A pre-USA tour warm up show sees The Speedways on first class form!
Over the years, many American bands have had to journey to the UK (and Europe) to get some love and appreciation, but it’s been comparatively difficult for British bands to make their mark on the USA. The Speedways, though, are off to a fine start; having already played a run of successful East Coast shows last year, they’re on the cusp of once again crossing the pond to give California, Arizona and Nevada a taste of their power pop genius. Tonight, they’ve generously put on a free warm up gig in London. How could we say no?
Mimi & The Miseries are truly a joy. As with the headliners, there’s a sense that the quartet have thoroughly imbibed the punk ethos of ‘do it yourself’. No major-label backing? Who cares, when your songwriting skills are this good? They combine girl group harmonies with seriously danceable tunes and a healthy dose of twangy surf guitars; the results are instantly addictive gems like ‘Movin’ Out’ and ‘Stop Following Me ‘Round’. At times, it’s hard to tell whether band or crowd are having more fun, and their keyboard player is so cool that she plays one handed whilst her spare hand nurses a pint throughout the entire set. Fabulous stuff.
The Speedways don’t bother waiting for folks to reassemble; they take the stage and just rip into ‘Seen Better Days’ with the determination of a band that – quite rightly – know they’ve got the songs to draw even the most sozzled of barflies from their perch. It’s you that’s got to catch up with them; both in the live setting, and on recent compilation record ‘Triple Platinum’ (wall-to-wall bangers, since you ask). Folks down the front (including half of Mimi & The Miseries!) start dancing in earnest, and by the time they drop ‘Day I Call You Mine’ mid-set, we’ve all worked up quite a sweat.
Earlier this week was the 50th anniversary of their (and our) beloved Ramones first coming together in a then very-gritty NYC, and the parallels are striking; the band-as-gang aesthetic, the sense of being misunderstood outsiders, songs fuelled by a longing for that special someone who’s just out of reach…yep, The Speedways can deliver all of the above, and some gloriously frenetic performances to boot.
Perhaps it’s not really a surprise that the likes of ‘Shoulda Known’ and ‘Secret Secrets’ seem to have transcended borders. Have a great time in the States, guys, but know that when you return to these shores, you’ll be welcomed back with open arms and eager ears.
Main Photo Credit: ALEX GOOSE
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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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