Harrow probably didn't quite know what hit it when Deaf Devils came to town!
Resistance is futile, folks, because tonight’s headliners Deaf Devils are coming for you, whether you like it or not. We’ve already witnessed the Spanish quartet dazzle at venues all over central London, and now it’s the turn of the sleepy suburb of Harrow-on-the-Hill to be Deafened. Shake Some Acton have done it again, with a line-up for which we’d happily have travelled all the way to the end of the Metropolitan Line (but thank you, Mannie, for not making us schlep that far!).
Shit Stirrers have a guitar tone reminiscent of a cloud of very angry bees, plus a vocalist who spends most of his time in the crowd, and both are just fine with us. Their guitarist has a D.R.I. sticker on her instrument, and having witnessed the Texan crossover legends earlier this month, we’re pleased to discover that Shit Stirrers are in a similar musical vein; with nimble fingered riffing a-plenty on relentless cuts like ‘Cut Off My Nose’ and ‘In Our Blood’. There’s a sense that, on a night of few fucks given, these folks give the fewest fucks of all as to whether we actually like them, and that’s partly what makes them so enjoyable. A great start.
We first saw Quick Romance last summer at Clerkenwell Festival, and they’ve only grown in confidence since then. They’re the sum of their parts, with drummer Oliver gleefully smashing the shit out of his kit, bassist Gabe holding down the low end in fine style, guitarist Hayden unleashing some serious Angus Young-esque histrionics amid the buzzsaw attack, and of course vocalist Matilda at her charismatic, hair-swishing best. X-Ray Spex and The Rezillos are perhaps lazy comparisons at this stage, but the Bath quartet have the songs and stage presence that would make both of the aforementioned bands proud. Go see Quick Romance now, and you may have serious bragging rights in the future.
Australian quintet Kombi Killers sound absolutely massive with their double guitar attack. Their street-punk anthems yield little in the way of surprises, but there’s no arguing with shout-along choruses like those of ‘Don’t Start’ and ‘Rats In Disguise’, and everything is delivered with plenty of rock n’ roll swagger and the good humour of a band who know they’re among friends tonight. Their set time is tight, but they pack in as much as humanly possible, and by the time they close with a furious cover of The Exploited’s ‘UK82’, we’re all converted to their cause.
A superb evening so far, so what can Deaf Devils do to top what’s come before, other than go even crazier than usual? Quite simply, to see them live these days is to witness a band at the height of their powers; you get the sense that they’d stop at nothing to make this the ultimate punk n’ roll party. Glasses get smashed, setlists get torched, and they seem to spend half their set in the crowd – even before their customary drum-kit reconstruction in the middle of the dancefloor. Folks, this is not just a gig; this is a SHOW, in the truest sense of the word.
Not that any of this would count for much if they didn’t have the songs, but if you can imagine the likes of The Hives, Turbonegro and The Hellacopters chucked into a blender and spat out with awesome hardcore punk ferocity, then you’ll have an idea of where they’re coming from. Oh, and they absolutely ooze star quality; in particular, you wonder just how much longer the wider world can ignore frontwoman Lucyfer, whose non-stop, hyperactive presence makes her a live music photographer’s nightmare. Once again, Deaf Devils steal the show, and make it look all too easy. On tonight’s form, Rebellion Festival should be theirs for the taking.
Cheers to Shake Some Acton for putting it all together, and having us along for the ride! Check out details of future SSA gigs on the links below.
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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