Punk and rock n' roll are a broad church tonight at the legendary London punk pub!
Finally, the Easter weekend has arrived! it’s taken its own sweet time this year, and it probably won’t surprise you that here, at Punktuation Towers, we’re desperately in need of a quality punk/rock n’ roll gig to help us unwind. Pretty handy, then, that Shake Some Acton have got us covered – cheers, Mannie!
Killer Tone Jones’ frontman is a showman in the truest sense of the word. Unencumbered by not having to remain rooted to a mic stand, he opts instead for a skull mask and goggles combo, with a built-in microphone, and is thus free to roam and command the crowd like it’s in his DNA. Psychobilly-flavoured covers of ‘The Model’ and ‘Personal Jesus’ induce smiles of recognition among the early birds, but their own stuff – most notably, the wonderfully twangy ‘Formaldehyde’ and ‘Spiders’ – deservedly go down just as well, with bobbing heads all around. A great result, especially at such an early hour.
Leeds trio Nervous Twitch also have energy to burn, barely pausing for breath as they rip through fourteen-odd songs in about half an hour. They specialise in a wonderfully melodic blend of pop, punk and new wave, at times reminiscent of the Rezillos, and quite rightly get a clutch of folks giving their dancing shoes a good workout down the front. Just about everything they play is so catchy it should be illegal, but if you’re new to the band, you could do worse than check out the chiming guitars and irresistible chorus of new single ‘I’d Like To Think You Know Me Better Than That’. Superb stuff.
Well, with a name like The Pink Diamond Revue, we were never in for a set of standard-issue three-chord punk rock, were we? instead, we get something seriously and thrillingly unorthodox. They’re a duo – or a trio, if you count the mannequin. There are pounding industrial/trance beats, insistent grooves, and samples, all set to a projected backdrop of what looks like fashion magazine clips and snatches of classic film footage.
It all centres around the guitarist, who slashes away at his instrument, pausing only to thank us between songs and periodically change the sunglasses and hat on the mannequin. The crowd seem initially bemused, but are quickly drawn in, not least as you’re never quite sure what will happen next. And isn’t life (and, indeed, music) more exciting that way?
The Spacewasters are approaching their 25th anniversary, and over the years, they’ve become really damn good musicians. Maybe that’s not a very punk thing to say, but as their guitarists sprinkle frenzied solo magic on the likes of ‘Leave Me Alone’ and ‘Devil’s Bones’, we have to be thankful that they’ve chosen to channel their talents not into tedious 20 minute jazz-prog suites, but into shit-kickin’ street-level punk rock n’ roll. Add the larger than life presence (and sense of humour) of frontman Mick, and you have a recipe for one hell of a good time. Check out their new album ‘The 7-Legged Groove Machine’, it does exactly what it says on the tin, and it does it very well.
Four very different bands, then – all drawing influence from punk and rock n’ roll, and all doing a great job of twisting it into their own unique shapes and sounds. Huge thanks to Shake Some Acton for having us – check out details of their future 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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