As the rest of the country settled into the usual St George’s Day debates of why it isn’t a Bank Holiday, why nobody celebrates it as much as St Patrick’s Day and the fact he was actually from Turkey, the discourse was somewhat different at the Westgarth Social Club tonight as Benefits took to the stage for a much-anticipated homecoming as part of their recent UK tour.
Renowned for their blunt, politically-charged content, the more “patriotic” amongst us may be somewhat appalled by the lyrics to tracks like ‘Shit Britain’, ‘Flag’ and ‘Empire’ – and they’d be somewhat missing the point.
Benefits are more than happy to shine a light on their disdain for the rise in right-wing populism within the country. And on the evidence of tonight’s show and frontman Kingsley Chapman’s between-song monologues, the frustration comes from a point of caring deeply about the state of their homeland, firing out cathartic diatribes in the knowledge that as a nation, we could and should be doing better.
Whilst so far this may read more as a political article than a gig review, the simple fact is that politics and bands like Benefits are inseparable.
Noted producer Steve Albini has recently drawn parallels between them and the lyrical content of early anarcho-punk pioneers such as Crass, and it’s a comparison that holds some weight.
The gig tonight had a similar vibe to a political rally, reflected in the broad range of characters in the audience.
Curiously, Benefits sounding like they do and having the hype and appeal they have is quite an anomaly. Having been a veteran of the noise underground over the last couple of decades, I never expected to see a sold-out venue for a group of Teessiders blasting out walls of synth-driven feedback, weighty subs and sharp, stabbing beats.
I would have liked the volume to have been cranked up another level to match the band’s energy levels, but as a performance, they were extremely tight.
Benefits to me are an important band and are something this area has been lacking. They have the feel of a big city band from an otherwise small town, straying away from the conventional definitions of “punk” to create something genuinely worthwhile.
Their performance tonight hints at big things to come. And their next UK tour in November already appears to be even more hotly anticipated than this one.
