It was a cold Sunday night, but a bill of this quality was worth the trek!
The temperature’s dropping, it’s dark outside, and it’s a Sunday evening, but we’re glad we made it out. Tonight, we’re at The Lexington to see three bands, two of which feature Mosrite-style guitars à la Johnny Ramone, and also a bunch of New Yorkers who need to be shown that London crowds can hold their own. We’re here, and we’re excited as hell.
With all due respect and credit to the musicians of Botox, their live show wouldn’t be half as compelling without frontman Tommy. As when we saw them here with The Darts back in July, his lean, hyperactive, snake-hipped presence utterly dominates the stage. As they inject the sounds of ‘77 with new vitality on the likes of ‘Paul Kersey Is Thirsty’ and ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’, he throttles his mic stand, jumps off the bass drum, bounces around in the crowd, and generally goes crazy. Go see them, and in the meantime, check them out on Bandcamp – you couldn’t possibly regret it.
Time is starting to run out for someone to knock Los Pepes’ magnificent ‘Out Of The Void’ LP off its perch as my Record Of The Year. The quartet are self-described as “the Motörhead of power pop” and that’s right on the money, as they relentlessly blast through melodic gems like ‘Automatic’ and ‘Let Them Talk’ with utterly electrifying energy. They both sound and look great, all with legs akimbo for a vitriolic ‘New Christians’, and as vocalist/guitarist Ben solos away down the front of the stage, it occurs to us that this is as definitive a middle finger salute to middle-aged complacency as it’s possible to give. In a word – essential.
How on earth to follow that?! Mala Vista give it a damn good try. They’ve got the songs, they’ve got the swagger, they easily get us dancing and they work up quite a sweat themselves; this is great rock n’ roll, for sure, but it lacks that manic edge that Los Pepes have in spades. Still, there’s an obvious chemistry between them, and they certainly look they’re in their element as they deliver a scorching brace of ‘I Don’t Wanna’ and ‘In The Dark’. Calls of “one more song!” are certainly justified, and as they rip through a brief encore, it’s clear that they can chalk up tonight as a victory.
Overall, an evening of top-quality rock n’ roll, and for goodness’ sake, if you haven’t heard the aforementioned ‘Out Of The Void’ yet, please rectify the situation immediately – you can thank me later.
All Photos: 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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