonight; with ‘Seven Sisters’ sounding even more brooding and ominous than usual, and latest single ‘Untouchable’ delivered with the kind of urgency and vitality you’d expect from a band half their ages.
It all ends with members of the other bands joining Desperate Measures onstage for a gloriously ramshackle romp through The Stooges’ ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’. Iggy would be proud, and so are we – it’s been a great night of quality punk rock, and you’d be well advised to follow all these bands closely.
Check out Desperate Measures’ latest single release ‘Untouchable‘ from their acclaimed recent album ‘Sublime Destruction‘:
Main Photo Credit / All Photos: ALEX GOOSE
Follow Desperate Measures on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
New book and LP on early Dutch punk celebrated at the Paradiso, Amsterdam
On 31st August 2025, Paradiso held a punk festival in its big hall. Journalist and DJ Oscar Smit launched a new expanded version of the
Shake Some Acton gig #112, London Hope & Anchor, 9th Sep 2025
Teo Wise and his band have come all the way from Italy, and from the start, it’s clear that they’re having a ball, with the
Interview: Alex gets to know UK punk trio Everyone Lies
Miss the glory days of Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords-style skate punk? It’s safe to say that Southampton trio Everyone Lies do too, as they’re
EP review: Club Brat – ‘4 Songs’
Sure, there are elements of great bands like Fugazi, Refused, At The Drive-In and Les Savy Fav, but Club Brat have taken those influences and
Live review: WitchDoktors, Kingston Fighting Cocks, 5th Sep 2025
Of all the many great punk and rock n’ roll bands that Witchdoktors recall, Rocket From The Crypt are forefront in our minds tonight; not
Shake Some Acton gig #111, London Hope & Anchor, 2nd Sep 2025
Not only do the French quartet turn in a belter of an 18-song set, sounding like a bunch of garage-punks who’ve broken into Devo’s practice
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!
