Shake Some Acton have done it again - Thee Gravemen, The Go Go Cult, Tuesday Violence and CaveGirl & The Neandergals pulled in the crowds!
Even quality gigs suffer when up against the traditional Bank Holiday London exodus, not to mention a rain-soaked stinker of a Saturday, but Shake Some Acton tonight at the King’s Cross Water Rats is a hive of activity. Each of the four bands has their own twist on rock ‘n’ roll, and there’s the added bonus of finding fellow Punktuationer Ruth Rae in the crowd. If that’s not a recipe for a great gig, I’ll eat my (increasingly sweaty) battlejacket.
You wouldn’t know that Thee Gravemen are just a duo, such a glorious racket do they make. Lee Tea (guitar) and Daz Trash (drums) blend garage-punk with a touch of rockabilly, add a touch of gallows humour, and spit it all out to great effect on the likes of ‘Rockin; In The Graveyard’ and ‘My Witch’. They pull a decent crowd for this painfully early hour, and even the folks sitting down can’t help but get their feet tapping. Ones to watch, for sure.
However, if you’re after a band that truly comes to life whilst singing about death, they don’t come much better than The Go Go Cult. Singer/guitarist Nigel rightfully gets cheers for his fabulous shirt, but it’s their punkabilly rock n’ roll swagger that truly impresses, as they rip through ‘I’ll Be Your Sinner’ and ‘Black Is The Colour’ with the kind of verve that suggests they’d explode if they didn’t have their band as an outlet for whatever’s troubling them. We nervously salute them, and make a mental note to check out their recent ‘Tarantula’ EP.
Belgian trio Tuesday Violence soon prove the highlight of the evening. In the words of Ruth: “Nirvana meets The Doors”, and that’s a fair assessment; guitarist Niels attacks his instrument with palpable glee, whilst lead vocalist and organ player Crystal provides the memorable melodies. Together with drummer Deveney, they’re on a mission to make us dance, and they can’t fail with the insistent groove of ‘We’re Gonna Love Again Forever’ and the 100mph blast of ‘Slutlist’. A wonderfully ramshackle cover of Bikini Kill’s ‘Rebel Girl’ brings things to a close, and the band are clearly stoked, perhaps in the know that they’ve raised the bar in fine style.
CaveGirl & The Neandergals initially struggle to follow such an incredible set, but the rockabilly trio soon charm their way into our hearts. They certainly look the part, with (hopefully fake) bones in their hair and a double bass adorned with leopard-print. Whether playing covers (including an excellent ‘Tainted Love’) or songs from their recent (and also excellent) ‘Carnal Desires’ EP, there’s never a dull moment, and they certainly deserve their self-proclaimed status as “the world’s premier bedrock ‘n’ roll girl band”
A success all round, then, and yet another reason why Shake Some Acton have become a byword for great rock ‘n’ roll gigs. Follow them online, and be sure to check out their next London show on Saturday 28th September (at Signature Brew in Haggerston).
Main Photo Credit / All Photos And Videos: 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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