The Rebellion Festival is the biggest punk rock music festival in the UK. It is spread across four days, and it attracts the largest bands and new emerging talent on the scene. It is annually held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, where it has been running continuously in one form or another since 1996. The 15,000-capacity Rebellion Festival attracts people from all around the globe.
The venue has many sizable rooms, including the Empress Ballroom, Club Casbah, Opera House, Arena, Pavilion, After Dark & RIS (‘Rebellion Introducing Stage’), as well as the Mazzei Cafe for DJs. Upstairs, there was also the Almost Acoustic, the Literary Stage and The Old Vic. Below you’ll find our reviews from days 1 and 2, plus photos of many more artists from across the first few sweaty days.
DAY 3 & 4 COVERAGE HERE
All reviews Andy Murphy and Mark Kelly. All photos © Cris Watkins
DAY ONE – THURSDAY 1ST AUGUST
TITS UP – Club Casbah
Liverpool-based ‘Tits Up’, not to be confused with ‘TiTs up’ from West Wales, have the honour of being my first band of the festival. ‘Tits Up’ comprises Amanda on vocals and drums, Jen on vocals and guitar, complete with a luminous pink strap, and Bridget with her impressive red heart-shaped bass, which she puts to good use throughout.
Their surf punk sound and even the way they dress has hints of The Cramps and B52s, which is always a positive for me, but they definitely add their own style and personality to proceedings. Their ten songs, 30-minute set, certainly increases in intensity as they warm up, peaking with ‘Birthday Party’ and a warning not to mess with this band as drummer and vocalist Amanda aggressively tells us that you won’t be invited to her birthday party if you cross her even if it’s something quite petty.
Throughout, there is a common theme in naming songs that have nothing to do with the title, as Amanda points out. ‘Cinnamon’ has nothing to do with cinnamon, ‘Horny Hornets’ has nothing to do with Horny Hornets, and so on! The set concludes with ‘Psycho Girl’, which kind of confirms my earlier thoughts. They have graduated from playing the RIS to the much larger Club Casbah, and based on this performance, they have certainly earned the right to a bigger stage as this is a highly entertaining start to proceedings, and they have certainly brought a smile to my face.
(Andy Murphy)
GEOFFREY OI!COTT – Club Casbah
Having bailed out of playing cricket this weekend in order to attend Rebellion there is one band that I must see out of curiosity more than anything else and that is Geoffrey Oi!Cott. The band hail from the other side of the Pennines, but still that doesn’t put this Lancashire supporting reviewer off. Neither does the Oi! tag which some people automatically associate with right wing fascists, but that is not the case, and I am particularly careful to select my bands and thankfully this band are not members of the Yorkshire County Cricket Board. The band are kitted out in their cricket whites and Jase is wearing the obligatory Oi! braces for effect along with Dr Martens, which would be frowned upon at Lords. I immediately notice a Gunn and Moore cricket bat with a sticker that says “this machine kills fascists” which is a good opener and it’s nice to see them making a stand against the right-wing element. There is even a set of stumps onstage. Sporting bushy sideburns lead singer Jase Kilvo could hardly look any more a Yorkshireman and unbeknown to me it is ‘Yorkshire Day’, I didn’t even know such a thing existed, but it is a good excuse for the band to raise a glass to the crowd though it doesn’t sound like they need much encouragement as lead singer Jase points out.
This band are good fun with some cricketing humour interspersed in their lyrics and song titles such as ‘Dawn Of The Dickie Birds’ and ‘Beamers’. They play their new single which is out today called ‘Titus The Yorkshireman’ and with that they are almost turning my red rose white, but fear not I will never change my allegiances. They also sing about darts (‘Dartitis’), beer (‘Gimme Some Head’), and their dislike of the sort of people who vote Tory/Reform which looks like it could be a theme with a lot of the bands I have chosen to see this weekend. The music itself is faster than a bouncer from Freddie Trueman and howzat set is over so quickly has me stumped, but they have obviously run out of time. I am left feeling like I’ve scored a winning six off the last ball but that’s a story for another time!
(Andy Murphy)
YUR MUM – Empress Ballroom
This year’s festival starts for me with Yur Mum in the Empress Ballroom. They’re a Brazilian duo based in London, consisting of Anelise Kunz on bass, and Fabio Couto on drums. Initially it’s difficult to tell when their soundcheck ends and their set begins, but they’re pretty good once they get going. Seemingly it takes a while for both the band and the audience to get warmed up.
I expect with bands like this to feel that there’s something missing with there being just the two instruments, but they sound absolutely complete. Anelise’s vocals are mostly screamed, but there’s some nice harmonies too. I’ve seen them described as being “heavier than Royal Blood”. I’m not sure about that, but they’re certainly heavy enough. Find out for yourself at the Underworld in Camden on 14th August.
(Mark Kelly)
PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES – Empress Ballroom
I stay in the Empress Ballroom for Pete Bentham And The Dinner Ladies. I’ve seen them a couple of times before and they’re good fun. However, despite being very entertaining their songs often contain a serious message. ‘Dead’s Not Punk’ for example is about taking care of your health and not popping your clogs sooner than you need to. They have two dancers called The Dinnerettes, aka Cantina Turner and Tash Patater. During ‘What’s On The Inside’ they ‘give birth’ to strings of sausages, and during the aforementioned ‘Dead’s Not Punk’ they sweep up the photo pit. It’s very public spirited of them to ensure that the photographers have a clean working environment! They play a new song called ‘Is There Life in Rhyl?’ I grew up there. I keep quiet…. This band really are top entertainment. See them if you get the chance.
(Mark Kelly)
HEAVY METAL KIDS – Opera House
Next it’s off to the Opera House for the Heavy Metal Kids. This is a bit of a misnomer because they don’t play heavy metal and the musicians aren’t kids. The band have however been around for quite a while. They first formed in 1972 and split in 1985 following the death of original vocalist Gary Holton. They re-formed in 2002 and still have two original members: Keith Boyce on drums and ‘Cosmo’ Verrico on guitar.
Their two most recent recruits are Simon Gordon on vocals and Andy Fuller on keyboards. The line-up is completed by P J Phillips on bass. Heavy Metal Kids are essentially a good, tight, traditional heavy rock band. They’re pre-punk and were clearly an influence on the early punk bands. Their songs are succinct and to the point: no twenty minute epics for them! They haven’t stood still. They still produce new material, a good example of which is ‘Jimmy Brown’. They don’t ignore their earlier material either, performing ‘She’s No Angel’ and ‘Squalliday Inn’, both from 1976’s ‘Kitsch’ album. They only get a 35 minute set, which frankly is not long enough. However, they play the Cavern Free House in Raynes Park on 21st September. I wouldn’t mind betting that they’ll play for longer than 35 minutes there….
(Mark Kelly)
THE RAMONAS – Empress Ballroom
I’ve only seen The Ramonas once during their 20 year tenure and that was pre Covid at the 250 capacity Lewes Con Club. Here I am at least five years later watching them in The Empress Ballroom which has a twelve times larger capacity than our beloved East Sussex venue. This four piece all-female band, as the name suggests are in essence a Ramones tribute band, and there is a good crowd in attendance ready to reminisce over some of the bands massive back catalogue. Without much ado the band tear into ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ which wakens up the mosh pit for the first time today.
Lead singer Lisa is full of energy and the band are certainly bringing their A-game to the Empress Ballroom as the classics just keep on coming including ‘Sheena Is A Punk Rocker’, ‘Pet Sematary’, and ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’, though they do break away from The Ramones set to show that they are no one-trick ponies and perform some of their own material including ‘Loser’ which is about Trump’s demise last time around, as we live in hope of a similar outcome later this year. To end the whirlwind 22 song set in just 45 minutes, they finish off with another crowd pleaser in ‘The KKK Stole My Baby’ leaving the crowd satisfied but already hot and sweaty with almost nine hours left of the day for those with enough stamina.
(Andy Murphy)
THE MEFFS – Empress Ballroom
The Meffs are next up in the Empress Ballroom and I am still kicking myself for not going to see them at the Bootleg Social Club last night for an intimate pre-Rebellion show, but my disappointment is short lived as the band rip into ‘Everything’s Gone’ and the crowd is whipped into a frenzy. Lily on guitar and vocals, prowls back and forth on the stage to the extent that I feel like I am at Centre Court at Wimbledon. Her menacing grin shows that she means business. Lewis, who can’t be much taller than my 5 feet and 6 inches, is a giant behind the drums and his energy knows no bounds as they tear up the Empress Ballroom.
‘Stand Up Speak Out’ is the ideal song for some audience singalong participation which goes down a treat. ‘Clowns’ is aptly dedicated to the Reform party and their voters with some not very polite, but appropriate words used to describe them. This band are relevant now with their lyrics, ideals, and morals, which have helped bring the new breed of punk into the 2020s. There is a brief interlude as ‘Death Trails’ take to the stage to take over whilst Lily and Lewis try out their double crowdsurf which they had only attempted for the first time the night before. It works perfectly and I should imagine is much easier given the size of the venue. This 40 minute set has it all including a Circle Pit and a Wall of Death which I suggest should be renamed the Wall of Meff!
I can’t recall seeing a duo own such a large stage with the authority that they have during this set and they have certainly wowed this crowd.
Next time The Meffs play Rebellion I should imagine they will be playing a later slot after what I already feel is going to be one of the punk performances of the festival and we’re not even six hours in. With a visit to St Leonards on the cards at the end of the month for an intimate gig at The Piper I am now more than excited to see them play up close and personal.
(Andy Murphy)
HANDSOME DICK MANITOBA – Empress Ballroom
I wander back to the Empress Ballroom for Handsome Dick Manitoba. He used to be the vocalist for The Dictators and has gained a degree of legendary status as a result of that. Does he deserve that status? Well, maybe. He has a great band, consisting of two guitarists, bass and drums, but Dick seems to spend a lot of his time haranguing them. The band are reminiscent of a punkier New York Dolls with a touch of the MC5. Dick sometimes sang with the re-formed MC5/DKT in the mid 2000s, so this is perhaps not surprising. Dick is pleased to be back in England. He tells us that the only thing he doesn’t like about England is his ‘ex’. Well, fair enough I suppose. Dick speaks at some length about The Dictators’ 1975 album ‘The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!’, which is widely viewed to be the first punk album.
Eventually the band play ‘The Next Big Thing’ from it. It should be noted that Dick was a guest musician on this album, only appearing on four tracks, and credited as “Secret Weapon”. One of the guitarists plays the intro to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’, which earns him a telling off from the Great Vocalist. After another song Manitoba storms off stage in a bit of a huff. The band start a song called ‘Who Will Save Rock ‘n’ Roll’. The bassist sings and makes a darn good job of it. Manitoba returns to the stage and takes the p*ss out of said bassist. He doesn’t bother joining in the song, and that’s the end of the set. So: Handsome Dick Manitoba. Legend? Maybe, but he’s also… well…. a bit of a dick.
(Mark Kelly)
DEL STRANGEFISH INEXPERIENCE – Almost Acoustic
I now want to see an artist who’s more grown-up and mature, so I climb the stairs to the Almost Acoustic stage for The Del Strangefish Inexperience. Del, who resides in Woodingdean, is a former member of Flesh For Lulu and main songwriter for Peter And The Test Tube Babies, although he now no longer tours with them. He is a published author with another book soon to be released to an eagerly awaiting public, and is not only one of the funniest men in the world, he is also quite likely borderline genius. He has the temerity to start early, so by the time I position myself in front of the stage he is already halfway through ‘Elvis Is Dead’. He then goes straight into ‘Intensive Care’ (not literally), which I didn’t realise (or had perhaps forgotten due to lost brain cells) is a sequel song to the previous ditty. Well – you live and learn!!!
Del is playing an acoustic guitar. I’m pretty sure that this is the first time that I’ve seen him play anything quieter than a Gibson Les Paul! After the delicately titled ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Shit’ we get ‘Run Del Run’, which is from Del’s new solo album. If this is indicative of the standard of material on said album, it must be a cracking piece of work. Del has special guests too! For ‘All About Love’ he’s joined by Vom from Die Toten Hosen on cajon. He’s also joined by Emily and Deb from The Pukes on ukuleles, and Clara on bass. They’re apparently playing today as the Delettes! Together they play ‘Silicone Beergut’, a very sad tale of a young man who has his gut surgically enhanced so he can look like his punk heroes, and the Test Tube Babies classic ‘Banned From The Pubs’. With that they’re gone. What can I say? Top entertainment! It really doesn’t get much better.
(Mark Kelly)
STEVE IGNORANT – Literary
I decide to pop into the Literary Stage area which is a nice excuse just to sit down and rest my ageing legs, but I am also dead keen to see my music anti-hero Steve Ignorant being interviewed by Cherry B. It was a nice, relaxed atmosphere for someone I am used to seeing shouting his anger at the system down a microphone. Steve talks about his childhood, especially his struggles at school and how he left early, moved into the Epping Forest commune in 1977 having been a regular visitor for three years, and remained there until the mid-1990s when he met his partner Jona. It’s interesting to hear that he didn’t realise the influence he had on so many people whilst he was in Crass until recently and it’s plain to see from the large turnout to listen to him today that it has had a long-lasting effect. It’s great to hear that he is enjoying touring the Crass material and how the new band bring their own qualities to the music, so we can hopefully enjoy seeing them for a good while longer. In spite of that his most rewarding work was volunteering with the RNLI which he misses every day and for which he receives a well-deserved round of applause. The obvious highlight of the interview is when he is joined onstage by a young fan called Demi who takes over from Cherry B and grills him with several questions including ‘what has been his biggest challenge and how did he overcome it?’ His answer is “school, so I left!”. Demi is then encouraged by Cherry to sing the opening to her favourite song ‘Big A Little A’ with Steve and gets the loudest round of applause as the interview draws to a close.
(Andy Murphy)
THE GODFATHERS – Opera House
I take a wander over to the Opera House which appears to be the venue of choice for a lot of the ‘older’ bands. I am looking forward to seeing The Godfathers who were formed 39 years ago, though they did have an eight-year hiatus at the turn of the century. With seventeen former members it’s fair to say that they have had tumultuous time, and the current line-up only has one founder member in lead singer Peter Coyne, along with bassist Jon Priestley, guitarists Richie Simpson and Paul Humphreys, and drummer Billy Duncanson who all joined in 2019.
Peter is dressed in a suit as you would expect from the Godfather though he hasn’t gauged the temperature very well as he is sweating profusely early on and has to reach for his hankie. After the first five songs of the set Peter announces that they are now going to play their second album in order starting off with the title track ‘Birth, School, Work, Death’ which reached number 80 in the UK charts and is probably my highlight of the set, closely followed by the cleverly written ‘If I Only Had Time’ with lyrics taken entirely from tabloid headlines. Peter catches the eye of his wife in the crowd and is worried that she will ask him whether he put the bins out. The sound is polished and cannot be faulted yet still I really do wish I had seen them in their pomp. They finish off the set with a Beastie Boys cover of ‘(You Gotta) Fight For your Right (To Party)’ which the crowd appear to enjoy.
(Andy Murphy)
UK SUBS – Empress Ballroom
I descend from the Almost Acoustic stage and head for the Empress Ballroom for the seemingly evergreen UK Subs. Vocalist and Seaford resident Charlie Harper is allegedly 80 years old. I can’t help feeling that there has been some kind of administrative error somewhere. If I can be in as good a shape as Charlie at 80 I’ll be well pleased. With no fuss whatsoever they pile into ‘CID’ and ‘I Live In A Car’ from 1979’s ‘Another Kind Of Blues’ album.
There’s no gap between the two songs, which pretty much sets the pace for the rest of the set. Charlie peels off a storming harmonica solo during ‘It Couldn’t Be You’, whilst ‘Rockers’ features an incandescent guitar solo from Steve Straughan. Charlie is drinking cider onstage – a man after my own heart! Tonight’s gig features almost too many highlights to mention. I will just say, in case anybody has any doubts, the UK Subs are still very much a top notch live band. This is just as well as they have some dates planned in the autumn, although I’m told that this doesn’t equate to a tour. Fair enough. They are however playing The Arch in Brighton on 14th November.
(Mark Kelly)
LYDIA LUNCH – Opera House
From one legendary artist to another: Lydia Lunch in the Opera House. Lydia is giving a spoken word performance, and I must confess it’s not a comfortable listen. Then again, it’s not meant to be. The subject matter is the state of the world today: politicians; the treatment of women; and many other things besides. The tone is incredibly angry, and rightly so. Lydia doesn’t utter a single irrelevant word, which is incredibly sad, because everything she says is true. She’s frighteningly accurate, and offers no real hope of redemption. She tells us that “violence was the first act of creation”. Maybe it will be the last act of our destruction too. We’re doomed. Pass that bottle of whisky will yer?
(Mark Kelly)
PUNKBAND – After Dark In Pavilion
With the After Dark Stage now situated in The Pavilion, a much better location to discover new bands, as you can often hear them as you are walking past the venue, I make my first foray there to have a look at Punkband. This young trio are the penultimate band on tonight having just released their debut EP yesterday. They obviously didn’t know that they would be playing in front of an ageing audience when they signed up for Rebellion and ask if anyone is under the age of 50. Trying to encourage a mosh pit and make comments about people being too old to do so when over the age of 30, they obviously don’t know this 60-year-old, maybe isn’t the way to endear themselves to a new ‘older’ audience, but they appear to have had one lager shandy too many. They should be grateful that us oldies aren’t tucked up in bed with our Horlicks. To be fair they were actually really good, and I will be giving them a further listen once they release a 78 that I can play on my gramophone. There was no setlist and few songs were introduced but I’m pretty sure I recognised ‘Narcoist’ and ‘Born, Broke, Break, Croak’. They certainly have attitude in abundance and their Punk Grime crossover is written for their generation, but that’s not to say that we can’t be educated and listen to what they have to say. I’m not sure what the Punk scene is like in Hersham, but if as they say they are the worst punk band in the town, then I must check out the others if there happen to be any. I look forward to seeing them when they return to Rebellion in about 25 years time but hopefully elsewhere before then.
(Andy Murphy)
DWARVES – Club Casbah
I descend into Club Casbah for The Dwarves, who despite their name, are not particularly short. I was astonished to discover before coming here that the band have been going for the best part of forty years!!! I’d seen their music described as being “diverse”, but what I see and hear is fast, aggressive, hardcore punk. They’re also responsible for one of the biggest and most effervescent mosh pits that I’ve ever seen!! I stay near the back. It seems to be the safest option. For anyone who’s ever had the slightest interest in amphetamines: this band will give you a similar kind of rush without you having to go anywhere near anything that might be deemed to be in the least bit illegal.
(Mark Kelly)
SHAM 69 – Empress Ballroom
Hoping to be cheered up, I head off to see my last legend of the night: Sham 69! I’ll be honest, Sham are one of my favourite live bands. Again, they’re not spring chickens, but you’d never guess their ages seeing them play live! Jimmy Pursey starts their set wearing a woolly hat, which possibly isn’t the wisest choice for a hot August night. When he takes it off he looks unfeasibly young! I bet he’s got a portrait in the attic…. It’s not entirely a set of classics, but there’s plenty of them in there. I have no complaints about opening track ‘What Have We Got’ from the 1979 album ‘The Adventures Of The Hersham Boys’. Likewise ‘I Don’t Wanna’ from the debut album ‘Tell Us The Truth’. The key thing to note here is that unlike many of the older bands playing at this festival, there are three-quarters of the original band onstage here (the exception is drummer Spike).
Not only that but they play with the same kind of fire that they did in 1977. Every time I see them I’m taken aback by the sheer fury of their performance! At one point Jimmy tells us that they’re going to play ‘Postman Pat’. Thankfully that doesn’t happen, but we do get ‘Borstal Breakout’, ‘Angels With Dirty Faces’, a cover of The Clash’s ‘White Riot’ (this seems to be a fairly regular occurrence), ‘If The Kids Are United’, and encores consisting of ‘Hersham Boys’ and ‘Hurry Up Harry’. If anybody walks out of the Empress Ballroom tonight not thinking that they’ve just seen a classic gig, then there must be something clinically wrong with them.
(Mark Kelly)
HOTWAX – After Dark In Pavilion
It’s been a whole five days since I’ve seen my headliner for today play live. Even with Sham 69 and the Tom Robinson Band on the main stages, I remain in the Pavilion at the After Dark Stage to show my undying loyalty for Hastings finest, HotWax. Fresh from a free hometown gig where they headlined ‘Burger Jam’ to a packed crowd, they are here making their Rebellion debut. I have watched this band rise from the ashes of The Kiffs in 2019 into a band that is creating a real stir within the music scene, especially with their highly anticipated debut album due out next year. I have been proudly parading my HotWax t-shirt, the only one on display, around the Winter Gardens today in anticipation of seeing the band who actually swung it for me to attend this year. It’s a late one as they don’t come on stage until 11:35pm and I am normally flagging by this time, but not today as the adrenaline kicks in. There is no doubting the musical talent of Tallulah on guitar and Lola on bass, but I have seen Tallulah’s vocals grow significantly stronger in the past five years and she now owns all the songs. I’ve also watched Lola’s stage presence become greater as she has become more accustomed to the limelight. Alfie on drums was the final piece of the jigsaw and has slotted in so well that it feels like he has been there since day one. He has the knack of making playing the drums look almost effortless as he doesn’t seem to sweat much in comparison to other drummers. Opening with ‘One More Reason’ they go on to give us nine more reasons to go and see them play live as they treat us to a ten song set. It isn’t too much different to last week’s though they swap three over to include a new song ‘In Her Bedroom’ plus two masterstrokes as we are at a Punk festival with old live favourite ‘When We’re Dead’ and my favourite single of 2023 ‘Drop’ which is dedicated to the Rebellion crowd. This band are on the cusp of something big and I am fast running out of superlatives for them after yet another stellar 10 out of 10 performance, so all I can do is implore you to go and catch them while they are still playing smaller venues.
(Andy Murphy)
DAY TWO – FRIDAY 2ND AUGUST
PUSSYLIQUOR – Empress Ballroom
After an exhausting first day at Rebellion my opening band for the second day in the Empress Ballroom is guaranteed to wake me up as it is Brighton’s very own Pussyliquor. I have only seen them once since they reformed last year when they supported HotWax at Dust, and they certainly left a lasting impression on me as I am sure they do wherever they play. They don’t appear to be daunted in the slightest at playing the main stage today and there is a good turnout for their 30 minute lunchtime show. They ooze confidence from the get-go and lead singer Ari’s antics are surely giving the photographers some great shots. Sticking two fingers up at misogynists everywhere ‘Pretty Good For A Girl’ taken from their first EP some seven years ago is a great song and I can’t believe that I only just discovered this band at the end of last year. Then there’s ‘Pesticide’ about fake friends which is played at double fast pace for the most part. They finish their set with ‘Hit Song’ dedicated to a man in the record industry who told them that their music was rubbish and they needed to show off more of their assets if they wanted to get anywhere. Such unsavoury behaviour makes you less than proud to be a man.
This is another young band that doesn’t mince their words and towards the end of the set they encourage the crowd to join in singing “If you see a Nazi kick him in the face”. They also have a fun side to them, and it really doesn’t get much more punk than Ari announcing to us that she has a hole in her sock. Bassist Hannah makes light about her insecurity surrounding her lack of height and how she is so much taller than any of us looking down from the stage.
They play as a five piece today with a guitarist who I am unfamiliar with but could be Kristen Grant (apologies if not) and they are in agreement with me that their set was so good that the festival might as well end here and now. I purchased their ‘Not Rocket Science’ EP on CD which was released earlier in the year as a sign of my appreciation.
linktr.ee/pussyliquorband
(Andy Murphy)
GIRLS LIKE US – Arena
Friday for me starts with Girls Like Us on the Arena stage. They’re a three piece from London. The first thing I notice is the gloriously distorted Danelectro bass courtesy of bassist Amelia, who is also responsible for lead vocals. The music is pretty straight ahead punk with very little guitar soloing. What soling there is sounds somewhat rudimentary, but I get the impression that may be deliberate. One of their songs is about drugs. Amelia hopes that we’re on them. Sorry Amelia, but not this early in the day. They also know about drinking. Me too, and I’ll drink to that. Guitarist Jaz solos playing her guitar behind her head. Aha! So her playing isn’t that rudimentary then!!! They play a song about sex. Now all they need is one specifically about rock ‘n’ roll and they’ve covered the holy trinity!!! They also play a song about somebody who sleeps in jeans out of choice. Who would do that?!!! Well, clearly somebody that Girls Like Us know would! There are quite a few influences evident in their music, but the one that keeps coming back to me is Motörhead. Like the late great Lemmy, Fast Eddie, and Philthy Animal Taylor, Girls Like Us are a damn fine rock ‘n’ roll band.
girlslikeus.bandcamp.com
(Mark Kelly)
HOT FLAB – Ris In Pavilion
I inadvertently make my first visit of the weekend to the Rebellion Introducing Stage (RIS) for newcomers, as I happen to hear a band called ‘Hot Flab’ on stage. This four piece announce that they come from Bristol just in case the audience don’t recognise the accent which comes across in virtually all their songs. Moving the RIS from the Arena Stage is a definite plus as there is a lot of through traffic nearby where a lot of the stalls can be found so people are more likely to hear a new band just in passing as it is more open than any of the other venues, as I have done in discovering ‘Hot Flab.’ They play their recent debut single ‘The City’ taken from their even more recent album ‘Excuse Me Love’. The themes behind their songs vary from smashing the patriarchy to pegging to being a single mum to the NHS. They even sing about pushing 40 and becoming an OAP (Old Age Punk) apart from Meg on guitar who is a bit younger, which makes me feel positively ancient at 60. Ending the set with the two minute long ‘I Start Fights’ has the perfect bass intro courtesy of Liz before exploding into life, and then slowing down as Jen gives us a mid-song speech about how the face of punk is changing and becoming more inclusive and standing against any form of discrimination, which earns a deserved cheer at the end of the song. Do yourself a favour and catch them at The Pipeline on 14th December, and you’ll be in for a lush time.
(Andy Murphy)
TV SMITH – Opera House
For something completely different I head to the Opera House for TV Smith, who is playing an Adverts set. He’s written many great songs since the days of The Adverts, but they were a great band with great material, so it’s not surprising that people want him to revisit their songs. However, the presentation is different as he’s playing them solo on acoustic guitar. I’ve never seen him on solo acoustic before so this is a bit of a bonus for me. It’s a great set, and the songs lose none of their power by not being fully amped up. Indeed, Tim’s singing seems to be far more passionate and powerful than when he’s playing with a band. Unsurprisingly the place is absolutely packed. Indeed Tim says that it’s the biggest solo gig that he’s ever played. The great thing about today’s set is that it’s not a by rote ‘best of’ set, there are quite a few deep cuts thrown in as well. Of course we get the famous songs like ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ and ‘No Time To Be 21’, but there’s also ‘Quickstep’, which was the b-side of ‘One Chord Wonders’, and ‘New Day Dawning’ which was the b-side of the aforementioned ‘No Time To Be 21’. TV Smith remains an absolutely enthralling performer, whether he’s solo or with a band.
(Mark Kelly)
BRIOCHE – Ris In Pavilion
I hang around the RIS to kill some time and see what the next band is like. I’ve never heard of ‘Brioche’ but this brother, Nile, and sister, SJ, duo from Basingstoke sound tasty. Having previously been in a metal band called ‘Scorched Flesh’ there is some noticeable similarities in their music and Nile’s long hair is a bit of a giveaway though he has it slightly covered with a geekish Sonic the Hedgehog baseball cap, but in essence they have punk attitude aplenty.
SJ is so busy on the drums that she’s burning up and only three songs in she’s describing herself as hot as 8,000 tits which is an analogy I’ve never heard before! There is good chemistry between these siblings which comes across in their music. With a lot of fuzz guitar and drums they sing songs about the mess the world is in, giving authority the middle finger, mental health, but on the lighter side they also sing about everyday life things such as going down the pub, minesweeping drinks, holidays and barbecues. I miss the end of their set as I want to get a prime position for Maid of Ace in The Empress Ballroom but I have to say they were good, heavy at times, and fun.
https://briocheband.bigcartel.com/
(Andy Murphy)
SMOKING GIVES YOU BIG TITS – Arena
I’m back in the Arena for Smoking Gives You Big Tits. I must confess I’m always a bit wary of bands with humourous or silly names, because often their name is the best thing about them. Smoking Gives You Big Tits are about to prove me wrong. The band are a four piece with a very tuneful vocalist in Helen Taylor. However, Helen is pretty versatile in that she sometimes uses a spoken word delivery which can occasionally transform into a screamed rap. They have some interesting songs too. ‘Porky Pies’ is about “every word that’s ever come out of Boris Johnson’s mouth”.
Before ‘We’re All Just T-Shirt Salesmen’ Helen gives an explanatory speech about the economics of bands touring. Basically, the sad fact is that with most bands on the road now, that is unless you’re The Rolling Stones or The Who, the likelihood is that any money you make will come from selling merch. Bands that rely solely on their income from touring may just about break even, but that’s unlikely. This is why buying merch is vitally important in order to keep bands on the road. It shouldn’t be the case but it is. Anyway, the song itself is really good and features a very bouncy ska chorus. To emphasise the point of the song, Helen sells a t-shirt from the stage for £10. A very fair price I’m sure you’ll agree. Guitarist Jonesy wears a t-shirt emblazoned with the legend ‘t-shirt salesman’.
All of their songs are quite witty. ‘It’s Not A Sports Injury, It’s Gout’ is about the bass player going to see his doctor about what he thought was an injury he’d gained on a park run. ‘Short As F*ck’ is about being a short person at a gig, whilst ‘He’s Not Toadfish From Neighbours’ is about their drummer, who apparently is often mistaken for said Neighbours character. Whilst ‘Margaret Thatcher Is Still Dead’ is about always having something to celebrate. The song ends with the lyric: “the witch is dead”. So, does smoking give you big tits? To be honest, I have no idea, but I do know that they’re too good a band to have such a silly name. It’s funny, but it doesn’t do them justice.
https://www.instagram.com/smokinggivesyoubigtits
(Mark Kelly)
MAID OF ACE – Empress Ballroom
So on Wednesday I made the 5 hour train journey from Hastings with local band Maid of Ace on my hitlist of acts to see at Rebellion only for them to announce an intimate gig in a pub just a ten minute walk from my front door on the Sunday of the festival, but instead of dwelling on this I am determined to enjoy seeing these four sisters from my adopted hometown. Having recently supported Green Day on their UK and Ireland stadium tour, they have certainly got the taste for playing the big stage and the Empress Ballroom is the main arena here. It was only two years ago that they packed out The Pavilion with its 360 capacity and it’s safe to say there is a much larger crowd in attendance this afternoon. Comprising of Alison Cara Elliott on lead vocals and guitar, Anna Coral Elliott on vocals and guitar, Amy Catherine Elliott on bass guitar and vocals, and Abby Charlotte Elliott on drums, MOA go from strength to strength and their fist pumping punk rock is maid for the mosh pit. These sisters are on the same wavelength during another barnstorming set, but I have to say that whenever I see MOA I am always drawn to the energy of Abby on drums who is relentless throughout. Choosing a standout track is a difficult task for me, but the crowd’s choice appears to be the rousing finale of ‘Maid In England’. Now here’s hoping for another intimate local gig in the not too distant future.
(Andy Murphy)
ROSE OF AVALANCHE – Opera House
A surprise appearance (for me anyway) on the Opera House stage is Rose Of Avalanche. I’d previously seen them twice in 1986 at Birmingham Powerhaus supporting Balaam And The Angel and The Mission respectively. A mere 38 years later here they are again, five mostly follicly challenged guys who bear no resemblance to the band that I’m picturing in my mind’s eye! It is them though. They split up in 1992 and re-formed in 2019. Nobody told me!!! However, they’re on my radar now, and there’s no escape! Their set begins with a recording of a southern preacher warning of the evils of rock ‘n’ roll: something of which we should all be aware. I’m sure you’ll agree dear reader. When they actually start playing it soon becomes clear that the music has aged not one jot. The gothic overtones are still present and correct. The lead guitarist’s playing is busier than I remember, but not to the detriment of the songs. It’s the first time that they’ve played Rebellion. I certainly hope that it won’t be the last. They play a new song, which sounds for all the world like a Rose Of Avalanche song, just one that I haven’t heard before. They cover ‘New Rose’ by The Damned, which frankly seems a bit pointless, but it is a good version to be fair. If you haven’t heard this band before, and you like cool, dark, gothic rock, then you should give them a listen.
(Mark Kelly)
NEWTOWN NEUROTICS – Empress Ballroom (4:50pm – 5:35pm)
I hang around The Empress Ballroom to watch a real blast from the past, a band formed 45 years ago that are true left-wingers with morals to match, sadly unlike today’s more centrist Labour Party but that’s a debate for another format. The Newtown Neurotics hail from post world war two new town Harlow, hence the band’s name. Lead singer and guitarist Steve Drewett has always been at the forefront of the band with his political lyrics key to shaping the direction they have taken but it’s a sad reflection on the world when songs written over 40 years ago are still relevant today and how little progress has been made in some areas. At least their opening song ‘Kick Out The Tories’ originally released in 1982, and again this year when the General Election was announced, has come to fruition. It’s not all about the past though and the band released their latest album ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ in 2022 and they play two songs from said album. ‘Climate Emergency’ is the predictable call for such a politically astute band that something needs to change to reverse the damage that humankind is causing to the environment. Ending the set with the upbeat ‘Stand With You’ from the last album, it’s a call for arms for all to take on board and stand together against the fascists, especially relevant this weekend with a Far Right march worryingly scheduled for tomorrow in Blackpool. Stand strong comrades.
https://linktr.ee/newtownneurotics
(Andy Murphy)
THE MARCH VIOLETS – Opera House
Another blast from the past in the Opera House are the March Violets. Their reunion has been somewhat longer running than that of Rose Of Avalanche, as their first reunion gig was in 2007, and since then they’ve released three albums, the most recent being this year’s ‘Crocodile Promises’. What I wasn’t aware of was in their first period of existence they didn’t release a studio album. Their first proper studio album, ‘Made Glorious’ didn’t come out until 2013. They have plenty of cracking oldies for us to feast on, but the current album is well represented too. They have no drummer which is a bit disappointing, and the drums are on the backing track. No problem though, at least they’re here. Original members vocalist Rosie Garland and guitarist Tom Ashton are joined by bassist Mat Thorpe who first played with the band at their first reunion gig in 2007. They start with the magnificent ‘Crow Baby’, which was a single back in 1983. Rosie Garland’s vocals have lost none of their ethereal quality. Three songs into the set we get the first of the songs from the current album: ‘Hammer The Last Nail’. Rosie tells us that it’s about “right-wing idiots”, so it’s sadly relevant this weekend. It fits in well with the older songs without sounding in the least bit dated. Mind you – the old songs don’t sound dated either! They play two more songs from the current album: ‘Crocodile Teeth’ and ‘This Way Out’. If the three songs that we’ve heard today are indicative of the rest of the material on ‘Crocodile Promises’, then it would appear to be a bit of a triumph! The band are about to embark upon a tour of the USA and Canada. Hopefully they’ll tour here on their return. They’re well worth seeing.
https://linktr.ee/marchvioletsband
(Mark Kelly)
THE BAR STOOL PREACHERS – Opera House
After a quick dinner break I return to the Opera House for the Bar Stool Preachers acoustic set. This starts off with a rendition of ‘Call Me On Your Way Home’ with vocalist Tom McFaull accompanied by a pianist, cellist and violinist. I wonder whether all of the songs are going to be similarly stripped back. However, after this song the rest of the band join in, with the guitarist playing an acoustic Fender Telecaster. ‘Choose My Friends’ is essentially a break-up song, featuring the drummer mostly using hand-held percussion. When he does use sticks they’re split sticks, so they don’t make too much noise.
During ‘Clock Out, Tools Down’ one of the backing vocalists pours beer into the guitarist’s mouth. I do like to see teamwork in action. Some guest vocalists join in the fun, including Carol Hodge. The lyrical content is largely very emotional, and there is a lot of raw emotion on display during the performance. The set ends with ‘Bar Stool Preacher’, which is a ska song and seems to allow the band to let their hair down, at least metaphorically. Bar Stool Preachers are a great live band. I’d like to see them do a fully amped-up set. Hopefully I’ll get the opportunity before too long.
https://linktr.ee/thebarstoolpreachers
(Mark Kelly)
KIRK BRANDON – Literary
I wander off to the literary stage for a well-deserved rest and to celebrate local hero Kirk Brandon’s 68th birthday eve. Kirk is certainly an interesting character and one I have long revered since discovering Theatre of Hate when I moved to London in 1981. This evening many stories are covered including how he went to visit his sister in Ireland after she told him she had found a box of his belongings in the attic. It turned out to include an acetate of ‘Young Men’ which he confirms he will not be selling, and a load of handwritten lyrics that he can’t even remember writing. Kirk tells us how he was really into the Blues growing up and that his first real influence was The Groundhogs. A bit different from his dad’s love of opera and his mum’s of poetry.
It’s quite surprising to hear that when Theatre of Hate split up and Kirk started Spear of Destiny that he actually had no new direction that he wanted to follow and that in fact six of the songs had been written whilst he was in his former band. He also talks about a bizarre meeting with Vera Lynn and her husband whom he met at an Anti-Heroin gig. There is of course mention of his ill health and the US tour that everyone was advising him to not go on. Going back to the eighties there is a mention of the time they played York racecourse and not long after singing ‘Rainmaker’ it absolutely hammered down and The Mission got drenched. Fast forward a few hours and it appears that just the mention of said song still has the same effect as I get absolutely drenched walking back to my hotel later on tonight. Thanks Kirk! Before that though there is part two of the Kirk Brandon love-in as he returns to more familiar and comfortable surroundings to perform music with The Pack in The Opera House.
(Andy Murphy)
THE SAMPLES – Arena
I have a change of venue now and head back to the Arena for The Samples. I’ll hold up my hand and admit that I’ve never previously heard of this band, but they’re from Worcester. They were formed in 1978 and split up in 1986. I’m not sure when they re-formed, but here they are. They’re a very tight and powerful three piece playing fast proper punk with political lyrics. A prime example being ‘The Red Wall’ which is a single from their forthcoming studio album. ‘Empire Strikes Back’ is another new song, also very likely to be on their new album. It quotes from ‘Career Opportunities’ by The Clash. Proof, should it be needed, that whilst talent borrows, genius steals. They also play their first single, ‘Vendetta’, which is “from a long time ago”. I believe more specifically that it’s from 1980. The guitarist wears a Crass t-shirt, which speaks volumes. Towards the end of the set they play ‘Dead Heroes’, and the singer says that it may be the last time that they play it, as he wouldn’t put money on himself making Christmas! The guitarist is laughing so hopefully he’s joking! This has been a quite revelatory set. The band don’t currently appear to have any dates planned, but when they do, I’d recommend seeing them.
(Mark Kelly)
SPIZZENERGI – Opera House
I’ve unfortunately arrived ten minutes late for the SpizzEnergi set at the Opera House. The name Spizzenergi was finally settled on after the annual change of name the first time around when they formed well over 40 years ago now. I’m just in time to hear the wonderful ‘Mega City 3’ though so on a personal level it’s not a bad start to the gig for me. Spizz, who recently became a first time Grandad, is still a great entertainer and keeps us amused in-between songs. His voice may not quite have the vocal range that it once did, but he provides the audience with full value and gives nothing but his best as is always to be expected. He is backed by an experienced band in Luca Comencini (The DeRellas) on lead guitar, Phil Ross on guitar, Ben Lawson on bass, and Alan Galaxy on drums. The obvious highlight of any SpizzEnergi show is ‘Where’s Captain Kirk?’ which in my humble opinion is still up there as one of the best and most imaginative songs ever written even if you aren’t a Trekkie. ‘Soldier, Soldier’ and ‘Virginia Plain’ both get the crowd going as is to be expected. There is a cover of Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’ to slow things down, but sadly there is no room for ‘No Room’, nor ‘6,000 Crazy’ in the near 3,000 capacity Opera House, and let’s not forget ‘Amnesia’, in the setlist. Still despite these glaring omissions I am left with a beaming smile on my face at the end.
(Andy Murphy)
ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE – Empress Ballroom
I make today’s first visit to the Empress Ballroom for the Anti-Nowhere League. For some years Animal (aka Nick Culmer) has been the only original member of the band. He’s obviously chosen the other current members well though, as the band’s character seems to be unchanged and certainly undiminished. This set is less than an hour long, but it’s still brimming with great material. The band have the crowd with them from the off as they sing along enthusiastically with ‘I Hate People’. ‘So What’ is greeted by the crowd as the anthem that it so clearly is. Again there is a mass singalong.
The song’s A-side, a punked-up version of Ralph McTell’s ‘Streets Of London’ follows. Lest we forget, this was The Anti-Nowhere League’s first single, with some lyrical changes from the original version. ‘Woman’ is about a failing relationship, and as the relationship sours the song gets faster. ‘Uncle Charlie’ is an appreciation of the UK Subs’ Charlie Harper to the tune of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’. ‘F*cked Up & Wasted’ is to the tune of Alice Cooper’s ‘I Want To Be Elected’, or the Ramones’ ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’. Take your pick! During the song one of the roadies pours beer into guitarist Tommy-H’s mouth. Teamwork in action again!!! What else can the set end with but The Anti-Nowhere League’s ultimate anthem, ‘We Are The League?’. This has been an absolutely classic set. We couldn’t have asked for more.
(Mark Kelly)
THE PACK – Opera House
I was only 14 years old and living in a Scottish village when The Pack formed in 1978 and missed out on them completely and had little awareness of them when I started following Kirk Brandon’s next project Theatre of Hate in 1981. Tonight is my first time witnessing the band in action with Kirk Brandon and bassist John Werner the only remaining original members alive after the sad passing of guitarist Simon Werner in Hastings in 2010, and much more recently drummer Rab Fae Beith. The replacements for tonight’s gig are Warren Wilson on guitar, and Danny Farrant (Buzzcocks) on drums as Steve Grantley is on duty with Stiff Little Fingers.
The music to enter the stage is obviously ‘Leader Of The Pack’ before they start off with the bass intro for ‘Brave New Soldiers’ the B side of their first single, and you can instantly hear the Kirk Brandon stamp on things to come further down the line in his career. Kirk talked earlier about not being able to reach the notes on ‘Number 12’, and when you hear the original it isn’t a surprise, but Kirk is one of those artists from years gone by whose inimitable voice has held up incredibly well and he can still hold a note. The Opera House is one of the largest venues of its kind in Europe with a 2,800 capacity and the stage is absolutely massive, but Kirk isn’t at all fazed and his voice fills the auditorium magnificently. There is definitely a louder raw punk sound to a fair bit of The Pack material which is right up my street, but in typical Kirk style it is still different from your regular punk sound of the day. For us Theatre of Hate fans it is great to hear The Pack’s version of ‘Legion’ which though not quite as polished is still a wonderful song. I have never left a show with Kirk Brandon involved dissatisfied and that unblemished record continues tonight as his obvious love for performing music shines through.
(Andy Murphy)
COUNTING COINS – Arena
Buzzing somewhat I wander back to the Arena for Hull ska-punk band Counting Coins. The band are a five-piece, with the trumpet clearly being the lead instrument, although there’s a sweet guitar solo in the second song. They have a new EP out. They play a song from it called ‘2010’, about “a crap year when the Tories got in yet again”. The vocals are rap influenced, and are a bit annoying after a while. This is partially because the lyrics are worth hearing and the delivery sometimes makes that difficult. Overall though, they’re an interesting band, and certainly worth a listen.
www.instagram.com/counting_coins
(Mark Kelly)
RAMONA’S TEA PARTY – After Dark In Pavilion
Next I’m off to the Pavilion for Ramona’s Tea Party, who I saw supporting Millie Manders and the Shut Up at Brighton’s Hope and Ruin last year, and was really impressed with. They certainly don’t disappoint tonight either. Ramona and the lead guitarist (whose name may be Christopher but I can’t remember!) are incredibly energetic, running backwards and forwards across the stage. This is great rock ‘n’ roll. They play ‘Empty Pool’ from last year, which is already becoming a bit of a classic. They have a lot of fun. Ramona stage dives. She says that “all stages are stage diveable”. Well…..maybe!!! Tonight is the bassist’s last gig with the band, which is rather a shame. Overall, they’re a bit like a cross between Green Day and Hanoi Rocks. At the end of the last song, the guitarist throws his guitar into the air and catches it. Rock and roll! I have to say that this is one hell of a band. They tour the UK with Millie Manders and the Shut Up (indeed, Millie is in the audience tonight), rocking up at Brighton Patterns on 24th October. Be there!!!
https://linktr.ee/ramonasteaparty
(Mark Kelly)
STEVE IGNORANT – Club Casbah
So after yesterday’s appetiser of seeing Steve Ignorant being interviewed on The Literary Stage, tonight I am finishing off my day at Club Casbah to see the real deal in concert with band in tow. I am lucky enough to get a space on the barrier as apparently it is packed out and find myself directly in front of Steve’s microphone left of stage. My passion for this band was well documented in a previous review when they last played a set of Crass songs at the Concorde 2 and they will be returning to the same venue in Brighton on 16th November so purchase your ticket for a guaranteed great night.
The entrance is always special and immediately the crowd are engaged in singing along to ‘Do They Owes Us A Living?’ and I don’t recall hearing a louder “Of course they f*cking do” than tonight. Steve mentioned during his interview how each band member offers their own something special to the overall sound and until now I hadn’t really thought anything of it, but whatever it is he was damn right. If it’s not Jay wrapping his arm around his head to drum ferociously in the most awkward position ever, then it’s Peter Rawlinson or Pete Wilson looking more the part every time I see them, and of course there’s Carol Hodge whose stunning vocals take the songs to a different level. I love watching Steve show his appreciation whenever she sings and hits those notes that mere mortals can only dream of. This band have gelled together so well that long may it continue. Colin Jerwood, he of Conflict, joins Steve on stage to duet on ‘Banned From The Roxy’ in the ultimate climax to a gig. Still for everyone’s efforts they are all upstaged by young fan Demi who makes another appearance after her success as an interviewer last night. Amazingly she gets another opportunity to sing the opening children’s nursery rhyme to ‘Big A Little A’ (20th song of the set), but this time in front of over 2,000 punks and she holds her nerve like a true professional. We’re only halfway through the festival but already young Demi has provided me with two of what are undoubtedly going to be my highlights of the weekend. An immense twenty-three song set is surely enough to make everyone’s Friday night stay in their dismal B&Bs a happy one.
(Andy Murphy)
THE STRANGLERS – Empress Ballroom
Now it’s off to see the band that I’ve been looking forward to the most: The Stranglers. Jean-Jacques Burnel may be the last man standing, but they’re still one hell of a live band. JJ’s current bandmates only add to The Stranglers’ legend, and remain true to The Stranglers’ sound. It should be noted incidentally, that Baz Warnes has now been in the band for twenty-four years. They come onstage to ‘Waltzinblack’ from ‘The Gospel According To The Meninblack’ playing over the PA, and then without further ado crash into ‘Toiler On The Sea’ from ‘Black And White’. The band are tight and powerful, even though they are now effectively a ‘festivals and occasional gigs’ band. They sound like a good solid touring unit. Tonight’s set is a crowd-pleasing set, but that’s really what festivals are all about. The opening quartet of ‘Toiler On The Sea’, ‘Duchess’, ‘5 Minutes’ (with JJ on lead vocals), and ‘Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’ are unimpeachable.
The band drive the set along at quite a pace. There’s virtually no chat. They’re clearly conscious of time constraints. They don’t ignore their more recent work. ‘Breathe’ from their most recent album, ‘Dark Matters’ (released 2021) is absolutely epic! There are deep cuts too. I don’t recall ever seeing them play ‘Hey! (Rise Of The Robots)’ from ‘Black And White’ before, and as an extra treat, Lora Logic (founder member of X-Ray Spex) guests on saxophone! ‘Grip’ is as powerful as ever, and we get another track from ‘Dark Matters’: ‘White Stallion’. Then it’s onto the home straight with ‘Walk On By’ (featuring a searing guitar solo from Baz Warnes), ‘Hanging Around’, ‘Tank’ and ‘No More Heroes’, with JJ throwing in the odd karate kick for good measure. Naturally there’s no encore. Obviously I’d love The Stranglers to tour again, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Still, as long as we get the occasional gig that’s as good as this, I’m happy.
thestranglers.co.uk
(Mark Kelly)
Full gallery below featuring over 40 bands from the 1st 2 days!
All reviews Andy Murphy and Mark Kelly. All photos © Cris Watkins
