Therapy? with support from The Membranes @ The Plug

Last week Therapy? made a welcome return to Sheffield, playing The Plug with support from influential punk band The Membranes.

Although I'd seen front man John Robb with Goldblade before this is the first time I've seen the charismatic bass player / lead singer with the re-formed Membranes. Although a fairly short set they did a great job of engaging the audience and warming up want had been a pretty chilly room. Very much liking what I heard I made a mental note to check out their back catalogue as well as the new album 'Dark Matter / Dark Energy'.

This tour sees Therapy? playing their third major album 'Infernal Love' in it's entirety. Originally released almost 21 years ago, Infernal Love took a disturbing look at religion, sex and death. This along with Andy Cairns struggling with his own inner demons at the time makes for an album that goes to some very dark places.

After a quick break Therapy? returned to the stage to play a few tracks from the latest album 'Disquiet' before launching into a bunch of long standing Therapy? classics from Nurse, Troublegum and their early E.P.'s, time for yours truly to go get sweaty in the mosh pit.

As always a fantastic, intense performance. I've been following these guys for over twenty years and they never fail to deliver.

Fargo Railroad Co. @ The Old Crown with The BearCats

First up on my gig calender this year are two of Sheffield's finest bands at the Old Crown on London Road. Since opening as a live music venue in 2014 the Old Crown tends to feature mostly cover bands so it shows great confidence in booking an original band like Fargo Railroad Co.

Support tonight comes in the form of The BearCats, a three piece rockabilly / rhythm and blues act. Being biased towards classic rock 'n' roll its always great to see these guys and it was a bonus to hear some original songs this time around along with their set of well chosen covers.

After refuelling at the bar and chat with some of the good natured folk this kind of event attracts we staked out a good spot front and centre. Fargo Railroad Co. came on to deliver typically brilliant set of southern rock and americana that is attracting more followers and critical acclaim wherever they play. Fargo's songs range from deeply poignant to great fun with rousing verses to drink along to, all delivered with an accessible sound that makes you feel instantly comfortable with the band and up for a damn good time.

 Thanks to all concerned for a great night. no doubt I'll catch you all again soon.

Handy links - The Old Crown Inn : Fargo Railroad Co. (FB) : BearCats (FB)

JD McPherson @ The Irish Centre, Leeds

The last time JD McPherson came to the UK I missed out seeing him by a whisker. After buying Signs And Signifiers on the strength of many recommendations I was gutted to find I'd just missed a gig in Leeds. So when my good friend Martin called to ask if I wanted a ticket getting for the Irish Centre gig I didn't hesitate for a second.

Unsure if there was a support band I was pleasantly surprised by the Cactus Blossoms, two brothers from Minneapolis with a country / western swing sound much akin to the Everly Brothers. Although I'd never heard them before they seemed familiar to many and went down very well with the audience.

With fresh beers in hand we staked our place centrally in the crowd to await the main event. JD McPherson and his band arrived on stage to a round of applause a proceeded to deliver a flawless set of rhythm & blues and rockabilly with generous helpings of music from debut album Signs And Signifiers along with new material from the forthcoming and much anticipated Let The Good Times Roll. Particular highlights for me were "Scratchin' Circles", "North Side Gal", a cover of The BellFuries "Your Love (Is All That I'm Missing)", "Let The Good Times Roll" and an incredible extended version of "Wolf Teeth" which underlined how well JD and upright bass player Jimmy Sutton work together.

 

Earlier years playing in punk bands along with influences from a wide range of music give JD's performance an outstanding edge to his upbeat songs and a depth and darkness to the slower ones that surpasses many artists today. Along with a first class band JD McPherson is sure to find wider appeal beyond the rock 'n' roll genre. Hopefully it will not be too long before a welcome return to our shores with many more dates. 

Let The Good Times Roll is due for release on February 10th. Visit the website for pre-orders, merch and info at http://www.jdmcpherson.com


FOOTNOTE
It was great to see so many people from Sheffield on the night and a few familiar faces from Chesterfield Rock 'n' Roll Club. I hope you all had a great time.
The evenings fun did not end after the encore. After some drunken attempts at coordination we ended up in The Wax Bar and continued to party until the wee hours with some fantastic company (you know who you all are). Many thanks for making it such a great night.

Sex Pistols Experience @ Sheffield O2 Academy

Punk cover and tribute bands are, as our American cousins would say, "a dime a dozen." The Sex Pistols Experience stands head and shoulders above the rest in this respect. Along with excellent local band Reasons To Be Cheerful we were treat to a night of quality classic punk rock.

Reasons To Be Cheerful regularly gig around South Yorkshire and the surrounding area playing punk, new wave and ska from the late 70's / early 80's. Well worth seeing on their own they provided a great warm up to the main act. http://www.reasonstheband.co.uk

 

The Sex Pistols Experience have played over 1,000 gigs around the world, have been involved with several documentaries and films since 2001 and are recognised as the best Pistols tribute you will see. 

Johhny Rotter exudes all the cynisism and bile you would expect as Kid Vicious sneers and baits the audience at every opportunity with Steve Clones and Paul Crook equally enthusiastic in their roles to complete a truly authentic experience. Top notch musicianship combined with all the nasty attitude and energy of the original Pistols shows gave us a fantastic night of old school anarchy leaving everyone sweaty, grinning and howling for more.

More info and gig dates at http://www.sexpistolsexperience.co.uk

The Creepshow @ The Cockpit, Leeds with support from The Radiacs

A great little venue this. With the entrance is situated under a railway arch set in a graffitti covered wall I knew this was my kinda place. Cheap digs were found 100 yards away with pleny of pubs and fast food joints within easy staggering distance. All these plus points added up to an instant decision to keep an eye out for more good bands playing here.

 
Speaking of good, nay excellent bands, on to tonights support in the form of old school psychobillys The Radiacs. Back with a re-vamped line-up with new members Martin Aylward on drums and Ben Lee on guitar. Former bass player Nev Preston makes a welcome return and Dale Williams as ever snarls out the vocals up front. I've got to say they sounded fantastic and it was great to hear the new single "All Wound Up"  fitting right in there with older Radiacs songs but still sounding fresh at the same time. Looking forward to the album guys. By the end of the set I'd already had a great night with more yet to come.

The Creepshow hit the stage rocking with an intense pace that kept us bouncing, dancing and singing along with established favourites from the first three albums and a generous helping of new songs from the latest release "Life After Death". By the end of the gig we were left hot, sweaty and screaming for more, a job well done I'd say.

With Sarah Blackwood leaving the the fold, I like many others wondered what the future held in store for The Creepshow. It became instantly obvious that the Creepshow scored a serious result in the form of vocalist / guitarist (and tattooist) Kenda Legaspi. Kenda sounds amazing, looks great and fits in perfectly with the band. With every album improving on the previous one and a fantastic live show the future is looking good for these Canadian psychobillies.

A big thanks to Kristian "The Reverend" Rowles for joining us for a few beers after the show. Apparently most of the band caught up with us as well but things got a bit blurry as we drank into the wee hours.

Si Cranstoun @ Rolls Royce Club, Derby

After leaving ska band the Dualers in the capable hands of brother Tyber in 2010, Si Cranston has forged an increasingly successful career as a solo artist. Impeccable vocals and presentation with backing from a highly talented band has Si playing to sold out venues wherever he appears.

On arrival at the Rolls Royce Club the dance floor was already packed as the DJ did a fine job of getting everyone warmed up. With no fuss and a modest introduction Si and his band took to the stage for two sets of pure magic. A combination of original songs penned by Si and a selection of covers kept the dance floor alive from the first note to the closing encore. 

Original compositions "50's Pin Up", "Throwback", "Coupe de Ville", "Lonesome Heart Bandit" and "Dynamo" fitted in seamlessly with classic covers including "Reet Petite" and "Twisting The Night Away", very worthy tributes to Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke, two of the biggest influences on Si's vocals. Two surprising covers were "Sex On Fire" and "Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody" both benefitting from Si's unique treatment. Several new songs were also showcased with an enthusiasic reception indicating that the new album could be the best yet.

If you like soulful rock 'n' roll then you need to listen to Si Cranston, I can't think of anyone around at the moment delivering this style of music with such perfection. Tour dates and CD's are at sicranstoun.com and you can go like Si on Facebook.

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages @ O2 Academy Sheffield

Until a few weeks ago I'd never even heard of Barrence Whitfield and the Savages. I spotted them in the local gig guide, checked out some write ups and looked on YouTube and thought "yeah, worth a look".

They proved to be a whole lot more than worth a look. Full on high energy soulful rock 'n' roll delivered by a big guy with an even bigger voice backed up by a group of hard rocking seasoned musicians. Barrence's passion for performing came across right from the start, intantly infecting the audience and continuing throughout the show. 

I'm amazed someone this good has slipped my attention for so long but I'm gonna be sure to make up for it now. More info, music, video and tour dates at barrencewhitfieldsavages.com

The Toasters @ Delaneys

 
Delaneys Music Bar in Sheffield has become one of my favourite live music venues of late. Owner Steve Delaney has a gift for booking some great local bands as well as others from further afield. This was the case when we found out New York Ska veterans the Toasters were playing with support from Sheffields own Jungle Lion. Watch this space for a future blog on Jungle Lion, an impressive twelve piece ska / reggae band that had the audience dancing from the word go.

The Toasters appeared on the Ska scene in 1981 but were unable to get signed to a label. Consequently front man Robert 'Bucket' Hingley formed his own label Moon Ska Records and has released over 20 studio, live and compilation albums. Robert remains the only consistent member and although I've seen the Toasters a few times it's never been the same line-up. Nevertheless I've enjoyed every show, this one being no exception. 

Playing as a five piece this time round the Toasters set included "Two Tone Army", "Weekend in L.A.", "I'm Running Right Through the World", "Shocker!", "Pirate Radio", "Run Rudy Run" and more from their substantial back catologue before finishing the night with the rousing "Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down". 

If you've not come across the Toasters before check out the "30th Anniversary 1981 - 2011" album. A great retrospective collection and visit the website http://www.toasters.org/ for info and tour dates.

The Wildhearts @ Rock City

It's been way too long since I last went to Rock City and since the Wildhearts were playing there on one of their all too rare tours I got myself some digs sorted nearby ready for a night with one of the best and most underrated bands on the planet.

Arriving too early to get in my room at the Igloo Backpackers Hostel, Charlie the nice lass on reception kindly let me stash my gear so could go down to the Tap & Tumbler for some lunch and liquid refreshment. You just can't go to Rock City without going for a beer in the Tap, a fine rock bar with a great atmosphere. A few hours later and much refreshed, if a little wobbly, it was back to the digs for a scrub up then down to the gig. Thinking at seven o'clock I might be a bit early I was well pleased to see Ginger's project band Hey! Hello! coming on stage as I walked in. Hey! Hello! got the evening off to a great start with plenty of us already familiar with the songs and singing along with favourites "How I Survived The Punk Wars" "Black Valentine" and "Swimwear". I could have happily watched them play twice as long, paticularly since next band the Von Hertzen Brothers weren't really my cup o' tea (sorry guys) although many folks obviously enjoyed them. Horses for courses and all that eh?

My time away from the Von Hertzen's set was put to good use however as I sought out the merch stall to get me a copy of the Rock City vs. The Wildhearts CD that they'll only be selling on this tour then off to seek further liquid refreshment. A good idea here is an additional bar selling tins. Now these are a bit overpriced but an ideal solution if you want get down the front and still keep most of your booze in its container when the crowd goes mental. So with drink in hand and tinnies in pockets I got a prime spot front centre ready for the madness to begin.

The Wiildhearts hit the stage on top form with "Nothing Ever Changes" then keeping the energy up with "TV Tan", "Nita Nitro", "Sick Of Drugs" and "Caffiene Bomb". By now I'm sweating my nuts off and loving it. After a brief respite we're all wanting to know 'Where's my Elvis?' as the band storm through "Vanilla Radio", "Someone That Won't Let Me Go" then  (relatively) recent songs "This Revolution Will Be Televised" and "Mazel Tov Cocktail". The intensity increased further as the set finished with "My Baby Is A Headfuck", "Suckerpunch" and "I Wanna Go Where The People Go". Glad of a few moments rest I looked round at a sea of faces grinning as madly as I must have been and taking the time to apologise for treading on toes, crushing folk and the odd accidental headbutt. All good fun y'know.
Coming back on stage, Ginger let us get halfway through "Geordie In Wonderland" before joining in. Then in an encore nearly as long as the first set we had "The Jackson Whites", "Nexus Icon", Tim Smith" and "Junkenstein", Scott took the lead vocals for "The Only One", a good many of us wanted their excellent cover of Warren Zevon classic "Carmelita" but you can't have everything. A great job of covering Jason and the Scorchers "White Lies" however followed before leaving us wrung out with our vocal chords pushed to the limit with "29x The Pain"

A truly fantastic show with a great set list. Great to see Scott Sorry back in the line-up with Ginger, CJ and Rich. Last but not least a great crowd, an absolute pleasure to get crushed and battered with you all.

http://www.thewildhearts.com/

Straight Razor Angels farewell gig

 
A bittersweet evening really.  The Straight Razor Angels have decided to call it a day, their last gig being at The Shakespeare in Sheffield.

Excellent support came courtesy of Dave Woodcock and the Dead Comedians, a band definitely worth keeping an eye on and I'm sure I'll be seeing more of and writing a piece on in the future. Apparently Dave and the guys were supposed to be top of the bill but graciously gave headline spot to Straight Razor Angels due to the circumstances.

 
The Angels pulled no punches in delivering a typically rocking performance to a full room and appreciative crowd. yours truly couldn't resist getting down the front for one last bop to one of my favourite bands of recent years. By the end of the night I was hot, sweaty and grinning all over despite being a little sad that this was the last time.

I'd like to wish Vegas, Ross and Eddie the best of luck in their future endeavours and thank them for all the pleasure I've had from seeing them play, cheers guys.

Trucker Diablo @ The Corporation

From the first time I heard "Drink Beer, Destroy" on Todd Bugs' Barstool Preacher show I've been hooked on these guys and when I heard they were playing my local rock club a ticket was instantly purchased. 

Trucker Diablo have a big classic rock sound with plenty of reference to trucks, beer and women. With this in mind you could be forgiven that they are an American band. If so you'd be making the same mistake as yours truly. I was gobsmacked when front man Tom Harte greeted us with an Irish accent. Then in total contrast to their soft spoken introduction they rocked the roof off the small stage at the Corporation.

 

Current album "Songs Of Iron"  follows up 2010's debut "The Devil Rhythm", both albums are quality hard rock from start to finish although Devil Rhythm remains my favourite.

Great guys, great songs and a great night. Definitely on my must see again list.

http://www.truckerdiablo.com

Inkfest 2013

With only one tattoo on my arm I've been saying I need to get more ink for years but I usually end up spending it a bike. So when my mate Martin suggested going to Inkfest I was up for it.

Mostly I'm looking for ideas and inspiration since when I do get more ink I want plenty of it and I don't want any old thing on my skin for the rest of my life. 

Although I had nothing done over the weekend I was impressed by the standard of work I saw and came away with a much better idea of what I want and the kind of quality available.

Speaking of quality, our main reason for going was the awsome line-up of bands. Three nights of rockabilly, psychobilly, punk and ska ticked all the boxes for great music as far as I'm concerned. 

Particularly good, out of a very high quality line-up, were The Zipheads, Frenzy, Jack Rabbit Slim, The Toasters, The Coffin Nails and The Rocker Covers.

Hopefully I'll be back again next year with a wad of cash ready for some artwork on my skin.

http://www.inkfest.co.uk/

Wreck-Tangle 1/6/13

We're at the Redhouse in Sheffield once again for a night of in your face Rock and Roll. So far these gigs have been excellent, great value for money with some great bands and the third Wreck-Tangle this year was no exception.

Thirteen Shots got the evening off to a lively start and although a little raw these young guys are highly energetic and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

Next up, The Goddamn Wallbangers. Despite having a few technical problems they delivered a great set and were well appreciated by all.

Straight Razor Angels stepped in at short notice as X-Ray Cat Trio had to cancel. Always a pleasure to see these guys and I was pleased to see one of my favourite local bands play here.

 

Top of the bill were the MojoKings. I have two of their albums but not previously seen them live. Damn I've been missing out here. Seeing them up close in this small venue was like being hit by a Rock 'n' Roll tsunami. Loud, fast and tight, absolutely fantastic!

For whatever reason the night wasn't as well attended as previously, shame on those that didn't make it. Still another great night though and I look forward to the next one.