Four bands for a tenner – what a bargain.
Tonight’s proceedings open with Kickback Generation’s politically-charged angry punk rock shouting out against today’s austerity-driven capitalist society. Songs are thrashed out with soaring punk guitar, some cracking riffs, and thumping rhythms. Best of all, it all stays tuneful. Blisteringly fast, forceful and angry but never shouty, Kickback Generation wear their influences with pride: there are hints of The Clash, UK Subs and a whole host of great bands from ‘77/’78 pop up. There’s even a bit of buzzsaw guitar and that’s no bad thing.
The Hangmen knock us about with their full-on psychobilly rock ‘n’ roll. They’re loud and they’re fast and their songs are not about the niceties of life – tales of murder, hell and death are thrown out over a backdrop of rumbling double bass and pounding drums. From full-on punk to heavy blues, it’s all delivered with real kick-ass energy.
Snide Remarks hit you with a full-on sonic assault that’s both solid punk rock and great entertainment. While bass, guitar and drums hold it all together in a somewhat cool manner, singer Baz stays still for barely a second. Leaping around the stage, leaping off the stage, in the crowd, in your face, there’s no chance of your mind wandering onto anything else. This is banging singalong punk rock covering everything from social ills and losing your loved one to the joys of the weekend. Top stuff.
You know you’re going to have a good time when 999 play. Delivering a set that covers their 40+ year career, it’s full of those distinct guitar riffs from Guy Days and the unmistakable vocals of Nick Cash. The flat out breakneck speed of ‘Nasty Nasty’, ‘Hit Me’ and ‘I’m Alive’ mixed up with the almost poppy singalong punk of songs such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘Biggest Prize In Sport’ and ‘Boys In The Gang’, and add in the classics ‘Feelin’ Alright With The Crew’, ‘Emergency’ and ‘Homicide’, and this was a set of top class tunes from one of the original ’76 punk bands.
